Microsoft Ad Campaign Puts a Hotspot Inside a Magazine 194
An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft is putting in real Wi-Fi hardware hotspots inside some copies of the latest issue of Forbes magazine. The unique Office 365 promotion was revealed in a post on the Slickdeals.net message board. The WiFi router, when activated, offers 15 days of free WiFi service via T-Mobile's network on up to five devices at once." Which is more impressive: Wi-Fi hotspot in 2013, or E-ink display in 2008?
Wi-Fi hotspot in 2013 (Score:1)
Obviously, this is much more impressive than a simple display.
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Re:Wi-Fi hotspot in 2013 (Score:4, Informative)
Yeah, I didn't think this was even a valid question. The display from 2008 was a static backlit affair. The hotspot allows you to connect a slew of devices to the Internet for a while.
The 2008 display was neither static nor backlit(it was electrophoretic and reflective); but it was effectively useless because it wasn't bitmapped. Unlike the (much more expensive) e-ink screens used in kindles and their ilk, this one had 14 segments [makezine.com], all fixed shape. They didn't do anything to block you from reprogramming it; but all you could do was blink the segments in different patterns(and, unlike the classic '7-segment' LED and LCD displays, these segments were whole letters and chunks of background, not designed for even crude rendering of characters). More or less useless.
It's a shame... (Score:2, Funny)
...Playboy stopped its print edition.
Oh boy. (Score:5, Funny)
"Sir, please turn off your magazine."
Re:Oh boy. (Score:4, Informative)
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What's troll-y is claiming that you don't see how that language could annoy anyone. There is a perfectly suitable gender-neutral word that makes exactly the same point. It's 2013 ffs.
When I read stuff like "stewardess", I think old-timer or non-native-English speaker.
And yes I realize this is /. and /. is not know for being a bastion of progressive thought on gender and bias. But sometimes I get annoyed at careless crap like the above and attempt to piss into the wind. Sue me.
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But sometimes I get annoyed at careless crap like the above and attempt to piss into the wind. Sue me.
I won't sue you, but I will mod you up!
Re:Oh boy. (Score:5, Funny)
The problem today is the insane number of people who scour the planet looking for ways in which to be offended.
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i'm tired of people being upset that they can't offend people anymore and not expect people to stand up for themselves. stop being offended that you can't just expect people to sit there and take it.
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I'm offended by your opinion on such behavior.
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Honestly I really do not understand why you would let that bother you. If the word was used correctly, it was, and the word is not in and of it self offensive, it is not. What is the big deal?
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We call them stewardesses because that is what they used to actually be called before someone decided to try and force a language change.
It's also one word, as opposed to "flight attendant", so it rolls off the tongue or keyboard better.
Anyway, whether or not it should be this way, most flight crew and teachers, for that matter, as still women. If you really want to make the term stewardess seem strange, then only actual change in employment patterns, and the attendant true obsolescence of the term is goin
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I'd say it's more correct to call it misandry. If you were going to say there was a belief that men can't do the job satisfactorily.
The reason to embed gender is because language has had gender in it for centuries. Changing natural language with thoughtful constructs is nice, but I don't think we're at a point where we should treat it as necessary. Gender is an inherent part of many languages. English is not one of those languages, but we borrow words from many languages where this is true.
Would you hav
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When I was a lad flight attendants (even if that, later on, became the official companies' designation for same) were almost entirely female. (And the males were called stewards, which made perfect sense.
Since those were also the days when it seemed a commonplace to speak of actors and actresses, it was no more striking to call a female flight attendant a stewardess than it was to call a male flight attendant a steward - it was, then and now, simply a useful descriptive term. That some harbor disparaging
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For example everyone knows there is a difference between mi amigo and mi amiga.
Would you call someone who used the term mi amiga sexist? Should we really get bent out of shape over a word that was borrowed from another language?
Perhaps a French (or other romance language) speaker could clue us in on how they refer to the flight staff
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Have you flown recently? It's been a while since I've been on a flight without at least one male steward.
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It's actually more than 20%, but whatever floats you prejudiced boat.
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" annoyed at careless crap "
Keyword: careless.
Meaning: They don't care.
Resultant logic: Have fun tilting at those windmills, and say, "Hi!" to Sancho for me!
Re:Oh boy. (Score:5, Funny)
What's troll-y is claiming that you don't see how that language could annoy anyone. There is a perfectly suitable gender-neutral word that makes exactly the same point. It's 2013 ffs.
When I read stuff like "stewardess", I think old-timer or non-native-English speaker.
And yes I realize this is /. and /. is not know for being a bastion of progressive thought on gender and bias. But sometimes I get annoyed at careless crap like the above and attempt to piss into the wind. Sue me.
No one's going to sue you, cupcake. Just be a dear and make me a sandwich, hmmm?
Re:Oh boy. (Score:5, Funny)
What's troll-y is claiming that you don't see how that language could annoy anyone. There is a perfectly suitable gender-neutral word that makes exactly the same point. It's 2013 ffs.
When I read stuff like "stewardess", I think old-timer or non-native-English speaker.
And yes I realize this is /. and /. is not know for being a bastion of progressive thought on gender and bias. But sometimes I get annoyed at careless crap like the above and attempt to piss into the wind. Sue me.
No one's going to sue you, cupcake. Just be a dear and make me a sandwich, hmmm?
You forgot the 'sudo'
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When I read stuff like "stewardess", I think old-timer or non-native-English speaker.
Heh, funny bit of irony: When I read stuff like people complaining about someone else using the word "stewardess," I think mindless pedant with nothing better to do with their time but scour the internet, looking for trivial matters to bitch about.
Disability must pay really well these days. Or is that another one of those 'butthurt terms' that we're not supposed to use anymore?
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Yet you took the time to complain about my complaining. How about you be part of the solution and stfu?
...
Nah. I'd rather push your buttons and point out that you're a pedantic jackass, as you've quite succinctly proven by your insistence on defending your prickish actions, instead of taking the advice of the community to man up and stop being such a narcissistic loser. *Gasp* Oh noes! I used another gender-specific term! Time to fire up the whiny-troll-machine, eh?
Enjoy your day, douche-nozzle! I know I will!
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I thought they were called "flight attendants"
*shrug*
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That too, and most people call them that, even if they also use "stewardess" as well.
Many people when they grew up either knew them as stewardesses, or their parents knew them that way. And of course, back in the day, they were almost always completely female, and even had specific attractiveness and etiquette training. The fact that most of them remain female (but without the specific gender specific requirements) means that the term, while not considered modern, is still in wide use. It should also be
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You could be completely gender neutral and use "stews." But they don't like that for some reason.
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You're right. The proper gender neutral term in English is "steward." However, feminists have convinced us all that the English convention of using male nouns and pronouns in a dual role as genderless ones is somehow sexist, politically correct types like to switch them up. So you might say "she" when you're speaking in general, instead of "he." Or "stewardess" instead of "steward."
It is kind of annoying, but I don't see how it hurts anyone. Perhaps you should take up a hobby other than Slashdot? Runn
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Most people over the age of 15 learn to live in a world with things that annoy them without blowing a gasket.
Apparently the world you live in is one where it is necessary to complain when people dont conform to your linguistic conventions, or form gender-neutral hypotheticals.
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"We saw a sex crazed bastard grab a great ass as 3 bare breasted stewardesses traversed Westwater street! We bet vexed stewardesses bagged extra bras ever after!"
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Who exactly gets to decide a word is demeaning? DO I get to decide that calling me the IT guy is demeaning. I should make everyone refer to me by title. Network Analyst.
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Maybe that is just me, but I have not seen anyone using that word in a demeaning way.
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"Nigger" was always a vile term, because it always implied someone lower than you in some way. It even came with pseudoscience trying to show how you were somehow lower in the evolutionary chain than the white man or even the "Chinaman". It also used to be a prelude to beatings and being hung from trees.
Stewardess used to mean a female that operated the hospitality on a plane. The job requirements were certainly sexist, but no more so than pretty much all of the female jobs of the time. Although I am su
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Wow, you've obviously got some issues. "Stewardess" is the female form of "steward," which was a fairly high position in a household staff. Vaguely related to "squire" which has become "esquire" which is today a title granted to pretentious people by themselves.
I think the term you're confusing it with is "whore."
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and yes, if your title is network analyst and you prefer to be called that it's ok to insist on it.
It kind of makes you obnoxious, tbqh.
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Nobody's ever invented a word or phrase like nigger, porch monkey, wetback or jew that's offensive to white hetero males. If you're a white hetero male, then you don't get to decide anything; otherwise there's already a stack of words for you to be offended by.
So get crackin', ye of thin skin.
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OMG that's so racist! I'm going to pick a random word in your post and become offended by it.
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Hey, you're not supposed to point that out lest you bother someone for taking offense.
The amount of privilege in some of these comments is mind boggling. How can people go through life without a clue about how lucky they are?
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honkey, whitey, cracker, gringo...
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It's really strange that we need to come up with neuter terms for everything.
Is it really unexpected, though?
We live in a world where it's considered inappropriate to acknowledge the very real fact that not all people are exactly the same.
If you're talking about the one black guy in a group of 10 other white people, you can't do the obvious and convenient thing and just say "Check out the cool jacket the black guy is wearing". You're supposed to be "PC" and refer to him as "the third tallest guy in that group", or some similar silly bullshit.
I tried to be at least halfway PC for aw
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Luckily you stated "male" because we all know there are no flight attendants that are "men".
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Oh yeah? What's the difference? You should shine the light on this gem of a thought and let everyone see what kind of person you really are.
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Why couldn't a male flight attendant say this?
The male flight attendants know why you've got wireless in your magazine ... for the ... um ... articles.
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Wow - this is the best single-line troll I've seen on Slashdot for 10 years - not since "don't be a metrosexual, buy a gun" has it been equaled.
I stand in awe, Sir or Madam
In America we use internet to bring you magazines (Score:5, Funny)
in Microsoft Russia we use magazines to bring you internet.
I can't wait to see the EULA/ToS (Score:3)
I (Score:2)
Want
Before you go running out to buy this.. (Score:5, Interesting)
From the slickdeals thread:
"it takes you (when it works) to Microsoft.com, nowhere else."
I can't confirm that, but I would be surprised if Microsoft gave away 15 days of unrestricted Internet access to anyone and everyone who simply picked up a Forbes magazine. But who knows.
It's also not confirmed if you can buy this on the news stand or if it's just for Forbes subscribers. So far I've only read of people getting it via subscription.
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It's interesting that they picked Forbes. For about the last year, Forbes seems to have become a major Apple fanboy magazine.
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Like nobody's going to try their hand at hacking the thing? 15 days, no instructions, see you can make it connect somewhere else ... sounds like a fun challenge to some.
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That is what I was thinking too. :)
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Like nobody's going to try their hand at hacking the thing? 15 days, no instructions, see you can make it connect somewhere else ... sounds like a fun challenge to some.
Just had visions of CueCats [wikipedia.org] in my head...no, these things never go pear shaped on them...
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Pear-shaped is the failure mode of the ideal sphere when hit by the real world.
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I would be surprised if Microsoft gave away 15 days of unrestricted Internet access to anyone and everyone who simply picked up a Forbes
This didn't go into every copy of Forbes. Inserting something like this into a magazine is very expensive, not to mention the cost of the device itself.
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Targeted Ad (Score:2)
The article says it is only in some issues of Forbes, undoubtedly tied to CIO type subscribers. ;)
Still, I think it's pretty cool. 3 hours on a charge, etc. It would be awesome if some people with hardware expertise could get one to experiment on. Or find out it is running linux inside.
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The article says it is only in some issues of Forbes, undoubtedly tied to CIO type subscribers. Still, I think it's pretty cool. 3 hours on a charge, etc. It would be awesome if some people with hardware expertise could get one to experiment on. Or find out it is running linux inside. ;)
but will it run Minecraft?
Why are our landfills overflowing? (Score:5, Insightful)
It's because of toxic trash like this.
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No kidding. I was hoping it would be some kind of nifty eco-friendly printed circuit or something, but no, it's a full package of circuit board, wires, a metal board and even a battery.
I doubt people are going to hand in their magazines for proper recycling.
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It's because of toxic trash like this.
But but but... This one will revolutionize the world...... inside a person's head..... for a couple of seconds...... while they're trying to figure out its relevance and get a headache hey wait where's the ice cream and hard liquor?
That's totally worth destroying the soil, right? /sarcasm
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It's because of toxic trash like this.
As opposed to Apple deliberately designing their devices so they are nearly impossible to fix or replace the battery, making you buy a new iDevice.
Very very few people read Forbes. Apple sold 125 million iphones in 2012 (plus the ipods & laptops).
Which is the greater environmental blueprint?
Apple pretends to be warm, fuzzy, cool and good for society. Forbes markets themselves as The Capitalist Tool.
Re:Why are our landfills overflowing? (Score:5, Insightful)
Did you ever consider that they both suck?
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These sorts of gimmicks would stop if all the electronics that resulted were gathered up and shipped to the living room of the marketing dufus who thought this up. Along with several tons of magazine scratch-and-sniff cards.
The good ol days (Score:1)
This reminds me of the good ol days when AOL sent their software CD's out en masse.
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The better days were when they sent it on floppy disk. A re-writable disk is much more useful than a thin coaster.
One just arrived, I kid you not (Score:5, Informative)
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Tested it yesterday (Score:5, Informative)
I received one of these at work yesterday. When you open the page that contains the WiFi hotspot it pulls a tab in the fold of the magazine. This activates the hotspot. You can then connect to the hotspot using the included password (Office365). When you open a browser it will redirect you to the Microsoft Office 365 website, but it only does this first time that you open the browser. You can then navigate to other sites and browse the web as usual. I was also able to open and login to WoW. It was not fast mind you but it worked. I went to speedtest.net and checked the speed to the nearest remote server. It tested out at about 1.5M download and 0.5M upload.
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The burning question... (Score:1)
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Service lasts for 15 days. Battery lasts 3 hours and is rechargeable.
I vote for neither. (Score:1)
I vote for the fully functional Android phone inserted in "Entertainment Weekly" last fall.
How to compare? (Score:2)
Teardown pending (Score:2)
The AP runs busybox (Score:1)
DOD has banned Forbes (Score:2)
Department of Defense has sent a memo around banning this magazine from intallations for this very reason. Violates ALL kinds of TEMPEST requirements for secure spaces. As an Information Assurance guy I am used to making people take their cell phones back to their car and checking over their laptops. The idea I have to now check their reading material makes me facepalm.
Re:Security breach (Score:5, Insightful)
So it's just like employee smart phones, then? If random devices can extract sensitive data from your WiFi network, you're doing your security wrong.
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12345
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12345
12345 6 [gizmodo.com]!
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That's amazing. I've got the same combination.... ah, fuck it.
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That's why it's inside Forbes - for the clueless managers and business folks - and not EE Times or similar.
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Funny you say that, because the same assholes who say I can't listen to music while I code "For Security Reasons" will be the first to plug this thing into their own PCs.
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It's also artificially limited to 15 days of usefulness; extremely fragile otherwise; and looks like an IED. Economic waste. Broken window.
Pwnie express (Score:3)
With stuff like RPI/beagleboard this would be fairly cost-effective, and people may never even realize.
And some companies like Pwnie Express [pwnieexpress.com] even produces ready-to-use devices for that purpose.
Check their Power Pwn [pwnieexpress.com] for exemple...
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Certainly not a problem for anyone with any rudimentary electronics skill.
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Why would you say something like that? Linux doesn't drive a Harley-Davidson [wikipedia.org].
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So what you're saying is that Linux is a gay fag. Gotcha.
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