Vista nags users, Verizon accuses

If you thought Windows Genuine Advantage was a treat, wait till you see Vista’s anti-piracy technology. Users who install Vista will have 30 days to validate the product; OEM installs will come pre-validated. (So much for encouraging people to buy new hardware now and upgrade later.) If the validation fails, Vista will shut down your browser after an hour, prevent Windows Defender from running, and nag you 24/7 until you validate. Of course, it’s possible the whole thing will work flawlessly. Wait, I think I just saw a pig fly by my window. Sorry, my bad -- it was just another Microsoft product manager completing his exit interview.

Take It to the Limit: Cringefan Dave T. finds Verizon Wireless’s “Unlimited BroadbandAccess” offer, well, a bit limiting. Besides the restrictions spelled out in the fine print -- no movie, music, or game downloads; no VoIP, P2P, or Webcams -- he apparently violated an unwritten 5GB monthly bandwidth restriction. He says Verizon suspended his account and accused him of violating its terms of service, but refused to say what he did. (Judging by the comments at EVDOforums.com, he’s hardly alone.) Verizon spokesguy Jeff Nelson says there’s no 5GB limit, but when users consume too much bandwidth, it’s almost always a sign they’re violating Verizon’s terms. Right. That’s like going to an all-you-can-eat buffet, only when you grab a second plate, some strong-armed bruiser stops you and says, “Sorry, that’s all you can eat.”

She's Come UnDunn: Looks like deposed HP Chair Patricia Dunn will get to declare “I am not a crook” after all. Dunn and four co-conspirators have been charged with felonies ranging from fraud, to conspiracy, to identity theft. Now we’ll see how the “I thought the calling records were public information” defense plays in court. I’m guessing … not so well.

Tubular Belles: The vblog world is agog over purchase of YouTube. The price: $1.65 billion, or roughly $2,500 per dancing cat video. I understand Sergey and Larry offered another $100 million for LonelyGirl15’s phone number.

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