Topic: Dropbox

Dane Jasper discusses the benefits of symmetric gigabit speeds for cloud backups and video uploads. He explains why Sonic chooses not to offer its own cloud storage or IPTV television service, preferring to let customers use specialized third-party apps like Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube TV. Jasper argues that the television industry is moving toward internet-based streaming, making traditional cable bundles obsolete.

A host discovers a $238 charge from Dropbox for a "Professional" subscription during the live broadcast, leading to a discussion on "scammy" subscription models. Similar experiences are shared regarding LogMeIn and other software companies that utilize automatic renewals and difficult-to-navigate cancellation processes. The incident highlights the risks of "crapware" and the aggressive monetization of cloud storage services.

President Obama met with top tech CEOs, including Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Eric Schmidt (Google), and Reed Hastings (Netflix), to discuss intelligence and privacy reforms. The hosts highlight the presence of Alexander Karp, CEO of the government-linked data firm Palantir, and warn listeners against using services like Dropbox and Box following their participation in the "dialogue."

BitTorrent Sync is being deprecated as a distribution method for the show due to a 50-client connection limit and lack of unlimited access. A music industry insider suggests the company cannot allow unlimited sharing without implementing intrusive file scanning similar to Dropbox. The show will transition back to using uTorrent and BitLove RSS feeds for decentralized file distribution.

The hosts express frustration over a discovered 50-peer limit on BitTorrent Sync, which hinders its use for large-scale podcast distribution. They speculate that the company is moving toward a paid enterprise model similar to Dropbox, contradicting the decentralized nature of the technology.

The "Heartbleed" bug has forced a massive re-issuing of security certificates across the internet, with the hosts criticizing cloud providers like Rackspace for their slow response. They also discuss Condoleezza Rice joining the board of Dropbox, viewing it as a sign of government encroachment into private data storage. The segment laments the state of technology reporting, which focuses on gadgets rather than critical infrastructure vulnerabilities.

A new experiment using BitTorrent Sync allows users to download podcast episodes in seconds via a decentralized peer-to-peer network. Unlike Dropbox or iTunes, this method uses a secret hash to sync folders directly between users without a central server. While not yet available for mobile devices, the system offers a high-speed alternative to traditional RSS feeds.

A host reports a technical anomaly where a Monsanto "Kids Activity Book" PDF file appears to be updating itself automatically within a Dropbox folder. Listeners are asked to investigate the file at a provided URL to determine if the document contains "phone home" capabilities or other embedded access controls.