AT&T's mobile chief: We've sold out of the Facebook phone
So, the HTC First wasn't a complete disaster after all.AT&T managed to get rid of most of its inventory, according to AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega. The move to a 99-cent price tag helped spur sales of the Facebook phone, which struggled to catch on with consumers."We sold a bunch more when we lowered the price," he said in an interview on Monday. "We sold everything we had on that." Related storiesFugitive who teased police on Facebook caughtCNET News Daily Podcast: What Google wins, loses by leaving ChinaSmartphones to dominate PCs in Gartner forecastMaking MotoBlur manageableBuzz Out Loud Podcast 1145: China to Google: Suck it It's unclear how many HTC First phones AT&T had in its inventory, and the company wouldn't discuss the actual number. And even if AT&T has sold out of the phone, it is by no means a success. The HTC First seemingly ran into problems immediately after Facebook, AT&T, and HTC unveiled the device in a splashy event that also promoted the Facebook Home Android skin. The First was supposed to be the marquee product to show off Facebook's take on an enhanced mobile presence, and AT&T had promised to back it as its flagship product for the season. Yet many were skeptical the phone would catch on. Those fears were confirmed when AT&T cut the price of the phone to 99 cents after just a few short weeks, implying weak demand. Then came rumors that AT&T was planning to return unsold inventory to HTC, and that the phone would be discontinued, which people familiar with both companies denied to CNET. While De la Vega said that the company is done with the inventory, the phone remains available on the Web site. CNET contacted Facebook and HTC for comment, and we'll update the story when the companies respond. Even if AT&T managed to rid itself of the HTC First, few would disagree that the phone was a flop. But De la Vega said that he is committing to working on different iterations of products with its partners. De la Vega compared the HTC First to the Motorola ROKR, which was the ill-received and ill-conceived music-centric phone that was technically Apple's first foray into the cell phone world (a la the ability for the Motorola-designed phone to work with iTunes). AT&T sold the ROKR, and while that phone was a failure, De la Vega believes it helped AT&T get the inside track on the iPhone. "We have a great relationship with Apple just like we have a great relationship with Facebook," he said. "We look forward to working with them to make Home better."This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
The 404 1,073- Where it could use some more bacon (podcast)
The 404 1,073: Where it could use some more bacon (podcast)
Piggybacking (waka waka) on Jeff's encounter with a candied bacon ice cream sandwich at the Sony E3 press conference last week, we can't help but indulge in Burger King's new bacon-topped sundae. And even if Jeff's dietitian won't let him have it, we can still stare longingly at the press shots and tell you about our own favorite encounters with the swine. Before we make ourselves too hungry, we'll move on and expose an especially nefarious tactic that record labels are using to catch bootleggers online.It turns out that they all employ an anti-piracy group called ProMedia to track online offenders, and the team includes a roster of 35 students who crawl social networks, forums, and blogs to nab filesharers.Once they're caught, the students are instructed to threaten offenders with lawsuits, essentially forcing out-of-court settlements to the tune of about 1,200 euros, or $1,500.Finally, we'll take a look at a photo forensics firm that keeps track of physically manipulated photos throughout history. And yes, we do mean "pre-Photoshop." Photos have been tampered with long before 1987 and as early as the 1900s. Whether politically motivated or just to insert teammates into championship photos, the methods were primitive and so much more obvious than today.Plenty of voice mails and listener questions to answer after the break, so check out today's episode and let us know what you think in the comments!Bathroom break video: Scared of technology.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayEpisode 1,073PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff Bakalar
Piggybacking (waka waka) on Jeff's encounter with a candied bacon ice cream sandwich at the Sony E3 press conference last week, we can't help but indulge in Burger King's new bacon-topped sundae. And even if Jeff's dietitian won't let him have it, we can still stare longingly at the press shots and tell you about our own favorite encounters with the swine. Before we make ourselves too hungry, we'll move on and expose an especially nefarious tactic that record labels are using to catch bootleggers online.It turns out that they all employ an anti-piracy group called ProMedia to track online offenders, and the team includes a roster of 35 students who crawl social networks, forums, and blogs to nab filesharers.Once they're caught, the students are instructed to threaten offenders with lawsuits, essentially forcing out-of-court settlements to the tune of about 1,200 euros, or $1,500.Finally, we'll take a look at a photo forensics firm that keeps track of physically manipulated photos throughout history. And yes, we do mean "pre-Photoshop." Photos have been tampered with long before 1987 and as early as the 1900s. Whether politically motivated or just to insert teammates into championship photos, the methods were primitive and so much more obvious than today.Plenty of voice mails and listener questions to answer after the break, so check out today's episode and let us know what you think in the comments!Bathroom break video: Scared of technology.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayEpisode 1,073PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff Bakalar
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