MobiTV taking legal action against HowardForums, should instead be spending that money improving its security
For most Engadget Mobile readers -- and certainly all Engadget Mobile editors -- HowardForums is a daily, if not an hourly read. It's one of the few sites we simply cannot imagine living without, and we'd like to think that most companies in the industry feel the same way because it gives everyone an opportunity to connect, share news and ideas, solve problems, and just generally bro out in a way that no other forum serving the mobile community really does. It seems that an utter lack of security protecting MobiTV's pay streams has been called out on HoFo, and rather than deal with it, the company is taking the easy way out by hassling Howard with a DMCA claim and is currently threatening to contact his host and get the site taken down by force. Little problem with that, though: there was nothing to decrypt, hack, or break, because MobiTV's stream is exposed as simple URL with no protection whatsoever. HowardForums, we wish you the best of luck; fight the good fight. MobiTV, guys, honestly, divert some of this cash to making your product suck less.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Filed under: Misc
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mongoos150 @ Mar 7th 2008 3:54PM
Love live HoFo!
Guy @ Mar 7th 2008 8:46PM
http://howardforums.com/announcement.php?f=116
Looks like MoviTv gave up the fight...
MIKE @ Mar 7th 2008 3:56PM
Its disgusting that something like this is even allowed to happen. Mobi screwed up plain and simple... the fact that they can be allowed to sue another for their own stupidity is beyond reason.
This is classic american thinking "I F*cked up, now who can I sue for it" " Its not my fault i'm a dumbass"
conor @ Mar 7th 2008 5:21PM
so so true...
Drunk lawyer: I'll drive!
Random stranger: your blasted man!
lawyer: If we get into a crash we can sue the brewery and the bar!
Chase @ Mar 7th 2008 4:00PM
http://www.cellformer.com/stories/2008/Mar/06/Howard-Forums-on-Verge-of-Shutdown-41.html
This is the original article. We were in contact with hofo and talked to several admins on the site to get the story
Will Static @ Mar 7th 2008 4:18PM
Their silly little cease and decist letter states they have violated copyright on MobiTV's software... no software is need to get the url's in question... other then a web browser... and you can play the tv feed in Quicktime...
Desparation!
Kyle @ Mar 7th 2008 4:25PM
If their plan goes to fruition and they shut down HoFo
I saw we shut them down the ole fashioned way....
David L. @ Mar 7th 2008 4:29PM
blaming other for your own incompetence, totally a good business practice.
Riley Freeman @ Mar 7th 2008 4:35PM
hofo is very ummm suits like and restricts the opinions of their users if they are at all critisized maybe its time for a new voice
Will Static @ Mar 7th 2008 4:40PM
All forums have some sort of policing... without it some users can very quickly overun it with childish comments.
They don't silence opinions they like other stop nonsence.
ikkoku @ Mar 7th 2008 4:43PM
Thanks for posting the article... it's ridiculous what mobitv is doing... here's hoping that the few subscribers will cease and desist their subscription.
Riley Freeman @ Mar 7th 2008 4:45PM
nonsense when ur signature says free a current banned member AND NOTHING ELSE. just their name and then remove the sig and thennnnnnnnnnnnnnnn threaten to ban u if u put it back. which is EXACTLY the same case as what they are going through what rule was violated? we were not disrupting any post with his name in our sig. when rappers where free whoever on the tshirst are they being disruptive? i think not. its closed minded thinking and egos at work. mods dont like being challenged. they sit on their high horse when their a mod. i used to be a big fan of hofo even became a paid member last 4 months lost interest and definitely WONT be renewing my subcription.
Will Static @ Mar 7th 2008 4:54PM
you sound like my ex wife... Laur is that you??? Get over yourself and move on with your life like I have!
dare instructor @ Mar 8th 2008 9:13AM
You spelled 'then' wrong.
go hofo @ Mar 7th 2008 4:56PM
As a daily browser of HoFo, I wish Howard the best of luck. Mobi is acting way too harshly here and has lost my respect (I have never heard of them).
Riley Freeman @ Mar 7th 2008 5:17PM
get over myself? what the hell does that have to do with anything. are u a hofo mod? does it bother u that u cant do anything to me in this thread lol. silly mindless children. the only right way is ur way. if u cant accept critism then well go run to mommy. public forum could have been discussed banning is a cop out and its just futher showing ur one sided power. when the playing field is even u have nothing intelligent to contribute
Will Static @ Mar 7th 2008 6:59PM
no I'm not a mod... I'm simply trying to demonstrate to you how your
vendetta has nothing to do with the topic at hand... you feel you
were wronged so the bastard seen leaving the scene of the crime
should be hung! don't be absurd and try to stay to the topic... HoFo
or anyother 3rd party is definitely not responsible for someone
showing you a completely non secured website... now complaining that
their "SOFTWARE" (not) is being illegally obtained and used.
So I say again get over yourself... this isn't about you.
Xultar @ Mar 7th 2008 5:22PM
Who would waste the time to hack MobiTV honestly.
If I could get that shit for free I'd turn it down and wouldn't think twice.
Xultar @ Mar 7th 2008 5:23PM
and it wasn't even a hack. I wouldn't even type in the free url. That shit is beyond a waste of time.
GET A SLINGBOX and watch what ever you want.
slamEVIL @ Mar 7th 2008 5:29PM
well i'm glad i didn't pay for it. it sucks! mobitv that is. and what are they going to do about the other sites that offer the altered mobitv cab file?
mobitv sucks donkey dick, use orb indtead.
Droobie @ Mar 7th 2008 5:53PM
For 36 bucks you can get a premium sub on HoFo. Better deal than 120 a year for MobiTV I figure. For the first time ever, I put my 36$ into HoFo.
Glenn @ Mar 7th 2008 6:06PM
what exactly does that get you by paying for hofo? im a member of their forum, and would like to know what extras you get for the $$$?
Droobie @ Mar 7th 2008 6:10PM
Warm fuzzy of supporting the site mostly. They offer a few perks as well as an extra forum or two. Click the Premium button on the top of the page and it details these features.
phil @ Mar 7th 2008 6:16PM
riley!!!! i saw that you were bannnnnnned!!!! shiiiit man...i was wondering what you signature meant. shiiiittty
Riley Freeman @ Mar 7th 2008 8:28PM
yea and when i discussed it with him he extended it from 7 days to 14 lol. let me know ur email and ill send u the entire convo. and to will static i brought up what they did cuz they wanted to shut me up for saying free a member when mobitv wanted to shut them up for something too.
nowwwwww the ban also included the fact i posted their private msg to me which is not against any of their rules whne howard posted something im sure mobitv wanted to handle quietly.
[TheBORG] @ Mar 7th 2008 6:17PM
The info has been floating around different Sprint user forums since October 2007...
Jacqueline @ Mar 7th 2008 6:29PM
MobiTV *really* isn't all that and I hope and pray that HoFo gets through this! Like many, I'm a devote HoFo'er and would be sad to see it disappear :(
ToyandMe @ Mar 7th 2008 6:55PM
MorbidTV: in the unlikely case you didn't know: you are the height of stupidity!
robinsmad @ Mar 7th 2008 7:13PM
Is the stream still unsecure? If so, it's pretty hilarious how incompetent they are.
john @ Mar 7th 2008 7:37PM
I went to their web page, found their contact info ( contact@mobitv.com and press@mobitv.com ) and sent them email saying that, due to their actions with respect to howardforums, not only would I never use their products, but that I would spread the word among all of my tech using contacts that they shouldn't either.
AlphaTeam @ Mar 8th 2008 4:10PM
Tried to sign up with MobiTV before. They said no. Meh.
See you peeps on hofo.