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Apple Was Just Testing You All : Lawyers Follow

Oh, this is hilarious.  All the brouhaha about Apple being aggressive / sneaky … trying to install the Safari browser via Apple Update:

Well, now we know thanks to The Register that it was just a test.  They wanted to see if you abide by the legal terms:

Yes, you agree to only use it on Apple computers.  And if you took the bait and installed Safari on your Windows PC, expect the Apple lawyers anytime.  (OK, not reallysmile_tongue).

 

Update: The Apple Software Update points to this page, a list of all Apple software licences, where, digging a little we find these two documents:

The text in the Update program is clearly taken from the License for Mac, the Windows version of the file uses brand-neutral language, just mentioning “computer owned or controlled by you”.

 

Related posts: Hardware 2.0, 9 to 5 Mac, Ryan Stewart, CNetArs Technica and Channel Register.

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TechCrunch in the Toilet

No, I am not implying that TechCrunch is bankrupt, or heading into their own Deadpool.  TC has all the signs of doing just fine, with 700K subscribers and loads of advertisers.  But they are in the toilet, nevertheless – at least in a certain toilet.

Online file-sharing and collaboration startup Box.net is changing the ancient habit of reading your newspaper in the toilet.  (Frankly I never understood this habit, personally I prefer getting out of there as soon as possible, but for many people it’s a true ritual.)   The company, which just a year ago was 4 guys cramped together in a two-bedroom live-and-work apartment has grown to 20 employees and picked up two rounds of funding.   Flush with VC money, they equipped their restroom with a flat screen that shows an auto-refreshing display of technology news from TechCrunch.  No more newspaper in the bathroom!

I can’t help but wonder about the screen position though.  For all I know, this is only for the guys’ entertainment, gals usually face the other way – is Box.net still an all-male team?  And, without getting into the very material details, even we boys only perform one “operation” facing that way.., and that’s normally the quicker one. (?)

Aaron, care to clarify? smile_eyeroll

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Amazon’s New Wine Business Already Obsolete

Amazon will soon start selling wine, reports the Financial Times.   Too bad it’s based on an obsolete model: physically shipping bulky goods.  It’s like shipping boxed software, when it’s available on the Net.  Or bulky books when it’s available on Amazon’s very own Kindle.

It’s time Amazon entered the 21st Century, the age of Waas: Wine as a Service.

(Watch the video here in case the embedded player does not work in your feed.)

 

Related posts: TechCrunch

 

 

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Google’s Darth Vader Phone

Probably a joke but there’s a mockup of what a Google – Alienware (owned by Dell) phone would look like. Personally, I find it ugly.  Perhaps if they bundle it with a light saber?

 

More on: CrunchGear, Engadget, Gizmodo, Gadgetell, Technology Questions, PalmAddicts and Mobility Site

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Sales Pitch: We Remove Vista

Via Todd Bishop’s Microsoft Blog.

Update (2/1): It’s on Engadget now.

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Bad Usability Calendar

The 2008 edition of the (in)famous Bad Usability Calendar by is here.

The past three calendars have all been successful in distributing examples of bad design around the world. Check out the fresh examples of exaggerated use fancy of Web 2.0 design, cover flow, personalization, pull-down menus and more… 

Download the PDF here.

Courtesy of Norwegian design firm Netlife Research.

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Zoho for BodyBuilders :-)

This is hilarious: my blog stats showed hits for the Google search “gaining muscle”.  It turns out that an older post titled Zoho Suite Gaining Muscle is on the first page of the Google results, amongst the real stuff for bodybuilders.

This is almost as funny as when an export/import trading company offered me link exchange, as my post titled How to Import All Your Archive Email Into Gmail came up second on Google for “how to import” smile_thinking

Update:  The combination of a little fun with the title and some Google juice can produce unexpected results.  I’m not sure Robert Scoble and Shel Israel wanted to be listed in this company. smile_omg

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Translating Art for Geeks

 

There’s a lot more in this set by “Paul the Wine Guy”.

(Thanks, Eszter).

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Time to Clean Your Monitor

But don’t worry, this site will take care of it 🙂

(hat tip: Christopher Carfi)

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The Nothing New Announcement

Ever get the feeling that some tech firms have run out of anything new to say?  So does fellow Enterprise Irregular Brian Sommer, so he offers a template for such companies:

XYZ Announces Nothing New

Nothing New to Become the New Industry Standard  

January 9, 2008 – Chicago – Today, XYZ Corporation is announcing ‘Nothing New’ a revolutionary, industry-leading approach to stall-ware, procrastination and marketing waste. “We believe this is the most important announcement we’ve made this year – maybe this decade”, says Jim Bigwind, CMO of XYZ. 

“This announcement is nothing short of extraordinary. It is, in fact, nothing” says XYZ customer Getz Fleeced Oftin at SoftTouch Ltd.

Blithering Media represents way too many tech firms and amazingly enough has no one on staff that understands the space. Blithering Media personnel are expert though at crafting press releases on just about anything (or nothing as in this case). For more info on Blithering Media contact us point.less@ blitheringmedia.com

I’m not giving away the full announcement – click over to Software Safari and enjoy. smile_tongue

Update (1/11): Wow, Brian is on fire: his next piece, Acronym Shortage to Adversely Impact Tech Sector is a must-read. smile_teeth