Google and iFilm are hosting a video that answers: “How would Microsoft package the iPod?” It is absolutely hilarious, because it’s true. Who would make such a scathing video? Microsoft.
Category Archives: Business and economy
The new AT&T logo
Today the SBC/AT&T merger was completed. It’s a little bizarre to think of AT&T as my local phone company, essentially having grown up after the 1984 breakup. Anyway, the new AT&T logo was also introduced today, and it’s like the old one but 3-Dified for extra spiffiness. Actually, I don’t think it’s too bad, but …
IBM Research’s 60th anniversary
Yesterday IBM Research celebrated its 60th anniversary, quite a remarkable achievement when you think about the fate of other fabled labs such as Bell Labs and Xerox PARC. At Almaden, we had watched video from the main celebration at Yorktown. Fred Brooks was one of the speakers at Yorktown, and he’s a very good speaker. …
Kepler’s Books reopens
A miracle happens: Kepler's Books is saved! And in a timely article, the San Jose Mercury News describes how several independent bookstores have adapted to survive the chain bookstore and Internet era, including the Berkeley institution Cody's taking the gutsy move of opening a branch in Union Square.
Microsoft’s highs and lows
Last week, Microsoft had its semi-regular Professional Developers Conference. I was impressed by the amount of new material it put out, much of it unexpected, including: LINQ — language enhancements to C# and Visual Basic to ease the "impedance mismatch" between data access and object-oriented programming The overhauled user interface of Office "12" — they've …
There’s hope for Kepler’s yet
Kepler’s Books might not be doomed after all. A group of investors is trying to help Clark Kepler save the bookstore his father founded 50 years ago.
Sprint’s new logo
Sprint’s new logo, which is a consequence of its merger with Nextel, seems very European to me. It’s that whole black-on-yellow sans-serif thing. And in fact, I’m not the only one whose noticed that it looks a lot like the logo for Deutsche Post.
Kepler’s Books suddenly closes
After celebrating its 50th anniversary just a few months ago, Kepler’s Books suddenly closed its doors yesterday. What a shock, and what a shame — it was one of the most prominent independent bookstores in the U.S., akin to City Lights in San Francisco, Vroman’s in Pasadena, or Powell’s in Portland. Situated in Menlo Park …
Google’s changing public perception
I find it fascinating how there is suddenly a bunch of articles talking about how the perception of Google is changing from a bunch of fun-loving hackers dedicated to helping the world to a bunch of fun-loving hackers hellbent on controlling and dominating the world. First, the New York Times, then USA Today, and finally …
Longhorn -> Windows Vista
“Windows Vista“, eh? It’s an okay name — more meaningful than “XP”. Dan hopes Windows Vista’s fate will be like AltaVista‘s: technically it still exists, but no one uses it. I’m more inclined to believe it’ll be more like my old high school, Monta Vista: still going strong.