Weekly Dose of Tech

All of This iPhone Hype, Who Cares?

tim.wdt@gmail.com (Tim Fonseca) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:17:41 +0000

I don’t know about you but I’m getting tired of hearing about this device known as the iPhone. With its second generation version coming out this Friday, July 11th, in all its 3G glory everyone is all giddy again. Many of those being devoted Apple fan boys and girls and the rest those wanting to be in the “in-crowd” trying to seek some attention. Other then them who really wants to get locked into Apple’s simplistic environment, and pay those hefty data fees, which disregard the entire purpose of the phone being any cheaper? For those of you who like me don’t get what all the hype is about this “God phone” as some seem to call it, check out the much, in my opinion anyway, more elegant and functional smartphones, which all feature a touch-screen. News.com has put together a fine list of “smart alternatives” which you should seriously consider before making the plunge into the iPhone mania.

[Via News.com]

Bill’s last week at Microsoft

tim.wdt@gmail.com (Tim Fonseca) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:59:07 +0000

This week is Bill Gates’ last as a full-time employee at Microsoft. Bill will remain the title of Microsoft Chairman and will still be visiting the office once a week. Bill is going to be focusing all his time on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation beginning next week. Is the golden age of Microsoft now a thing of the past? Many fear that without Bill’s navigation the company will go in the wrong direction. CNET News.com’s Ina Fried got the chance to sit down with Bill and ask him a few questions about the transition, follow the link for the Q&A.

[Via CNET News.com]

MPAA says it needs no proof to claim suits

tim.wdt@gmail.com (Tim Fonseca) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:40:41 +0000

Apparently, the MPAA thinks it no proof should be needed to sue over a copyright violation, which for some reason doesn’t surprise me one bit. The MPAA claims that intellectual-property owners should be able to collect as much as $150,000 for a copyright violation without having one bit of proof. MPAA attorney Marie L. van Uitert stated on Friday, “Mandating such proof could thus have the pernicious effect of depriving copyright owners of a practical remedy against massive copyright infringement in many instances.” Sounds like the MPAA is lawsuit hungry again, everyone better watch out!

[Via Wired]

1 billion PCs in use, 2 billion by 2014

tim.wdt@gmail.com (Tim Fonseca) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:08:32 +0000

According to research done by the Gartner research firm, the number of “installed PCs worldwide has surpassed 1 billion units.” Gartner also estimates that the number of PCs installed is growing at about 12-percent annually. Sounds crazy right? I do wonder though, how many of those PC’s are contributing to botnets, and living their daily lives as zombies? Gartner does also suggest that 180 million of those PCs will get replaced this year, think of all that toxic waste! Sorry Mother Earth!

[Via Engadget, link to Gartner research]

The WDT Blog is coming back!

tim.wdt@gmail.com (Tim Fonseca) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:50:40 +0000

Hey everyone! The blog will be making its return soon. I have not yet decided if the podcast will also make a return. So keep your eyes open for some new posts coming in the next few days!
mp3 download

http://www.archive.org/download/BlogIsBack/BlogIsBack.mp3

No Podcast This Week

tim.wdt@gmail.com (Tim Fonseca) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 05:19:36 +0000

Unfortunately, there will be no podcast released this week because I will be on vacation this weekend, celebrating President’s Day in the States. I will try to post in the blog occasionally, so keep checking in. Don’t worry I’ll be back with the podcast next week, until then enjoy your weekend!

Google Releases Android SDK Update

tim.wdt@gmail.com (Tim Fonseca) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:21:26 +0000

Just in time for Valentine’s Day Google has released an update to Android’s SDK. The development of Android has really picked up some speed, after previously being absent in the news for quite a time. Along with the SDK update comes new apps, a new skin (interface), and better functionality. Google has really revamped Android in this update, which should bring some positive news to Google after the whole Microsoft-Yahoo! ordeal. Follow the link to find pictures of the new interface!

What is Android? Android is a mobile phone platform, developed by Google, based on the Linux OS which is to be made available under an open-source license.

[Via Engadget]

Yahoo! to Reject Microsoft’s Generous Bid?

tim.wdt@gmail.com (Tim Fonseca) — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 05:29:39 +0000

According to the Wall Street Journal, Yahoo!’s board has decided that Microsoft’s $31-per-share offer “massively undervalues” the company. The expectations are that Yahoo! will reject Microsoft’s offer. Is Yahoo! being greedy? There is talk that Yahoo! might instead consider an offer of at least $40 per-share.

If this information holds true and Yahoo! is truly playing some “hardball”, this puts them in a very dangerous position. There is a possibility that Yahoo! could force Microsoft into a “proxy fight” to replace the board before getting Yahoo! shareholders to vote on the offer at hand. CNET’s News.com reports as of 11 a.m. PT on Saturday, representatives from both Yahoo! and Microsoft declined to comment on the report. We, shall see in the following days what truth, if any, comes of this news. Would Yahoo! really chance loosing their chance to become neck, and neck with Google?

Update: It has been confirmed, as of Monday morning, that Yahoo! has rejected Microsoft’s bid of $44.6 billion.

[Via News.com]

Weekly Dose of Tech #001 02.09.2008

tim.wdt@gmail.com (Tim Fonseca) — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 01:06:11 +0000

This is the first full-blown episode of the Weekly Dose of Tech Podcast. For this one, I talk about 8 stories that hit big this week. Also, make sure to check out the Photoshop section of the site. Our Photoshop Guru, Tyler Verissimo, has posted a tutorial of how to add some color to those black and white photos of yours.
mp3 download

http://www.archive.org/download/WeeklyDoseOfTech001/wdt_001_020908.mp3

Show Notes:

Internet Killing Park Visits, Raising Conservation Worries
Microsoft bids $44.6 billion for Yahoo!
How will Real ID affect you?
Yahoo (sort of) launches a live video-streaming service
Peter Hirschberg’s Private Arcade
Monster Cables, Monster Ripoffs: 80% Markups
The Pirate Bay Interrogations
Dell Further Clarifies How and Where It’s Dropping AMD

The Real Reason Monster Cables Cost a Fortune

tim.wdt@gmail.com (Tim Fonseca) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:28:51 +0000

Everyone who has gone to a retail store, whether it be a Best Buy, Circuit City, or even RadioShack, you’ve seen the highly priced Monster Cables conveniently by the TV’s. Why do you think they cost so much? If you thought it was a result of Monster Cables pricing, think again.

It turns out that those retail stores, jack-up the price to as high as 80% of the wholesale price. Don’t believe me? Well, a RadioShack employee sent the Consumerist the stores inventory list, including the retail and wholesale prices. Just to give you a gist of how bloated these prices are, a 19ft HDMI-DVI cable retail price, $179.99, wholesale $99.40. If you don’t feel like doing the math that makes a profit of $80.54. Next time, think twice for falling for that “these are the best cables” junk, try MonoPrice, or NewEgg. Follow the link below for the full inventory list.

[Via The Consumerist]