If you can’t beat them, bribe them.

This honestly made me laugh. Microsoft has started a rewards program to entice search users to use Bing. 3215 credits gets you a $25 Sephora gift card, 1100 credits gets you a 1GB Bing USB drive, the list goes on. Users also have the option to use their points to donate money to a charity of their choice; 100 credits are equal to $1. According to the article that I read, “Bill Gates seemed particularly interested in” offering users tangible incentives to use a particular engine.

While usage of Bing has been slowly and steadily growing, Google still enjoys about an 85% global market share. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Microsoft is looking for some kind of edge. Personally, I would like to see Bing compete less with gimmicks and more with actual value. I know Bing is trying a lot of newer algorithms to attempt to offer better search results but the emphasis on shiny new objects is somewhat offensive to me. Quit trying to get users with toys, try some substance Microsoft!

YOU SHALL LISTEN!

http://www.macworld.com/article/154034/2010/09/hereyouhave_worm.html

Ok, so this is an interesting way to spread your message. An anti-war advocate spreads their message via an email worm. The worm apparently gave the author an enormous amount of access to the victim’s machine. The difference was that apparently, this hacker was “nice.” This hacker just wanted to discuss their opinion on the war in Iraq.

It’s a bit odd that someone would go through all of the trouble of making a worm that grants you untold access to your victims and then not use that functionality. I suppose when you want to be heard and no one wants to listen, you have to take drastic measures.

The iPad as a netbook replacement.

So, the Apple iPad! Sporting a minimum price tag of $499.99 with the top of the line model going for $829.99, the iPad is a pricey plaything. So the question is, Is the iPad useful as a work device? Personally, I think that anyone considering an iPad should consider what functionality the iPad will offer that is not already covered by another device that you probably already own. For example; anyone who owns an iPod touch or an iPhone will basically just get a larger screen. (iPhone users will actually lose functionality). Anyone who owns a netbook will just be getting a shiny new toy that is designed for a more general audience. My biggest complaint with the iPad itself (ignoring the ridiculous price tag) is the lack of a physical keyboard. Yes, I have used the on-screen keyboard before and yes, Apple has done a pretty good job of handling the predictive text... HOWEVER! The lack of physical feedback from striking a key is, to me at least, a major drawback. I cannot type without looking at the keyboard if I cannot feel the actual key press down. Perhaps I am just lazy or inept but there you go.

Full disclosure; I am not an Apple fan. Apple has a bit of a superiority complex that annoys the dickens out of me but I am trying to be unbiased here (keyword: trying). I do own a couple of apple products but both of them were gifts so please don't hold that against me. 

Bottom line: The iPad is an awesome toy and most likely has many uses for work and school but I don't think it will ever replace the netbook. As the article says; the iPad had created its own category and won't really infringe on the overall netbook market.

http://www.cio.com/article/610715/Netbooks_Vs._IPads_Can_They_Coexist_?source=rss_news

Mobile Wars

     The fact that Microsoft, Apple and Google are all fighting each other so hard over the mobile market is great news for the consumer. When you remove competition, innovation will also disappear. Each company is forced to make a product that we like better than what we already have; otherwise we won’t buy it. For us, this means that every company is going to make a device that either does more than the previous market leader or they will make a device that does at least that much but does it better.

    I had resisted the temptation to have my email forward to my cell phone ever since the technology became available. Two weeks ago, I gave up the fight. Our mobile devices are becoming so advanced and widespread that if you don’t have one, you will be at a disadvantage. Granted, I like the convenience of having my email in my pocket whenever I need it but it does force you to take work home with you. I know several businessmen that refused to use company-supplied Blackberrys (they blamed it on the difficulty of using one) but the real reason was that they didn’t want to be tethered to their work at every moment of every day. There is an advantage to being able to work from home and make your own hours but the freedom is quickly overshadowed by the fact that you are now on call. The typical workplace is quickly vanishing and giving way to virtual workplaces but this also means that the typical work hours are vanishing as well. So all I can say is that you better enjoy what you do because it is becoming more and more difficult to hit “pause.”

    On the subject of Google Talk; Personally I don’t think the argument that Google will not compete with Skype holds much water. Google is slowly but surely creeping into every facet of technological innovation. Google didn’t start the VoIP revolution but I will not be surprised if and when they start to overtake Skype. However, regardless of the outcome, it is clear that typical telephone providers are in trouble.