Archive for February, 2010

If you’re at all a part of the Apple empire, chances are you spend a good amount of time (and more money) downloading music from the Apple store via iTunes. You are not alone, after all. Over 9.9 billion songs have been sold by the company in the last seven years… and number 10 billion is right on the horizon.

In honor of that massive milestone, Apple is offering the 10 billionth downloader of an iTunes song a nice little prize: A $10,000 iTunes Gift Card, enough to keep you in new music probably for the rest of your natural life.

Yes, I hope to time my purchase at just the right moment.

I’m no fan of DRM, but I bet this has no bearing on sales, not initially anyway.

The iBook store, the marketplace for electronic books on Apple’s forthcoming iPad, will sell e-books wrapped in digital rights management software, according to sources quoted in the L.A. Times. Apple phased out DRM songs from the iTunes store a year ago, but a majority of publishers are expected to use FairPlay copy protection software for their e-books.

E-books for the iPad have been the subject of debate since Steve Jobs announced the tablet in late January. First, there was the spat over e-book prices, with Apple’s agency model taking Amazon by storm. Many said that Amazon’s DRM was a drawback, but now reports say Apple will use similar technology for its iBook store.

Tonight, I was reading about protein powders at www.proteinpowder.net because I heard they can help burn some of the fat as you are working out, but just the sheer thought of working out exhausted me so I took a break to read more news.

Remember my post two days ago, about virus makers?

In an effort to boost sales, sellers of a fake antivirus product known as Live PC Care are offering their victims live technical support.

According to researchers at Symantec, once users have installed the program, they see a screen, falsely informing them that their PC is infected with several types of malware. That’s typical of this type of program. What’s unusual, however, is the fact that the free trial version of Live PC Care includes a big yellow “online support” button.

Clicking on the button connects the victim with an agent, who will answer questions about the product via instant message.

It seems they too have found a way to make money at what they do.

I can’t remember if I posted this on any of my sites yet.

Microsoft Corp. is expected to announce a major revamp of its phone software Monday, in an attempt to regain momentum in a crucial market where it’s been overshadowed.

CEO Steve Ballmer will be speaking at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the world’s largest cell phone trade show, and analysts expect him to reveal Windows Mobile 7. The software could be in phones by late this year.

One question. Microsoft still writes phone software? Wow. Didn’t see that coming.

I was doing some research tonight about alli weight loss and other ideas to keep myself as trim as I can be. After a couple hours I needed a break so I started looking at tech news, as usual. That’s when I was “introduced” to a nice new threat that’s out there waiting for me.

What’s worse? Taking over the world by writing viruses, or creating a company that survives because people write viruses?

Shares of McAfee Inc. jumped Friday after the maker of security software posted better-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue.

The company’s profit, meanwhile, met Wall Street’s expectations, and McAfee’s board approved a stock buyback program of up to $500 million.

Looking ahead, the company forecast a profit of 60 cents to 64 cents per share, excluding items, on revenue of $500 million to $520 million for the current quarter.

Honestly, I forgot McAfee even existed. Oops.

I’m as suspicious of Microsoft as the next guy, but spyware? Really?

A judge dismissed a lawsuit that was filed against Microsoft over its much-criticized Windows Genuine Advantage program in 2006.

The judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on Thursday dismissed the case with prejudice, leaving each party to pay its own lawyer fees. In a statement, Microsoft said it was pleased the case was “resolved successfully.” It did not say whether it agreed to any kind of settlement arrangement.

The suit essentially characterized WGA as spyware, charging Microsoft with failing to describe the tool’s functions before downloading it onto the plaintiffs’ computers. WGA was designed to determine whether a user’s version of Windows was pirated. It sent regular information back to Microsoft about user’s hardware and software and warned users of piracy violations.

The one thing I want with any remaining tax refund, is an iPad. I know I am a geek, a nerd, whatever. I spent years trying every one of the acne solutions out there and I still ended up a nerd. A better looking nerd too, mind you.

Walt Disney Co. president and chief executiveRobert Iger said Tuesday that Apple’s new iPad tablet computer may prove to be a “game changer” for the entertainment and media industry.

“We find that the iPad has a lot of potential,” Iger said in a conference call after Disney announced a first-quarter net profit of 844 million dollars, virtually unchanged from a year ago.

“It could be a game changer in terms of enabling us to create essentially new forms of content,” Iger said. “It will be a great device to play games and watch videos because of the quality of the screen.

A game changer. Yep. Contrary to what others are saying, I think it will be too. If it’s not the best device of its kind, Apple will at the very least inspire some really cool alternatives from their competitors.

Google introduced a social networking tool called Google BuzzTuesday that allows sharing of status updates, images, and videos via a new Gmail tab called Google Buzz. The Google Buzz features will also be available on Android based phones as well as the iPhone (via a Web-based application) allowing for real-time updates to your Google Buzz feed that can show up on a new version of Google’s mobile maps.

Hmm. So now I have to update my Facebook, Twitter, and Buzz statuses? When will the madness end? This is going to make my hair turn even grayer than it already is. Heck, with all these social networks I am going to need hair loss treatment after trying to update all my statuses.

It seems the fight between Amazon and Macmillan is not over yet.

Online retailer Amazon.com Inc resumed selling hardcover and paperback books from Macmillan Publishers late on Friday in a sign the two companies are getting closer to resolving a pricing dispute over Macmillan’s electronic books, which remain unavailable on Amazon.

Popular titles such as “Sarah’s Key” by Tatiana de Rosnay were once again available in hardcover for $17.13. But Amazon’s website displayed a message for those wanting to read the book on a Kindle: “Tell the publisher! I’d like to read this book on the Kindle.”

Who knew that people would get so pissy over e-books? Let Macmillan set the price they want, the consumers will decide whether or not to pay that price. The same rings true with used cars, auto parts, and humidifier filters. If it costs too much, people won’t buy it.

Have you heard about the scandal over at TechCrunch?

TechCrunch is covering its ass while continuing to sell YOU out and to sell out every company Daniel wrote about that did NOT offer him a Macbook Air for his troubles. You can accept that or you can demand better.

I stopped paying attention to TechCrunch a long time ago. This incident just solidifies my decision. Maybe everyone over there needs a good adult acne treatment, then they can start acting their age.