Apple unleashed its newest mobile handset model to the world today the iPhone 4S, or pretty much the iPhone 4 on Viagra. It received plenty of harsh criticism because it wasn’t the iPhone 5 but regardless of what you thought of the device or what you thought of the keynote presentation, the cold hard facts show that the iPhone 4S is a pretty solid device. It’s still a pity that Verizon and Sprint users are getting the shaft on download speeds, but at at least next year’s iPhone will have all those things people were clamoring about with their iPhone 5 rumors. And today we learned that the hype machine is nothing but a media frenzied hype machine, and people react to that which is why people were butt-hurt over today’s iPhone 4S keynote. One of the reasons we don’t post (many) rumor posts about the iPhone here is because of that, it’s hype that will completely let you down if you rely too much on it. Also, that allows us to get away with not getting the finger pointed at us and have others call us idiots for being wrong in our predictions. Either way, Apple seems to have a set cycle in place now. Big release followed by an S release the following year, and the cycle continues. Anyway, on to today’s roundup.
Microsoft kills the Zune
Rest in pieces Zune hardware. Of course Microsoft isn’t so quick to kill the Zune software and your current Zune hardware will work just fine. The Noisecast will still be available for download via the Zune market as well. Zune software will soon be re-branded as Windows Live in the future, so it’s not dead, just getting a second wind.
Facebook tracking cookie returns, with a vengeance
Usually if I get busted for doing something naughty, I either don’t do it again or I find a way to do it differently so I don’t get caught. Apparently Facebook isn’t like that. Earlier this year they got in deep doodoo for putting cookies on people’s computers to track them across the web, even if they’ve never visited the Facebook web site. Facebook removed that cookie right before the Wall Street Journal published a story exposing them for it. Now that the whole issue has been forgotten by many, Facebook decided to flip the switch back to “on’ for this cookie so now it is back. Oh Facebook, you silly little devil!
I’m bringing sexy MySpace back
Its new owners, which includes Justin Timberlake, are focusing on bringing it back to its “musical roots.” Because Myspace has musical roots, right? Apparently the new focus will be on somehow streamlining the site to focus on its large database of music and videos. Sort of like YouTube, but…never mind. Please, let it die already.
Hotmail doesn’t suck any more
Microsoft is adding some improvements to Hotmail (which was why that whole October 3 event happened). One-click unsubscribe to newsletters! Folder management and categories! Scheduled mail purges! Harder! Faster! Better! Stronger! You get the idea.
Bill in U.S. Congress wants to allow political campaigns and certain groups and committees to call your cell phone
You’re just a bill, and you live on top of Capitol Hill, and soon you will have my phone jammed up your anus. Hit the link to find out how you can petition against this insanity.
The fate of HP’s PC business will be known by the end of October
Meg Whitman is taking auction action, because she is an action taking kind of CEO. She aims to have a clear decision on whether or not Hewlett-Packard will spin off its PC business by the end of the month. Of course, this isn’t concrete as she said the deadline “might slip a little” but what’s a little nip slip between you and and the fate of your company’s biggest division?
And that’s a wrap! Tune in tomorrow, same time, same place, for the Roundup!
