Technology News: Tech Buzz

Sorry, You Just Can't Pin Down Apple Consumers
February 09, 2010

When I first noticed the Retrevo Pulse headline for its study that examines consumer interest in buying the Apple iPad, my first reaction was eerily in line with the traffic-grabbing headline, "Apple iPad Hoopla Fails to Convince Buyers." I'm an unabashed fan of almost every Apple product the company in Cupertino produces, and yet I'm still not convinced the iPad is a worthy addition to my personal Apple lineup.

How Microsoft Could Beat Apple and Google: Needed - One Child Executive
February 08, 2010

The iPad has captured much of the technology coverage so far this year. It is a poorly named copy of a product that Microsoft launched nearly a decade ago, based on a concept Steve Jobs personally thought was stupid: the tablet computer. Yet Apple has effectively convinced the market that its device is new, different and desirable.

The Critically Complex World of Cars' Sparky Bits
February 06, 2010

Your most expensive piece of electronics probably is not your flat panel TV or your computer. More likely, it's your car, which can pack 50 microprocessors to control everything from the fuel mix to the rearview mirrors. The recalls and other technical problems besetting Toyota in the last few weeks highlight the risks of relying on electronics.

Don't Stomp on the Bookworms, E-Publishers
February 05, 2010

Apple's new iPad is apparently going to let me download The DaVinci Code -- either in book or movie form. I like that. If you're going to release a new device and charge me a lot of money for it -- not to mention the costs of using a network of some kind to facilitate all that downloading and streaming -- then please don't get between me and my instant media gratification.

Sen. Durbin Prods Tech Giants to Back Google's China Stance
February 03, 2010

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin wants to know if Google's current dustup with China has the potential to create more cracks in that country's Great Firewall. So late Tuesday, the Illinois Democrat sent letters to 30 top technology companies -- including Apple, Facebook, Cisco, Verizon and Amazon -- asking them to attend a new round of congressional hearings next month.

Women: IT Needs You - Men: Get Over It
February 02, 2010

I was idly scanning a press release in my inbox the other day stating that the National Academy of Sciences planned to honor 17 individuals in 2010 for their "extraordinary scientific achievements in the areas of biology, chemistry, geology, astronomy and psychology." Five of the recipients were women.

Taking the Good With the Bad in the New iPad
February 02, 2010

More so than than any other major Apple product in recent memory, Apple's new iPad tablet device presents the world with a confounding mixture of good and bad -- or perhaps it's more of a yin and yang, or some other sort of cosmic force. Depending on who you are, and depending on what you need, some of Apple's deal-breaker decisions might be the killer feature someone wants most.

Jobs Mixes It Up With Adobe, Google
February 01, 2010

The comments were made during a town hall meeting. The person leading the town hall trashes a competitor who used to be a partner, and intemperate language may have been used. Another competitor who may yet end up as a partner is called "lazy." A media primed to snap up conflict and sensationalism does so, splashing the headlines all over.

The Folly of Ignoring Apple's Success
February 01, 2010

The technology and consumer electronics markets are awash with companies that seem to be barely meeting expectations or are, like Sony, Sun and Yahoo, on and off death watch. They aren't alone; the relatively new Obama administration seems to also be failing, and the latest State of the Union address wasn't particularly inspirational.

Is Personalized Medicine Anti-Establishment?
January 27, 2010

The Personalized Medicine World Conference in Silicon Valley last week showcased huge opportunities for new advances in medicine and personalized health. What remained unclear was who will take the lead, what techniques or products will win, and whether the medical establishment will go along or stand in the way.

Apple's Mysterious Slate: Betting the Company One More Time
January 25, 2010

This is an Apple launch week, which means we'll be on pins and needles until we actually know what Steve Jobs is going to have on stage in San Francisco. While there is a lot of drama with any big Apple announcement, there is substantially more with this one, including the unprecedented number of leaks, the location of the event itself, and the massive devastating impact this device could have.

Tech Volunteers Build New Tools to Aid Haiti Relief Efforts
January 20, 2010

Hundreds of tech volunteers spurred to action by Haiti's killer quake are adding a new dimension to disaster relief, developing new tools and services for first responders and the public in an unprecedented effort. "It really is amazing the change in the way crisis response can be done now," said Noel Dickover, a Washington, D.C.-based organizer of the CrisisCamp tech volunteer movement.

E-Reading the Tea Leaves Before Apple's Next 'Event'
January 19, 2010

Maybe the technology press should hire Robert Langdon to take a look at the colorful invitation Apple sent out Monday regarding its Jan. 27th event. The symbologist hero of Dan Brown's bestselling novels might have found evidence that Steve Jobs is indeed preparing to launch an e-reader/tablet computing device that will let consumers download The DaVinci Code, either in book or movie form.

Some of the Best CES Stories That Didn't Make the Headlines
January 18, 2010

Last week, I spoke about how CES was back, and I gave some of the highlights. However, there always are discussions and trends going on behind the scenes, almost-invisible products, and impressions that take a while to form that can be even more interesting. There were a couple of little companies, for example, that looked like they may be on the verge of becoming really big.

The Bane of Technology Analysts Is ... Technology?
January 15, 2010

In 13 years of covering technology, I've evolved into the journalistic equivalent of Blanche DuBois; I've always depended on the kindness of analysts. Whether they were securities analysts working for the big Wall Street firms or technology analysts toiling for the major research companies targeting CIOs and IT-types, I've benefited from their work.

CES: The Magic Is Back
January 11, 2010

I was at CES last week, and the magic was clearly back in this show. In the past couple of years, CES has been dominated by one device -- making it more like a one-product waste of time. Two years ago, everyone was talking about the iPhone, making many of us wonder if we were at the wrong event. Last year, it was the Palm Pre, which turned out to be a bit of a flash in the pan.