Facebook Freedom

Facebook recently vowed to uphold freedom of speech by allowing groups denying the Holocaust to exist (except for in cities where that denial is considered a criminal offense). Is Facebook too lenient? Should there be limitations? This story reminded me of Sam's last report on online bullying - how much is too much online? It's an interesting read.

White House Tweet

The White House has officially linked itself to the major social networking sites: Facebook, Twitter and MySpace! Read more about how this availability is allowing more citizens to voice their opinions and commentary about the president.

'Wolverine' Piracy

This article from CNN discuses the recently leaked movie 'Wolverine,' and how millions of people have already downloaded it. In this tough economy, people seem to be more apt to download illegally.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/05/01/wolverine.movie.piracy/index.html

Eerie early 20th century "versions" of social networks, i.e. Facebook!

Check out this eerie piece from the NYT today, that has a company uncovering early 1900s articles that seem to talk of early versions of Facebook, Twitter, and other similar social networking techniques--way before we ever got onto FB, MySpace and the like.

Facebook Changes

Learn more about Facebook's privacy and user control.

Sprint's What's Happening Commercial

I love this commercial! I feel like it is very applicable to our class.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YhWNiRRblY

Craig Ferguson on blogs and newspapers

Bloggers are like boobies. You have to look really close to see which ones are fake.

Here's the link: http://www.cbs.com/late_late_show/video/video.php?cid=1015767262&pid=ol30iWeZfgSkQVCJL5o3pa3KPvq2qRdp&play=true&cc=3

Apple to bring iPhone to Verizon

An article from WIRED called 4 Reasons Apple Should Share the iPhone With Verizon talks about Apple's possible movement to share iPhone with Verizon for the upcoming 4G model.

Recent YouTube update

Website

Pay per view on YouTube. YouTube has recently signed with Sony, and now some of the content posted on the website will require a fee.

Doctors "Tweeting" During Surgery? True story.

Check out this story that was on Good Morning America this morning. Doctors have begun "tweeting", aka using the social networking tool Twitter, during their procedures as sort of a teaching tool.

Can't Wait For This

Oh yeah it's coming, iPhone 4G

Google Update...

So Google is updating the Android software...taking over the world one step at a time

AT&T wants to keep the iPhone

The arrangement between AT&T and iPhone is set to expire in 2010, but AT&T wants to keep that until 2011... even though they may be fronting around $500 for each iPhone sale to users. Read more.

Skype founders buying it back from eBay?

Here's a NYTimes article from Friday that says the founders of the ever-popular Skype are looking to buy it back from eBay after selling it them in 2005. Supposedly, eBay is looking to put a $1.7 billion pricetag on Skype.

It also says an app for the Blackberry is on the way for May.

"People who don't pay for their news should go to jail" - Phil Bronstein, Editor-at-Large of Hearst Publications

I was watching this clip on the Colbert Report. Its a 'debate' between Phil Bronstein, Editor-at-Large of Hearst Publications and Stephen Colbert. The debate talks of free news, draws parallels between free news and the illegal downloading of music and dying newspapers.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/67095/the-colbert-report-wed-apr-8-2009

iTunes prices are CHANGING!!!

If everyone isn't already aware, check out this article! iTunes announced Tuesday that prices for iTunes' songs may no longer all be 99 cents! Some can be $1.29!

What?! We we just talking about this in class, so I found the article interesting. The article claims the user can have the choice to reject this new system of pricing... by not purchasing iTunes. Which, by the way, holds 87 percent of online music download sales in the U.S., according to CNET.

Woman charged $220,000 for file sharing

http://www.lexisnexis.com.ezproxy.lib.utexas.edu/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T6237195350&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T6237195354&cisb=22_T6237195353&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=6742&docNo=13

This woman had to pay so much money. I am sure she wished she went to Wal*Mart and bought her CD's instead of having to pay over $9,000 per song now!

The gift of the iPod

News media is going crazy over the gift giving habits of President Obama and his family. He got criticized for bringing DVDs that aren't adaptable in England in the past; now Obama gives the Queen an iPod! Read more.

I thought this was interesting, and I'm sure all my eco-friendly classmates will too.

Leaving Computers on Overnight=$2.8 billion a year

No Thanks Dell

Apparently Dell attempted to create a smartphone but found out that their design wasn't up to par.