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You don't need to lock us in — On The Media segment looking at Apple's ability to turn marketing into news. — This is what I was trying to say yesterday. Carrying Apple's product announcements as if they were news is probably not good for reporters and bloggers, ethically.
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Platforms Vs. Experiences — Dave Winer and many others don't like that Apple's iPhone is a closed device, which doesn't allow you to change the software or use other software. While I can appreciate how frustrating it must be for people like Dave with the skill and desire to customize …


Thanks be to Steve for locking us in — I wasn't going to write any more about the Apple iPhone and its closed nature (great post by Tom Evslin here), but it's been bugging me and I can't help myself. I don't want anyone to get the idea that I am an Apple-basher, because I like Apple products a lot …

Apple legal throw their weight around... Can you believe it... yesterday, in this topic, I posted a link to a post on XDA-Developers, where an enterprising member had created a Pocket PC today screen to mimic the Apple iPhone. — It's worth pointing out I just posted a link and a screenshot …
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The future... After a lot of thought, I've decided it's time for me to move on from Netscape and AOL. Last Monday, I gave my two weeks notice with AOL. I assure you there is no ill will between myself, AOL, and Netscape. In fact, I hope to remain on board in some sort of consultant role …


How to use allfreecalls from anywhere in the world totally free — "thought of intelligent hack to bypass only USA numbers calling the gateway number. You need to use VOIP softwares like iCall or Voipcheap to connect to their gateway number. This way you don't have to pay to connect …

Senators introduce bill to restrict Internet, cable, and satellite radio recording — A new bill introduced in the US Senate this week would force satellite, digital, and Internet radio providers (but not over-the-air radio) to implement measures designed to restrict the ability of listeners to record audio from the services.


iPhony launcher for Palm OS — Well that didn't take long! If you're currently toting around a Treo, but really jonesing for an iPhone, you can install the Mo's iPhony launcher and get all the great icons without waiting for all of the great features! — The current version, 0.2 …

StubHub: Vertical Specialization On Sale for $310 million — Earlier this week eBay announced it was buying StubHub for $310 million. My partner Ryan McIntyre - who was an early angel investor in StubHub (congrats Ryan - dinner next time is on you) has an excellent post titled StubHub: the value of vertical specialization.


Google Talk + AIM = When? — I've seen a number of comments on the web regarding the previously announced interoperability plans between AIM and Google Talk, especially as the one-year anniversary of the announcement came up at the end of December. Nothing yet has made it into the hands of users …
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Google Talk to Interoperate with AIM This Year
Discussion:
Googling Google

Ultimate iPhone FAQs List, Part 2 — Just got back home tonight after my week in San Francisco, and found ANOTHER several dozen questions about the iPhone waiting on this blog's comments area! — I promise that this blog isn't going to become "all iPhone, all the time" …


MINI USA rolls out RFID-activated billboards — If there was ever a slick way to get folks to willingly carry around an RFID tag, MINI USA has it all wrapped up. Catering to every person's egotistical side, MINI has begun a pilot advertising campaign in Chicago, New York, Miami …

AOL, Now Focused on Free, Sells Its Paid Music Service — After six years of trying to build an online music service, AOL agreed yesterday to sell its AOL Music Now to Napster. Napster will pay $15 million to add AOL's 350,000 subscribers to its own 566,000.

NBC and NPR feature iPhone humor — Thank goodness that mainstream comedians have jumped in with bits on the iPhone introduction; us funny geeks are deeply grateful that the cavalry has arrived. While CBS's Craig Ferguson weighed in with an iPhone/Zune comparison, the competition at Late Night …
Discussion:
Life On the Wicked Stage


New E-Commerce Identity Tag Makes Online Debut — A long-promised technology for helping consumers verify the legitimacy of commercial Web sites made its debut on the Internet Friday: Visit online security company Entrust's login page with Microsoft's Internet Explorer 7 Web browser …
Discussion:
Slashdot


Cisco might have lost iPhone trademark in '06 — Apparently Cisco has more "iPhone" trouble in store for it than just that prior art dispute we mentioned yesterday. In order to keep a trademark alive, you have to file a "Declaration of Use" with the US Patent and Trademark office every six years or forfeit the trademark.