Gizmodo: bloomberg

Confirmed: iPhone Coming to Walmart By the End of December, Regularly Priced

John Herrman — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:47:19 EST

Inconsistent rumors that Walmart would soon start selling the iPhone soon have been pinging around for a few days now, but Bloomberg has finally come up with a solid answer: It's happening, and probably by Christmas.

Store representatives at multiple locations confirmed to the publication that employees are training to sell the handset, which will hit shelves by the end of the month. This will make Walmart the second non-mothership retail chain to sell the iPhone, and by far the largest. But what about all the $99 4GB model nonsense? It hasn't been confirmed, and still doesn't sound that likely.

Some analysts still say that the $99 iPhone will probably happen eventually, but others are specific enough to claim that a Bentonville, Arkansas location will sell the discontinued 4GB model in addition to the 8GB and 16GB versions, which have been confirmed at their normal $199 and $299 prices. As far as I can tell though, Bentonville=Rumorville, and buying an iPhone at Walmart will be exactly like buying one elsewhere, just a little more depressing. [Bloomberg]

Bloomberg News Accidentally Publishes Draft of Steve Jobs's Obituary

John Mahoney — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:07:22 EDT

Note to Bloomberg News employees: when you're in the system updating your draft of Steve Jobs's obituary, do NOT press publish. That, though, is exactly what happened late last night, as sleuthed by our buddies over at Gawker. Now, pre-writing obits for prominent figures such as the Steve, in good health and in bad, is totally S.O.P. in the media—so this should not be viewed as yet another non-statement on Jobs's personal health. But unfortunately, we're all going to die (but not all of us will come back more powerful than you can possibly imagine), so reading this and imagining a world without Steve is more an entertaining mind fuck than anything else. And that's just for us—imagine what it must be like to read your own obituary. Read on for an excerpt, with more over at Gawker.

I imagine they're ducking eye-laser beams over in the Bloomberg newsroom, being volleyed all the way from Cupertino. More at: [Gawker]

NYC 911 to Start Accepting Picturemail

Adam Frucci — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:11:41 EST

NYC's Mayor Bloomberg announced during his state of the city address yesterday that he wants to encourage people to report crimes using their cameraphones. The system isn't set up yet, but Bloomie forsees that "if you see a crime in progress or a dangerous building condition, you'll be able to transmit images to 911 or online to nyc.gov."

Snapping pics of a robbery in process with your phone sounds great and all, but I predict that this will be used to report things like potholes and minor building code violations by neighbors a helluva lot more. If there's anything I know about us New Yorkers, it's that we never turn down an opportunity to bitch and moan. Thanks for giving us a chance to tattle to you, Mike! –Adam Frucci

City 911 to add video [Newsday via Picturephoning]