Hey Keith Richards, What's Dangling From Your Ear?...Yahoo Tells Firefox Users to Pick "Safer" IE8...Kodak Admits It Has a Product Naming Problem...An Apple TV People Might Actually Want...Nokia, Cellular Equipment Maker to the Evil Doers...
Keith Richards was spotted wearing some post-industrial ornamentation in and around the region where a douchier man might stick a Bluetooth earpiece. There's just no way that's what this is. If you look closely, you can see right through it. But it got me to thinking: Not only would Keef not have a Bluetooth earpiece, he probably doesn't even have a phone. When you're that awesome, people just take calls for you. [BluetoothDouchebag.com via CrunchGear]
People cruising through Yahoo on Firefox are being told to "Get the New Safer IE8." Rather than naively assuming this to be the result of some kind of actual testing, TechCrunch points out that it could be part of Yahoo's new coziness with Microsoft. The kicker: Last year, when a Yahoo under different management had a severe Microsoft allergy, it told IE users to switch to Firefox. [TechCrunch]
Kodak called its first Flip-class camera the Zi6, begging the question "Where are Zi's 1 through 5?" Now that it is being ripped for calling the follow up Zi8 (hello, 7 shoulda been next), it is petitioning the world for help naming its products. If only other companies did this. Ever try to memorize Canon's camcorder line? Or JVC's for that matter? And what about Sony, who called its very first Walkman the TPS-L2 because "chicks dig alphanumerics"? [BBGadgets]
Gene Munster, the analyst known exclusively for Apple banter, says a new improved Apple TV is on its way, one that has an iTunes TV subscription service of $30 to $40 per month that lets the user see all the shows in the library. Quite possibly, this new device would receive a TV signal (perhaps through CableCard), and have DVR capability too. That first part is possible enough, but that latter half, the more interesting half, seems totally unlikely. DVR means a new UI and reliance on cable companies or OTA antennas, and I just don't see it. Certainly not in the middle of tablet fever. But hey, I'm not an "analyst." [Silicon Alley Insider]
Today students were scheduled to gather in NYC to protest Nokia's involvement in Iran's cellular infrastructure, something that has apparently been the subject of a bunch of noise in Washington too. As others have pointed out, all governments require some form of tracking and wiretap access to wireless networks, and Nokia-Siemens is one of only a few companies in the world who build this gear. So yes, as problematic as it is that oppressive regimes (and even not so oppressive ones) snoop on their populace, Nokia's role here seems to be the same as a car company's role in a drunk-driving incident. [MobileCrunch and TG Daily]