Gaige's Pages

I didn't realize the Blendtec guys would do this, but it's a very cute advertisement, especially for a tech-savvy camera, like the new Olympus, which has been getting rave reviews. Watch as fearless blender, Tom DIckson, discovers there's something more to blending than destruction.

With Apple having announced some new machines, with really nice price points within the last week, I've been asked by some friends what my suggestions would be for copying the data to a new machine and removing data from the old one. Here, I'll try to put forth my current thoughts on these two issues.

Thanks to Amanda for pointing me at this article from author/blogger JA Konrath about the future of publishing and eBooks.

A friend (Hi, Laura) asked yesterday what Nav system that I would suggest. I told her that I was still recommending the TomTom series. Let me explain why...

As I write this today, I'm the happy owner of a new MacBook Pro (the "unibody" or "late 2008" version). So, what of it? So far, so great. I'm very happy with the purchase and I'm looking forward to making a happy new Mac user of the designated recipient of my old MacBook Pro. For more details on the new offerings, read on.

The Atlantic has a scathing article about TSA airport security, citing a number of demonstrated attempts (with success) to get past the "security theater" that is our current airport security system. Don't read this article if you believe that TSA security works and you're safer because of it—it might be very disturbing.

It is apparent now, after the airing of New Family (the second installment in Microsoft's new ad campaign), that the object of the ads is to create a more sympathetic, approachable, and perhaps even more "human" Bill Gates. My only guess here is that he's being groomed to be the personal spokesman for Microsoft in future ads. Jerry Seinfeld's character is mostly deferential to him and the ads make a point of using lines praising Gates's personal position in technology and "connection" with others. I'm still not certain that they will work, and I find the ads painfully slow and mostly pointless, but if people do end up watching them, the message might start getting through. Whether it is believed and whether any perceived softness in Gates is going to rub off positively on Microsoft is unclear. But, these ads aren't made to woo the small percentage of non-Microsoft users, but to make defending Microsoft safe again. If you're interested, Shoe Circus (the first installment) is also available from YouTube.

OK, I'm still confused by this oft-quoted figure from the McCain/Palin campaign that "[Alaska] produces nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy." (Gibson interview with Palin, September 11, 2008, as noted on The Times). From my calculations, even when only Oil is taken into account, that number is off by quite a bit.

A good analysis from Charles Miller of the popularity and purposefulness of the PC in the Get A Mac ads. The article recons that the same play is at work with the PC in the ads as was with the coyote in the Roadrunner cartoons.

In some good news for consumers, the FTC has decided to get more serious about the Telemarketing Sales Rules that govern telemarketing phone calls. The decision is pretty readable, but the salient points are after the jump.