Dream team up?

So MS finally have Yahoo into its arms. Does that mean it will be better for both of them? Only time will tell. Right now it seems no improvement for Yahoo when their shares plunged 12% after the announcement. It seems there are disappointment over something for investors. As a user myself, I doubt it will be anything but different. Ever since Yahoo closed their Yahoo Photo and came Flickr, which isn't totally free and now they are closing Geocities which is part of the golden days of internet. They close and buy in some other products. How does it benefits users and is that the direction that will bring in more users? Give what users wants and they will be here. As for MS, having Yahoo to support their search engine doesn't seems to be anything different. What can such a team offer on MS's turf? MS's Bing doesn't seems to work up much, add in Yahoo's search will it make any difference? Unless you offer better search results. It remains to be seen if this team up will work for them but I would say to make it work they need to offer what users wants else having two big names just don't make it any tastier when they are solo.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=8199927

Local Table tennis is getting messy

Yes. Not because of the olympic medal coach Liu Guodong but the coach who replaced him. This time round the STTA fired him. The team under the new coach Xu managed to grab a bronze medal at the Asian Youth Game. So what is STTA showing us? They will replace the coach once the team got a medal. Or is it politics involved? The coaches are all FT so are they trying to replace with locals? Can local deliver? The people believes in result. But what people hates are that once result are attained, they dumped you using some campy excuses. Results are results no matter who got the advantages or not. For the latest issue, if he favours his trainee more than another and this trainee gets medal, I would say it means that trainee could do it while the other one may not be seen as one with the strength.

http://www.todayonline.com/Sports/EDC090723-0000104/Deja-vu-at-STTA

Apple vs MS is stale

Apple vs MS. There will never be any clear winner here. Comparing them would be comparing apple with orange. Both have their pros and cons. The article which MS COO said their ads got under Apple's skin, which I think is just one of their domestic quarrel in businesses. MS Vista OS is really a failure while the cost of a Apple machine is much more costly then purchasing a brand new PC with original MS OS. But that doesn't put off the loyalty of their fans. There is no way of comparing both products. So their quarrel would be considered as entertainment and if one of them lucks ran out and do something stupid it will be part of history. I uses Mac at work but I won't buy one. Even their claim of cost went down is still much more expensive. There isn't much software or games that would run on Mac. I own a PC and I could run a majority of softwares and games either bought or download. They are mostly Windows compatible. Of course with MS you have all the critical patches and so on. So it is all up to the user. Usage vs Cost.

http://www.crn.com/software/218501057;jsessionid=AG0YVBEZTQBNAQSNDLPSKH0CJUNN2JVN

Google Chrome OS may just fizzle out like those before

Google Chrome OS is now making news even before the product is complete. This OS is aiming to be the next major alternative, or if it succeed, be the next primary OS in the computer world. But while all the news or welcoming an alternative or even excited because the product is from the popular Google, you have to take a good look at the current Windows OS and what to expect from any incoming competing OSes. Windows have been around for over 10 years, evolving from its OS shell of Win9x to the current Win Vista. The MS DOS have been in action being the OS for the early desktop computers. Even now users, especially those who have been through the DOS age still like the DOS interface because of it ability of doing batch commands. New OSes should need to focus on software compatibility. If it can't run DOS programs, at least make it work with a DOS emulator. Current DOS emulators are Windows coded, which make it difficult for other OS to use. Same logic for many other games and softwares. Chrome OS was said to be using Linux open source codes, so it mean no go for many of those popular freewares and games and softwares. Chrome may just concentrate on the netbook machines instead. Unless the user may just use it to do typing, printing, internet surfing with simple typing softwares and the Chrome browser, users may still opt for the MS OS. It is all those plugins which mean the web apps like flash games and stuffs that are running with windows. At least it is being said "run best" in windows. So the conclusion is that, alternative OS is only good if you can use it to run almost anything available, or the things you want to use but it is only meant for Windows.

No one dies in comics!

No one dies in comics! Ever.... And it have been proven for even the longest death doesn't rest all these time. The latest batch of death and reborn would be on Captain America. He was killed when his ideals was rejected by his very friends and country or would I say selfish politicians that someone uses these events to kill off an icon that could turn tides and events at any moment. Captain America - Steve Roger was shot when he was in cuffs so he was killed unarmed and died a hero in the real world here when readers was shocked by the plot. In the comic world it seems he was labeled a criminal. So now after 2 years of having some 2nd rated Cap in the comics just doesn't work. He isn't the real deal and now the real Steve Roger will make his return soon. I might read to see if the plot to bring him back be some copy cat or an unique way.

Next to return from death is Barry Allen - The Flash. If you thought the Flash have been around all these time you are wrong. That Flash isn't the original. The original Flash, not that Jay Garrick version, was one of the few heroes that rub shoulders with Superman and Batman in the early 70s to 80s when he was killed in a crisis event. Then he remain as dead in status but he made appearance in either flashbacks or time travel. Go figure. This time round he is coming back for real. In another event that killed Batman, Barry is making his come back. What will the current Flash be is still waiting to be seen. He might retire with his family or Barry's return might be temporary. In any case, he will be in the pages of Green Lantern which will be one of the most readable issue since both heroes are best of friends.

Superman and Green Lantern had both "died" and return. Even Wonder Woman and Robin and some other minor supporting characters. All these death brought in new comers to replaced them. None seems to work long except for the Flash replacement who was Kid Flash from the original Titans. Now they are bringing back Flash after years. Don't expect Batman to stay dead. The reason is the same with Captain America and probably everyone else. The real deal is what readers want.

Is it facebook or the swimming trunk that is the news here?

Facebook will going to cost someone his job. A politican or government employee in the British government is now leading the headlines because his wife, probably lack of the internet usage safety awarness, uses it in a way that maybe ok for ordinary folks here and there but not for high profile people. The wife uploaded the family pictures that include the main man in swimming trunk. Friends and people known to the family even wrote congrates words in the facebook which show everyone on the net who they are. I would probably won't even bother to look at that page at all but for certain characters this would be an expose. This government person is taking up a top sensitive post yet the wife exposes his family details which is now causing his reputation most likely due to his swimming trunk picture and the safety of his family is going to be in question. All these details when in the hands of shady characters could jeopardise his work and his world around him. So correct internet usage is important, not just to minors but in this case adults too.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iepLe-Pzz_d_a14urYR4eMjRwmyQ

Looks like Apple's iPhone have heat problem

Yahoo Tech reported that Apple issues warning of their latest iphone overheats. So I guess this one issue beats everything except a broken phone. While the word heat could mean anything, if it comes in a warning, it might mean it could get so hot it is equal to holding on a cup of hot coffee not by the cup handle. We all knows electronic stuff will have heat when in use but since it comes in a warning, this could be bad for the skin. Bad PR for Apple. So how does one do to rectify? If it is a software glitch, downloading patches or updates would solve it. Heat problem probably be something with the main boards. I doubt Apple would do a one to one swap, imagine hundreds of users all over the world. More like you have to stick with it until something breaks and hope the warranty do get you a replacement, unless the replacement comes from their existing batch of heaty new phones remaining, nothing is going to change.

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/pcworld/20090702/tc_pcworld/appleadmitsiphoneoverheatingissuessortof

Standard handphone charger soon?

Businessweek reported that an agreement was made in EU for a standard charger for mobile phones. This is a step up for improvement. However result was be shown earliest at 2010. It might even taken longer to be able to have standard charger to other parts of the world. It would be best when consumers would have one charger for any mobile phone. It saves the environment too. While this is happening in EU, I doubt other part of the world might see anything until the standard charger become the standard in their production. Mean time I may not wait for that result which I see will not happen until maybe two years time. If I am going to get my new mobile phone I will try to get from the same brand which have a chance of same charger type.

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/jun2009/gb20090630_520516.htm