Google is forging ahead more and more every day with new innovations. These innovations within the fields of search, parallel computing, information storage, and cloud computing bring with them closer scrutiny by outsiders. Many people today are referring to Google as ‘The New Microsoft”. The new monopoly.

While many of these concerns are well-founded and MS and Google share some similar traits, there’s a key difference between Microsoft and Google that shouldn’t be overlooked. Google has a sense of humor.

Put another way – Google’s founders have a sense of humor, and they put this humor into their technology.

This might seem trivial, but this point becomes extremely important when you get involved with sophisticated technology and technology services for people and companies.

It’s easy to dismiss Google’s products as looking simple, naive and lacking sophistication. Google has been criticized repeatedly about not capitalizing on their minimalist homepage (ironic that they’re the kings of online advertising), but if you’ve ever used any of their products, you find that they’re simple and easy to use.

The most recent example of their sense of humor is the online comic that was ‘accidentally leaked’ (sorry, this was no accident), announcing yet another move into Microsoft territory with their Chrome web browser. I can’t think of any other large corporations who would have the balls to do this.

Fun with pagination:

Fun with deleting spam:

Fun with their logo:

Fun with taking down Microsoft:

With Holy Ghost Power? Really?
I mean …really?

After a long time of head scratching, I’ve finally discovered why all my screenshots on my brand 24-inch iMac G5 at my last job as well as those done on my current Powerbook G5 came out fuzzy.
Blame the Wacom tablet. Actually, the tablet isn’t at fault – blame the damn pen!
I found the solution on this Apple Support page discussion thread.
Below are 2 screengrabs – the first is done with the Wacom pen, the second is done with the Wacom mouse (used on top of the tablet). The method I’m using to screengrab is: Shift-Ctrl-Apple-4. This key combo allows you to just grab a section of the screen.
Interactive designers out there will know that this technique is quick and dirty and indispensable while working under tight deadlines. It’s also necessary if you’re using images from Flickr (FPO) where the person disables the ability to download images.

some tasty links I’ve found recently:

Hot Meteor (via StyleGala.com)

Darden Studio (via Zeldman.com)

Flickr: High-speed photography

I have this rule, well, it’s more of a guideline than a rule …regarding social media. Facebook specifically.
This is the guideline:
When I get a friend request from someone on Facebook (or maybe LinkedIn, recruiters love to connect to you so they can comb through potential leads), I usually will add that person. More times than not, I know, or knew the person. I usually like to see more than the default message text. I like to see something personal, something that tells me this person really wants to connect to me (I’m old-fashioned, I know).
After around 6 months (hell even 3), if that person has not added any value to my life, or contributed in some way, I delete them from my friends.
I know what you’re thinking, yes, I’m pretty badass.
When I say ‘contribute’ this means at the very least, posting interesting status messages*, or great photographs, or addictive Youtube videos.
This doesn’t include asking me to be a vampire or werewolf.

*The art of a good status message can be traced back to when good away messages on AIM were the mark of a good online person. This topic is wonderfully exhausted in the book, Where There’s A Will, There’s Away… Messages: A 21st Century Guide to the Art of Absence (disclosure – the author is my brother).

Dell’s Zing hopes to rival Apple in ecosystem, launch two players early next year
From the article:

Dell’s hoping to partner up with Apple’s rivals to build a new ecosystem that will create better interoperation between PMPs, phones, cars, satellite radios and the multitude of online music stores out there. From the looks of things, that ecosystem is in good hands: with the acquisition of Zing’s Tim Bucher, formerly of Apple fame, and the 120 person team he’s built to help Dell put Apple in its place.

So, let me get this straight. Apple has created the most successful media management software (iTunes) and the highest selling media player (iPod) through a closed-source ecosystem where they tightly develop and integrate both these ends (software and hardware) – BUT somehow, Dell hopes to do this through partnering with a bunch of other “rivals” (oooooh) in hopes of creating a better alternative?
Listen, this isn’t like Voltron. Dell’s not going start connecting itself with other companies to form a MegaTechBot and wield its blazing sword of mediocrity at the evil Apple.
Based on my subway ride every morning, people seem to really, really, really like iPods. And iPhones. I think maybe they use Apple products because Apple focuses on making technology that people like to use. Crazy idea I know.
I also love the fact there are still some people DYING for Apple ‘challengers’. It’s not impossible people. Apple is not perfect by any means. If these companies start focusing on making great products and turn their attention off of Apple, they just might end up giving Apple a run for their money. Ah the beauty of paradoxes.

I went onto Youtube looking for some clips of REVS I’ve seen before but I was only able to dig up one for the documentary, BOMB IT.
I didn’t find what I was looking for, but I did find some other interesting nuggets on him.
Some good shots of spray (and steel) tags at Streetsy.
via kottke’s Flickrstream (with some comments): http://www.flickr.com/photos/jkottke/17610898/
Via WIkipedia:

“We think art should be dangerous,” Revs told a freelancer for ArtForum magazine in a 1994 interview. “Everybody’s into safe art,” he continued, “doing safe things in their studio. We’re bringing danger back into it. It’s got to be on the edge, where it’s not allowed.”
Known for such unorthodox views, Revs also refuses to sell his work. He’s even gone as far telling a Times reporter that “once money changes hands for art, it becomes a fraudulent activity.” This idea that art should be of pure expression, unconstrained by society’s wants or expectations, is manifest in the work Revs undertook in New York’s subways.

So Microsoft has been circling Yahoo like a vulture. Microsoft now says that it’s not interested anymore, no deal. I don’t buy it and I don’t think this is the last we’ll hear of the whole debacle.
On my little consumer/member side of things, I’m feeling the ripples.
First off is the exit of Flickr co-founder Stewart Butterfield and his great resignation letter to Yahoo.
While the letter is hilarious and witty, there’s a lot of truth behind it. The thought of a Microsoft-owned Flickr makes me uneasy and I can promise that if it comes to pass, I will delete my account. I can just picture MS re-engineering the Flickr platform like they did with Hotmail (didn’t it take them over 6 years to re-build Hotmail on MS software?)
Second off is the exit of del.icio.us founder Joshua Schachter. According to reports, version 2.0 of del.icio.us has been in the works for a while now, but is sitting in the backyard up on cinder blocks being idle, waiting for its turn.
Microsoft has the exact opposite effect of the Midas touch. Truly amazing. Thanks for nothing MS.

Thanks Bryan

The iPhone is more of a competitor to the Blackberry than I had originally thought.
Seems RIM has started a Blackberry developer fund just like Apple & KPCB did on March 6, 2008. They’ve also put 50 million dollars more into the pot than KPCB’s 100 million dollar iFund.
It also seems RIM is launching a full touchscreen Blackberry phone, sans tactile keyboard.
…and it ALSO seems RIM is organizing the first ever Blackberry Developers Conference.
Let’s get something straight RIM – just because you throw money and conferences at a mobile platform, doesn’t mean it’s going to get better.
The same way watering a rock garden isn’t going to grow you any fresh fruits and vegetables
…or blackberries as the case may be.

I didn’t plan on trashing the new iTunes competitors when I woke up this morning, it just happened that way.
I stumbled upon this story about the new Zune Marketplace, naively thinking I might be able to test drive it on my Mac.
HAHAHA!!! Silly Mike. You pea brain.
I’ll just pre-emptively mark this one up as another loss for Microsoft. Along with PlayForSure and Urge. A ballsy move, I know.

Nokia, c’mon …I thought we were long past this shit?