Bribes From Microsoft?

This story is so interesting that it'd be strange for me to not take some time to talk about it. Microsoft, in cooperation with AMD and Acer, has been sending brand new Ferrari laptops loaded with Vista to some of the most influential tech bloggers around. What is a Ferrari laptop? It started out as a gimmick from Acer to make their high-end laptops sexy, and it has become a rather credited line of laptops known for amazing power/performance as well as being adorned with the Ferrari laptop. These machines are far from cheap, and since Microsoft doesn't make hardware it has gotten everyone ancy to call it bribery. I personally don't see it as bribery any more than if a magazine were to receive a new machine for a review. They did partner with Acer and AMD for this whole thing after all, so it's not like they went out and bought the machines out of the blue. AMD and Acer stand to gain just as much as Microsoft, though the timing suggests that it's merely a ploy to get people to give Vista a good review. I'm actually on Microsoft's side this time though, especially since these bloggers can easily send back the gifts right now or when they're done trying them out. I'll cede that it may be a bit misleading to try out Vista on such ridiculously fast machines, but any good, serious, tech blogger knows to try it out on a variety of machines, and will not fall victim to such subjective reporting. I think everyone just likes to vilify Microsoft, and now that they're trying something new everyone is jumping on their backs. It's not like they haven't been doing this already, but with just the regular press. So people should just chill out.

Just as many reporters like to hate on Microsoft as like to laud Apple, so here's one of I'm sure many articles around highlighting Apple's strengths over the year. There's a pretty nice, concise, article over here spelling out the landscape for an iPod phone as well as what Apple's options are. Personally, I think that they'll be partnering with one or more carriers since we already heard that they were talking to Verizon, but you never know. Speaking of music, I just found this site called SeeqPod that will play songs for you for free from your browser as well as point you to related videos on YouTube and Google Video. Great for when you're on the go, or if you want to check out music videos online (since they never come on TV anymore). Lastly, here is a great rebuke of Blu-ray and why it's not such a great technology. Some of the comments are stupid and harsh, especially since he's talking about why he personally would never get Blu-ray. But anyway, it's a great read, and his points are very much valid.

We have word from Christophe Gans that there will be a sequel to the Silent Hill movie, he just doesn't know when. Apparently, in terms of box office grosses it was the third highest of the year, so they consider it a good enough to success to warrant another. I still haven't seen the first one, but I really do intend on renting it since I've heard mixed things. It looks like we may see also see a sequel to an 80s classic: Real Genius. Apparently, Val Kilmer would come back, I just don't know if a sequel really makes sense here, especially like 20 years later. Lastly, a random Russian site has picked up a plethora of high-res shots from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and they look absolutely gorgeous. I really am looking forward to seeing this movie, and I'm glad that the last trailer we saw gave us a better idea of the tone of the movie.



Now for a Wednesday Mind Hump:

All you have to do is tell us what you got for Christmas!
I already told you guys about half my gifts on Monday: the shoes and the slow cooker. I also got some cash from my Aunt and a really cool Old Navy pullover from my Uncle's family. I don't know what the fabric is (the label doesn't say), but it's really soft and kind of cream colored. Plus, it fits me! Half my winter wear is just slightly big.