Throbbing Pain
Ars Technica is reporting on a new California bill that would ban the use of toxins in the production of cell phones and other electronic devices. If passed, they claim, the bill would shape environmental legislation and impose restrictions on electronics manufacturers in the rest of the country.
Sensitivity to Light and other Stimuli
Google announced a new Google Page Creator service on Thursday for the simple, HTML-free creation of ugly web pages with 100MB of web space. The company had already cut off new sign-ups within hours of releasing the service, because of high demand. Interested users can still get on the mailing list to be notified when new accounts are available. Alternatively, they could try Google's own blogspot, Yahoo's geocities, WordPress.com, Yahoo 360, MySpace, Livejournal....
Nausea and Vomiting
Apple's iTunes Music Store countdown contest is over, with the billionth song downloaded being a track by Coldplay. The "winner" was a user from Michigan who now has a scholarship to Julliard (not some obscure music school, as some cynics predicted) named in his honor.
Speech Problems
A hearing today was supposed to determine the fate of the BlackBerry, which has been under threat of a shutdown because of patent infringement. CNet News reports that the service remains available for now and also provides a transcript of the Judge's ruling.
Inability to Focus
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has been getting attention for his interview with the Globe and Mail in which he criticizes the company for undermining its philosophy and splitting its focus. He says that the switch to Intel processors undermined the company's "different is better" philosophy, and that the company should spin off iPod and other consumer electronics into a separate division, to allow the rest of the company to focus on computers and operating systems.
