Apples to Blackberries

It's been a rush to keep up with the iPhone lately.  For consumers, a new Application is released every ten seconds.  Business partner AT&T is constantly changing and updating its rate structure and business model around the phone.  And now it seems, Verizon and Blackberry are pumping extra cash into their latest baby, the Storm, to compete with Apple.

With the Storm now costing $203, technically the phone is being sold at a $4 loss.  For more pricing info go here.  However, the real story here is the lengths to which competition is going to compete with the growing popularity of the iPhone.  When Apple introduced the iPhone, AT&T sold it at a loss as well.  Now obviously they are making serious bank on the data plan, but Apple itself has something going for it that the Storm and its manufacturer don't.  That is the cash cow that we call iTunes.  The App Store is selling applications faster then programmers can create them, and Apple is getting much of the proceeds.

While 1 million Storm's have been sold, Verizon has little chance of ever matching the iPhone's popularity.  And right now they're paying for it, literally.

Analog: Analogous to Dumb

I have a hero.  A loud, flamboyant man in interesting dress. He is neither Liberace nor Elton John.  His name is Matthew Lesko.  While his teachings are tailored to the common man, his motto has recently been adopted by our own government.  But instead of our politicians funding the hard-working entrepreneur, they are spending our money on covering up their own inefficiencies.  What else is new?

Point being, this switch from analog to digital television has been one of the most embarrassing gaffes of recent memory.  Three days ago,

Obama called for a delay largely because the federal program that subsidizes converter boxes for those viewers hit a $1.34 billion funding limit this month (AP Article).

They hit their limit?  Fine, I can handle that.  Now consider that an estimated 10 million people have not switched as of yet.  This has been a program running for almost two years!!  Think of five friends.  Now twenty (if you have that many), how many have rabbit ears coming out of their tv sets?  If you said more than none, you're lying.  Who are these people, more importantly...where are they?  If thirty years ago Mike Teavee could get sent through time and space using television signals, a la a Wonka Bar, surely there are citizens in these modern times smart enough to realize that life offers more than four channels.

Now as the Feb 17 transition date looms, the politicians are starting to get antsy.  Obviously, spending more money on cheesy commercials and ridiculously expensive coupons is the way to get the other five percent of the country on board.  Obama and the Democrats are pushing hard for a transition delay set back to June 12th.  I guess they believe that in five months they can "convert" the same people the last twenty-four months of spending haven't touched. 

 Luckily, the few Republicans left in the Senate were able to band together and block said bill.  I would like to say that the transition date will remain as scheduled.  But it's hard to see through all the static.

Facebook: The Biggest Whopper Virgin

Facebook recently quashed the dreams of another inventive marketing campaign when it decided to make subtle changes to the new WHOPPER SACRAFICE page. See the story here. The muscle behind Burger King's recent surge of brilliant marketing campaigns was at it again. The application allowed users to receive a coupon for a free Whopper hamburger by unfriending 10 people on their Facebook accounts. The best part is that the app sends a message to the recently dumped friend explaining that 1/10th of a hamburger is more important then them, crushing their self-confidence into a flame-broiled heap. The application was a great service to me, personally. I was able to kill two birds with one stone, knock out a few unwanted people, and get a delicious treat. Kind of like Happy Gilmore winning the gold jacket, beating Shooter McGavin, and getting his Granny's house back.

So what happened? Facebook, in all their infinite wisdom, decided to disable the defriending portion of the application. That's like Mr. Miyagi telling Daniel-son not to use the "crane kick" against Johnny Lawerance in Karate Kid. Burger King, humbled by the decision, discontinued the application all-together, immediately after.

Where does Facebook get off? This a website that let's teenage girls post scantily clad pictures of themselves for all to see (especially me, keep up the good work Facebook), but won't let America's capitalistic spirit tho thrive? Any I challenge you to find anything more American then stabbing a friend in the back for free fast food. It makes me wonder if Facebook is allergic to exposure. They could have really embraced Whopper Sacrifice, aligned themselves strategically with Burger King, then made a quick buck.

Facebook has yet to comment on the reason for their actions. Something tells me it may have to do with the "feelings" of their members. Boo-frakking-hoo is what I say. Facebook could have decided to make the defriending part of the application temporary...like a week or something. Hell, I'd defriend family members if that was the case. A free burger and a week without having to see my sister posting on my wall? Now that's a win-win situation.

Seacrest high fives a blind guy?

Well, American Idol auditions are underway, and that means unintended hilarity seeping out of every pixel of my TV.  The Tuesday season premier was more then I could have asked for.  Why you might ask?  Just watch...  

American Idol Video

Poor Seacrest, immediately he realized his gaffe, and turned it into one of the most awkward hand slaps ever.  I'll cut him some slack though.  He's on TV more then Regis Philbin these days, and rarely makes these kinds of mistakes.  

Not to toot my own horn here, but I saw this coming a mile away.  Any time you mix cameras and the handicapped, you get a delicious blunder cocktail.  Let's not forget, however, that this blind guy can sing.  I know I'll be rooting for him, but I bet Seacrest won't. 

The Biggest News of the New Year!!!

This blog has begun...that is all.