Third Post

http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/search/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=210604791

I read an article about Microsoft trying to catch Google in the search engine department. They had attempted to buy Yahoo early this year, but that backfired on them, as Google ended up getting that deal, turning their percentage of the market to 82.5%. Microsoft, on the other hand owns only a measly .9% of the search engine market. However, Microsoft did buyout Fast Search & Transfer for 1.3 billion dollars, and made a deal with Powerset that was worth 100 million dollars. Microsoft thinks they have a very good chance at catching if not passing Google. They say that’s because nobody (even Google) has perfected their search engines yet. For example when you search something on Google, what you’re looking for doesn’t always come up on the first, second or third page, and sometimes even at all. That is what Microsoft is counting on, that they will be able to create a better search engine than Google, and that people will start using that as their home page. As an attempt at this they are trying out Powerset’s method of interpreting the phrases using linguistics. Personally, I don’t think it will make that much of a difference if Microsoft gets a more accurate search engine. Google has become the popular thing and the name for searching something (i.e. “Google it”). Also, I think Microsoft should be content with the things they have and improve those not try to steal Google’s users. For example, they have the Mac, iTunes, and the iPhone, which is being copied by many other companies; they should improve on those and work on a search engine next.

Second Post

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=2649

I read an article about T-Mobile's new iPhone like cell phone. It was called the T-Mobile G1 and it will run Android OS by Windows. It is meant to compete with the iPhone and other phones like it. It has many advantages to the iPhone. However, the iPhone’s appearance is much better. For example comparing them side by side, the iPhone is sleek, while the G1 is bulky and robust. Plus, the iPhone has all the luxuries of an iPod. In addition, it is popular. Therefore, the G1 might be a wonderful cell phone, but like its predecessors like the voyager and the glide, it will never top the iPhone because the iPhone is popular and “cool.” Plus the iPhone has more revolutionary and convenient technologies like the touch screen features and the tilt ability. Plus, the availability of upgrades and applications like games and other things is much higher. On the other hand, the Q1 is much harder to navigate because it involves a roller ball and a keyboard. Plus, the Q1’s operating system, Android OS, is more “old fashioned,” and the phone itself appears behind the times. While just looking at the iPhone or watching the commercial makes you want to buy one because it looks so futuristic.

First Post

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/09/17/ike.recovery.starbucks/index.html

I read an article about the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. It was written by Jason Hanna, and I found it in the U.S. section on CNN.com. I found this article very interesting because I thought that it was odd that all the Starbucks could get there power back, but not all the homes. I also thought it was cool how the hurricane was bringing people together and people who see each other many times a week are finally introducing each other and talking together. One other thing I found interesting was that Hurricane Ike caused so much damage even though it was a category four hurricane and didn’t hit Houston directly. In addition I thought that it was interesting that all the coffee shop workers at Starbucks wanted to come back and work right after the Hurricane. Also I found it interesting that these two coffee shops picked up additional baristas from other surrounding Starbucks’s that haven’t reopened yet. Plus, I thought it was cool that they had internet access, which attracted more customers. Finally, I thought that was nice that many of the customers that would usually not talk to each other were sharing information about where to find help. For example, they would tell each other where they could find an extra generator, where to find milk, eggs, and things like that.