iPod People

Andrew Sullivan's written an interesting piece about how isolated and lonely we seem to be these days. He wonders if we've turned into the iPod People, as he describes a recent stroll through New York:

There were little white wires hanging down from their ears, or tucked into pockets, purses or jackets. The eyes were a little vacant. Each was in his or her own musical world, walking to their soundtrack, stars in their own music video, almost oblivious to the world around them. These are the iPod people.

I noticed this when I went skiing this past week, especially obvious were the iPod teens on the ski lifts, staring into space like zombies, seated next to me.

Can a product change a society so fundamentally, or is this product showing us something about our society that was always there?

Mobile networks seek turbo boost

Third-generation mobile (3G) networks need to get faster if they are to deliver fast internet surfing on the move and exciting new services.

The "digital divide" between rich and poor nations is narrowing fast, according to a World Bank report.

The World Bank questioned a United Nation's campaign to increase usage and access to technology in poorer nations.

Lead; Follow - Get Out of the Way!

Could Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs be thinking about more than just inducing a few PC enthusiasts to switch to the Mac? He claims not to be interested in the Media Center concept, noting that the cable industry is a monopoly. However, he is also famous for misleading analysts.

Firefox Keeps Gaining

"If ever there were a sign that Firefox is gaining markeshare, here you have it. Yahoo has released a PC Firefox version of its toolbar, and plans to add Mac support soon."

Further evidence: the B2 Website's tally of browser now has Explorer's share at 73% and Firefox at 10%.

Fiorina out!

Carly Fiorina, one of corporate America's highest ranking female executives, has stepped down as chairman and chief executive of Hewlett-Packard.

UPDATE: Who said incompetence doesn't pay off.

The Business Of Nanotech

There's still plenty of hype, but nanotechnology is finally moving from the lab to the marketplace. Get ready for cars, chips, and golf balls made with new materials engineered down to the level of individual atoms.

Yahoo launches 'contextual' search

Yahoo is offering a new search service designed to help people find more-relevant content online.

RFID: Plenty of Mixed Signals

Despite Wal-Mart's push for radio-frequency identification, skeptical suppliers are still foolishly slow to embrace the new technology.