Some of the biggest names in the tech world are being watched extra carefully this week. Some have created a buzz with positive news, while for others, the attention is mostly negative. In this week’s Web roundup, see where BlackBerry, Verizon, AT&T, Amazon, and Microsoft land out of those two categories.
BlackBerry’s Ticket Back Into the Mobile Market?
BlackBerry lovers rejoice! The latest announcement by the company’s CEO reveals a new device is in the works. The phone, formerly known as the "Windermere", will have a square display and QWERTY keyboard. It is appropriately named the BlackBerry Passport because it is shaped like a passport. BlackBerry is known for being one of the most secure mobile platforms in the industry, so this new announcement has generated a lot of optimism among the company’s fans.
The Big DSL Ripoff
New data revealed in the U.S. government report "Measuring Broadband America" show that some customers are not getting the fast DSL speeds they pay for. According to the Federal Communications Commission’s report, ISPs usually deliver what they promise, but some providers are much better than others. Verizon DSL is one of the worst with 10 percent of customers getting less than half of what they pay for. AT&T is also mediocre, with 5 percent of customers getting less than 62 percent of the speeds they pay for. Yikes!
Fire Phone Lights a Fire Under Retailers
Amazon’s newly announced Fire Phone has created a firestorm of media. It also has traditional retailers squirming at its implications. The phone’s most unique feature is an app called "Firefly," which gives shoppers the power to point their cameras at an item and click to buy it immediately from Amazon. If there is a significant price difference, and if the buyer does not need to have the item right away, traditional retail stores could lose significant sales from people visiting their shop. If this process turns out to be as effortless as it claims to be, traditional retailers may be in trouble.
Microsoft Tries to Buy Some Positive Press
Perhaps one company that can relate to the brutal world of stringent competition is Microsoft. For years, everyone from tech gurus to average users has bashed Internet Explorer. Now, new reports have come forward stating that the marketing company representing Internet Explorer has offered to pay bloggers on popular sites for positive reviews. Of course, most bloggers didn’t take kindly to this offer and, in response, they created more negative press than any positive words Microsoft could ever have hoped to achieve. One blogger who was approached tweeted, "Today Microsoft offered to pay me to blog about Internet Explorer. There’s not enough bitcoin in the world …"
Weird, Wonderful and Wearable Tech
As innovation continues to power forward in the tech world, one thing is for sure: wearable technology remains one of the hottest trends around. New innovations continue to hit the market. Have you heard of Sony’s SmartWig? Then you need to check out this piece on markITwrite to learn more.