XplanaZine

Here’s our take on news that matters for Thursday, May 4. Today’s theme is it’s still going around , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming — More good news for consumers in the console wars. A lead developer for Starbreeze AB — best known for their critically acclaimed title Chronicles of Riddick — says that it will be virtually impossible to distinguish game quality between the Xbox 360 and the PS3.
• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations — John Dvorak reports that the New York Times has standardized all of its inside blogs on WordPress. More validation for that excellent platform. Says Dvorak, ”
  The New York Times’s blogs are much slicker than the in-house blogs that I’ve seen from other newspapers and online publications. WordPress is the reason; it’s real blogging software.”
• Handhelds – According to this report, “Over 16.7 million ’smart mobile devices’ (including smartphones and other handhelds) were sold in the first quarter of 2006, a 55% increase over the same period last year.” And, Nokia started shipping its Blackberry-rival phone — the E61 — yesterday.
• Social Networks – . The Technology Review has a nice article on Wallop,
  “an online social space that promises to redefine the notion of social networking, by focusing it on conversations and media tidbits, such as songs and photos, rather than on members and their profiles.”
• Technology Talks — Admitting when you’ve made mistakes is usually a good thing. In the case of Microsoft, it might even be scary good. Yesterday, Bill Gates admitted that the Redmond company had made mistakes recently but that they would improve and start keeping their competitors honest. Yes, they’re backing it up with $2 billion, but the important thing to note is the attitude. I think they’re finally taking this Web thing very seriously. Not a bad thing for consumers. And, in case you thought the build-it-yourself movement was dead in computing, think again! Wal-Mart will start selling build-your-own-computer kits in more than 1/3 of its U.S. stores this month. Finally, hats off to Intel for putting its money where its mouth is. The company is investing $1 billion in developing worlds. Initiatives include a $400 laptop and providing Internet connectivity and computing services to 300,000 Mexican teachers.