Once upon a time (in 2008) Facebook was kicked out of China, shortly after Google was kicked out as well. These two giant companies being blocked by the “great firewall of China” didn’t make it look very positive for anybody hoping to break into the Chinese market.
Well today, Facebook is rumored to be working out a deal with one of the major Chinese ISPs which should bring Facebook to the Chinese masses. Now how excited are you about this? Very soon the Chinese population will be able to stop socializing in person and communicate through pokes, likes, and status updates… Just like us…
In Brighton, England while visiting a computer server conference ‘The Woz’ (Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple) mentioned he would be willing to go back to Apple in an active role if Tim Cook or Steve Jobs invite him back. I’m not going to get into the (long) history of Apple and the Steves, if you want that then check out the book iWoz. Woz currently works as an advisor for Apple, while he works as chief scientist for a a start-up. Not that Apple is really in need of new direction, but I would love to see Woz have an active role with more direct input.
As you recall earlier this week Apple has released an app that does nothing but more than just show its ads. At first this just seemed obnoxious, I mean really who wants to cycle through just ads? I suppose the home shopping network answers that one for me though.
Anyways, a few people have brought up an interesting fact that Apple doesn’t apps that have no purpose other than making money or showing ads. So how is it possible that Apple just ignores there own rules? Well lets look at this for a second.
Apple has done this before, and nobody is complaining about those times. I’m talking about there apps that use undocumented features that third-party developers are not allowed to use, features that are present in Maps and Weather. Now yes, these are core apps that come on the phone, and are not released through the store however you have to remember that this in in fact there sandbox. TUAW made a good example of renting an apartment with a “no pets” policy, however the landlord himself has a dog. The reason here is the landlord knows he can take care of the dog and any mess it makes, however he doesn’t trust you can. You typically don’t throw a fit, you live with it or move.
There are a few different stories floating around on this, one of them is that Best Buy is simply “holding” sales for a upcoming promotion. However the timing for that to be true seems really strange, considering the recent ad that Best Buy has pulled.
As you can tell it is a little tasteless, especially considering the iPad 2 is probably going to be the best selling tablet Best Buy will stock. Now however true this upcoming “promotion” is, to me it seems a bit more likely to me that Apple has decided to let Best Buy take some time to think about what they have done.
