-
Google’s founders are less humble (and jetless) than you think
by
Andrew Orlowski
–
Casting around for an example of the simple life to use in an Arab-bashing column, veteran columnist and editor Alexander Chancellor alighted on what he must have thought was the perfect foil to the free-spending Saudis. It appeared right there in front of him, on his PC, nestling between some coloured balls. Unlike Prince Alwaleed…
-
Amazon’s Kindle: a $399 folly
by
Andrew Orlowski
–
Reading has never been cheaper, and for most of us, requires no additional machinery – only the source material itself. So why do we need to pay the online retailer Amazon.com $399 to read books?… Read More
-
MPs reject Ofcom’s Nathan Barley quango
by
Andrew Orlowski
–
In a victory for Register readers, MPs have rejected Ofcom’s proposal for a publicly-funded new media quango. The Commons’ select committee for Culture, Media and Sport rejects the idea that the creation of a “Public Service Publisher” gatekeeper would help the market. The report is here, while the Ofcomwatch blog broke the news here. The…
-
I’m a walking billboard… bitch
by
Andrew Orlowski
–
On Wednesday, Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg boasted that the “next 100 years” of advertising began here. On the face of it, it looked like Web 2.0 had found its “Long Boom” moment. Facebook has yet to turn a profit, so Zuckerberg hardly seems in a position to advise other people how to make money –…
-
“The Government wants to copyright my thoughts!”
by
Andrew Orlowski
–
“They’re coming to take me away – ha haa!” – Napoleon XIV The Patient A student, Robert Soave writing in The Michigan, the student paper at the University of Michigan. Clinical Symptoms The patient is fearful: “The idea that information can be owned is quite terrifying” He also fears a loss of identity. Once something…
-
American Radiohead fans are 73% more irrational – survey
by
Andrew Orlowski
–
Radiohead last month let punters “set the price” for the digital download of their new album It’s Raining In Rainbows, which is coming out on CD shortly. Since people could download it for free – how much did they really pay? Estimates to date have relied on self-selecting opinion poll data. This one, ComScore reminds…