It’s no secret Walt Mossberg is a freakin’ super-pundit in the tech world (it’s rumoured he once liveblogged for 14 hours straight…while standing). And if you need some words from the man himself, all you have to do is head over to waltmossbergsays.com, jot down your statement/prediction/infallibility, and BOOM! — Walt speaks. Not only that, but people never question what Mossberg says, because he basically knows everything. I mean, did you see the D6 Conference? [WaltMossbergSays](Thanks, Grant)
Dean Kamen, inventor is being interviewed at All Things D now. He’s here to talk about his cyborg prosthetic “Luke arm”. (It’s named after Luke, yes, Skywalker.) Amazing.
One of the most fascinating profiles I’ve read this year is the Melinda Gates cover story from Fortune. She’s here at Walt and Kara’s All Things D Conference to talk about The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where Bill will be directing most of his energy come July. Although this is not directly gadget related, I’m excited to hear how Microsofties make philanthropy happen in their own way.
Last night at All Things D, we got to witness Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer being interviewed by Mossberg and Swisher. We also got Windows 7 photos and features. But there was also a funny moment when Gates said:
The Walt Mossberg clip that made the rounds this weekend, proclaiming the 3G iPhone a mere 53 days away? He just backpedaled on it, swearing he has no better idea than we do. And if he did, he’d give himself scoop: “If I knew when this date was, why would I announce it in the middle of a sentence at the Finnish embassy, rather than report it in the Wall Street Journal?” Guess that chat with Steve straightened everything out, though is it really something he can take back? [Silicon Alley Insider]
Walt Mossberg has confirmed what AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega already hinted at CTIA: the iPhone will be 3G-capable “in 60 days.” Mossberg said it 6:53 into this Beet.tv feature. Knowing that it’s going to be one year after release, what De la Vega said, and the fact that Walt gets his mitts on the goods way before anyone else, it’s only logical to think he is right. We will discover it around June 4.
After rediscovering the Lenovo X300, the Mighty Mossberg has analysed it, inevitably pitting it against the Apple MacBook Air in a classic fight of blood, dead and more blood and dead. And you know exactly what the outcome is.
Today, Mossberg takes a look at the lukewarmly anticipated Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista. It’s an odd little beast of a review, its flat, monotonal surface covering a bed of barbs. (Most of ‘em are true.) Here’s the sharpest one (bold is mine): SP1 doesn’t resolve some of the most annoying flaws in Vista, including slow start-ups and reboots, and a security system that nags you too much and requires add-on anti-virus software. I guess these problems will either never be fixed fully or will have to wait for SP2.
That’s a Stinger. Missile.
Mossy’s column today is a remix of his Wireless Telcos as Soviet ministries joke, told first in a June 2005 column. He complains about phone companies locking handsets to carriers, and making them lame little pocket convenience stores for ringtones, and so on (my words). The timepeg is Apple’s new promise of a software development kit for the iPhone, perhaps the device that could best benefit from such an open arrangement. Yes, I am glad he’s continuing the salvo against the phone companies. But there is a but.
I am glad he credits Apple with trying to do the right thing as far as the SDK and openness go. I just wish he was a little more skeptical of Apple, given that they now share revenues for monthly charges and I’d assume, ringtones and maybe future apps. My point is that I hope that Mossberg has a plan of action for journalists and consumers to fight this one and enacting some change, rather than just a theoretical bitch much like the 2005 column and the great craplet article from last year. Maybe journalists covering the topic should base their ratings on all phones in part by checking how tarted up a handset is by a carrier, and regular joes can buy unlocked handsets. But I’m unsure of what else can be done. So, Walt, lead the charge and we’ll follow. What can we do to fight the machine? [AllThingsD]
