Gizmodo Australia » msnbc

Dan Lyons (aka Fake Steve Jobs) Stands Up For Giz

Nick Broughall — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:51:18 +0000

The battle between Gizmodo and CNBC over Steve Jobs’ health continues to rage on. Obviously, here at Giz AU, we have a distinct bias as to who we think is right, but it’s reassuring to know that Newsweek columnist and ex-Fake Steve Jobs Dan Lyons is prepared to step up to the plate and demand Jim Goldman apologise to Giz. Silicon Alley Insider reckons he’s received a lifetime ban from the channel for it. If that’s the case, we hope Dan knows just how highly we regard him for calling Goldman out. Of course, now that Steve-O ha announced he’s taking sick leave, let’s hope this whole issue can be put to rest so the poor man can get better. Whether you love him, hate him or have no feelings whatsoever for the man or the company he founded, any person dealing with health issues deserves privacy and respect.

MSNBC’s Jerk Gadget List is Condescending Even to the Mainstream

Jason Chen — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:40:00 +0000

I get what MSNBC was trying to do with this list—warn its mainstream readers about potential social pitfalls with technology—but the contents of the list are just too condescending even for their target audience.

Here’s a sampling that convinces us this is kind of a lazy list.

• Bluetooth: Yeah, no crap Bluetooth makes you look like a dbag, but it’s necessary seeing as lots of states have passed hands-free calling laws. And putting Bluetooth on here? Is this 2001?

• TiVo: TiVo? TiVo?? Even your grandma likes TiVo, and she’s the one reading this list.

• Linux: Wow.

• Segway: Again, the way too obvious choice.

If you really must see for yourself, the list is over here. What should you do? Make sure your less tech-aware friends know that this list is BS. [MSNBC]

MSNBC Newsreader Will Vomit Stories From Household Objects

Gizmodo US Edition — Fri, 23 May 2008 01:20:00 +0000

MSNBC’s new flash-based “visual newsreader” (as opposed to?) presents headlines by either spinning them off of a colourful 3D spiral or spawning them from the dominant colours in front of your webcam. The service is called Spectra, is one of the most ridiculous ways to communicate information I’ve seen in a long time. So I gave it a go, and as you can see, its pretty out there. While the New York Times wants to turn your computer in to a newspaper, it looks like MSNBC wants to make it in to a hallucinogenic drug. [MSNBC Spectra] -by John Herrman