Today’s links of interest:

• Pirate Bay sells out to Swedish software firm for $7.7m
  Awesome. On so many levels.

Today’s links of interest:

• Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer: Traditional media will not bounce back
  Really, Steve Ballmer media peron of the year? Was there a memo or zeitgeist or something we missed?

Today’s links of interest:

• AP Issues Strict Facebook, Twitter Guidelines to Staff
  We quote: “Monitor your profile page to make sure material posted by others doesn’t violate AP standards: any such material should be deleted.”
• Amazon Warns Calif. Lawmakers on Sales Tax Bill
  Working in Amazon’s favor? The fact that California lawmakers are so screwed up, they can’t get anything done.

Today’s links of interest:

• FTC Targets Internet Affiliate Programs
  We believe is this part of the government stimulus package: monitoring and resolving these things will require A Lot Of Manpower!
• Under Misspelled Banner, Buchanan And White Nationalist Brimelow Argue For English-Only Initiatives
  Some days, the jokes are too easy.

The Kindle is popular for a reason.

Amazon has created the most painless ebook experience any consumer could possibly ask for. No other system makes the discovery, purchase, and transfer of ebooks so frictionless. As a result, Kindle has become the standard everyone else in the ebook business will have to match just to compete. So far no one comes close.

But Kindle has a dark side that is starting to emerge with startling regularity.

This past weekend Dan Cohen was surprised to find that he could not re-download some of his Kindle books. After several lengthy exchanges with Amazon customer support Cohen was informed that some (but not all) Kindle books have download limits. Or maybe it’s a limit on the number of devices they can be transferred to. Or it might be both…

To be honest, Amazon’s customer service department isn’t entirely sure of what limits are imposed on DRM protected Kindle books. Read the entire entry …

Today’s links of interest:

• ASCAP Wants To Be Paid When Your Phone Rings
  Because, well, paying for the ringtone isn’t enough!

Today’s links of interest:

• A Strategy for Authenticity
  Don Linn covers O’Reilly’s Twitter Boot Camp and comes away a bit depressed by all the talk of planned spontaneity.
• Why Doesn’t Anyone Want a Blu-ray Player?
  Amazingly, this article claims that HD-DVD ownership actually doubled over the past year, during a period of time when the format was being discontinued. Consumers undoubtedly took advantage of close-out deals to buy into a dead format. There are probably many lessons here.

It’s a given that the upcoming Rock Band: The Beatles, is going to be a huge, huge success, and the hope is that it will simultaneously spur both the gaming and music industries. Which is why many many more bands are jumping on the Rock Band, er, bandwagon.

Yesterday, on Twitter, of all places, it was revealed that artists such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, U2, and The Rolling Stones all have editions in the pipeline. Naturally, each version has its own idiosyncrasies, based upon the artist to which it is dedicated. Since a lot of you still aren’t on the Twitter, I thought that I would give you a sneak peek at what you can expect when you buy some of the upcoming special editions of Rock Band.

Read the entire entry …

Today’s links of interest:

• #IranElection And The Death Of News As We Knew It
  A look at how established news sources have failed to utilize speed and new media effectively during the Iranian election crisis.
• MySpace Slashes Staff by 30 Percent
  Start up culture? Does that mean long hours and stock options instead of a living wage?
• Iran’s Disputed Election
  Stunning. Inspiring. Humanizing.
• The Girls’ Guide to Comic Con 2009
  Really, Los Angeles Times?

Today’s links of interest:

• Times Editors Bomb in Daily Show Visit
  Hilarious. Sad. Not necessarily in that order.
• Rove: Dowd ‘twisted, deranged’
  Uh, pot? Kettle.
• Massive Layoffs Coming To MySpace – 25% Or More May Be Cut
  Ouch. We feel awful for the staff.
• Poor Betty! Archie will propose to Veronica
  Men.