Apple, Mac, & iPhone News...
November 11th, 2009
Happy Veteran's Day, all,
Gifts, games and apps round out our reporting today; we've got it all...the good, the bad., and the ugly. Let's see...if we start with the bad stuff the good will seem so much better, right? Ok. Here we go...
EA Sacks Employees
Electronic Arts, the guys that put out some of our favorite games, like the Madden and Rock Band series, has announced another cut in staff and game lineup. They're contracting, yes, but expanding too: EA just acquired PlayFish, an online game maker, in hopes of bringing new blood into their exisiting line up. The staff and game cuts--any game in the bottom third of sales is at risk--are supposed to save $100 million dollars this year, after loss reporting of $391 million in the second quarter...times are tough, we know, but if EA makes great games and is in this much trouble, what about the smaller companies?
We're keeping our fingers crossed for gaming companies and gamers everywhere.
Hearty "Nays" Abound
In a surprising turn, a useful app has been rejected from the app store because it "ridicules public figures." No matter that you could have used the app to actually contact you congressperson and request important changes to be made in the fabric of our nation; MAD Magazine cartoonist Tom Richmond's painstakingly rendered 540 caricatures of said congresspeople were offensive because if you shook the iPhone while using the app, the cartoon's heads would bobble. Is it just us, or do these people do more to make themselves look ridiculous in real life every day?
The cartoonist hit the nail on the head when he wrote: “The really sad part is that here is an app that might get people interested in who represents them in Washington, especially kids and young adults, and connects people to their senators and representatives via fun and PARTISAN FREE way...Yet Apple has decided it’s not appropriate.”
Google Gives WiFi
The holidays came early this year! From now until the 15th of January Google is sponsoring free WiFi access at forty seven airports across the nation. Judging by the state of airlines, namely, their delays, this WiFi may go far beyond a nice present and become nothing short of a public service. http://www.freeholidaywifi.com/ was set up so you can check if your holiday destination is on the list. In the true spirit of giving, Google's asking the free WiFi users to donate a couple bucks to one of three charities of its choosing and says it'll match proceeds up to $250,000. Also, the airport where the most donations are received will get an extra $15,000 to donate to a charity of their choice.
Check out all our holiday updates at mactribe.com and follow us on Twitter!
Till tomorrow, Newsies...