Month: June 2011
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Amazon Drops California In Growing E-Commerce Affiliate Tax Law War
Originally published in ZDnet. In the ongoing state-by-state battle over tax collection on affiliate website sales, this afternoon Amazon warned thousands of affiliates their revenue streams would be shut off if a tax bill would be signed into law. Mere hours later, Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill, signifying tough times ahead for many online… Read more…
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The First Porn and Gamification App: MiKandi’s Femjoy for Android [NSFW] | ZDNet
Originally published in ZDnet. Leading adult Android app creators and distributors MiKandi have released the first app to combine game mechanics and explicit content. Despite my usual lowered expectations for porn (but happiness for male-female adult content startup cofounder teams), I think the Femjoy Android App also happens to be tasteful and smart. When Apple… Read more…
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No Violet, We're ALL a bunch of Socially Awkward Dorks
Originally published in ZDnet. Jason Perlow: So basically, in the guys vs. girls part of your WWDC 2011 article "No Innovation" are you saying we're ALL a bunch of socially awkward dorks? Violet Blue: No, not at all. No one seems to be seeing the GLARING section in my article categorically stating that the two… Read more…
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Sophisticated, Open Source iCufflinks by Adafruit Industries
Originally published in ZDnet. Adafruit Industries is not only a hardware hacker's candy store, the woman-run empire based on fun, slightly subversive and truly innovative DIY hardware kits has released their first in a line of original, open-source jewelry: iCufflinks. Gallery: Open source iCufflinks These are definitely the gift to get your Mac Daddy. iCufflinks… Read more…
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WWDC 2011: No Innovation From Apple, Developer Discontent
Originally published in ZDnet. WWDC 2011 lacked innovation and exemplified a monoculture that casts the closing of Apple's Jobs-era legacy in a light of exclusivity, hostility, and heartfelt angst among those who felt that Apple's core strength was in its elevation of outsider thought. In my experience of speaking at, attending and covering tech conferences around… Read more…
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A Quick And Extra-Dirty Music-Lover's Google Music Review
Originally published in ZDnet. With Apple's WWDC 2011 announcement regarding iCloud music service (for a fee), those who right now are playing with Google's Music (Beta) – and us basic music lovers – are distinctly unimpressed. Like most everyone I know that has a varied, eclectic, much-loved (and growing) music collection from all corners of… Read more…
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"Karaoke Grandma's" Criminal Conviction: Could File-Sharing Be A Mental Illness?
Originally published in ZDnet. This week a 58-year-old grandmother was convicted for sharing music, sentenced to three years' probation and must attend cognitive behavioral therapy sessions as part of her criminal file-sharing sentence. To find out if file-sharing might now be considered a disorder, I asked psychologist Dr. Keely Kolmes, PsyD, to explain this unusual new twist… Read more…