Pinboard (guardiantech)

On Dickens, Rashomon and Twitter >> The Official Microsoft Blog

guardiantech — 2013-08-28T06:06:16+00:00

Frank X. Shaw is head of Microsoft PR, and isn't enamoured of some of the coverage of Steve Ballmer's decision to go:

Study after study shows we tend to focus on facts that support our beliefs, and ignore those that don’t fit neatly.
In research, this is known as confirmation bias, and it’s a very hard thing to overcome, even when you are aware of it.
So, if you really want to understand what’s going on with a category as complex as the one we operate in, you’ve got your work cut out for you.
In that spirit, there have been a few common themes in some of the coverage I’ve seen since Friday that are worth taking a moment to dissect and discuss.
One approach has been to focus exclusively on some of our consumer businesses, and then judge us harshly while ignoring the successes we’ve had elsewhere.
Another approach has been to go a step further, criticize our lack of “focus” and suggest that those other successes are actually a distraction from what they believe should be our single priority.
What these themes reveal is a single narrow frame through which the writers and pundits view the industry itself that leads them to reach these conclusions.
Since we have a different perspective that drives our strategy, we naturally see things differently.

Intel Statement in Response to Unsubstantiated News Reports >> Intel newsroom

guardiantech — 2012-09-27T15:07:09+00:00

Today Intel Corporation issued a statement in response to unsubstantiated news reports about comments made by Intel CEO Paul Otellini in a meeting with employees.

The statement that follows completely fails to repudiate, refute or rebut the suggestion that Otellini did indeed say the things ascribed to him (to paraphrase, that he thought Windows 8 was shipping with too many fixes remaining to be done). It just says Intel and Microsoft have worked together a long time. That feels like at least halfway to confirmation.

OIS on Nokia Lumia 920 >> YouTube

guardiantech — 2012-09-06T21:32:37+00:00

Nokia showing its image stabilisation. Honestly.

An apology is due >> Nokia Conversations

guardiantech — 2012-09-06T21:31:07+00:00

The official Nokia blog:

We’re excited about the Lumia 920 and the ground-breaking PureView imaging capabilities we announced today.
In an effort to demonstrate the benefits of optical image stabilization (which eliminates blurry images and improves pictures shot in low light conditions), we produced a video that simulates what we will be able to deliver with OIS.
Of course, hindsight is 20/20, but we should have posted a disclaimer stating this was a representation of OIS only. This was not shot with a Lumia 920. At least, not yet. We apologize for the confusion we created.

One suspects cock-up rather than conspiracy.

How not to write a press release, Argyll and Bute Council style >> Adrian Short

guardiantech — 2012-06-15T14:40:58+00:00

Someone had to take the council's weaselly words apart. Adrian Short has done it for you. Enjoy.

Apple briefs bloggers, blanks New York Times >> ZDNet UK

guardiantech — 2012-02-20T16:32:26+00:00

Although John Gruber says that the NYT's David Pogue was in line for a briefing when he was there. Still, the pecking order exists.

Apple public relations' new media pecking order >> Fortune Tech CNN

guardiantech — 2012-02-20T16:28:41+00:00

And ... wait for it ... where are Europe/UK news outlets? Oh.

Examining Facebook’s “Smear Campaign” Concerns About Google Social Circles >> Search Engine Land

guardiantech — 2011-05-13T07:32:24+00:00

Danny Sullivan does due diligence on Facebook's dirty tricks campaign against Google. Did the social network have a point? "I can’t see that Google is using any information in Google Social Search from Facebook," he says. Over to you, Facebook.