Business Bytes
Renee Oricchio

Afternoon Bits & Bytes

 

Hotmail Having Issues Today

Are you reading this blog because you can't get into your hotmail account right now? You aren't losing your mind. There is a problem with hotmail this afternoon. According to Microsoft it is only affecting a small percentage of users and no word yet on the exact problem. But, apparantly it started around noon EST today. Stay tuned...

Palm and Linux: A Match Made in Heaven?

The CEO of Palm let it slip at an NY analyst meeting yesterday that they're developing a new Linux-based operating system for Palm. This could be huge for Palm. Since Linux is open source, that means more room for new developments and innovation. There's an interesting write up about it on Mobile Tech Today. Check it out.

Why Vonnegut Matters

In case you haven't heard. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. died last night at the age of 84. This is typically not the place to pay homage to great literary figures, but Kurt's an exception. He was perhaps one of the most famous technophobes of the 20th century. Defined by his experience as a American POW stuck in Dresden during the allied bombing of World War II, Vonnegut was only able to see the modern world through a cloud of cynicism. But, he did it with humor and razor sharp clarity. Always questioning, his books made us think about the point behind technology, society, government, anything that might potentially diminish the individual in favor of the masses. You can't escape high school without reading Cat's Cradle or Slaughterhouse Five.

B Schools would do well to require him too.

And so it goes...

Renee Oricchio is a technology writer and former supervising news producer for CNN Financial News. She has been covering the computer industry since 1987. @oricchio