AS I blogged previously, I’m all for open source, and long for the day when I can completely stop relying on Microsoft’s bloatware. Or maybe the day Microsoft finally comes out with products which aren’t bloatware — or hell freezes over, whichever comes first, heh.

The thing about Windows, however, is that the average consumer is already very comfortable with the interface. Contrary to what geeks may think, not everyone is a geek, heh, and yes, it may not sound logical, but having a pretty and user-friendly interface is a big deal for consumers.

Yeah, yeah, all you members of the Cult of Mac can stop shouting right now. We already know you have a pretty, user-friendly and powerful OS, heh

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WHAT will happen to the boob tube and traditional broadcast companies in the face of the mad rush to offer online video and mobile TV?

Remember what happened to the dinosaurs? Yup, they were huge and you might have thought they would rule forever, but even giants die out in the face of catastrophic change. These days, the choice is simple: Evolve or die.

The signs are all around us. Smart Communications is offering its mobile TV service.  Dream TV is following suit, as Alex Villafania wrote in his Infotech article.

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OK, here’s a 3G application I actually find very interesting — the 3G “mobile eye” that Smart Communications has launched. I’m a parent, and the idea of using your 3G mobile phone to keep an eye on your kids and make sure they’re safe while you’re at work appeals to me.

Here’s an excerpt from INQUIRER.net reporter Lawrence Casiraya’s article:

Called “Mobile Eye,” the portable device comes with a SIM (subscriber identification module) card that allows it to receive video calls. The user can then control the camera — which can pan in different directions up to 45 degrees — via a video call or SMS.

The device also has a built-in microphone and speaker for two-way communication, and a memory card slot for video recording (using the 3gp format), which is enabled via a video call.

HERE’S an excerpt from an article written by Norman Bordadora that will come out in tomorrow’s edition of the Philippine Daily Inquirer:

Even for members of the media covering campaign trips, Internet service, preferably of the wireless kind, is now almost indispensable.

One of the questions first asked is whether their billeting arrangements include wi-fi and, if it has none, where the closest Internet shop with broadband capabilities is located.

The Genuine Opposition has made sure its new campaign headquarters on Ayala Avenue would have wi-fi-ready offices for reporters covering its candidates.

PLANTATION BAY, Mactan, Cebu, Philippines–Am still here in Cebu, where I’ve been blogging the 2nd RAN Online Global Conference, which the Philippines is hosting this year. Check out hackenslash for the latest entries — the conference just ended and I’m just finishing writing and editing stuff before we head off later to Galapagos Beach for a Hawaiian-inspired dinner.

Read this interesting story from San Jose Mercury News, “Can Hollywood topple YouTube?” Personally, I think it’s a sign of desperation. Now these Old Media types are not just suing YouTube; they’re trying to tag-team the king of online video.

Here’s an excerpt:

NBC Universal and News Corp. announced Thursday that they are teaming up with Google’s biggest rivals in an effort to topple “the kings” of YouTube off their Internet throne.

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