The Xserves Death in True Short Steve Jobs Fashion.

Emailing Steve Jobs is now about as synonymous with writing Santa for presents. If you have a wish/problem, Steve will respond. Sort of different than your parents posing as the man himself. But hey, you get the picture.

A French Xserv user who was saddened and upset by Apple’s decision to nix the high-end hardware shot off an email to none other than Steve Jobs. Hopefully he wasn’t looking for a long, detailed explanation, because as we all know, Steve Jobs’ responses are anything but. On that note, the official word according to Steve: “Hardly anyone was buying them.”

Shocking — I know. Sarcasm aside, it’s sad to see such a powerful piece of hardware die. Not to mention, Mac Pros just don’t fit into server racks quite as nicely.

Hop inside for a picture of the actual email exchange.

The Exodus Continues: Bank of America and Citigroup Rumored to be Bringing iPhone to Employees.

RIM just can’t catch a break this week, can they? The corporate stronghold the Canadian-based company once held appears to be slowly slipping away. Today, Reuters reported that Bank of America and Citigroup were both testing the iPhone as an official, company supported communication device. Thus far, the duo as well as countless other high security corporations have flocked to RIM as they offered the tightest security of the bunch. But now with the mobile market becoming increasingly consumer-focused as well as the applications and platforms rapidly exceeding what the BlackBerry OS is capable of, companies are starting to look elsewhere.

The involved parties wouldn’t comment on the story themselves (save for RIM), though the quoted sources maintained their position. RIM however, emailed a statement to Reuters stating:

The opportunities for both corporate-issued and employee-purchased smartphones are growing. RIM provides the best overall platform for chief information officers to address both scenarios without compromising security or manageability.

Times are a changin’…

Update: Apple censoring support forums by deleting user threads linking to Consumer Reports iPhone 4 article.

Word around the interwebs tonight is that Apple is getting all delete crazy on users creating threads in the support forums pertaining to a Consumer Report’s article.  The article in question highlights the same thing that any human with even the smallest shred of common sense already knows — the iPhone 4′s external antenna is major flaw that hampers the device.  This isn’t news. Hell, even Apple censoring negative discussin on their products isn’t new either.  But after all the evidence that has been brought to light since the iPhone 4′s release, it’s really not hard to see past Apple’s feeble attempts to somehow convince us there isn’t any signal attenuation problem.   Not to mention, blatantly lying to consumers and ignoring reality is the exact reason Apple has showed me they don’t care about their customers in the slightest.  It’s a slap in the face.

Nice try guys. How about putting all that effort into not designing shitty hardware and then sticking your nose in the air and acting as if the consumers are all idiots..hmm k!

Update:

I was sent a link to TechDirt that cites several sources claiming that the Consumer Reports threads in the Apple forums are reappearing — some of them — and that it was actually a hardware/software glitch in the first place. Given Apple’s track record on silencing critics, I’m still a bit unconvinced. Perhaps if Apple would respond…with anything…it wouldn’t be so cryptic. Make of it what you will…

BlackBerry Protect breaks cover. The BES experience for consumers is here!

Back in 2004, it made sense that BlackBerry enterprise users received the best of the best support, apps, innovation on the BB platform, and so on. In 2010 however, an enterprise only smartphone that flirts with consumers everyday won’t cut it. For several years now, non-enterprise users have been asking begging RIM for some more consumer oriented features that mimic the enterprise market’s already robust feature set. Finally, RIM has answered — BlackBerry Protect.

BlackBerry Protect is far from “secret” as it has been mentioned at various keynotes, conferences, and other minor leaks along the way. But now that it’s official — And with a beta becoming available within the next couple of weeks! — consumer users finally have some hard info to chew on regarding this “Enterprise support for the consumer” (for a lack of better words). So strap in and hop inside for the full rundown of features and plenty of screenshots to keep your ocular cavities happy…

Western Digital to take the veil off newer, faster VelociRaptor prosumer hard drives.

Speed, like drugs, hobbies, food, and smoking is addictive. With speed, the adrenaline rush that follows is the natural high for some. In the tech world, while we ourselves may not be moving hundreds of miles per hour in the dopest ride, we do have certain objects that move at high velocity — hard drives. As far as old spinners go, the general rule of thumb is that the faster the drive spins, the faster it will perform. Now, this isn’t exact as a few other factors such as connection interface, number of platters, and cache size also affect the end result. But if you want to soon move from merely “fast” to really fast, Western Digital has a new set of VelociRaptor hard drives they’d love you to take a look at.

While not technically revealed “officially” yet, the announcement is due soon..as in within the next couple weeks soon. The new found speed will come courtesy of the drives utilizing the newer, faster data SATA 3.0 (6Gbps) protocol. Other notable mentions that have no tie to speed include a small 2.5″ form factor wrapped in the 3.5″ “IcePack” cooler allowing easy installation in your standard sized drive bay. Another nod goes to the 3ms average latency time which I might add is pretty damn fast for your standard “moving” hard drive.

Like many other hard drives coming onto the market, the new VelociRaptors will also feature a “NoTouch Ramp” technology which simply means the drive head never touches the actual drive meaning longer life all around and less chances for hard drive failures — yay.

Finally, one corporate-grade feature that is moving down to this prosumer drive is that of “Rotary Acceleration Feed Forward (RAFF)” This little spiffy piece of tech will help the drive cope with high vibration situations. In the corporate world, certain environments such as the drive being stuffed in a large drive array within a server farm is the most obvious image that comes immediately to mind. For consumers who won’t really ever move their computer or face the same levels of vibration in the home environment, this feature likely won’t return any investment. Still, it’s nice that WD included it.

In my personal experience with a few VelociRaptor drives currently on the market as well as seeing countless reviews, benchmarks, and hands-on videos comparing these drives to comparable SSD’s has left me rather unimpressed. The price premium for the ‘Raptors doesn’t come anywhere close to balancing out on any return in investment (read: speed). Even still, these new drives will no doubt win over countless geeks and speed freaks for yet another generation.

Will WD actually hit that claimed 15% increase in speed on this next generation of ‘Raptor drives?

Bright Side of News

Best Buy puts it’s “e-cycle” e-waste billboard where it’s mouth is…or something like that.

Looking for the latest display of electronics companies supporting more green and earth friendly practices? For such a display, one only has to look at a new ad that has cropped up in Times Square in New York City. Non other than Best Buy has erected an e-waste recycling ad that is actually constructed of “e-cycled” electronics as they put it.

I’m not a huge tree hugger by any means, but I can certainly appreciate and support not being overly wasteful. Slapping a huge ad in Times Square promoting e-cycling and including old gadgets and electronics in the actual sign is both a clever and functional. I’m certainly impressed. +1 Best Buy.

At the very least, the creative sign will make you stop and think for just a moment about where your precious gadgets go once their usefulness has run it’s course. And of course, it looks pretty damn cool no?

CraziestGadgets > ScountingNY

CES Dark Chronicles: Hotel showcases and “suite parties” leading way to blackmail and extortion?

While I would classify my time in Vegas for the 2010 CES show as a resounding enjoyment, many smaller vendors whom were unable to display product on the show floor or took to a hotel suite for an additional (less expensive outlet) may see it a different way. Instead of the looking over your shoulder at competitors products, vendors now have another problem to look after — angry CEA employees enforcing bogus crackdowns. According to DailyTech, whom witnessed the scandalous events first hand as well as from a few other sources, tCEA and hotel employees at the Venetian and Palazzo confronted and threatened to kick out those using their *legally paid for* hotel suites for any type of product showcasing.

Seems a little shifty if you ask me. A classic case of greed and jealousy perhaps? The biggest question however is “Why?” I myself went to a few hotel suite events at those very same hotels. At any given point there were at most 50-60 people in one room. How is a 50-60 product shindig going to upset a 6 digit consumer electronics show? Simple answer: It won’t. It’s simple greed. Greed because those close to the matter claim they could either leave their suites sans refund or pay the CEA the entry $10,000 entry fee to display at CES.

Sure sounds like greed (with a healthy dose of blackmail) to me. Will I still attend future CES shows? Sure will. Will I support everything the CEA does? Nope. Like most organizing bodies and groups, the CEA is just like the rest apparently — greedy, juvenile, and insulting.

Anyone else (you will remain anonymousness) see or hear similar “behind-the-scenes” dirt going on?

DailyTech

Porsche’s Lithium-ion battery offering finally here.

**Update: I apologize for the countless typos and broken sentences that were found throughout this post. I was *attempting* to write while drowsy. Utter failure. Don’t post drowsy folks…

Battery technology just isn’t keeping up with the demand consumer electronics are putting on them. No one would normally think that a 22lb. weight reduction in a car is something to brag good about. But in the wild world of racing, every ounce can be vitally important. Today, Porsche is taking the high road (high tech road that is) and introducing one of the world’s first automotive Lithium-ion batteries. The longer run times, lack of a “memory”, and overall general performance upgrades over older models are the main reasons why an end user such as yourself would want to make the switch.

But such luxury doesn’t come cheap. Simply checking the small checkbox next to the Lithium-ion option on the order sheet site will make an already expensive car into an even more expensive car. $1,700 more expensive actually. Pricey for a battery no doubt. Though as already stated, the 22lbs. weight savings you’ll gain is something that should improve your laptime. And in a car whose real purpose is lapping the track the fastest, is there really any debate that you need to check that little box? Is a spiffy new battery with a rather (in racing car terms) substantial weight loss compared to traditional lead-acid batteries enough to make you splurge $1,700 more? Chances are if you can afford a Porsche, a spare $1,700 isn’t likely to phase you.

CrunchGear > CrunchGear

Is 2010 the year BlackBerry becomes “Consumer Cool”

After pouring over countless articles, slides, and pictures from RIM’s Developer conference the last couple of days, I have to admit I am really impressed by RIM’s consumer minded showing. The simple addition of BlackBerry Themes in App World combined with Widgets and actual 3D games to boot instantly jumped RIM and the BlackBerry platform up a few rungs in my book.

There’s no doubt about it, for consumers focused on multimedia and entertainment, the iPhone is where it’s at. Android still offers considerable amounts of entertainment though not as robust or rich as the iPhone’s. But where Android lacks in one area it more than makes up in another giving users almost unlimited options for customization and scalability.

So far, RIM has been wallowing in the gallows with WinMo on the consumer front with outdated GUI’s, luke warm apps, and an overall cold business cloud hanging over head. After this conference, I’m much more confident RIM can continue their move into the consumer market. Will they dethrone the iPhone over night if ever? No. But it will definitely bring the BlackBerry into or back into the minds of many whom and written it off as their dad’s business device.

Now I understand that even with some fancy widgets and themes you can’t slap lipstick on a pig and instantly have a creature of beauty (comparing OS 5.0 to OS 4.1/2′s core features and updated UI). But when strictly looking at consumer/multimedia/entertainment value, do you feel RIM has finally — if a bit late — gotten their ducks in somewhat of a row? Will 2010 be the year that BlackBerry becomes “consumer cool”?

IntoMobile

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