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China hasn’t been able to stop the spread of the SARS virus, but the country is doing its best to restrict the spread of inaccurate SARS information. The government has instituted a tracking system that ferrets out China Mobile and China Unicom cell phone users who send more than 100 text messages per hour. Within 15 minutes of finding a user sending large amounts of messages, the government can read the text. The Communist Party then acts on what it sees as threats to the government, including, of the most interest at the moment, information being distributed about SARS. So far 12 people have been found by police to be spreading SARS rumors. One such rumor advised Chinese residents that boozing and smoking would prevent infection. Another suggested that the government was starting to use covert crop dusters to drop disinfectant over Beijing at night. More than 250 people have died of SARS in China, which has more than two-thirds of the world’s infections.
Microsoft: OK, iLoo was true, but we're dumping it
The only thing worse than a false story about your company pondering the introduction of an internet toilet is, apparently, a true one. Just one day after Microsoft denied reports that it was developing the iLoo, a portable potty with a built-in internet terminal to debut in Britain, the company reversed itself. Yes, the iLoo was actually being worked on by the British MSN internet service, but you can bet it won’t be launched now. The idea was the butt of so many jokes that Microsoft apparently was too embarrassed to follow through with the idea and even too embarrassed to admit it was true. On Monday, a spokesperson called the story a hoax after newspapers and wire services across the country picked up the item. On Tuesday, a spokesperson retracted the hoax statement but said the idea was being tabled. Many consumers expressed disgust at what they deemed a very unhygienic idea.
Sony launches handheld gaming device
Watch out, GameBoy. Sony, the No. 1 brand in the video game market, has introduced plans for a handheld version of PlayStation that promises to pressure Nintendo’s long-standing mobile play device. PSP will launch before the end of 2004. That’s bad news for Nintendo, which has seen flagging sales of the GameCube and may end up permanently behind the other player in the gaming industry, Microsoft. GameCube sales have fallen way behind those of PlayStation 2, the top seller, and Microsoft’s Xbox. That’s a far cry from 1995, when Sony first entered the gaming arena with Nintendo on top. The PSP will have a color screen and a new optical disc made specifically for it. GameBoy is the dominant handheld gaming device on the market right now.
Study: Students go online for music and porn
You probably don’t have to conduct a study to prove that college students like music and porn, but that's just what a new one has confirmed. ComScore Networks found that university web users frequent entertainment and communications sites much more than the average internet user. Universities are over-represented at education, movies, music and instant messaging sites. Seventy percent of university users visit instant messenger sites, with education a close second at 67 percent. More than 60 percent of IM practitioners use the America Online version. Not all surfing is virtuous. More than 60 percent access adult sites. Thirty percent of college users surf movie sites and gaming information sites. More than 80 percent of university users make downloads of some sort and 79.9 percent use email.
May 14, 2003© 2003 Media Life
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