New Microsoft Windows Vista

Microsoft today officially released the consumer versions of the new Windows Vista and Office 2007.

The software is a big improvement but has some bugs. Plus, it seems Microsoft went a bit far in trying to follow Google's strategy of integrating advertising into its products. For example, if you are in Word and type "Dear Dad", a dancing Paper Clip appears, and asks "Looks like you're writing a letter to your mother. Do you want to order envelopes or do you want to lower your monthly mortgage payments so you don't have to hit her up for yet another loan?"

Purchasing Embargo

A group of ten friends in San Francisco have made international news and gained a large following by keeping a compact to give up buying new non-essential products for the recently ended year.

This news has not been welcomed by the Advertising Industry. In fact, the group members have been blocked from using any of Google's services until they disavow the experiment.

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One drawback though: now the group members have to wait five years before opening an account with Gmail.