Tech News Round Up (Digg, XP SP3, Cell Phone Tracking, ZoHo Writer)

Is Digg Done?
For those of you who don't know, Digg is a user generated news site, and it is one of the most popular (if not the most popular) social networking sites of its kind. However, according to TechCrunch, some users have complained that only a "select few" truly get their posts on the front page and that users have been unfairly banned along with other complaints. This has led to an exodus from Digg to similar sites like Reddit and Propeller. However, the most popular landing place seems to be Mixx. I have to admit that, while I do have a Digg account, I rarely use it. I just don't have the time to find a submit posts (which are often already submitted by the time I find them). Similarly, I have not used Reddit, Propeller, or Mixx. However, I don't think Digg has anything to fear. Most people seem to like its clean and easy interface. I checked the other Reddit and Propeller, and they look like something Microsoft would kick out. Mixx has a pretty clean interface, but I still think Digg trumps it. Furthermore, despite the complaints about its voting systems, popular stories will indeed rise to the front page just like they should. Finally, Digg benefits greatly from the personality of Kevin Rose who has both geek tech cred and the gravitas of a successful businessman. Along with the Diggnation podcast, the other competitors just don't have a spokesperson like Rose. However, I do think that Digg should find some way to get itself sold in the coming 6 to 9 months. The site offers great functionality for what it does, but I think it needs a larger company to take it to the next level. Waiting too long may risk the loss of corporate suitors.

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Provides Speed Boost
According the PC World, many of the 15,000 testers who were given a release candidate of Windows XP Service Pack 3 have reported a significant increase in speed of the Operating System. This made the XP operating system much faster than Windows Vista Service Pack 1. I have no love for Vista, and I uninstalled it almost immediately after trying it out for a week. This adds another nail the the Vista coffin, and I think Microsoft needs to put a massive number of engineers into Vista Service Pack 2 and focus on three areas: speed, reliability, and device compatibility. I think that fixing these three things will enable both corporate and home users to forgive Microsoft for the Vista debacle.

It's 3 AM. Does Your Cell Phone Know Where You Are?
Many wireless carriers provide a service that allows cell phones to transmit location information. This is done either via true GPS communication with satellites or via triangulation with cell phone towers (and sometimes both). I think this will be the killer app in cell phones next year in the same way that almost every cell phone now has blue tooth. Users will be able to access navigation information similar to GPS units in vehicles, and parents can use the service to track the location of their children. However, eFluxMedia reports that many law enforcement agencies routinely ask for this information to track down criminal suspects. While few law abiding citizens would object to this, the new reality is that many of us will soon be carrying tracking devices everywhere we go. Without strict privacy laws, this information can easily fall into the wrong hands and facilitate criminal behavior instead of stop it. How many stalkers would love to find the location information of their victims? For that matter, what about murderers and rapists? Furthermore, spouses may gain access to this information to find out if they have a cheating husband or wife. We may all soon have to explain where we have been and, "I was working late at the office" or "I got stuck in traffic" will no longer suffice.

ZoHo Writer Provides the Online Word Processor Killer Feature
One of the most popular applications in the emerging world of online word processors is Google Docs which allows features similar to Microsoft Word in a web browser. Not only can you created and edit documents, you can share them with others and collaborate online. Another version of this is Live Documents from Instacoll which provides online access to Microsoft Office applications as well as a shared storage space. However, neither of these applications provide a way to work offline. This is a much needed feature because many road warriors need to work while on multi-hour flights, and online access is not available on many of the US airlines. Webworkedaily.com reports that Zoho Writer will step into this void and offer offline editing of Word documents. I think that Google Docs will soon add this feature, and we will begin to see the entire desktop replaced with online versions. Soon, we will be able to write documents, create spreadsheets and presentations, edit photos, and do everything that we use laptops and desktops to do. The added benefit is that everything is stored on a central server which protects against data loss caused by equipment failure, theft, viruses, or the other tragedies that affect end user hardware.