Wireless: No, it's not a cheesy horror flick. Market researcher IDC says that there may be trouble ahead for BlackBerry, particularly in the form of growing competition for its largely untapped space. And who is riding those tracks right behind RIM? You guessed it ... Microsoft and its cadre of Windows Mobile handset OEMs.

From the analysts: This week David Margulius takes on a handful of IT conspiracy theories. Such as behind-the-scenes master plans of Google and Sun who, by the way, are in cahoots to score tons of dark fiber, and lots worse. But even they don't know about the power companies quietly steering everyone toward broadband over power lines by selling them energy-efficient light bulbs that render wireless networks fuzzy at best. The truth is in here. Well, perhaps not the whole truth, but at least more about these and other theories.

Notes from the field: This week Cringe's tales span from Kona, Hawaii (HP chairman Patricia Dunn) to the Amazon (think WiMax for the far reaches of Earth), with a taste of what they shovel in Washington (no clarification needed on that one, methinks) somewhere along the route. Not to worry, though, stepping back to reality he visits Microsoft's 'MeTube' and then washes it all down with this video of Diet Coke and Mentos mixologists. HP on the skids, Microsoft's online vids.

The news beat: The notebook battery debacle just won't end. In the latest, Toshiba says it will exchange 830,000 more Sony batteries, though it claims there are no safety issues. Dell, meanwhile, expands its own recall and Fujitsu considers taking action. And, in news that has nothing to do with batteries that blow up, IBM gets into karaoke.

Posted by Tom Sullivan on September 29, 2006 09:54 AM