Engadget Podcast 195 - 05.07.2010

You'd think that Michael Gartenberg would bring a tone of civility to the Engadget Podcast, but his practical approach to tech thought simply causes rage in the hyper-inflated egos of Josh and Nilay, who both live in a world where teenagers simply do not exist. Don't miss it.

NOTE: We had a few recording issues, please bear with us. They won't kill you. But if they do, don't say we didn't warn you.

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel
Special guest: Michael Gartenberg
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Rock And Roll All Night

Hear the podcast

00:01:30 - Microsoft Kin One and Two review
00:05:00 - Kin available online starting tomorrow, in Verizon stores on May 13
00:30:00 - Survey says: most teens don't have a data plan, almost all send texts
00:40:00 - Confirmed: BlackBerry two-way sync for Gmail is now live
00:48:05 - Intel's Atom Z6xx series isn't targeting Windows Phone 7, but 'full Windows experience' still an Atom priority
00:53:00 - Intel reaches for the 'smartphone zone' with Moorestown-based Atom Z6, comes up shorthanded
00:58:25 - Apple under preliminary antitrust investigation over iPhone, triggered by complaint from Adobe
01:15:40 - Engadget wins the People's Voice Webby in Consumer Electronics, and you can win a Droid Incredible!



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Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget

[josah Posted May 9th 2010 11:50PM]

I cringed when the anti-trust discussion came up and market domination was mentioned. Market domination is not a prerequisite for anti-trust violations. Bit players can illegally compete and be held accountable for it just as well as the big kids. If Apple is doing ANYTHING that could be called illegal if they had a majority market share, it's illegal NOW, too. It's very, very clearly laid out in the Sherman Act.

As an aside, the charges related to tying against MS were dropped, I believe. Probably because it doesn't count when it's free software. The legislation surrounding tying was intended to prevent two marketed products from being tied together anti-competitively. IE was never a marketed product with a price tag.

[SpongeBobPistolPants Posted May 10th 2010 10:44AM]

I am pretty disappointed in Josh. Usually a very open minded person willing to consider other view points but completely shutting out the possibility that there are people out there who will use (and maybe enjoy) this device. Michael is not trying to say this is a great device, just that there are likely people out there who will find it useful. You guys spent 30 minutes coming up with metaphors and examples to debate two different arguments (Josh - device sucks, Michael - not great but will find a niche).

[jmhalder Posted May 11th 2010 1:38AM]

this was the most bogus engadget podcast i've ever listened to... the Kin is a bad joke. saying things like "they like it simple" and then knocking the iPhone in its 1.0 state? A data plan for the kin in a 2 year agreement is $720, if you already have a iPod Touch, you'd want the iPhone... Michael is WAY off the mark here... saying things like "they use their laptops for the web" then why would they want the Kin for photo sharing and Facebook?... Never have Michael on again, schill for MS. I'd much rather listen to Nilay and Josh argue. /rant

[Garst Posted May 12th 2010 2:53AM]

I'm part of generation blow-your-brains-out-due-to-the-incessant-need-to-relabel-the-same-group-to-fit-the-current-buzz-headline. I'll think about making that shorter after I scrap my brains off the ceiling and cram them back in my head. And if the relabeling doesn't stop, I'm going to start throwing the word, "moron," around. The tried-and-true label for people with nothing intelligent to say.

[Dignan17 Posted May 14th 2010 5:58PM]

I'm all for an intelligent debate, but I'm sorry Mr Gartenberg, clearly you subscribe to the "whoever talks loudest, wins" theory of debate. I can't tell you how frustrating it was listening to this podcast and having Michael talking over everyone every single chance he got. Sir, I suggest you listen to the podcast and hear what you're like on air. It's not pleasant.

Ugh. I did not like this episode...

[tedsc Posted May 15th 2010 1:53PM]

Josh went from Apple apologist to outright evangelist in this episode. I agree that 1 device that does everything is an advantage but it is a huge battery liability. Their is a lot to be said for purpose specific devices spreading your battery consumption. It also gives the freedom to users to buy into ecosystems where they want. If you dislike iTunes (as I do) then an iPhone is a really lousy choice.

Their is also the political statement to be made that you do not want to buy into Apple's heavy handed approach.

[Frogboy Posted May 16th 2010 11:15PM]

I would've likely gotten a Kin if I were on Verison. It's got two killer apps that everyone just brushes over: Kin Studio and Zune. I would've probably ponied up the cash for that. That's worth more to me than all of the apps and games and everything else that smart phones do. Of course, I have access to a computer and internet almost 24/7 so smart phones don't really fill a need for me.

[trunksy Posted May 18th 2010 3:26PM]

I agree with Michael. Besides the iPad, there's also netbooks that are not computers and don't do what full laptops do but they sell well.