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World's most costly beer: The one that led an Apple engineer to misplace his phone
More on the ongoing saga of the wayward next-gen iPhone. Gizmodo just posted their version of the story behind the story: They say that an Apple employee who works on the iPhone's baseband technology left the mysterious phone at the Gourmet Haus Staudt, a Redwood City bar and restaurant that's not far from Apple's campus. [Insert joke about German beer and engineers here.] Anyway, the gentleman who found the phone apparently waited for the phone's owner to return for some time, and was able to identify him from his Facebook profile on the phone. He intended to return the phone the next day, but it was bricked (or MobileMe deactivated) the next morning. That's when he began noticing ... strange things. Like the front-facing camera and the barcodes on the back. [Insert surprised wisecrack that Apple's prototype units don't have "lock with passcode after 10 seconds" turned on by default.] That was back on March 18. Gizmodo says they got the phone some weeks later, and today they confirmed it was a legit Apple item by calling the engineer at work. At Apple. Where he still apparently has a phone and access to a desk. [Insert shock and astonishment.] It's a fascinating read, and if nothing else, it more or less confirms that yes, we're looking at an official Apple prototype. Lesson of the day: Do not, do not, mix beer and priceless unreleased iPhones. Meanwhile, here's an obvious point: it's clear Gizmodo had few or no qualms about publicly announcing the name of the Apple staffer who lost the phone (which I originally reproduced in this post, but redacted based on feedback from readers). When should we expect the follow-up story announcing the name and employer of the person who found the phone and in turn provided it to Gizmodo?
iPad launch: Boston's Boylston Street store
The crystal-clear facade of Boston's Boylston Street Apple Store* beckoned and a slew of customers heeded the call this morning to greet the iPad. By the time I arrived at 8am, a line had formed down the street and around the corner -- a few hundred people at least. A second line for pre-order customers formed later in the morning, and by 9am was just as long as the first line. The store's interior was hidden by a black curtain that ran the length of the building. The mood was jovial, with everyone discussing their plans for the new device. Apple Store employees were moving up and down the line, making chit-chat and offering candy, water and coffee. The weather was fine (unlike the rainy iPhone launch), if not a little cold. %Gallery-89691%
Motorola cries foul over exec that bolted for Nokia
Sound familiar? Yeah, Moto's developing a reputation for trying to hold a death grip on its high-value employees, first with RIM and Apple -- and now with Nokia, apparently. The company is trying to score a temporary restraining order that would prevent David Hartsfield, a former VP in product management that helped see the Droid through to completion among other key devices, from joining up as an executive in Nokia's CDMA division following his December 2 departure from Schaumburg. We don't know the details of Hartsfield's non-compete agreement with his ex-employer, but Moto's basically arguing that there's no way for him to work at Nokia right now without benefiting from being familiar with its trade secrets; naturally, the dude's lawyer is saying in response that the company is unfairly preventing him from earning a living. Seriously, David, don't you remember signing that contract in blood?
Palm Pre filtering into Sprint stores, indocile employee sizes it up
With only days to go before at least four or five Sprint stores begin selling Palm's Pre, we're already seeing at least one employee with some time on his hands give the smartphone a go. Moral of the story? Right about now would be an awesome time to know somebody who can get behind a Sprint counter without using an unlawful amount of force.
Singapore welcomes WoW-playing employees
As if we need more examples of how much more widely-accepted gaming is in the East than the West, a company in Singapore has recently voiced their stance on the whole issue of denying people jobs if they play World of Warcraft. According to GMP Group, a recruiting firm in Singapore, none of their clients have turned down a potential employee for playing WoW.The company's CEO, Annie Yap, acknowledges the problematic side of gaming addiction, but cites Singaporeans as "more pragmatic in thinking and attitude" as they won't allow gaming to interfere with their job. Does this mean hope for the Western attitude toward gaming? Probably not any time soon, but as the gamer generation gets older, that possibility increases.
LGJ: Wrath of the Discrimination King
Each week Mark Methenitis contributes Law of the Game on Joystiq ("LGJ"), a column on legal issues as they relate to video games: GamePolitics recent posted a report that some employers may be 'discriminating' against World of Warcraft players. In fact, there have been longstanding reports of gamers, generally, not being the most favored employee in some workplaces. Of course, as soon as anyone reads the word 'discrimination' they immediately think 'lawsuit.' Whether that's an unfortunate byproduct of the direction of the American legal system or something else entirely is a discussion for another day. Today, rather, I want to take a look at the question of whether gamer discrimination could give rise to an employment discrimination lawsuit.
Motorola goes after RIM for nabbing employees, too
Moto's bleeding from a lot of places lately -- and the hemmorahging isn't just of the financial sort, either (it actually seems to have those cuts and bruises under control for the moment). Hot off a suit filed against Apple for making off with one of its higher-ups, the company is going after RIM for allegedly hiring away some 40 employees in Florida and the Chicago area since February, which coincidentally happened to be right about the time that things were falling apart in the patent cross-licensing negotiations. Motorola is seeking at least $50 large in damages (way to aim high and put a premium value on your staff there, guys), possibly egged on by RIM CEO Balsillie's brazen comments that he wants to poach "hundreds" of its people. Question is, with the economy in the tank, isn't there enough talent to go around without these types of tactics?[Thanks, Eric]
Gamestop listing for "WorldofWarcraft Gaming Mouse"
We got sent this picture by a rogue Gamestop employee -- he says he found a listing in their computer not only for the upcoming Zboards for Warhammer and Wrath of the Lich King, but as you can see, there's also a listing for a "WorldofWarcraft Gaming Mouse." There's no company listed, so we don't know who might be making it, and no other features are listed except the price, which stands at a hefty $99.00. There have been WoW mice available in China for a while, but with the price on this one, we're guessing it'll be a little less colorful and a little more "professional." Hey, if it's got extra buttons on it to help me level up fishing, I'll give it a look.Our tipster also says it's listed as a November release date, and as you can see above, it looks like we can expect it around November 3rd (a week before Wrath's release). If your mouse is looking a little old and busted lately, and you've got some of that tax refund check still sitting around waiting to be spent, it could be just the thing to help you run around Northrend.Update: Intrepid commenter Folinger found a cache of a Gamestop page for the mouse -- apparently it's also from Ideazon, and comes adorned with WoW art and 15 programmable buttons. Hopefully one of them will help me with my current goal of powerleveling fishing.
"Disgruntled ArenaNet employee" blogger finally admits it was a hoax
If you're a long time fan of Guild Wars, or you're just finely-tuned into the realm of MMO news as any good Massively reader should be, you may remember some controversy that erupted last year regarding a blog that claimed to be written by a disgruntled former employee of ArenaNet. This blog supposedly outed ArenaNet for working with gold farmers in some elaborate scheme to make the company more money, undercut the dedicated player-base and massacre hundreds of thousands of small fluffy bunnies. Okay, we may have exaggerated a bit on that last one.Needless to say, the interwebs were quite worked up over this, and ArenaNet came under fire several times for it. Well, it turns out that the creator of that blog finally admitted that it was all a cruel joke. They apologized (er, kinda) for the trauma they caused the community, and blamed it all on the fact that they were "bored". You may also notice that this "explanation" was created way back in July, but this just goes to show how thoroughly this person's scheme fizzled into obscurity.[Via Aspendawn]
Sprint's fabled SERO plan rides off into the sunset
A common battle cry in the carrier war heard in recent years has been "yeah, but those plans all suck compared to Sprint SERO." A little too common, in fact -- a significant fraction of subscribers signed up for the incredibly lucrative employee referral packages didn't actually know any Sprint employees -- but at $30 for several hundred voice minutes plus unlimited data and texting, that whole referral thing was an ordeal worth enduring. Well, you can kiss that sweet little deal goodbye, because SERO has been replaced with the more slickly-named "Everything Plus" package which packs basically the same features for $59.99, a healthy bump in price of 100 percent. What's more, would-be buyers now need to know a Sprint staffer's employee ID to sign up, closing a longstanding loophole that required no more than an email address, which is usually a pretty easy bit of information to score. All told, the plans are still decent deals, but still, grandfathered SERO customers have got to be chuckling to themselves right about now.[Via phoneArena]
EA employee survey shows positive change
Only a few years after "EA Spouse" exposed Electronic Arts as a white-collar sweat shop, the company released to GameDaily results of an internal employee survey showing it's changed since then. The survey, completed by 77% of EA's global workforce, showed that 63% felt motivated and excited about their job and are committed to making EA better.Gabrielle Toledano, Exec. VP of Human Resources, says that compared to three years ago when the survey was last done, the results showed a "significant improvement" at the company. This newest survey shows that there has been an improvement in overall satisfaction and morale, with much of the change credited to EA's restructuring into a "city-state" model. Toledano believes the survey shows a good start and that things at the company really have changed. "There's simply no tolerance at EA today for what was going on during EA Spouse."
Big Brother riding shotgun in government-issued vehicles
Big Brother has been infringing on workplace privacy for some time now, but technology previously used primarily in the private sector is making its way out and into government-issued vehicles. Many administrators are suggesting that GPS-ified vehicles not only crack down on on-the-clock leisure activities, but curb wasteful spending on excess fuel / lost productivity. Proponents also claim that such a setup enables them to better monitor how efficient (or not) their current processes are. Granted, it's not difficult to see just how polarizing the issue can be, and the Teamsters are already negotiating more contracts to keep workers from being peered upon. Still, if you've grown used to rolling your state-owned ride out to GameStop during lunch, we'd recommend taking a (very) good look around to ensure that you're truly cruising solo -- or, you know, just stick by the rules.[Image courtesy of HamptonRoads]
Break room games help office morale, productivity
We at Joystiq understand that not everyone is lucky enough to have a job that allows, nay, requires them to play games on the job. The folks at Entrepreneur Magazine know this too, and are helping out by singing the praises of video games in the employee break room.It's not that surprising that places like Popcap Games encourage their employees to learn from the competition, but even non-game related business like law firms and automotive websites are finding that games improve office morale and productivity. Employers also note that game rooms help attract younger employees and makes a hell of an impression during an applicant interview.Still, aren't office game rooms an invitation for employees to goof off all day? Apparently not -- none of the businesses Entrepreneur found needed to impose any limits on play. As one employer paraphrased, "the only employees who might have trouble in this type of environment are the ones that can't regulate themselves." And those people are probably playing Minesweeper all day anyway.
Tmsuk unveils Ubiko: the personable cellphone salesbot
Robots lending a helping hand certainly isn't a new spectacle, but a determined and forthright mechanical worker is about to hit cellphone stores in Japan (and probably send an actual human back to the job market in the process). While we've seen less intelligent forms of robotic cellphone salesmanship, Tmsuk's Ubiko bot is slated to "join the crew of temporary workers" that a Japanese job-referral company hopes will be used at "stores, events, and even weddings." Formerly known as the RIDC-01, this newly-named 44-inch tall employee on wheels sports a "catlike face," internal DVD player, LCD display to show advertisements / presentations, built-in cameras and infrared sensors, and remote-controllable arms that hand out balloons and other niceties to potential customers. Ubiko can even spark a conversation about how bad you'll need downloadable movie services on your next mobile, and reportedly boasts a "nasal electronic voice" that's sure to grate passerbyers' nerves. While the programmable (and always on call) employee can be snapped up for a hefty ¥30 million ($254,194) one time fee, it'll also be available to handle two-hour shifts for "only" ¥105,000 ($890).[Via Textually]
Hitachi's employee-tracking AirLocation II Tag-w WiFi-enabled RFID tags
Think wearing RFID-embedded clothing is pushing the limits of intrusion? If Hitachi has its way, your employer will soon be swapping out that company badge for a significantly more tricked-out version, complete with WiFi and RFID modules. Moving forward from the not-so-harmless RFID mirror, Hitachi is unveiling its AirLocation Tag-w at this week's CEATEC expo, which boasts a frightening ability to track and locate employees anywhere within the workplace. Aiming for "thorough and precise management of people," the device can pinpoint one's exact location, and also monitors any attempts to "enter and leave buildings." In an apparent attempt to color this voyeuristic tag in a positive hue, it also features an "emergency message function" which will broadcast a distress signal from the employee to a central help desk in case an uncontrollable robot army decides to invade your mundane corporate office. Although your manager may be salivating over the sudden ability to know the whereabouts of every mischievous subordinate on site, he / she may think twice once that ¥21,000 ($178) per unit expense hits the cost sheets.[Via MobileMag]
Ungenius - the other side of the Genius Bar
Beyond a doubt, Apple's retail stores have been and still are making headlines of all kinds - from business magazines hailing the stores' sleek design, to consumer reviews giving the stores high marks for their unique and (ideally) helpful Genius Bar feature. However, as some of you may know - not everyone's trip to the genius bar wraps up with a happy ending, and I'm not just talking about the customers; the Geniuses don't always have it so peachy-keen either.Hence, Ungenius - a blog by "JC" who apparently has some stories to tell of his adventures "aton[ing] for the sins of a multinational corporation during nearly four years as a Mac Genius". JC delves into all sorts of topics surrounding the world of the Genius including QA, the obvious defects that have made headlines as of late, and even some thoughts as to why Class Actions might be bad for consumers.Whether you've made a shrine for the last Genius who helped you out of a pickle or you're putting the finishing touches on a Genius Voodoo doll as you read this, Ungenius might be an interesting read from the other side of the cheery Apple retail store fence.
Drinktrain
What better way for a group of tireless Apple code monkeys to relax after a week of hard work than to get smashed on the train ride home? According Drinktrain, not much. Thus, a tradition consisting of just that seems to have emerged from within Cupertino. Most Friday evenings, the last car on the CalTrain from Mountain View to San Francisco can be found chock full of inebriated Apple employees partying it up to such themes as: Chuck Norris Train, Snakes on a Mothaf*ckin Train, and my personal favorite; Mac OS X Pirate Localization Train. According to our anonymous source, Drinktrain participants get away with their shenanigans due to the fact that there is no open-container law that applies to CalTrain vehicles. By far the juiciest tid-bit of information in the official wiki is the fact that Drinktrain is continuously looking for new blood, even if it comes from those who don't work at the shiny white mother-ship. Who's up for some locomotive lunacy!?
Apple employee gets fired for hilarious standup/poetry routine
I love the 'six degrees of everything' effect of the world wide web. I especially love it on a Sunday morning that is the second day of my spring break, as I have the time to check out this hilarious video of a standup/poetry routing from a talent show on the Apple Campus (thanks to TUAW commenter Mike). While the routine is a riot, what (apparently) came out of it is not: the employee says Apple's VP, who was hosting the event, fired him for it.I have embedded the video from Google Video in this post, and you'll need Flash to view it. I'd recommend actually going to the post at Google Video and downloading it while you can, before Apple legal attempts to obliterate it from the 'net.
