AMD Sends Out Oakley Computer Bags for Microsoft Ferrari Laptops
Recently received a surprise shipment from AMD - it contained an Oakley Vertical Computer Bag and two USB hubs (4 ports each) with an ethernet cable.There's a card inside this bag from AMD promoting Windows Vista and says "Happy Holidays, We'll see you at CES 2007". [so the shipment was meant to reach us even before CES but it possibly got delayed enroute]
We never gave our address to AMD but the shipping label had the same address style / number as the one with Microsoft - hence the obvious connection between the Ferrari laptops shipped by Microsoft and the Oakley bag from AMD. And there's even mention of Windows Vista inside the bag.
Unlike the standard briefcase-style laptop bags, the one from Oakley is pretty light and the laptop slides vertically inside the bag. There are just too many compartments for storing the laptop accessories but here's the most interesting part about the bag:
Travel documents fit in the convenient mesh pocket, and the shielded accessory pocket blocks Radio Frequency (RF) waves to help protect your Bluetooth enabled PDA or cellphone from unwanted access.Hoping this bag doesn't reignite the controversy surrounding Microsoft Ferrari Laptops.
Another disclosure - Betsy Weber from TechSmith, developers of Camtasia Studio, sent us a copy of Flash 8 Video by Tom Green. Will soon share some essential techniques about Flash Video, On2 and FLV codecs here.
Subscribe in a reader
Download Free Google Software:
Reader Comments:
amit,
i really like ur blog and am a daily reader. i have nothing against you receiving free gifts and i think its an evidence of ur success. But as a reader, i would trust this blog less and less, if you write about products/services after accpeting gifts. Its a stretch to believe that your reviews would be totally impartial after receivinng and acceepting gifts. I appreciate your disclosures, but since you are not refusing gifts, i am afraid the trust element might get impacted.
PFT...not this argument again!? The first time this whole gift/review issue came up...everyone was pissed that a few peeps didn't disclose. Then it went into the realm of how influenced a review is of said items. We have been over the whole professionalism issue...that as a professional you still provide impartial reviews of things. However, in receiving anything it doesn't seem that a professional has an opportunity to be impartial...if they slam a gift/review item...they are doing it to appear unbiased...if they praise a gift/review item...they are biased. It is a no win situation...a situation that I feel would be the same if it were you 'anonymous' receiving the gift/review items for your blog if you had one. I seriously doubt you would turn one down...regardless of what your readers response was.
You know...this does bring up another element though. For all of those that seem to have a problem with their blog or page of choice receiving gifts or items for review. ..I would assume you also have a problem with pages making money from advertisements and so on? To go further...I will assume that these people think page owners or developers shouldn't make money for anything they do? I also assume that you are donating to these pages to keep them going? NOT!
As ridiculous as the previous assumptions were...it is also ridiculous to be a fanboy of a site and then turn like a rabid dog on those same people you respected the minute they get a promotional pencil. Most of the sites that get these promotions, gifts, or items for review are "professionals" in their field and as a professional they do abide by a stricter code of ethics than most, however it seems to most that appose such gifts/items for review seem to think that these professionals would sacrifice their own good name/site/reputation to write a biased piece of work. I tend to disagree.
Now I need to get a darn drink...this issue is ridiculous when posted on a site that clearly is unbiased and professional.
Have a question? Need help? Visit the forums ».