Palm pre webOS - go get your Mojo on - but, is it an iPhone Killer?

The Palm pre (US) (UK link here) has caused a minor stir and lead to inevitable comparisons with the iPhone. Just Google Palm pre vs iPhone.

So, is the pre an iPhone killer? No, of cause it isn't. Is it a rival? Well, maybe. Or, probably more likely, maybe not.

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Continue reading here: http://www.u2w3.com/04edc

Laguna Seca MotoGP IS LIVE on Eurosport

Oh yes!!! Eurosport have done some kind of a deal and the fantastic Laguna Seca round of MotoGP (tonight 21:30) is LIVE!

I am a big fan of Eurosport MotoGP coverage and was somewhat gutted when it was announced last year that they were loosing the rights. Thankfully, Dorna sorted themselves out and Eurosport have been showing live 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP practice and qualifying sessions this year, with 125cc and 250cc races live and MotoGP races slightly delayed.

But, this ladies and gentlemen is Laguna Seca - the greatest race track in the world and I don't have to go through the pain of BBC coverage to watch it live. Thank you Eurosport, thank you.

Is this a one-off deal or will continue for the rest of the season? Let's hope for the later.

Tune in to enjoy the best motorsport action in the world and the joyous vocalisms of Toby and Julian.

Eurosport is available on Sky channel 410 in the UK - if you have it, watch this race because it will be glorious.


PS. Jorge Lorenzo - you scare the life out of me!

Oh, grow up!

Formula 1 has (pretty much) always been about egos, money and everyone trying to gain an upper hand for their own petty gain.

This year all the teams joined together and formed FOTA. The Formula One Teams Association, under the pretext that they would all play nicely together, be great mates, and fight the evil establishment of the FIA and Bernie -BOOOOOOO!

"We're going to play nicely" they all said. "We're not going to throw any toys, and we're looking forward to sticking it up the bad guys and going for a pizza with our mates afterwards". (I may have paraphrased a little there, but you understand the gist).

So, we go to Australia for the first race and the first thing that happens is that all these 'mates' start complaining about each other. "You've got a double-diffuser, I WAN'T ONE, WHY CAN'T I HAVE ONE! IF I DON'T GET IT I'M GONNA CRY AND SAY IT'S NOT FAIR!!!!!!".

Well, the people that run the sport say it's perfectly within the rules - OK, it may be an interpretation of the new rules rather than how they were actually intended, but the ruling was that they are legal, so end of story, but still some complained.

Now, let us get back to the 'grow up' point of this posting - FOTA have suspended Williams F1 from their little group because they had the audacity to sign themselves up to F1 for next year (as the FIA process says they must in order to guarantee a place on the grid).

Let's look at who Williams F1 are - and it's pretty simple as I'm sure you can see. They are there to build and race an F1 car. That is what they do. They do not sell road cars, they race F1 (and a few other bits and bobs from time to time). So, if they don't stay with F1, they probably don't stay in business.

What were they supposed to do FOTA? Eh?

As already mentioned, FOTA includes 'Formula One' in it's title - so one of your members wants to stay in F1 and you suspend them? You can't use 'Formula One' in your title when you are not part of it, so think about that, and dread the day (if it comes) when you set up you're little manufacturers series to try and compete, because we all know you won't be able to.

How good would a racing series be for Williams if it was run by Ferrari or Renault or Toyota, etc ??? No damned good at all.

EastEnders to air black landmark

THIS ANNOYS ME SO MUCH! (sorry for shouting).

I don't believe the BBC to be in any way a racist or sexist organisation, so why do they feel a need to "promote" their un-racist and un-sexist values? Surely the point of not being racist or sexist is that you don't even think about anything other than the person? And in the case of a TV show, the artist who is right for the job. Am I missing something?

Tonight's episode of Eastenders (trash program that it is) - entitles itself' by the BBC as "EastEnders to air black landmark". What?

"EastEnders is to air the first episode featuring an entirely black cast for the first time in its 23-year history." So?

Was there a statement of "EastEnders launches with entirely white cast" back in 1985? A statement of "EastEnders has women in it!", of course there wasn't. So why now? And why is it seen as being acceptable to state and promote when you are "black friendly" even when the simple facts shouldn't and don't matter one jot?

So, the episode is centered around a story of a fictional family that are black. Everyone who wants to watch it already knows the characters. Why make a statement?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7907262.stm

Sorry Andy

I would like to offer my apologies to Andy Murray. I watched his match this morning and I've just put £20 (5-2) on him to win the Australian Open. Sorry mate, I'm really sorry.

Anyone who knows me will know that my betting 'results' are somewhat slim and the very mention of my money causes bookmakers all over the land to burst into fits of laughter, in short: When I bet, it doesn't happen.

I promise not to bet on Andy for Wimbledon this year - then he'll win!

Need a Laugh?

My favourite bookies (those lovely people at Paddy Power) sent me my regular friday guide to what's what for the betting weekend.

Wonderfully entitled: "Need a Laugh? Juventus Have Bid 28 Million Quid for Dirk Kuyt".

I knew that Juve were rumoured to be interested in Kuyt, and I suspect that real figures are nowhere near the kind of price mentioned by Paddy, but that subject line had it's chosen effect upon me - a priceless and wonderfully jocular summing-up of the kind of foolery that football is.

Kuyt is a superbly hard-working player, with a fair amount of ability. But a £28M footballer? Sorry, Dirk, no. I am Liverpool and Kuyt has been a wonderful player for us. I fully appreciate all the effort that he puts in and the goals (important goals too) that he continues to score. If Kuyt wants to go elsewhere, then that's fine, and I wish him all the best, but it won't be for £28M.

With silly money in mind - I have intentionally made no mention of the Kaka bid and the attempts of Man City to sign him. I will however now give my view.

I fully believe that people financing with their own money are entitled to do whatever they so desire with that money, as is the case with the Man City owners. The only way a club like Man city (no disrespect - why do people always say that, when they obviously are being disrespectful?) could sign Kaka was by offering a stupid amount of money.

They did just that, and Milan accepted it. It would therefore appear to be the case that City screwed up the deal from then onwards.

I have no real opinion of Mr Cook, the executive chairman at City. I would, however, say that a better man, or woman, doing their job properly would not have screwed up what looked like being the biggest scoop of all time in the world of football, and possibly one of the biggest deals in sport in general.

I put it to you that if Man City had hired Jose Mourinho (even without the 'required' 'chief-exec' qualifications - whatever they are) he could have headed out from Manchester with a suitcase full of money, and returned the next day with a big smile and Kaka's signature.

As ever, Marina Hyde of the Guardian wrote a superb piece that is well worth a read, and a look through the comments (some people are so nasty): Why Cook's City-pops taste bitter