Journal yagu's Journal: Microsoft's Amazing Media Presence 1
Amazing, simply amazing.
On my personalized Google Home Page, I included the "Technology" headlines widget. Ostensibly this was to see important technology headlines, but now I wonder what drives the headline selection process. Since Microsoft's "iPod Killer" announcement (do you even have to look for that?) the first headline in this "Technology" segment has always been a Microsoft headline, specifically, a headline about Microsoft's new Zune.
On two machines, two browsers, the first headline in one is "And finally: Microsoft to launch iPod rival", the first headline in the other is: "Microsoft Announces Its Own iPod Competitor". WTF? How do they do this?
At first it was merely annoying, seemingly an endless and dizzying parade of articles pandering to this amazing, dazzling, savvy, smart, "innovative" move by Microsoft. Now, I find it suspicious! These are headlines ostensibly from NEWS -- headlines from CNN, ABC, and others. What the Hey?
Or, is something less sinister at hand here, is Google somehow picking up on what I read, and sampling and choosing headlines based on my apparent tastes? (Though I'd be hard pressed to find any empirical evidence I'm showing hints about interest in Microsoft's musical offering.
Sigh.
UPDATE @ 12:23, 7/25: Third headline: "Microsoft Confirms Launch of "Zune""
UPDATE @ 12:26: Third headline: "Microsoft's Zune will be interoperable with iTunes?"
One possibility is the MS PR machine (Score:2)
This was reasonably funny: User Friendly for July 24 [userfriendly.org]