Layoffs coming to a tech company near you: Today the weekly sexy tech trifecta gets off to a somewhat downbeat start. The major tech news across the Web this week is not good: Layoffs are being announced at Yahoo, Ticketmaster, Nielsen Business Media, Veoh, and Circuit City, to name a few. That doesn’t include Texas Instruments who hasn’t cut any employees yet but announced a 27% drop in income and plans to sell part of its wireless operations. Ouch. The good news? Well, not much. Except that a Wired blog predicts a flagging economy will be a boon to blogging and personal websites as the folks who are out of work will invest in themselves until things take a turn for the better. If that doesn’t make you feel good about all the pink slips being handed out, check out this website that tracks startups that are, to ahem rephrase their site’s less polite name, really screwed.
Miley Cyrus’s hacker raided by FBI: This is likely my favorite tech-related story this week, if a little shallow. According to Wired.com, the hacker in question reportedly got access to the Disney teen idol’s Gmail and MySpace accounts, then posted photos of a bare-midriff Cyrus blowing kisses to the camera (probably an affectionate greeting intended for the Jonas Brothers). After bragging about his Miley Cyrus hack on digitalgangster.com, the FBI came calling. The Feds later left with three of the suspected hacker’s three computers and telephone.
Word to the wise: Probably won’t payoff to hack famous people’s accounts and then tell the world about it. See what happened to Republican VP Candidate Sarah Palin’s hacker after he was caught.
Chimp riding a Segway: I suppose this is a bit of a stretch for our emerging media blog, but with the incessant drumbeat of a weakened economy, the layoffs and the tragic Cyrus hacking, I just can’t help myself, I need a little levity. And hey, it is about an emerging technology and consumer behaviors, right? Watch as this chimp (who previously rose to fame as a part of the exercising dog-chimp team) takes a little ride on a Segway. This chimp rocks! Segway rocks! Now, if they could just get unveil a Segway with a rocket booster my commute would be amazing.
