Our tour through browsers of all shapes and sizes continues in earnest. On today’s special edition of the Showdown, we look at four iPhone-specific browsers.

Browser #1: Safari

Developer: Apple
Rendering Engine: Webkit
First Impression: “It’s nice. A little basic at times, but nice nonetheless.”
Ease of Use (Out of ten): 7
Positives: By now, we have all seen those iPhone ads that show off what the Safari browser can do. Good news: there is actually some truth in advertising for once. Everything works, from the zooming functionality to the on-screen keyboard to the vertical/horizontal “orientation switching.”
Negatives: No Flash. Everyone seems to complain about this, and for good reason. There is supposedly an “unlicensed” version coming soon, but we’re not holding our collective breaths.
Overall: 8

Browser #2: Mango

Website: http://leopardmac.tistory.com/
Developer: Guho Choi
Rendering Engine: Mango
First Impression: “They have a ‘report bug’ button that you can push easily. That does not make me feel secure. And while we’re on the subject, why is it constantly linking me to Safari? I don’t like that one bit.”
Ease of Use: 5
Positives: The “forward” and “back” commands are accompanied by a nifty “page flip” animation. Oh … and it’s yellow. That’s a plus, I guess.
Negatives: What exactly is it that we like least about Mango? Is it the absence of an adjustable screen orientation? Is it the nearly broken zooming options? Is it the fact that it desperately wants you to go back to Safari in the worst way possible? Truth be told, it is all of these things and more. Simply put, it’s a bad browser.
Overall: 3; “…And I’m being generous here.”

Browser #3: iCab

Website: http://www.icab.de/
Developer: Alexander Clauss
Rendering Engine: WebKit/Proprietary
First Impression: “It looks like Safari.”
Ease of Use: 8
Positives: iCab is seems to have more in common with the desktop edition of Safari than it does with the mobile version. Anything that one would want in a browser is here and (gasp) functional, including tabbed browsing, an advanced “find” feature, and full screen support.
Negatives: The full screen is a bit difficult to get out of.
Overall: 9

Browser #4: Journey

Website: http://www.apptism.com/apps/journey-web-browser/
Developer: Nathaniel Herman
Rendering Engine: Unknown
First Impression: [Singing] “Don’t stop believin’… [Pause] What? That that’s my first impression.”
Ease of Use: 7
Positives: It does everything it should be doing. That’s surprisingly hard to come by in a mobile browser.
Negatives: There is a button near the bottom right portion of the screen that looks suspiciously like that old “Netscape Navigator” logo. Hate to be a killjoy, but it has nothing to do with the legendary browser. It actually opens up a new tab. It took us ten clicks to realize that we would not be seeing Navigator on this day.
Overall: 7

And the Winner is – iCab. It’s everything a mobile should be and more.

…And there you have it. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for part two of our feature on advertising, technology, and you.

Anyone who lived through the late 1980’s ought to remember Max Headroom, the hyperactive, pseudo-CGI “head in the box” portrayed by actor Matt Frewer. The Max Headroom character was everywhere in those days, from music videos to ads for Coca-Cola and seemingly everything in between. What many people don’t remember, however, is the science fiction program that bared the character’s name. This was not the lovable, wacky Max that called Cinemax and England’s Channel 4 home. This Max exists in a world where the major television networks are in charge. Because of this, such every day items as the off switch and the mute button are deemed to be illegal. Televisions are everywhere, including bathrooms and junk yards. Simply put, no one could ever escape the grip of the mass media, and the people like it that way.

Working within the confines of this odd, “Network-meets-The Matrix” world is Edison Carter (also portrayed by Matt Frewer), ace reporter for the highly-rated Network 23 and the “basis” for Max Headroom. It is his mission to bring his viewers the truth, no matter the situation. In the show’s fourteen episodes, Emerson and company does everything from thwart a sentient supercomputer to blowing the lid off of a dangerous subliminal advertising scheme run by Bill Maher, using nothing more than quick thinking and a heaping helping of brutal honesty. The viewer, both physically in the show and otherwise, are constantly reminded that the world is a better place thanks to people like Emerson Carter and his “computerized” alter ego. As long as there are people fighting for the truth, there really is nothing to worry about.

In many ways, we are approaching this basic existence, only with a different concept serving as our vice. Instead of thriving on a flashing picture, we are addicted to information. I don’t just mean the “TMZ/Perez Hilton” style celebrity gossip columns. I mean anything. Pick your topic — President Obama, professional wrestling, U2 — and I bet there is someone, somewhere talking, tweeting, or blogging about it at this very moment. We need to know about what is going on, and we need to know it now. Take the recent “best of seven” series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic for example. Five years ago, we would have had to wait two to three days to hear former Laker Shaquille O’Neal talk about his former team. Thanks to Twitter, we heard it minutes after the Lakers cliched the NBA title. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that this kind of “instant feedback” can become addictive.

Now despite what some might be thinking, things really aren’t all that dire. Our world isn’t based upon the idea of two-way television sets or networks that can make commercials so compact that they make people’s heads literally explode. We’re simply talking about the delivery of information, not a re-creation of 1984. It’s human nature to want to know what is going on around us. Exploiting that desire, on the other hand, is something else entirely. It all comes down to priorities. Those who put more effort into their advertising than their content are more likely to alienate their audiences than the people who put their “product” front and center. By ignoring the very thing that got you into this very situation to begin with, the writer/blogger/YouTube “star” is actually sending a message that your fan base’s mouse click means more than their physical presence. Who cares if the content is good nor not? You clicked the link. It’s your loss.

While it might seem like a good idea now, turning your audience into a group of mind-numbed automatons randomly clicking things will not help you become a success in the long run. The trick, if you want to call it that, is to adopt what I like to call the “Edison Carter” approach to content creation and maintenance. It all breaks down to three basic principles:

1. Your users are more than just a group of random mice clicking a white box. They’re people. Your people. Always keep that in mind when developing your content.
2. Stay genuine to your cause.
3. Stay open to the needs and concerns of your user base.

Do this, and the world just might become a better place. If you don’t, well … let’s just say living in an “off switch-free world” is not anyone’s idea of a good time. Be sure to come back tomorrow for part two of our three part series. Until then, this is Brad Fallon signing off for Network 23 the Free Line.

As we mentioned in yesterday’s post, it seems as if 95% of the tech world has two things on their collective minds: smart phones and Twitter. Since I think we have covered Twitter, Twitter clones, Twitter apps, and that goofy “Twitter apocalypse” thing that didn’t really happen to death, we are going focus on the wonderful world of mobile phones. But as you might have already guessed, I am going to do more than just merely “talk” about these phones. I will actually give one of these lucky mobile devices a thorough going over, making sure to tell you everything that you would ever need to know. Let’s face it: “smart phones” such as these could very possibly be the future of mobile computing. If your business isn’t ready for it, you could find yourself in very, very hot water. It is our duty, nay, our mission to make sure that this does not happen to you. Before we begin however, I do have a few notes:

Note #1: While the iPhone is definitely on my “smart phone” shortlist, we will not be doing a write up about it in this post. The reasoning for this is simple: anyone who is anyone already knows about it. We don’t know about any of you, but none of us here are necessarily fans of regurgitating common knowledge.

Note #2: The touchscreen Blackberry that Verizon peddles is all but out of the equation. First of all, it’s a Blackberry. Aside from the touchscreen, there really isn’t much different between the new phones and old “trackball” versions from last year. Secondly, I am not a big fan of Verizon Wireless. While their overall network is a bit better than the competition, it doesn’t justify the bloated, overinflated price that they charge. In short, I can get better equipment at a cheaper price. ‘Nuff said.

…With all of that laid out, here we go…

G1 (Dream)/G2 (Magic)/MyTouch 3G

Manufacturer: Google (OS); HTC (Phone; more phones from other companies will be arriving at some point in the near future)
Cell Network (US): T-Mobile
Open Source?: Yes.
Positives: Having been able to actually use this phone, I have to say that this phone’s biggest asset is the Android operating system. It has more of a feel of a scaled down desktop OS instead one designed for a mobile device. The ability to run a few third-party applications in the background doesn’t hurt things either.
Negatives: there’s something about the physical phone hardware than I just don’t like. It feels “cheap” and really isn’t all that much to look at. If I do decide to go with this phone, I will wait until the myTouch 3G is released in August.

Palm Pre

Manufacturer: Palm
Cell Network: Sprint
Open Source?: Yes
Positives: Palm is finally back. This is the phone that loyal users have been waiting for for quite some time now. While some might be upset at the loss of “classic” Palm OS software library, most will find the available apps to be suitable replacements. (A “classic OS” emulator is available for those who do not.)
Negatives: Not everyone likes the Sprint network.

As you may or may not have noticed, “smart phones” such as the iPhone and the Palm Pre seem to be the one thing that’s on everybody’s mind these days. Talk of these little mobile wonders seem to permeate throughout all forms of mass media, from print to late night talk shows and beyond. Even highly respected blogs such as this one “believes the hype” from time to time. On today’s action packed episode of the Free Line, we will be taking a look at four tools that will attempt to bring of that “3G style” to your web browser … and vice versa.

iphonesender – For Firefox. This little tool does only one thing — sends a customized link from Google Maps to your iPhone — but it does it well. Sometimes the simplest applications are the best.

PinPoints – For Firefox. This handy little addition sends large amounts of map-based information to the mobile phone of your choice. While any modern phone will work, a working GPS module is needed if you want the “full experience.” Unlike the other add-ons mentioned here, PinPoints requires you to sign up for their service. Although the non-existent price tag isn’t a problem, the simple fact that you have to subscribe to yet another service might bother a few people.

iGtalk – For Firefox. Ever wish that you could use the iPhone Gtalk application without having to break out your phone? Now you can, thanks to iGtalk. When activated, a familiar, iPhone-like application appears prominently in the left hand corner of the browser. While it might seem a bit redundant to some (Gtalk is available for all three major OSes), this is a tool that many could find to be useful, especially if that person is already familiar with the mobile interface. All in all, iGtalk is a great way to bring a little bit of that iPhone magic to the desktop, even if its existence tends to defy all logic.

Zhiing – For Firefox. On the surface, Zhiing appears to be yet another add-on designed to get maps from your browser to your iPhone. Look closer, however, and you will find an interesting little service lying underneath. Unlike the other services mentioned here, Zhiing does more than play digital taxi. It actually turns every street address into an interactive link. From there, you can choose from a variety of options, including getting driving directions and finding nearby attractions. Remember: Zhiing is still considered to be in the dreaded “beta stage.” Not everything is going to work the first time out (if at all). If you think that you can deal with these few minor inconveniences, however, it would be in your best interest to give Zhiing a try. You will be glad you did.

The use of the Internet on mobile devices is on the rise. According to a recent Nielsen survey, 49.7 million users say that they use their mobile phones and other devices to access the web — a nearly 74% increase from 2007. Those within the industry believe the increase is due to the advent of “unlimited data” plans, which allow users to go online as much they want for one flat fee. The other major factor in the number is  the iPhone. Those who regularly use Apple’s mobile megastar are four times as likely to use the built-in online functionality than those who do not. The runaway success of the iPhone has also spurred the development of several iPhone-level smart phones, which, in turn, could potentially drive the numbers up even further. Still, don’t expect the giant leap to happen just yet. Says Nielsen: “This summer, new phones like the Palm Pre, updates to Blackberry offerings, and phones using Google Android OS aim to challenge the iPhone’s ‘cool’ factor with touchscreens, mobile apps and other features. But right now, iPhone still has the stranglehold on buzz.”

In other news, it seems like the New York Times is serious about their online output. The legendary, albeit highly controversial, newspaper of record has officially relaunched the TimesReader, a handy web application designed to bring everyone closer to the news. Unlike previous versions of the app which relied on Microsoft’s experimental Silverlight protocol, the new TimesReader is built upon the Linux and Mac friendly Adobe AIR runtime environment. The biggest news, however is the app’s ability to store an entire week’s worth of content. Everything that is included in the print edition is available in its online counterpart, from the page to the editorials to even the crossword puzzle. Still, “an improved user experience” doesn’t exactly mean that it’s free of problems. Despite its attempt at indexing, the app does not provide a full search. If you want to find an article, you’ll have to look for it yourself. Minor inconveniences aside however, the shiny new app is definitely worth the old “once over.” Simply put, if you’re a fan of “all the news that is fit to print,” then Times Reader is for you.

And finally: As many fans of the Free Line already know, the folks at Google try their hardest to, in their own words, “not be evil.” One of the surefire ways to stay away from this so-called “corporate dark side” is by fostering competition. In a recent post on their Public Policy blog, Senior Manager Adam Kovacevich talked at length about their approach when it comes to others. According to Kovacevich, it all comes down to six main points.

1. Actively help other companies be more competitive.
2. Make it easy for users to “jump ship” to go to said competition.
3. Staying “open” is better than being closed.
4. “Competition is just a click away.”
5. “Advertisers pay what a click is worth to them.”
6. Advertisers have a ton of choices anymore.

Will these six bullet points ward off potential nasties such as the oft-rumored antitrust charges? Probably not, but it’s still nice words for a business to live by.

Everyone likes getting things for free. It’s even better when the free things in question are something that someone else usually has to pay for. On today’s action-packed episode of the Free Line, we take a look at two iPhone applications that not only go the extra mile, but makes sure that our wallets don’t go in convulsions in the process.

Yahoo Messenger – At first glance, this handy little application appears to be just another instant message center sporting the distinct Yahoo colors and logo. A tepid response for such an app is not surprising, seeing as how every desktop, netbook, mobile phone, and wireless mobile device available has this very app either preloaded or readily available for download. Look closer, however, and you will discover it’s iPhone only secret talent — free text messaging. That’s right. In amongst the happy, smiling icons and colorful profile pictures lies the ability to send a message to anyone without paying a dime (or more, in many cases). The only catch, if you want to call it that, is that the return messages are sent back to the application instead of to the phone itself. This means that you have to have the app running at all times if you’re waiting for a reply. Also, be aware that the messages sent from the services display your Yahoo ID in the header instead of your phone number. While it isn’t all that big of a deal, it still might confuse those who are not familiar with your screen name. Minor inconveniences aside, Yahoo Messenger is perfect for anyone who is a chronic texter, dislikes paying those “standard text messaging rates” the commercials talk about, or simply enjoy a good workaround.

Nine Inch Nails: The iPhone App – Anyone who is at least somewhat familiar with modern music knows the name Trent Reznor. In his twenty-plus years of activity, Reznor and his band Nine Inch Nails have done everything from discovering Marylin Manson to making the likes of David Bowie relevant again to wage a multimedia campaign against the entity known only as “The Man.” Lately, however, the band has been focusing their attention to the idea of giving fans large amounts of material for free. We first saw glimpses of this new attitude during the release of the album “The Fragile,” in which the band actively encouraged fans to remix their music and share it with anyone who would listen. Reznor expanded the idea for both the “Year Zero” concept album and “The Slip,” the latter of which was given away for free. His latest creation is an iPhone app designed to bring his usually tight-knit group of fans even closer together. In addition to offering thie entire Nine Inch Nails library for free, the new app turns the band’s website into a combination social network, wiki, and GPS location service. The only real drawback to the app is the band’s nature. Like everything adorned with Reznor’s ominous “backwards ‘n’ ” logo, the app is said to be dark, cryptic, and not necessarily user friendly at first. Still, for a diehard fan, this app is a defitine must have. If your not a fan, well … having full access to hours upon hours of moody, critically acclaimed electronic art rock is never a bad thing. The Nine Inch Nails iPhone app is set to launch later this week.

It appears that Google is setting their collective sights on the world of music videos. The new media giant is currently in discussions with several major music labels to create “Vevo,” an online music video hub similar to Viacom’s “MTV Videos” site. Although the Vevo network would indeed be built upon the existing YouTube framework, the service would be given its own separate web space. Many within the industry are intrigued by the idea, saying that a video site full of professionally-made, completely legal videos is much more attractive to potential advertisers than the supposedly dodgy, “do-it-yourself” ethic that YouTube is based upon. The proposed launch date for the Vevo service is unknown at this time.

In other Google-based news, the company has added “expandable ad” support to its popular AdSense service. For those unaware, an “expandable ad” is a picture that gets larger when the user interacts with it in some way. The ad itself usually contains something fairly interactive, such as a Flash video or a movie trailer. While inventive, traditional expandable ads have a reputation of being rather obtrusive, usually playing a loud audio track and destroying page layouts at will. According to AdSense team member Courtney Chin, the new service is out to change that way of thinking. Instead of running on mouse-overs, the new ads will only start playing after the ad itself is clicked on. Once it is clicked on, the ad opens itself in a new layer, leaving your site’s layout completely untouched. The new ads are available now to all registered AdSense users.

Switching gears for a moment, online video site Ustream is coming to a cell phone near you. Similar to to pioneering video service Qik, the new broadcasting app allows you to stream video from your cell phone’s camera directly to their website. Users have a variety of options available to them while filming, including a live chat applet, access to real-time polling data connected to your video, and a variety of GPS tools. The broadcasting center also features built-in Twitter and Facebook support, making online notification a breeze. Fairly easy to use and extremely powerful, Ustream mobile is perfect for anyone who likes Qik, but desires something a bit more heavy duty. Ustream is available now for most Nokia-branded phones. An iPhone app should be out shortly.

Elsewhere: Every online service has a “star” — the one thing that packs the house every night and keeps them coming back for more. For Yahoo, that star is their email service. According to a new Hitwise poll, roughly 37% of those surveyed said that they visit Yahoo only to check their mail. Furthermore, the Yahoo Mail’s user share has gone up nearly three percent in 2008 — quite a feat, especially when one considers that Yahoo wasn’t projected to even survive 2008. Even Gmail, whose share went up a whopping 88%, can’t catch up with the Yahoo Mail juggernaut. “Yahoo Mail seems to be growing in influence over time,” writes WebProNews contributor Doug Caverly. “Perhaps Steve Ballmer was focusing on the wrong department during those wretched Microsoft/Yahoo negotiations.”

And to finish up the week, we have yet another edition of Browser Extension Friday. On today’s award-winning episode, we take a look at four extensions that bring a little bit of that microblogging goodness to your browser. And to make things even more interesting, all of these extensions will be affiliated with a service that prides itself on being an alternative to Twitter. After all, variety is the spice of life, right?

• YammerFox - Adds a small, Yammer-centric icon to the lower right hand corner of Firefox. When a message appears, so does a handy little chat box. Due to the no-frills layout of said box and its “twenty message” limit, YammerFox seems to have more in common with the old Yahoo Chat system than it does with Twitter.
• RejawFox - Similar to the Yammer tool mentioned above, this extension adds a dedicated Rejaw “message box” to the bottom corner of Firefox.
• IndentiFox – …And the trilogy is complete. Like the others, this extension adds a handy microblogging alert system to the bottom of your screen. This time, however, the service in question is underground Canadian sensation (and former Free Line all-star) Identi.ca.
• Jaikungfu -Get all of the benefits of Jaiku without ever having to “properly” log in to the official site. An absolute must for all fans of the service.

The folks at Facebook are expanding their ad count. The popular social network and current “it” trend has added specialized advertisements to the “Pages” section of its site. Like the other Facebook ads, the new ads are designed to be completely unobtrusive and more importantly, fit the user’s tastes. “One of our goals at Facebook is to be sure our advertisers can reach the right audience anywhere on the site,” writes the Facebook team on their official blog. “We thought it was important to expand the opportunities for your ads to be shown across another popular section of the site.” The new ads are up and running now.

In other news, Google CEO Eric Schmidt has a few interesting things to say about Twitter. Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Tech Conference Tuesday, Schmidt says he sees Twitter as “sort of [a] poor man’s email system.” He also questions the microblogging service’s ability to grow and change with the times. “To me, the question about companies like Twitter is: Do they fundamentally evolve as sort of a note phenomenon, or do they fundamentally evolve to have… all the [tools] that traditional email systems have?” Doubts aside, he still feels that the base Twitter idea is a solid one. Says Schmidt: “Twitter’s success is wonderful, and I think it shows you that there are many, many new ways to reach and communicate, especially if you are willing to do so publicly.”

Elsewhere, YouTube has found themselves in a bit of a pickle. Each week, millions of videos are watched by millions of users. And yet, the handy little tools and gadgets that accompany these videos are cast aside by the public. This is where the new “Adopt-a-Feature” promotion comes in. Similar to the famed “Adopt-a-Highway” program found on many of America’s roadways, Adopt-a-Feature connects caring users with features that would have otherwise been ignored. The process is simple: all you have to do is pick a topic, make a video based on said topic, and send it in. If your video is chosen, it will be featured prominently in the YouTube Help Center for all to see. Only together can we make sure that these features get the respect that they so richly deserve. Deadlines for the videos are March 17^th.

Next: Everyone has at least one application that they simply cannot live without. You know everything about your favorite app, from its quirks to its special features and everything in between. There comes a time, however, when you have to leave your digital friend behind. After all, just taking it with you to school or business functions isn’t possible … right? It is now, and it’s all thanks to Xenocode. Xenocode is an interesting new service that allows you to access versions directly from their site. All of the major players are available, from the usual suspects (Firefox, Opera) to programs that would normally be ignored by a service like this (Internet Explorer). Xenocode also lets you load the program directly to a flash drive, allowing you to essentially ignore “pointless” little things like installation and OS-related slowdowns. While Xenocode is an extremely handy service, don’t expect the experience to be perfect. Newest version of the software in question is usually not available, and the actual program speed is sometimes dictated by the speed of your flash drive or Internet connection. Minor foibles aside, Xenocode is a great way to bring your favorite programs with you where ever you go.

And finally: From Nintendo DSes that are programmed to run Linux to GPS devices that can run the classic computer game Doom, we’ve seen our fair share of technological ingenuity come down the pike. It all fairness, however, this one easily takes the proverbial cake. Thanks to a team of hobbyists that call themselves “Apple on iPhone,” Apple’s System 7 operating system is now supported by the iPhone. The OS has all of the features that Mac users have grown to love over the years, including support for file sharing, the first appearance of Quicktime, and MacDraw. While a good portion of the work is finished, those who want to turn their $300 phone into a nearly twenty-year-old Macintosh will have to wait a bit longer. “We hope to be launching the code soon, but we are wanting to complete something before fully releasing stuff,” writes the team. The actual launch is unknown at this time.

The Associated Press, the legendary news organization responsible for thousands of articles worldwide, has filed a lawsuit against digital news site All Headline News for allegedly stealing their headlines and stories. The suit alleges that AHN is guilty of violating the “Hot News Doctrine,” a nearly 90-year old agreement that says breaking news is the property of whichever news organization reports it first. By linking to several of their hot news properties without paying the syndication fee, the AP argues that the AHN is violating the accepted Hot News Doctrine and therefore, guilty of plagiarism. Many reporters are openly questioning the merits of the lawsuit, saying that the hot news standard is, at best, a draconian concept that has outlived its usefulness. Neither the AP nor AHN have issued a statement on the matter.

Elsewhere, Italian outlaws have found a new way to communicate: Skype. According to a new report by the BBC, many criminals have turned to the software-based phone system in order to avoid the well-publicized wiretaps officials have on their landlines. In a wiretapping case in Milan, for example, police overheard a reported cocaine trafficker tell his accomplice to “switch over to Skype” before reporting on his dealings. Many within the government say that Skype, in its refusal to reveal its top-secret encryption technique to the authorities, is essentially helping the underworld commit its crimes. Skype officials have not responded publicly to the controversy at this time.

In the past few months, we have seen malware pushers do everything from manufacture phony .doc files to invade President Barack Obama’s social network in order to spread their brand of virus-laced terror. We can now add “product reviews” to the list of acceptable targets. The fun begins when the user installs Anti-Virus-1, a malware suite designed to look like security software. After everything is installed, the user starts seeing a variety of “errors,” including a screen saver designed to mimic the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.” To take care of the problem, the mark user is advised to buy AntiVirus2010 . He or she is then taken to what appears to be a reputable tech site such as PC World or CNet, where he or she is prompted to buy the program for $30. (The “reviews” found on the sites mentioned are fake, of course. What is actually being displayed is a modified review for Norton Anti-Virus hosted on the AV-1 servers.) After the money is paid and the file is loaded, the problems seemingly stop, In reality, however, the poor end user has just paid $30 for a malware program that does nothing but further infect the host computer. As always, stay away from anything fishy and keep those real anti-virus programs running. After all, the last thing anyone needs is for PC World to sell you on the merits of loading malware.

In other paranoia inducing news, programmers have discovered a flaw in Adobe Acrobat that could allow hackers to take control of your system. According to published reports, many have already worked out ways to simply overtake a “flawed” computer without the user even knowing. Adobe has pledged to take several drastic steps in order to alleviate the problem, and is currently working with various anti-virus manufacturers to make sure that a similar situation never happens again. Unfortunately, the patch will not be ready until the middle of March.

And finally: Those little applications for the iPhone might not be as popular as once thought. According to a new poll conducted by Pinch Media, only 25% of the apps are used the day after it is downloaded. Out of that numbers, only 1% are used on a regular basis. Many within the industry “blame” the poor showing on the iPhone Store, which gives users access to software that was once not available to them. The survey is also considered by some to be a “warning” to programmers, quietly urging them to focus on improving the longevity of their products. True long-term effects on the “load it/ignore it” system are unknown at this time.

Despite the questionable state of the economy, there’s one small industry that is still seeing positive growth: domain registration. According to a new poll by VeriSign, roughly 177 million new domain names were registered in 2008, a 16% increase from the previous year. Those close to the situation cite the emergence of markets such as China and India, as well as a general “relaxing” of the domain name rules, as possible reasons for the increase. As in previous years, the veritable “.com” leads the way, with 90.4 million names registered. Other heavy hitters include .cn (China), .de (Germany), .net, .org.

Elsewhere, it seems as if AOL’s MediaGlow line of sites are a bit more popular than once suspected. The sites, which specialize in delivering content to so-called “niche” audiences, received nearly seven billion page hits over the past year. “MediaGlow has started 2009 by reaching its largest audience to date and building core brands that are at scale,”MediaGlow President Bill Wilson told WebProNews. “We are creating valuable brands that are driving engagement and attracting a larger audience.” Wilson says that roughly thirty new sites will be launched in 2009, including several single-sport hubs and a community that caters exclusively to mixed martial arts fans.

Moving to the “viral” end of things, anti-virus firm TrendMicro has discovered a new malware program designed specifically to attack Internet Explorer 7. Disguising itself as a harmless .doc file, the program uses an oddball IE7 bug to download and install a variety of nasty, harmful, and otherwise dangerous things. The computer is then turned into a zombie system, sending screenshots of the victim’s desktop to the attackers’ servers at various predetermined intervals. As always, make sure that both your anti virus software and Windows are up-to-date. Zombies are meant for horror novels, video games, and George Romero films, not your home office.

In much, much happier news, rock band The Presidents of the United States of America have found an interesting way to distribute their music to the masses — create an iPhone application. The new app gives users access to most of the bands recordings, including their hard-to-find demo album and a constantly-updating list of new and unreleased material, all uncut and commercial free. Similar to other streaming apps like Slacker and Pandora, users are unable to create a proper play list, although “by-album” filtering is possible. Each song also features a link to iTunes, making the act of physicially buying tracks quick and painless. The app, which has been described by Presidents lead singer Dave Dereeder as a “Whitman’s Sampler for the ears,” is available now for all iPhone users.

And finally: The Presidents aren’t the only group with an official-sounding name to turn to the Internet for funds. New York governor David Patterson has revealed a plan that would add the state’s 4% sales to all downloads. The tax plan is designed to help the state fight its way out of debt, which is said be in the $15 billion range. Many lawmakers support the bill, with one going as far to say that the tax would help “legitimize” outlets with otherwise “questionable” reputations, such as the porn industry. As many fans of the Free Line know, this isn’t the first time the state of New York has attempted to add a tax to digital downloads. Last December, the state assembly tried to pass a bill that would allow the lawmakers to tax various “discretionary income” items, including downloads, taxi rides, and cable television service. Unlike the first bill, the new proposal will be limited to digital downloads only. At press time, neither side has officially commented on the issue.