Reuters:

[Apple] spent about $2 million on lobbying last year, up from $180,000 in 1999, records show. This year it is on pace to nearly double last year’s figure.

I wonder how much of that is just free iPhone support.

John Kirk writing for Tech.pinions:

Question: Company A has 25% market share and 75% profit share. Company Z has 75% market share and 25% profit share. Which company is doing better?

Answer: If you said anything other than company A, then you are dumber than a doorknob.

A fairly comprehensive look at and tear-down of the “market share = winning” philosophy. This should put an end to it but it won’t, obviously. All kinds of humorless sorts do not get this joke for some reason.

The New York Times responds to the maker of scroll kit, a tool to help publications create effects like those found in the Times’ Snow Fall piece.

If you wouldn’t mind using another publication to advertise your infringement tool, we’d appreciate it.

This after demanding the removal of this phrase:

The NYT spent hundreds of hours hand-coding “Snow Fall.” We made a replica in an hour.

The New York Times apparently believes it can control references to their name. I do not believe that is correct and I can’t imagine anyone in their newsroom thinks that either.

(Via Marco Arment.)

ADDED: I should note that I agree with Sara Morrison who says (via Richard Dunlop-Walters):

…copying “Snow Fall” wholesale is copyright infringement, and doing so for the purpose of advertising a product with a tagline that undermines all the hard work that went into “Snow Fall” is, frankly, rude.

Neither side here is exactly looking that great.

Working for Phil Schiller. “Always hire people smarter than yourself” is probably a hard mantra to follow at Apple, but this is as good a shot at it as any. Hopefully Gartenberg’s tenure with Apple lasts a little longer than his tenure at Microsoft.

If you nerds are done arguing whether or not it’s pronounced “jiff” or “giff”, maybe you can argue about something that actually matters.

Like which starship is faster.

(Via Laughing Squid.)

It’s a shame the maker of the best Android phone on the market can’t seem to make it work out for themselves in that market.

Back in February I quipped (I’m a quipper) that Microsoft had taken the console market just in time to watch it die. Seems like they’ve breathed at least some life into it. Could be my first purchase from Microsoft in years (although it’s apparently not backward compatible).

First they acquire Tumblr — read Marco Arment’s reminiscences here — and now a terrific revamp of Flickr. Pretty interesting moves from a company that had largely been moribund for years.

Email someone with an amount in the subject line and cc Square and the amount will get sent to their debit card. Removes the need to carry Square readers when you’re getting sushi with friends and why is it always sushi?

Currently invite only.

(Via Matt Alexander.)