MANILA, Philippines - Valentine’s Day has come and gone. And this corner could not be happier.

At least, until the heart’s day comes back next year to once more wreak its cheesy havoc upon us lovelorn humans. Do not get me wrong. I have nothing against this heavily commercialized holiday. It is just that I believe that love should never be forced or coerced. It should flow and follow its natural course, without any pressure or coercive factors – commercial or otherwise.

Having said that, I sure hope everyone was able to perform their Valentine’s Day obligations effectively, and on time.

Long live, romance!
 
MeeGo Lives

Despite Nokia’s decision to get hitched with Microsoft, its mobile platform partnership with Intel seems to have survived. That is, if we were to take Fujitsu’s launching of the LifeBook MH330 netbook as a sign of the platform’s kicking and alive status.

Based on the MeeGoo platform, this Fujitsu netbook helps create a more exciting netbook market, one that is presently lorded over by Windows and Linux brands of the diminutive, Apple-berated cousins of the laptop.

And nothing excites this corner more than a widening range of choices and options for consumers.

However, I cannot help but notice that the netbook’s specifications, its features and capabilities, seem optimal for the market – about two years ago.

The netbook is powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455, reinforced by 1GB RAM, and displays data, stored in a 250GB HDD, via a 10.1inch LED-backlit 1,024 x 600pixel LCD.

Very 2009, indeed.
 
Browser War Heats Up

Google last week launched a faster version of its Chrome browser, just days after Microsoft and Mozilla each came up with stronger versions of their respective Web browsers. Google executives claimed the latest version of Chrome to be as fast as a hare, in keeping with the beginning of the Chinese year of the rabbit.

But would the browser live up to its name? And would its users multiply as fast as rabbits do?
 
Apple Does a Microsoft

This was bound to happen. And if there was anything unusual, it was the time it took to finally come.

After overtaking Microsoft as the world’s largest technology company in terms of market valuation, Apple gets to experience the headaches that come with being numero uno.

According to recent reports by the Wall Street Journal, American antitrust regulators have started looking at Apple’s online platform for media and publishing subscriptions for possible violations of the country’s fair trade laws. Of course, a formal investigation and lawsuits might not follow, but the company has been attracting an increasing degree of antitrust glances from regulators in the United States and Europe.

Hmm. Can hardly wait to see how Steve Jobs and company would handle such pressure.

That’s all for the meantime, folks. Join me again next time as we keep on watching IT.