Last Call
1) Ciena Corp. (NYSE: CIEN) confirmed the existence of CoreDirector 2 today and noted that it was evolving from a "product to a broader family of solutions." That could mean Ciena's just going to brand lots of stuff by calling it CoreDirector. ("The new CoreDirector Toaster!") Or it might mean Ciena's got big product plans. We'll see.
2) AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) apparently feels there are enough bars in Austin, so its cell and wireless data service here has sucked, to put it nicely. What's troubling is, there aren't a HUGE amount of people here. There's no way there are 9,000 people here at any given time and, if I had to guess, likely no more than 2,500 on the phone at any given time.
Are we expecting too much? Why is it so acceptable that mobile phone service be anything less reliable than landline service? And where'd all the damn payphones go?
3) Verizon's new widget movement reminds some of the good old days of ADSL. Not me, but some people. Anyway, the widgetation of America is upon us. Soon enough your Twitter habit will start messing with your TV viewing.
4) Speaking of... Please follow me on Twitter and let me know what you want to see from LR's coverage. It's odd: There are lamp posts in this city with more Twitter followers than me. I have Facebook friends showing up in droves, but you Twitter people are very picky. Stop being so selective, so I can feel better:
— Phil Harvey, Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading
Yeah, the first handful-áof people that follow a journalist or analyst are usually PR folks, monitoring everything you say about their clients. I can't imagine if I were an HR director on Twitter... wouldn't that be a nightmare?
@Karl_Bode-á and @aschmitt-á are some good non-PR follows.
ph