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Ah, the January doldrums, that quirky time between CES gadget-explosion and the spring cell phone shows.  Everyone gets a bit goofy, hoping for a splash of publicity after the big guns have come out or are being prepped.  Here is what bugged me this week:

-Sony’s nose dive
-Calm Grandma down, DTV transition isn’t happening
-You’ve got Mail (and an STD -Sorry)
-Microsoft kills off Windows Mobile staff
-So Belkin isn’t going to pay me any more?

Sony, Sony, Sony

I am not a huge Sony-lover.  I loved them back in the day of bright yellow SPORTS walkman and for some reason, can’t move past that.  I’ve got a TV 10 feet away from me that is a Sony Wega that got tossed down to our Wii Arena while another brand of shiny, thin, black rectangles sits in my family room.  The company posted their first loss in 14 years.  That puts us back to 1995.

Sony sees iPods, Wii, and the economy as their biggest issues and are making cuts and restructuring the big company.  No doubt the company can make a comeback, they’ve got the tech, the talent and even Tom Hanks (wink, wink) on board.  But it is time to drop the Walkman brand.

Everyone that loves Sony disagrees with me and that is cool.  It is time to move past it and put some sizzle in arguably what look to be cool media players.

Quit freaking everyone out, the analog drop off isn’t going to happen for some time. 

I know it.  Obama knows it and now the Senate knows it.  This transition isn’t going to happen.  One big reason: the economy.

The last thing Obama wants to do is force a single mom in Atlanta to choose between a converter box and dinner for her kids.  It is as easy as that.  The coupon deal was hit with snafus and well, see the first sentence.  Expect some distance between now and the transition folks.  Sorry.

You’ve got Mail (and an STD - sorry)

Just the thing for your mySpace, Facebook, eharmony initiated hook up.  A gentle way to let someone know you gave them just a little bit more than a night of passion.  This site lets you break the news gently, via e-mail, anonymously if you like.  Yes, the pranksters should outweigh the factual by a good 12933 to 1 but hey, its all good.  Best thing I’ve seen today.  Bunch of crackheads.

Umm, aim over there please?

Microsoft announced it will be sending pinkslips to 5,000 employees and perhaps many deserve it.  Vista really didn’t go their way and Zune, well…you don’t need me to tell you about Zune.  But Windows Mobile is getting a disproportionate amount of them?  Come on, Ballmer just said you guys beat the iPhone in Q4 shipments!  Their is still confetti in the air, WTF?

Windows Mobile 6.5 looks absolutely attrocious so you are going to need these people if WinMo is going to make the jump.  Lots of folk are lining up to do away with you like Apple and now Palm and Google.  And you are taking wood out of the fire?  What gives?  Are you launching the SurfacePhone?

My job ends with Belkin

Just kidding!  I don’t have the time to get this to the editor on time, much less meaningless dribble how much I love Belkin stuff.  Don’t be fooled into thinking they are the only ones out there doing this.  Word of mouth is priceless and if a company can spend a few bucks to get some, they are going to jump at it.  Belkin got caught paying people for fake positive reviews of their products.

There is a dark side of marketing.  Some say this dark side is more powerful than the light.  And if Star Wars taught us anything, it is throw a woman in a metal bikini and you can make any story line make sense.

What did you see this week that suggests rehab might be in order?  Let us know in the comments.