Zombie Rumours… They Just Won’t Die!

Posted by: Peter Murphy on Aug 03 2008

Why is it that some rumours never die, they just keep scratching through the topsoil, knocking over their tombstones, and menacing society just like a re-run of the Night Stalker.

In a week where I’ve witnessed the “Zune Guy get an iPod” — which is incredibly reminiscent of a horror movie– we also saw the mobile community interpreting/misinterpreting statements from industry high fliers, and turning it into news, but it leaves me scratching my head, how do you make a Zombie out of an internal Microsoft memo, or general statements by Michael Dell. Zune Phone/Dell Phone, if I tell you their on the way….

Wishful thinking or …

Rumours are somehow the meat and potatoes, of the tech blogging world, a leaked photo here, a cooked ROM there, but the amount of people out there that seem to have a fully functional , and accurate crystal ball is on the rise.

Speculation and fantasy, the apparent creation of news in a Frankenstein-ish manner, [cough] from a few selected phrases and some wishful thinking. Creating a bloodlust, beckoning the undead to a feeding frenzy, on a diet of unsubstantiated innuendo.

First off, Mr Dell said,

“We are certainly looking at the whole smartphone category, but I wouldn’t expect anything anytime soon.” Via WMExperts

In an interview with Om Malik, [Giga Om], one small mention of a smartphone, brings the undead to life all over the inter tubes.

Then a creatively interpreted memo from the Ballmer, hints at the Zune phone, a very liberal interpretation I might say.

“We’re changing the way we work with hardware vendors to ensure that we can provide complete experiences with absolutely no compromises. We’ll do the same with phones—providing choice as we work to create great end-to-end experiences.” Via Gizmodo

Now if you loosely interpret what was said it was fairly general, and didn’t really hint at anything like the devices that people are resurrecting rumours about.

If you think about it logically, any strategy Microsoft could try to put in place, to control its hardware suppliers, and come up with a standard, is retrospectively a bit hard to believe. If Microsoft wants to emulate Apple and limit manufacturers, when their whole strategy up until now has been market saturation, it will take years to implement.

That being said, Dell have always been Microsoft oriented, and have only recently opted for a Linux alternative, if there is going to be an Axim phone, might it run on Android, so as to escape the new Microsoft approach?

There you go, I’m theorising and buying into the rumours.  The zombies walk, and walk on into the land of “Guess What”.

All in all it makes great copy, and even though the purported ideas may be what people would like to see, it is exactly what it is, speculation. You don’t have to be a Van Helsing, or buy silver bullets, but when will these rumours run their course?

Where’s that crucifix? I need some protection!

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