Twitter recently released the Blackbird Pie Tool, which allows tweets to be embedded using HTML. While seemingly useful and easy, the tool has proven to have a few kinks to be worked out. It runs comparatively slow considering the task, and it takes manual tweaking of the tweet in order to embed properly. Aesthetically, it requires code to keep the background image from repeating. That, combined with the sluggishness, can be easily resolved in the near future. Obviously released in a bit of a rush, the tool has a few kinks to be worked out. The advantage of the early release, is it gets more usage out of it, allowing the bugs to be discovered and resolved much more quickly. It the tool is to go the way of the SR-71 and be out of commission, we will soon know once a few bolts have been tightened.

U.S. antitrust enforcers are currently investigating Apple for its virtual harassment of Adobe and its Flash software. Taking advantage of its mobile marketing and hardware position, Apple has seemingly declared Adobe Flash outlawed. This doesn’t sit well with Adobe, or the U.S. government as has been recently discovered.

Supposedly it has been reported that since the government has gotten involved, Apple has significantly reduced its push against Flash. This has undoubtedly relieved several industries in the field, not just Adobe, as it has proved that not even Apple is above reproach.

For the last week, technological powerhouses Apple and Adobe have proven even they are not immune to the immaturity of a playground verbal spat. Despite their “competition”, both companies have worked seamlessly together, at least from a graphic designer’s standpoint, to produce wonderful virtual music together. The Adobe programs on Mac computers have been the cornerstone of many design firms nationwide, yet a disagreement had risen once the iPhone age was born.

A question I had right from the beginning of the iPhone was “why doesn’t Apple make the iPhone compatible with Flash?” Steve Jobs answered this question directly, on numerous occasions, dissecting the problems with the software. While I find several of the points valid, the fact remains that many sites, sites often visited, rely on the browser having Flash capabilities. The fact Apple refuses to come to terms with a solution shows the stubbornness of a child. What Apple wants, Apple gets. If Apple wants Adobe gone, Apple makes Adobe disappear. This has validity, because Apple dominates a large portion of the mobile market, and can therefore control a portion of Flash’s success. However, I find this to be a slightly underhanded way to go about resolving the issue.

In the coming months, Google plans to release a new virtual store that will allow customers to download digital books to their newly acquired hardware (iPad, Nook, Kindle, or just your personal computer). This online store called Google Editions will rival other online stores for virtual literature supremacy.

Google, in the past, has benefited from pioneering into uncharted territory. Because Nook and Kindle have both been out for a while now, several retail establishments have adapted their online services to include digital books. This could prove troublesome for Google Editions, even though its account features and symbiosis with book-selling websites can provide it enough power to clear the atmosphere.

One issue that has plagued many services online is the requirement to have an internet connection to access the books. This has proven troublesome, despite the (often expensive and sometimes slow and unreliable) option of 3G coverage. But perhaps that issue will be addressed upon Google Editions’ release within the next few months.

Apple recently released one of its all-too-common “look how amazing we are” announcements, stating that it has officially sold over 1 million iPads in 28 days. That’s an impressive feat, but a comparatively mundane statement considering the source. Apple is the king of the “I must have that new gizmo” population. Due to the unrivalled success (sorry, Zune) of the iPod years ago, Apple hardware has become a commodity in the American home. Despite constant competition, Apple continues to impress with its ability to sell something new.

The less impressive number to me (although Apple found it impressive) was the amount of applications downloaded within that timeframe of 12 million. That’s an average of 12 applications an iPad. I don’t know about you, but when I get a new gadget in all its innocence, I quickly pump it full of games and downloadable features to see what the hardware is capable of. Either I am alone in this ritual, or there are those of you out there that find that number as disappointing as I do.