I enjoy thinking about the different analogies one can use to describe crisis mapping. I’ve likened crisis mapping to the Nascza Lines here and to cymatics here , for example. In a recent interview with Reuters/Alertnet ( published here ), I used the following analogy: “Crisis mapping is to the humanitarian space what x-rays are to emergency rooms.” I wanted to find an analogy that would steer clear of technical jargon and capture the public’s imagination. I thought through several analogies before the interview.

One disgruntled T-Mobile customer tells Gizmodo that the company is giving Sidekick users a few options: Leave T-mobile without penalty, get $20 off the G1, or switch to a BlackBerry. The move comes after Danger, the Microsoft subsidiary that makes the Sidekick, admitted to losing customers’ personal data.

The folks at Gizmodo are saying that the upcoming eReader from Barnes & Noble will run Android . If that’s true, I’ll be thrilled. As a ‘power user’ at minimum, I always want my electronics devices to be more than just appliances. I want them to be computers, that can be modified and updated and hacked. Having the OS be Android will open up the possibilities for the eReader to have a long and useful life that doesn’t absolutely depend on just being an eReader. Kudos B&N.