Also, there are too many Androids, Wikipedia bans politicians, new authors have their hopes dashed, Swing Copters is stupid, and the serendipity of Spotify is revealed.

Microsoft Close To Revealing Windows 9

http://youtu.be/n-r9Bgni-u4

Microsoft is set to reveal Windows 9 (currently codenamed Threshold) at a glitzy press event on September 30th. This is according to The Verge, which cites the usual, "sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans." The date of the press event is liable to change, but regardless of when it's held, developers will receive a preview version of the new Windows very soon.

The press event will primarily feature a rundown of the key features of Windows 9. Which is likely to be the removal of the most annoying aspects of Windows 8. The new combined version of Windows RT and Windows Phone may also be unveiled at the same event. But with Windows Phone struggling to compete with iOS and Android, this will likely warrant a lot fewer headlines.

IS Ditches Twitter In Favor Of Diaspora

The word 'admitted' in the first paragraph is misleading. THIS IS THE WHOLE POINT OF DIASPORA.

— David Meyer (@superglaze) August 22, 2014

After a crackdown by Twitter, the Islamic State (IS) has moved its social networking operations to Diaspora. And it seems there is very little Diaspora can do about it, though the larger pods on Diaspora have removed the IS-related accounts and posts. IS, formerly known as Isis, had several accounts suspended from Twitter after posting video footage and images of the beheading of American photojournalist James Foley.

Diaspora is a distributed social networking service, with personal pods (nodes) not controlled by the creators of the software. This means it's easy for IS to maintain a presence without interference. Individual pod owners can remove IS-related accounts if they so desire, but it appears free speech will always win out, even on the Internet.

Pick An Android, Any Android

http://youtu.be/UNmcJF6xedI

We all know there are a multitude of different Android devices to choose from, but the actual number may shock you. According to OpenSignal's latest report on fragmentation, there are 18,796 "distinct Android devices," up from 11,868 last year. Other tidbits of information include Samsung dominating in terms of brands, and how close KitKat and Jelly Bean are in terms of adoption. Still, doesn't this all make Android a lot less boring than the iPhone?

Wikipedia Bans House Of Representatives

Apparently the only way congresscritters can say what they *really* think is via Wikipedia edits: http://t.co/qFdwDSIv2o

— Nash (@Nash076) August 21, 2014

Wikipedia has banned an IP address associated with the U.S. House Of Representatives from making edits to pages. This follows the totally unnecessary editing of the Orange Is The New Black Wikipedia page to change the description of actress Laverne Cox from "a real transgender woman" to "a real man pretending to be a woman." The talk page flagging the edit and debating its merits makes for fascinating reading.

There Are Too Many Books On Amazon

http://youtu.be/Clts1bnqa7U

Amazon has led the way in offering aspiring writers a way of selling their work. Unfortunately, there are so many books on Amazon it's incredibly difficult to get noticed. How many books exactly? An astonishing 3.4 million, according to writer Claude Nougat (via TechCrunch). And with one new book being added every five minutes that number is rising every day.

We have previously offered advice for first-time authors trying to stand out, but the sheer weight of competition means getting noticed is becoming harder and harder. Pessimistic groans all around.

Swing Copters Is Tougher Than Flappy Bird

http://youtu.be/gw_tWqwfUlI

The good news is that Swing Copters is now available to download on iOS and on Android [Broken URL Removed]. The bad news is that Swing Copters is even more difficult than its predecessor Flappy Bird. If you have a penchant for throwing things at walls when you get frustrated, you may want to avoid this game. Or buy a backup smartphone.

Spotify's Same Song Serendipity

spotify-serendipity

And finally, it's likely that someone, somewhere in the world, is listening to the exact same song as you. And if you're listening on Spotify, they may even have clicked Play at exactly the same moment.

These moments of musical serendipity can be seen occurring in real time thanks to a new interactive map created by Spotify artist-in-residence Kyle McDonald. And my immediate reaction to seeing Spotify Serendipity in action? How many people share a poor taste in music.

Your Views On Today’s Tech News

Are you keen to see what Microsoft has done with Windows 9? What, if anything, should Diaspora do about ISIS? Will you be downloading Swing Copters?

Let us know your thoughts on the tech news of the day by posting to the comments section below. Because a healthy discussion is always welcome.

Image Credit: Judit Klein via Flickr