the buzz log

The Olympics are dominating the Buzz, but there's more to life than balance beams, diving boards, and Michael Phelps. This past week, a woman sued Apple, rumors surged that Rihanna may be going broke, and a disturbingly large new species of fish was discovered (which, in case you were wondering, is of no relation to Mr. Phelps).

Don't get mad ... get litigious
Many of us have dreamed about taking our cell phone manufacturer to court for all the dropped calls and outrageous fees. Only a few, like Jessica Alena Smith, follow through on the fantasy. The Alabama native has sued Apple, claiming the company's advertisements for the new iPhone ("twice as fast, half the price") are misleading. Lookups on "iphone 3g speed" and "iphone 3g lawsuit" scorched the Search box for triple digit gains. Meanwhile, several related articles on the lawsuit were buzzed up, including this one on the iPhone's recent software update. It is designed to make the gadget faster. Apparently, Ms. Smith was unimpressed.

Things are tough all over...
Singing sensation Rihanna may be going through some financial difficulties. The 20-year-old R&B star's Buzz soared after rumors broke that she's only worth around $20,000. Whether true or false, several articles reported that the singer has since fired her business manager. If it's any consolation to Rihanna, she's still incredibly popular in Buzz. Not only were articles on the financial rumors buzzed early and often, but her search profile is among Yahoo!'s top 250 overall terms.

The Hogzilla of the Sea!
With billions of people on the planet, you'd think humanity would have discovered just about all there is to discover by now. Nope. This past week, a massive new fish was found to be an entirely new species after genetic testing. Aptly called the "goliath grouper," the creature grows to around six feet in length and weighs around 1,000 pounds. You can read all about the formidable fish at LiveScience.

Also buzzing this week...
• Janet Jackson launched her own lingerie line, called "The Pleasure Principle." The intimate apparel inspired dozens of buzzes on this article from TrendHunter. Coincidently, the extremely popular article features plenty of pictures of scantily clad models.
•We weren't going to mention Michael Phelps, but this one is just too good to pass up. According to Us Weekly, Olympic legend Mark Spitz has an idea whether or not he would have been able to beat Mr. Phelps in a race. Quoteth Spitz: "It'd be a tie."

Filed under: Apple Computer, Recaps, Rihanna

Seems like only yesterday that Rihanna first popped up in the Buzz. Freshly arrived from her native Barbados, her hit "Pon de Replay" was the jam that kept last summer's barbecues hot and smoky. A year later, Rihanna's still turning the heat up with a new album and songs in the charts. She's a little older and maybe a little more wise in the ways of fame and glamour, but Rihanna's still got buzz.

"Rihanna" searches have climbed steadily over the past few months, carrying the young Caribbean queen into the top 100 searches. Her "pictures," "lyrics," and "music videos" are all holding it down in popular searches as well.

Maybe some of Rihanna's buzz is fueled by gossip we've been hearing about the alleged imminent breakup of Jay-Z and Beyoncé (+21%). When it comes to this hip-hop royal couple, Rihanna rumors seem to be a persistent background melody.

Far be it from the Buzz to read between the lines in song lyrics—particularly pop songs—but the Bajan beauty's been sending out an "SOS" and singing a song of the "Unfaithful" lately. We'll keep our fingers on the replay button to see what lies ahead for Rihanna.

Filed under: Music, Rihanna