Verizon layed the smack down this weekend in its anti-AT&T campaign with three new ads. The first ad, “Misfit Toys,” attacks the iPhone’s attachment to AT&T and says it belongs on Rudolph’s Island of Misfit Toys for running on a network with low 3G coverage. The new commercials make a point to praise the phone, but attack the network, making it seem like Verizon is backing away from direct criticisms.

The “Blue Christmas” and “Elves,” ads are less direct but show iPhones with no logos ruining Christmas because they can’t get a good signal. You can see the other ads below.

Apple may act like the Microsoft Laptop Hunters ads are no big deal, but behind the scenes the company had a different response, according to Microsoft’s Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Turner. Turner says that he knows the ads are working because “two weeks ago we got a call from the Apple legal department saying [...] ‘Hey, you need to stop running those ads, we lowered our prices.’”

Turner also noted that “they took like $100 off or something,” and that it “was the greatest single phone call in the history that I’ve ever taken in business” He did however think it was a joke at first.

If you thought Microsoft’s Laptop Hunter ads did a good job dissing Apple, wait until you hear Apple’s response. In a statement to Macworld, spokesperson Bill Evans does the usual praising of his brand, waxing poetic about security, stability, design. Then lays the smack down:

“A PC is no bargain when it doesn’t do what you want,” Apple spokesman Bill Evans says. “The one thing that both Apple and Microsoft can agree on is that everyone thinks the Mac is cool. With its great designs and advanced software, nothing matches it at any price.”

They are always coming up with more ways to sell us things. Now a new type of billboard is on the way, displaying ads suited to your individual tastes as you by. The odds are pretty good that a fair amount of these ads will be for fast food and gadgets.

You can thank Yahoo Japan, who plans to install billboards with not only cameras, but also facial analysis tech to identify your age and sex. They will also display content like news and weather. I wonder if that facial analysis will tell teens they need Clearasil.

This is going to honk off many of you. According to a press release issued earlier today, TiVo will now be offering ad space on its pause menu. I hear you. It sucks. But it’s your fault.

The spam messages ads are designed to outsmart those who fast-forward through the ads (everyone). Advertisers will be able to target viewers of a specific show, or they can cast a wider net and advertise within genres or keywords of program descriptions. At the moment, only Series2 owners are subjected to the new ads as part of the 9.3.2 update.

It’s tough to get a good night’s sleep when you’re in the middle of a good dream and suddenly you’re assaulted by advertisements. There you are playing poker with Sigmund Freud, Superman and Seinfeld when suddenly you’re looking at an ad for penis enlargement instead of a king of clubs.

The Dream Captcha can help. Inspired by Native American dream catchers, it will protect you and your dreams from pop-ups,viagra ads, and all sorts of other dream-spam. Sadly, you’ll have to make one yourself, since it isn’t available for sale.

Apparently, according to Gizmodo, the internet jumped the gun and those Microsoft Gates/Seinfeld ads have not been cancelled after all. Microsoft apparently did ask the agency to focus on the new “I’m a PC” spots and the agency did get a lot of WTF response in their measured statistics of the ads. But apparently no one has pulled the plug yet. In fact, Crispin Porter has another completed spot featuring the dynamic duo ready to air when they see fit.

The agency has the anti-Mac ads as a priority, but they are still going ahead with more Seinfeld/Gates ads unless Microsoft actually does pull the plug at some point. Which is awesome, because many nerds are counting on the comedy pair. They’re the new Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, the new odd couple, the new Ambiguously Gay Duo. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Apparently the new series of Windows Vista ads starring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates did not impress Microsoft, or many others for that matter. Microsoft has now basically admitted that the ads bombed, sucked and otherwise blew and they’ve actually fired Jerry Seinfeld. Bill Gates being Bill Gates will stick around and may be back in future ads.

The series will go on, but not with Seinfeld. Which likely means without the funny. And who knows what direction it will take. Personally after the suckage of the first ad, I thought they were beginning to hit their stride. So tomorrow you’ll hear some Microsoft spin regarding phase two of the project. That would be the phase without Seinfeld.

Whether you’re a Mac fan or not, I think we all get a chuckle out of the “Get a Mac” ads. And they must have converted many PC users. Now Microsoft is looking to give as good as they get, recruiting Jerry Seinfeld and of course Bill Gates to show you how magical Vista is. It’s a $300 million campaign that has $10 million set aside for “key celebrity pitchmen”.

The ads apparently focus on “Windows, Not Walls,” talking about the need to “break down barriers that prevent people and ideas from connecting.” It will no doubt involve the Mojave Experiment too, which is Microsofts version of candid camera, where Microsoft made unsuspecting users(Prejudiced against Vista) test a new product that was in fact Vista. They’ve got Seinfeld, why not get Kramer and George in on it too?

Let’s say you’re in charge of Cyberdyne systems. That means that you’re responsible for the killing of almost the entire human race by cyborgs. There’s no good way to spin that. Not really. That’s a hell of a tough job. And thankfully, someone has risen to the challenge. Ad firm Giant Ideas has created ads for Cyberdyne and a bunch of other fictional entities that nerds will recognize. Like the Tyrell Corporation, the Dharma Initiative, Yoyodyne Propulsion systems and more. It’s part of their Flicker account in a set called Geek Ad Wednesdays. Quite entertaining.