Not only does LittleBigPlanet 2 come out today, but the FCC pproved the merger between Comcast and NBC Universal. Will the two companies use their combined powers for good and not evil? A healthy skepticism may be in order. → Read More
I know you’ve heard this before, but it’s finally getting close, the Notion Ink Adam is on its way to the market. After finally getting flight clearance from the FCC, the only thing left to do it takeoff. Just when exactly? → Read More
With Theopeninter.net, web designer Michael Ciarlo has given you the holiday gift of being able to explain to the less web savvy members of your friends and family what net neutrality means (basically) and why exactly laymen should care about the FCC’s recent attempts to create “enforcable” Internet regulations.
And while granted there’s a lot more complexity surrounding the issue than “All ISPs are inherently evil and want to charge you for Skype.” Theopeninter.net does, as Reddit commenter lolinyerface (yeah I know) put it, “The job of showing how things we get for free now, could one day be per item additional cost.” → Read More
The new Net Neutrality rules put off most of the hard questions—but who does that help and hurt?
When government faces a tough decision, it has three options: “Aye,” “Nay,” or “Kay”—“Kick the Can.” Postponement is attractive, and the Obama administration’s 2010 Net Neutrality rule has transformed can-kicking, the traditional domain of small children, into an art form. In its rule the FCC has successfully put off almost all of the hard Net Neutrality questions that have been buzzing around since 2000 or so. It is a remarkable feat to write a rule that actually creates more uncertainty than no rule, but by golly, the agency has done it.
If you’re the type that prizes certainty and clarity (i.e., most engineers, business people and investors), then manufacturing confusion may sound like insanity. But welcome to law school: good lawyers know that uncertainty has a power all of its own. So to really understand the Net Neutrality rule is not to bother understanding the rule itself, but rather the effects the uncertainty will create over the next 5 years or so.
In simple win/lose terms, the effects are good news for the wireless (Verizon / AT&T) and Internet app (Google / Skype) companies, and, as we’ll see, something of a defeat for the cable industry. For users, the consequences are mixed. What you’ll probably notice most clearly is a sense of a growing gap between the wireline and wireless internet. The reason is that the whatever the wireless rules do (which is, of course, uncertain), they’ll have only a marginal effect on the practices in that industry. → Read More
We’ve already covered the FCC Net Neutrality vote earlier today, but something new has come to light. Something that’s very odd. Something that’s quite frankly a little terrifying.
Engadget dug up the FCC’s release [PDF] and found the following nugget buried in the all-important section “Measured Steps for Mobile Broadband”: → Read More
With a 3 to 2 vote earlier today, the FCC has put its stamp of approval on Net Neutrality. The funny thing is that it seems both “sides” of the debate are upset. On one hand you’ve got the detractors who say it’s nothing but an “unholy scheme” designed to bring the Internet under the unnecessary (if not unlawful) control of the government. A bit dramatic, but OK. On the other hand you’ve got Net Neutrality proponents who say the new rules don’t go far enough to protect consumers from abuse. → Read More
In a 3-2 vote split down party lines the FCC approved the first “enforceable” net neutrality regulations this morning. These rules face opposition from all sides, with some holding that FCC has overstepped its boundaries and others saying that the still unpublished framework does not offer enough protection.
“Given the importance of an open Internet to our economic future…it is essential that the FCC fulfill its historic role as a cop on the beat to ensure the vitality of our communications networks and to empower and protect consumers of those networks,” FCC commissioner Julian Genachowski said at the meeting. → Read More
Reading Drudge and the Wall Street Journal this morning had me concerned that Julius Genachowski, the FCC chairman, was going to smash my modem into tiny pieces with a +2 mace in the name of flexing regulatory muscle. Hardly. It’s true that the FCC will vote tomorrow whether or not to implement some sort of Net Neutrality regime, but considering that it’s already stated what it means to accomplish with the vote, I don’t understand why folks are so upset. But, I’m willing to listen. → Read More
The FCC is magical place where gadgets randomly appear. Like this Technicolor TVA200 Media Touch 2.0. The FCC docs include internal and external photos along with a user manual. But even those don’t tell the whole story. What the hell is it? → Read More
For people who care, there’s another FCC bandwidth auction coming this July. They’re selling off more of the 700MHz range, which will probably start another bidding war between AT&T and Verizon. → Read More
Bookeen showed off the Cybook Orizon at CES 2010 and then later came clean with all the details. It’s a 6-inch, multi-touch e-reader that was supposed to hit retailers in the summer of 2010 for $250. That didn’t happen. It did however just hit the FCC which seems to state a 2011 release is on tap at a price point dramatically lower than originally planned. $250? *shudder* → Read More
The FCC has just released its latest report on the sate of broadband in the US of A, and the results are… less than encouraging, and for a number of reasons. The agency found that around two-thirds of Americans’ broadband connections don’t actually qualify as broadband under its definition. (Broadband to the FCC is 4 mbps down/1 mbps up.) What’s sorta odd is that this isn’t a result of the lack of infrastructure or anything, but a result of people choosing low speed plans. → Read More
The political paralysis over network neutrality might be a microcosm of the broader political paralysis in America. Last week, after FCC chairman Julius Genachowksi laid out his Title I compromise strategy to finally resolve this seemingly never-ending debate, radical left and right wing groups conspired to destroy any possibility of consensus. On the left, activist groups like Free Press called Genachowki’s initiative a “fake net neutrality proposal,” while many of the radical right questioned the FCC’s legitimacy and called for a complete retreat from any kind of government involvement in technology policy.
So can the center fight back against this unholy alliance of radical netizens and Tea Party libertarians that seem intent on crushing any kind of network neutrality compromise?
Video ahead. → Read More
In a characteristically provocative op-ed in last Friday’s Wall Street Journal, Silicon Valley bomb thrower Andy Kessler said “it’s time to close the Federal Communications Commission.” Directly reacting to last week’s speech by FCC chairman Julius Genachowski which attempted to map out a compromise on the network neutrality issue, Kessler argued that any attempt to regulate the web will only stifle technological and business innovation.
The irrepressible Kessler – whose provocative new book next year is entitled Eat People – didn’t disappoint when I caught up with him on Skype yesterday. Describing the FCC as like “rotting cottage cheese in your fridge,” Kessler argued that the regulatory body is undermining the competitiveness of the American economy and should be gotten rid of immediately.
Video ahead. → Read More
The FCC continues to push for Net Neutrality, with an actual vote set for later this month. The Commission’s chair, Julius Genachowski, is set to give a speech on the subject today, but luckily it’s already been posted online. The reason for all of this? “The animating force behind all of these efforts is a shared appreciation for the Internet’s wondrous contributions to our economy and our way of life.” Or are you against the Internet’s “contributions to our economy and our way of life”? → Read More
A report in the Financial Times suggests that Net Neutrality may, once again, be on the docket. The FCC is looking to have everything wrapped up as early as its December 15 meeting. Whether or not that actual happens—there have been several false starts, of course—who knows? → Read More
Asus just had a new Lamborghini labeled product get approved by the FCC, for better or worse. The new mouse joins an already varied and colorful line of ill-advised products. I mean, really? Who buys a Lamborghini licensed mouse or laptop? If you own the car, you probably buy something a bit more high end, and if don’t have the car, you shouldn’t use one. It’s like the Ferrari or Porsche jackets that were so popular in the 80′s. If you don’t own the car, you look like a wanker. All we really do know it that the Asus WX-Lamborghini is a branded wireless mouse, but we have no idea on the price or availability. Not that you should buy one anyway. [Via Wireless Goodness] → Read More
With today’s announcement of the new iPod Touch, you know there are certain people just itching to take a look at the inside, to tear it apart and see what changes have been made since the last time Apple updated the popular PMP player. Bad news boys; the FCC beat you to the punch. → Read More
Al Franken, the junior senator from Minnesota, wants you to help him save Net Neutrality. Given that Google may or may not be actively plotting to destroy Net Neutrality, it may be worth your time to sign the petition. → Read More
San Francisco, CA
