Steve Wozniak Calls FCC Net Neutrality Decision a Victory for Consumers (video)

Net Neutrality: Steve Wozniak Calls FCC Decision a Victory for Consumers -

Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak discusses the FCC approving Net Neutrality Internet rules with Bloomberg’s Peter Cook on "Bloomberg West." (Source: Bloomberg; Feb 26)

more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

Follow @expricom

Startups Push Back on FCC Net Neutrality Critic Pai Argument

Pai boosts profile as net neutrality critic -- Startups push back on his business argument - POLITICO: "... STARTUPS PUSH BACK ON PAI’S ARGUMENT — In a letter to the FCC ... a group of more than 100 startups — including Etsy, Foursquare and Tumblr — are taking issue with Pai’s comment earlier this month that Wheeler’s net neutrality proposal will saddle “small, independent businesses and entrepreneurs with heavy-handed regulations that will push them out of the market.” To the contrary, the startup community supports Wheeler’s plan to reclassify broadband as it “will encourage competition and innovation by preventing ISPs from using their gatekeeper power to distort the Internet market for their own private benefit,” the companies wrote. “A vibrant Internet economy depends on an open playing field in which small, innovative entrepreneurs can compete with incumbents on the quality of their services, not on the size of their checkbook or their roster of lobbyists.”..." (read more at the link above)

more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

Follow @expricom

Europe's Rosetta Spacecraft Lands Probe on Comet (video)

Europe’s Rosetta spacecraft landed the first ever probe on a comet, the culmination of a decade-long mission to the icy body that’s currently between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Planetary Resources President Chris Lewicki speaks on “Bloomberg West.” (Source: Bloomberg 11/12)

iOS weakness allows hackers to replace iPhone apps | Technology | The Guardian: iOS Vulnerability--"A weakness in newer versions of iOS lets hackers install apps on iPhones or iPads by sending users an email or text message."

PCWorld
Nexus 6 review: The best Nexus yet, if you can tolerate its gargantuan size
PCWorld
The biggest, most expensive, and best Nexus phone Google has ever produced. All it needs is decent camera software. Share on Facebook · Share on Twitter · Share on Google+ · Share on LinkedIn · Share on Pinterest. It's bound to happen. You'll be lining ...


Wall Street Journal
Amazon Web business jumps 40 percent
The Seattle Times
The head of Amazon Web Services says a long list of businesses in every “imaginable segment” is using AWS “in a meaningful way.” 


Android Headlines - Android News
Samsung VR Headset Arrives in December
PC Magazine
Samsung told developers at its SF conference that the future is wide open for exciting new tech platforms...

ABC News
The New Way You Can Say 'Thank You for Being a Friend' on Facebook
ABC News
There's a new way to say, "Thank you for being a friend," on Facebook. The social network announced today it is launching a new service, "Say Thanks," that allows users to send video cards to their friends and family. The service is gradually being rolled out ...


CIO Today
Microsoft Releases Another Windows 10 Build
Tom's Hardware
Microsoft's Gabe Aul updated the Windows blog on Wednesday with news that a new version of Windows 10 is now available to download. This new build, 9879, includes new windowing and gesture improvements, tweaks to OneDrive usage, improvements ...


Christian Science Monitor
AT&T halts improvements until FCC decides on net neutrality
Christian Science Monitor
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson says the company will pause further investments into its fiber networks until the government makes a decision on net neutrality....


Detroit Free Press
Pew Privacy Survey: We've Lost Control Over Our Personal Data
NBCNews.com
A new Pew Research Center survey reveals that nearly all Americans surveyed feel they've lost control over how companies collect and use their personal information. The survey by the Pew Research Center's Internet Project asked 607 U.S. adults about ...


Wired
Microsoft's big play for the future of development
ITworld.com
It's hard to change direction when you're a company the size of Microsoft. In the past 18 months however, they've become considerably more open and modern. Today in a not so surprise move, Microsoft announced .NET Core 5, a component of the next ...

more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

Follow @expricom

Real Virtual Reality, Hyve 3D Real-Life Holodeck, No Oculus Rift Needed (video)

Hyve 3D Real-Life Holodeck: No Oculus Rift Needed: Video - Bloomberg:
(Allow video to load after clicking play or go to link above)
Remember the holodeck on "Star Trek: The Next Generation?" With no Oculus Rift or other headset required, Hyve 3D aims to bring virtual reality into rooms using projectors, motion sensors, and wraparound screens. Sam Grobart reports for Bloomberg's "The Year Ahead: 2015" series. (Source: Bloomberg 11/10)

Obama Calls for Strict Net Neutrality Policy - NYTimes.com: "President Obama on Monday put the full weight of his administration behind an open and free Internet, calling for a strict policy of so-called net neutrality and formally opposing deals in which content providers like Netflix would pay huge sums to broadband companies for faster access to their customers."


CNN
Is it time for a new Google mission statement?
CNN
Back in 1999, Google came up with "ten things we know to be true" that ... Rather than a public service, Google is -- with Apple -- the most successful ...

San Jose Mercury News
Apple Security Bypass Can Turn Good Apps Into Data Thieves, Claims FireEye
Forbes
... iOS defences on non-jailbroken iPhones is the holy grail for anyone wanting to hack iDevices. Today, security ...
Apple iOS bug makes devices vulnerable to attack: experts - Reuters
Apple iOS Bug Makes Most Devices Vulnerable To Attack, Researchers Say - Huffington Post


TechCrunch (blog)
Here's What Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Thinks Apple And Google Do Best
TechCrunch (blog)
When I think about what Apple does, what Google does and what Microsoft does, therein lies perhaps the simplest answer to why these three ...

The Atlantic
How Numbers on Facebook Change Behavior
The Atlantic
A "like" on Facebook is a treat. You get a little red pop-up on your notifications icon, you see the little box on the lower-left corner of your screen ...

TechCrunch (blog)
Microsoft Office Apps Skyrocket To The Top Of The App Store Following Pricing Changes
TechCrunch (blog)
The apps have shot up to the top of Apple's App Store after last week's ... That gave competitors like Apple and Google room to establish footholds of ...

New York Times
Apple releases new fix for lost iMessage texts
USA TODAY
SAN MATEO, Calif. — Apple has a released a new fix to its iMessage app that's supposed to solve a problem that has long irked cellphone users who ...
Apple finally delivers online iMessage tool for resolving SMS routing bugs - Pocketnow
How to deregister your phone number from iMessage and get your texts back - Gigaom


AppAdvice
iPad is Apple's unanswered revolution
The Verge
Google released the unsatisfying Nexus 9, which had posed the biggest threat of dethroning the iPad, and Microsoft made its Office suite of apps ...

New York Times
For Bono and U2, Apple iTunes Partnership Finally Hits a Wrong Note
New York Times
As a mushroom cloud of discontent erupted, Bono engaged in what sounded like contrition in a video posted on the band's Facebook page as part of a ...

Facebook successfully makes over a half-billion people download Messenger app
Over 500 million people have now downloaded the standalone Facebook Messenger app ...

Amazon's Echo Video Gets Drowned Out by Parody
The video for Amazon's Echo speaker gets parodied on YouTube with a ... A slew of hilarious parodies have turned the Siri and Google Now-like ...

more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

Follow @expricom

Tech News, Orbital Sciences Rocket, Catastrophic Anomaly Video

An unmanned Orbital Sciences Corp. rocket burst into an orange fireball on Tuesday above NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s eastern shore. Orbital is leading an investigation into the cause of what NASA described as a “catastrophic anomaly.” (Oct. 29 Bloomberg)

TECH NEWS:

New York Times
FCC Considering Hybrid Regulatory Approach to Net Neutrality
New York Times
The future of protecting an open Internet has been the subject of fierce debate, and potential changes to the rules by the Federal Communications Commission could impact your online experience....


PCWorld
Michael Bastian Creates a Smartwatch That Looks Like a Watch
Wall Street Journal
High-tech meets high-style in the MB Chronowing from Michael Bastian and Hewlett-Packard. MB Chronowing Smartwatch. A look at the MB Chronowing, a smartwatch designed by Michael Bastian and Hewlett-Packard. fullscreen. <strong>FUTURE ...


Wall Street Journal
Amazon is largely white and male, according to company diversity data
Washington Post
Amazon.com on Friday released a report on its employee diversity that shows its workforce is mostly white and male, a finding that mirrors similar disclosures by high-tech companies such as Google and Facebook. Amazon said its total workforce is 63 percent ...


Forbes
This Man's Betting On The Technology Behind Apple Pay - And Even He Says...
Forbes
When Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled Apple Pay in September, he predicted that it would “forever change the way all of us buy things.” As I wrote in a recent post, while he ultimately might be proven right, Apple's mobile wallet is likely to take years to catch on ...


Christian Science Monitor
Microsoft to release a new version of Office for Macs
Christian Science Monitor
Microsoft promises to release a new version of its Office software for Apple computers next year. There hasn't been an update since 2010. By Associated Press October 31, 2014. close. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks during a Microsoft cloud briefing ...


Android Headlines - Android News
Phone Comparisons: Motorola Droid Turbo vs. Moto X (2014)
Android Headlines - Android News
Motorola has really been busy this year releasing new flagships – a new Moto X, a new Nexus 6 for Google and now a new Motorola Droid Turbo for Verizon. Each device is unmistakably a product of Motorola, yet each one different in its own way. The Droid ...


CBS News
HP's Sprout is like no computer you've ever seen
CBS News
It has a touchscreen all-in-one monitor running Windows 8, but that's about where the familiar part of the new Sprout by HP ends. Where your keyboard should go, HP has placed a capacitive touch mat. Arching up and over the 23-inch HD screen is the Sprout ...


New York Times
Andy Rubin, Former Leader of Android Division, Leaves Google
eWeek
Andy Rubin, who was the chief developer of Google's Android mobile operating system, and who most recently headed the search giant's robotics and drone programs, is leaving the company. By Jim O'Reilly. Andy Rubin, who led the Android division of ...


Detroit Free Press
Ferrari fined $3.5M for failing to report safety issues
The Hill
Ferrari was hit with a $3.5 million fine Friday for not warning federal regulators of potential safety issues with its sports cars. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Ferrari's parent company, Fiat, failed to file early warning reports with ...


Computerworld
Hands on: Getting to know Google's new Nexus 6
Computerworld
The Nexus 6 is big, beautiful, and full of sweet Android Lollipop flavor. Here's an early hands-on look at Google's new flagship phone. Computerworld | Oct 31, 2014 10:15 AM PT. Google · Nexus · Motorola ...

more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

Follow @expricom

Free Voice Calls From Google Hangouts App

Voice calls in Hangouts: call history (left); dialer (middle); in a call (right) (source: Google)

Free voice calls from Hangouts: "... Hangouts already makes it easy to send a quick message, or start a group video chat. But sometimes it’s best to just call to say “I love you,” and with the new version of Hangouts you can. Starting today you can make voice calls from Hangouts on Android, iOS and the web. It’s free to call other Hangouts users, it’s free to call numbers in the U.S. and Canada, and the international rates are really low. So keeping in touch is easier and more affordable than ever. To get started on Android, just grab the new version of Hangouts (v2.3, rolling out over the next few days), then install the accompanying dialer to turn on voice calls. On iOS and the web, voice calls
will be available the next time you open the app..."

Call phones in Hangouts: Worldwide Calling Rates

Turn any Hangout into a live video call with up to 10 friends or simply choose a contact to start a phone call from your computer. Who says you can’t be together even when you’re not?
Download Hangouts: Google Play | iTunes App Store | For your computer

More info on Google Hangouts

Exclusive: Nokia, Windows Phone Brands to be Replaced By Microsoft, Windows - Geek on Gadgets : Geek on Gadgets: "we can confirm that Microsoft will be completely dropping the “Nokia” branding from their devices, leaving “Lumia” as the hero brand for upcoming devices. In fact we understand that the Lumia 830 and Lumia 730 will be the final two devices to launch with “Nokia” branded on the phone.  Future devices will most likely carry the “Microsoft” name along with “Lumia”."

RadioShack's Last Hope for Survival: Shrinking Fast in Bankruptcy - Businessweek: "RadioShack’s mission—to shrink like crazy—hasn’t been accomplished fast enough. The ailing electronics retailer said on Thursday that it may not be able to avoid bankruptcy. While still holding out hope for new financing, the company acknowledged it could run out of money as soon as this month..."


CNN
Facebook testing disappearing posts
CNN
(CNN) -- If you want to use Facebook a little more like Snapchat, you might soon get your chance. The social-media giant is testing a feature that would ...

What Exactly Is the Facebook Messenger App for iOS Tracking? | Motherboard: "... iOS forensics and security researcher Jonathan Zdziarski spent Tuesday morning disassembling Facebook Messenger’s iOS binary, at one point declaring via Twitter that “Messenger appears to have more spyware type code in it than I've seen in products intended specifically for enterprise surveillance.” In an email, Zdziarski said that Messenger is logging practically everything a user might do within the app, from what and where they tap, to how often a device is held in portrait versus landscape orientation; even time spent in the Messenger app, versus the time it spends running in the background...."

NBCNews.com
US threatened massive fine to force Yahoo to release data
Washington Post
The U.S. government threatened to fine Yahoo $250,000 a day in 2008 if it ... communications by users of Yahoo and other U.S.-based technology firms. ... The original order to Yahoo came in 2007 and set off alarms at the ... including Google, Apple and Facebook — to comply with the data demands.
Documents Unsealed in Yahoo's Case Against US Data Requests - New York Times


New York Times
Microsoft Sees More Than Fun in a Game Like Minecraft
New York Times
Technology |​​NYT Now ... And Microsoft likes the game so much that the tech giant wants to buy Minecraft's parent ... Already, Facebook bought a virtual reality headset maker for $2 billion and the Japanese ... Last month, Amazon agreed to buy Twitch, a streaming video site, for more than $1 billion.
Culture Clash: Minecraft Fans Fear Microsoft - Wall Street Journal

Google Continues To Build Upon Its Life Sciences Ecosystem
Forbes
Google has a mission to organize the world's information and make it accessible to everyone. The company is mostly known for its search engine and ...


Wall Street Journal
Europe's Google Piñata
Wall Street Journal
Mr. Almunia said in February he was satisfied with Google's third offer, reached after two rounds of renegotiation following competitor input on ...

A Google Glass fit for the factory floor
Fortune
 ... It wasn't long after Google first revealed its Glass project in 2012 that technology companies ...


NPR (blog)
Is Amazon's Failed Phone A Cautionary Tale?
NPR (blog)
Amazon slashed the price of the Fire phone from $199 To 99 cents. ... Google has gone to great pains to build versions of Android that use less and ...

Google's studied silence on net neutrality finally broken
Washington Post (blog)
After a long silence, one of the Internet's biggest companies has finally weighed in on the latest net neutrality debate. On Wednesday, Google said it ...

more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

Follow @expricom

Android Crushing Apple Worldwide

The Android L-Developer Preview is now well underway. In the first of a new series of DevBytes, Rich Hyndman brings together a look at the new features. (Jul 18, 2014)

Worldwide Smartphone Shipments Edge Past 300 Million Units in the Second Quarter; Android and iOS Devices Account for 96% of the Global Market, According to IDC - prUS25037214: "The dominant smartphone operating systems (OS), Android 84.7% and iOS 11.7%, saw their combined market share swell to 96.4% for the quarter, leaving little space for competitors. Android was the primary driver with its vendor partners shipping a total of 255.3 million Android-based smartphones in 2Q14, up 33.3% year over year. Meanwhile, iOS saw its market share decline despite posting 12.7% year-over-year shipment growth. While Android and iOS both realized gains from a year ago, the rest of the market recorded losses...."

A Fascinating Look Inside Those 1.1 Million Open-Internet Comments : All Tech Considered : NPR: ".... every emergent theme was "pro" net neutrality, or supports the idea of a level playing field for content on the Internet. The comments did include "anti" net neutrality positions. They included statements opposing the "FCC's crippling new regulations," as commenters wrote. But they came from a form letter, or template, and all comment clusters that came from templates (five separate ones in all, four of five supporting net neutrality) were collapsed into a single node. Taken with the entire body of comments sampled, there weren't enough unique or organic anti-net-neutrality comments to register on the map...."

TechStars NYC co-founder launches Spring, a brand-backed mobile marketplace - The Next Web: "David Tisch, the co-founder of TechStars NYC, today launched his new startup, Spring, an iOS-based ecommerce platform that has the support of several high-end brands. Shopping on the Spring app (US-only for now) feels like scrolling through Instagram if you only followed fashion brands, or Pinterest without all the amateur crafts. Product photos are meant to be edgy lifestyle images instead of your usual shots on a white background. At launch, Spring has over 100 brands on-board, including Warby Parker, Band of Outsiders and Hugo Boss. “The only brands we’re letting onto the platform is brands that care about the customer, brands that have a soul,” Tisch said...."

Exclusive: Ultra Violet: Google is testing a new design for Hangouts: "Given the all-encompassing redesign of various Google services, it was almost to be expected, now you can say it with any degree of certainty: Google Hangouts gets a new look...."

YouTube TV: YouTube refreshes television app for set-top boxes, game consoles and smart TVs "...The refreshed interface should pop up soon -- it's available now with Xbox One, and Google plans to roll it out to other devices within the next few weeks." https://www.youtube.com/tv

Google's IPO, 10 Years Later: "On August 19, 2004, Google went public in a highly anticipated initial public offering that valued the six-year old company at what seemed to be an astronomical $23 billion, with a price-earnings ratio of 80, a mere six years after its founding. The company was already generating annualized revenue of $2.7 billion and profits of $286 million. Today, Google’s market cap is $390 billion, with annualized revenue of $64 billion and profits of $13 billion. Google’s market cap is the third highest of any U.S. company, with only Apple and Exxon Mobil being bigger. Public market buy-and-hold investors have scored a “ten-bagger”, earning a return of more than 1,000% over the decade.... "

Google Exec Violated Ethics Rules While at DARPA | News & Opinion | PCMag.com: "...The Defense Department was tipped off in 2011 by the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), which alleged that RedX received $1.75 million in contracts following Dugan's appointment to DARPA. The non-profit watchdog group also said she kept a financial stake in the company after her departure, Navy Times reported...."

Google goes DARPA: "...Today Dugan is leading a cadre of big-idea special forces—called Advanced Technology and Projects group, or ATAP for short—on an even grander mission for parent Google, where the unit is slated to remain after the sale of Motorola to Lenovo is completed later this year... "

more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

Follow @expricom

LinkedIn Pushes Content Creation to Draw Users (video)

LinkedIn Pushes Content Creation to Draw Users: Video - Bloomberg:
(Allow video to load after clicking play or go to link above)
LinkedIn Executive Editor Daniel Roth discusses content creation and users use of relevant information on “Bloomberg Surveillance.” (Source: Bloomberg July24)

This Google Opportunity Could Spell Serious Competition For Facebook - Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) | Seeking Alpha: "Discovery of apps continues to be a serious challenge on the Google Play Store. With over 1.5M apps, finding the right content is becoming a chore for users. The soaring cost of installs sold by Facebook is pricing many developers out of the market. Given its ads business, Google could easily build a $1bln+ business by inserting ads into the Play Store."

Researchers from Nvidia Show a Way to Quadruple the Resolution of Virtual Reality | MIT Technology Review: "Researchers at Nvidia now have a possible solution. They have built a prototype VR headset to demonstrate a technique that can quadruple the pixel density of an LCD panel. They call their new design—made by modifying two off-the-shelf LCD panels—a “cascaded display.” “This is useful in applications like a head-mounted display, where each pixel looks really large because it is very close to your eye,” says David Luebke, a senior director of graphics research at Nvidia."

What's The Real Purpose Of Google Shopping Express? - Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) | Seeking Alpha: "...Is Google Shopping Express a Data Collection Effort or an Amazon Killer? Google certainly has money to spend, but why is it spending that money on a delivery business? The most likely answer to that question is both simple and interesting: Google Shopping Express isn't just a delivery service. Instead, it is a data collection or data mining effort...."

Tech City broadband is 'not fit for purpose', say startups | Technology | theguardian.com: "London’s much heralded Old Street technology startups are struggling to grow their businesses because of poor internet connection services, the Guardian has been told. Lengthy installation delays and high fees have caused some companies to leave the area, while others complain of months of costly hold ups moving to new offices. Startups and smaller ISPs, as well as technology collective Perseverance Works, are all due to meet Labour MP Meg Hillier on Thursday to discuss the crisis in the capital’s broadband provision. Hiller represents Hackney South and Shoreditch where many tech companies are based, and described the situation “a national embarrassment” that requires urgent action...."

A Neutral Guide to Net Neutrality | SingleHop: "...In April 2014, a set of rules proposed by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, a former lobbyist for cable and wireless companies, indicated that the FCC may abandon its previous Net Neutrality position and consider letting ISPs provide tiered service. Wheeler denied that the proposed rules changed the FCC’s position,[13] but more than 100 companies supporting Net Neutrality wrote a letter to the chairman in May criticizing the proposed rules...."

FCC Chairman blasts Verizon:
The FCC Chairman blasted Verizon... over a plan to slow down speeds for some customers who are using unlimited data plans that have been grandfathered-in. "Reasonable network management concerns the technical management of your network; it is not a loophole designed to enhance your revenue streams," Wheeler wrote in a letter to Verizon Wireless CEO Daniel Mead. 'It is disturbing to me that Verizon Wireless would base its 'network management' on distinctions among its customers' data plans, rather than on network architecture or technology." Verizon Wireless, in a statement, called its announcement last week a 'very limited" effort, which is 'only targeting cell sites experiencing high demand." Read Wheeler's letter, here: http://politico.pro/1s5oZ2e

more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

Follow @expricom

Comcast vs Tennessee Utility, Future of the Internet

Comcast’s worst nightmare: How Tennessee could save America’s Internet - Salon.com: ".... To date, those court cases have been thwarted by EPB. However, it is a different story in state legislatures. Once again abandoning the business lobby’s typical call for less government intervention, telecom firms have successfully pushed 20 states to pass laws limiting the reach of community-owned utilities like EPB. That’s where Washington comes in. With Census figures showing more than 1 in 5 Tennessee residents having no Internet connection, EPB is now proposing to offer its ultra-fast services to new communities. But it needs the Federal Communications Commission to preempt the Tennessee statute prohibiting the utility from competing with private telecom companies outside its current market. For EPB, the good news is that FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has repeatedly pledged that in the name of competition and broadband access, he will support preempting state laws like Tennessee’s. However, in a capital run by money, EPB may still be politically overpowered. After all, as a community-owned utility in a midsized city, EPB does not have the lobbyists and campaign cash to match those of behemoths like Comcast and AT&T. What the utility does have is a solid track record and a pro-consumer, pro-competition argument. The question is: Will that be enough to prevent Wheeler from backing down or being blocked by Congress? The future of the Internet may be at stake in the answer." (read more at link above)

FCC - Net Neutrality Public Comments support Title II Regulation (via Politico) - "... One key factor: the controversial proposed rules [for internet fast lanes] have touched a very intimate and personal nerve for Web users across the country, raising the political temperature at the FCC on this issue. It's also exposed deep industry divisions over the future of the Internet. 'Telecom and cable companies are mostly in agreement that the last thing they want is a heavy-handed FCC imposing rules that will restrict how they manage Internet traffic. Companies from Netflix to Etsy agree that nothing could be more detrimental to their business than rules that force them to pay more for distribution, urging the agency to use all the available tools to prohibit fast lanes.'...." 

Snowden seeks to develop anti-surveillance technologies | Reuters: "...Snowden, who addressed conference attendees on Saturday via video link from Moscow, said he intends to devote much of his time to promoting such technologies, including ones that allow people to communicate anonymously and encrypt their messages...."

Alibaba's I.P.O. Could Be a Bonanza for the Scions of Chinese Leaders - NYTimes.com: "What Alibaba did not detail was the deep political connections of the investment firms, Boyu Capital, Citic Capital Holdings and CDB Capital, the China Development Bank’s private investment arm. Their senior executive ranks included sons or grandsons of the most powerful members of the ruling Communist Party, according to an analysis by The New York Times."

Mobile messaging platform Tango hires game publishing leader and creates $25M game investment fund | GamesBeat | Games | by Dean Takahashi: "... Ying said that Tango is putting together an “attractive package” for revenue sharing. The exact percentage Tango takes depends on whether a game has been proven elsewhere before. Rather than limit distribution efforts to premier real estate within Tango, top-performing games will receive promotion through additional, off-platform marketing channels, the company said. Investments and acquisitions of game teams will also be considered, Ying said...."

More Chinese people going online via phones than PCs - The Times of India: "... China's total number of internet users crept up 2.3% to 632 million by the end of June, from 618 million at the end of 2013, said CNNIC's internet development statistics report. Of those, 527 million — or 83% — went online via mobile.... But not all internet activity saw growth. Users of microblogs such as Tencent Weibo and that offered by Weibo fell for the second six-month period in a row, by 1.9% to 275 million. They numbered 331 million at the end of June last year before the government in September started clamping down on "online rumours" which it said threatened social stability. Blockbuster mobile messaging apps such as Tencent's WeChat have since become venues of choice for users who want to express views without fear of retribution...."

Microsoft's Productivity Story: Showtime For Nadella
InformationWeek
Microsoft is Nadella's show now, and the CEO deserves high marks for ... Apple andGoogle have thumped Microsoft in the mobility arena. It may be a ...


Artesia Daily Press
Microsoft makes design central to its future
Salt Lake Tribune
Before Ralf Groene helped devise the look and feel of Microsoft's Surface tablet, ... more competitive with offerings from rivals Apple, Google, and Amazon and to ... And yes, Microsoft is even trying to make devices attractive, cool and ...


PC Advisor
Microsoft reveals bankruptcy of devices strategy by dumping Nokia feature phones
Computerworld
Computerworld - Microsoft was right to ax the feature phone business it inherited when it bought Nokia's handset business for $7.2 billion, analysts ...

Facebook Earnings Preview: Good Performance Expected to Continue
Forbes
Facebook will release its Q2 2014 results on July 23. The expectations are high considering the company's performance in recent quarters. We expect ...


New York Times
Microsoft's Top Lawyer Is the Tech World's Envoy
New York Times
Bradford Smith, Microsoft's general counsel, worked as a lawyer in ....


Re/code
Yahoo to Acquire Flurry to Strengthen Mobile Products
MarketWatch
Our agreement to acquire Flurry is a meaningful step for the company and reinforcesYahoo's commitment to building and supporting useful, inspiring ...


MarketWatch
Apple options traders aren't willing to roll the dice
MarketWatch
If investors are expecting Apple to give them something special this quarter, ... Apple will reveal results after the Tuesday's closing bell, with analysts ...


Capital FM Kenya
Google To Turn NYC Payphones Into WiFi Hotspots
InformationWeek
More than 50 companies are interested in assisting New York's bid to become more connected, including Google, Cisco, Samsung, and IBM.


Wired
Facebook Explains Why It Wants to Be a Retail Store
Wired
Why Cutting 18,000 Jobs Was Likely Microsoft's Plan All Along .... Apple, with iTunes and the App Store, is now an online retailer. ... available to a would-be consumer: clicking over to Amazon or Google or any other retail site. ... A Facebook version of PayPal or GoogleWallet may also be in the works.

Apple Releases iOS 8 Beta 4 to Developers
Juli Clover
Apple today released the fourth beta of iOS 8 to developers, two weeks after ... Apple has also released Xcode 6 beta 4 and a new Apple TV beta. ... concerned with privacy and security, there's always Google and Microsoft, ...Facebook Launches Exclusive 'Mentions' App for Verified Public Figures (31).

Apple readying OS X Yosemite Public Beta for this month, new developer preview today
Mark Gurman
Apple is planning to release a publicly available beta of the upcoming OS X Yosemite later this month, according to sources briefed on the plans.

Yahoo Is Going To Buy Mobile Ad Company Flurry For Hundreds Of Millions
Steven Tweedie
Yahoo is reportedly acquiring mobile app firm Flurry for "hundreds of millions." ... 

Marin Adds Google Shopping Campaign Management
Jessica Lee
That's likely part of the fuel behind Marin's latest launch: support for Google Shopping ... Some of the features of the Google Shopping release include: ... and retarget consumers across the web, including Facebook," said Matt Ackley, ...

more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

Follow @expricom

Biggest Threats to the Internet

So long to net neutrality and internet freedom?

Paul Saffo, managing director at Discern Analytics, said: "The pressures to balkanize the global Internet will continue and create new uncertainties. Government will become more skilled at blocking access to unwelcome sites." (source infra)
Researchers asked 1,400 experts to describe the biggest threats to the Web. Here’s what they said. - The Washington Post: "..."It is very possible we will see the principle of net neutrality undermined," said P.J. Rey, a PhD candidate in sociology at the University of Maryland. "In a political paradigm where money equals political speech so much hinges on how much ISPs and content providers are willing and able to spend on defending their competing interests. Unfortunately, the interests of everyday users count for very little.""

Microsoft slates critical IE, Windows patches for Tuesday
Computerworld
Computerworld - Microsoft today said it will ship six security updates to customers next week, patching all versions of Internet Explorer (IE) and nearly ...

Facebook experiment becomes a debate over power and consent
Los Angeles Times
When Facebook performed an experiment to see if it could secretly affect users' emotions, were you really surprised? Academics were galled ...

Google reverses decision to delete British newspaper links
Chicago Tribune
(Reuters) - Google Inc on Thursday reversed its decision to remove several links to stories in ... It was unclear who asked Google to remove the stories.

Facebook may not have obtained 'informed consent,' scientific journal says
San Jose Mercury News
Facebook confronted more criticism Thursday as the editor of a scientific journal issued a statement suggesting the company failed to obtain "informed ...

Apple poaches another luxury executive as iWatch nears
Chicago Tribune
It is in a race against Samsung Electronics and Google to turn computers into wearable fashion and must-have items as smartphones, increasingly ...

Microsoft Taxes Said to Face Scrutiny as EU Quizzes Luxembourg
Businessweek
Amazon.com Inc.'s tax affairs there are also being looked at, the Financial ... The EU's investigations of Apple, Starbucks and Fiat Finance focus on ...

Microsoft fitness band rumour: Another way to sell services to Android users?
ZDNet
According to a report by Microsoft watcher Paul Thurrott, this autumn the company will ... It's not surprising that Microsoft is looking at the wearables market — Google has certainly been ... And, of course, Apple is still yet to release anything you can wear on your wrist (well, not since .... Facebook Activity ...

Facebook To Improve Video Ads Through LiveRail Acquisition
Forbes
Facebook has announced that it has acquired San Francisco, California-based online video advertising company LiveRail. LiveRail offers premium ...

Google's embattled Webspam Chief Matt Cutts is taking a 'few months' off
ZDNet
After 15 years as head of the webspam team at Google, Matt Cutts says he is taking a long break, to spend more time with his wife and family.

Apple is looking for an 'iCup Technician' to keep its workforce caffeinated
San Jose Mercury News
One of the benefits of working at Apple, it appears, is easy access to a strong cup of joe from its in-house brew team. But what sort of perks do those ...

more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

Follow @expricom

Managing Your Digital Past (video); Bitcoin 51% attack

Managing Your Digital Past: Video - Bloomberg:
(Allow video to load after clicking play)
Open Rights Group Executive Director Jim Killock discusses the debate between people’s “right to be forgotten” online and the right to view an uncensored web after the EU’s top court ruled that people can ask search-engine owners to remove personal information. He speaks to Anna Edwards and Mark Barton on Bloomberg Television’s “Countdown.” (Source: Bloomberg June 12)

What is a 51 percent attack and why is it a threat to Bitcoin's future? - Everything you need to know about bitcoin - Vox: "... So long as computing power is decentralized, no one can tamper with the blockchain. If someone tries to alter a block that has already been accepted by the network, that person's change will be "shouted down" by the majority of miners who have already accepted the block as an official part of the blockchain. But that could change if someone gained control of a majority of the network's computing power. This is known in the Bitcoin community as a 51 percent attack. And that has become an increasingly serious concern in recent months. Miners have organized themselves into pools that work together and share the proceeds of their efforts. And in June 2014, a mining pool called GHash gained slightly more than 50 percent of the network's computing power...."

YouTube to block indie labels who don't sign up to new music service | Technology | theguardian.com: "...The company's head of content and business operations, Robert Kyncl, told the Financial Times that the service – previously rumoured to be called YouTube Music Pass – will launch more widely later in the year. His confirmation that YouTube will block videos from labels that do not sign licensing deals for the new premium tier will be hugely controversial among indie labels, with trade body WIN already filing a complaint to the European Commission about its negotiating strategy...."

Wireline isn't the only net neutrality fight you should care about
BGR
U.S. regulators are apparently considering whether to take a fresh look at wireless and wireline networks and whether to apply the same net neutrality rules to both fixed and wireless Internet traffic, Reuters writes. These two types of Internet providers offer ...

Three things you need to know about the phone Amazon is...
The Verge
The Amazon phone is coming. Finally. At least that's what the company is very likely to announce at a big press event this Wednesday. Amazon has long been rumored to be working on a smartphone follow up to its line of Kindle Fire tablets, and all signs are ...

Google Adds Step-By-Step Instructions to Search Results: "Google got a little smarter once again this week. Now, if you search for something that Google knows has a step-by-step answer, it will give those steps to you above the search results.P For example, if you search gmail export contacts, Google will give you step-by-step instructions for exporting your address book. It works for non-Google stuff, too...."

Facebook takes another shot at Snapchat with Slingshot
USA TODAY
SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook hopes its new Slingshot app will get people talking. The widely anticipated mobile app is being released today in the ...

Amazon Phone Looks To Be AT&T Exclusive
InformationWeek
Back in 2007, AT&T was the sole carrier to offer Apple's iPhone. ... carrier to sell theFacebook phone (HTC First), among other firsts and exclusives.

Microsoft Embraces Open With IE Developer Channel
InformationWeek
Microsoft on Monday launched Internet Explorer Developer Channel, ... IE Developer Channel could help by shifting Microsoft's Web efforts toward the ... rapid-release models favored by competitors such as Mozilla and Google. .... Apple just held WWDC, where the theme of the day was more open ...

Google Faces Fresh Antitrust Complaint in Europe
Wall Street Journal
Android commands 81% of the mobile market.... 

Sales of Nest smoke detector resume at lower price
Businessweek
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google's Nest Labs is resuming sales and lowering the price of a high-tech smoke detector that was pulled from the market after malfunctioning. The new price for the detector, called "Nest Protect," will be $99 when sales resume ...

British spies track Facebook, Google use
San Jose Mercury News
LONDON -- The U.K.'s electronic spy agency is legally allowed to track the online activities of millions of Britons who use U.S.-based platforms such as ...

Microsoft Office For iPad Vs. iWork Vs. Google
InformationWeek
We compare the free alternatives from Apple and Google. ... More than a year beforeMicrosoft released Office for iPad, many critics had already ...

Microsoft Brings Predictive Analysis To Azure
InformationWeek
Microsoft isn't synonymous with advanced analytics, like SAS and IBM SPSS, but it announced Monday that it hopes to take predictive analysis ...

Jill Lepore: What the Theory of “Disruptive Innovation” Gets Wrong : The New Yorker: "Disruptive innovation is a theory about why businesses fail. It’s not more than that. It doesn’t explain change. It’s not a law of nature. It’s an artifact of history, an idea, forged in time; it’s the manufacture of a moment of upsetting and edgy uncertainty. Transfixed by change, it’s blind to continuity. It makes a very poor prophet."
more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

Follow @expricom

Former FCC Chairman on Net Neutrality (Video); Chrome Browser now #1!

Former FCC Chairman Weighs in on Net Neutrality: Video - Bloomberg:
(Allow video to load after clicking play)
Former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt discusses the debate over the FCC's net neutrality proposal with Cory Johnson on Bloomberg Television's "Bloomberg West." (Source: Bloomberg 4 June 2014) (More Net Neutrality news below)

Google unseats Microsoft as the US browser powerhouse
Computerworld
According to the Adobe Digital Index (ADI), a measurement of browser usage based on tracking visits to the average U.S. website, Google's desktop and mobile browsers -- Chrome on both platforms, the aging Android browser on the latter only -- slipped past Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE), which retained its premier position on the desktop but had little to show for its effort on smartphones. ...

Your Google searches may help decide your Facebook ads
Sydney Morning Herald
That's thanks to ad technology created by Facebook ad partner Kenshoo Social. ... newssource covering digital culture, social media and technology.

More Net Neutrality news:

Biz Break: Netflix, Verizon net neutrality battle gets real [San Jose Mercury News :: ]
Businessweek
June 05--Today: Netflix and Verizon publicly beef about broadband speeds and net neutrality. Also: Google gains as browser, mobile search market ...

Viral Video: John Oliver on net neutrality
The Star-Ledger
His meditation on net neutrality Sunday was no exception. A clip from the show, his plea for internet troll-dom to move in the direction of something ...

John Oliver's Hilarious Net Neutrality Piece Speaks the Truth And nothing but.
Slate Magazine
Last Sunday, on John Oliver's new HBO show Last Week Tonight, the former Daily Show fixture introduced net neutrality to millions of Americans in a ...

Netflix, Verizon, and Net Neutrality: the Ongoing Saga
The Mac Observer
Verizon and Netflix Netflix and Verizon are fighting over Verizon's right to throttle traffic, Netflix's right to have its data delivered to customers, and ...

Are Cable Companies Faking the Support for Ending Net Neutrality?
In The Capital
The debate over net neutrality is only getting hotter this summer, with fiery support on both sides, or so it seems. According to a report in Vice however, ...

Q&A: Will the FCC Read My Net Neutrality Comment?
Wall Street Journal (blog)
The FCC is currently taking comments on what's become known as net neutrality, amassing more than 60,000 at last count. The proposal would ban ...

Public Piles on Net Neutrality Debate
Black Press USA
Non-profit organizers and community members in New Mexico demonstrate for net neutrality. Photo by Matt Stoller, under Creative Commons license.

Here are all the shady 'consumer groups' trying to convince you net neutrality is bad
BGR
Take Broadband for America, for instance, the anti-net neutrality organization whose public faces are former Republican Senator John Sununu and ...

After John Oliver's net neutrality rant: 22000 comments and site overload
Christian Science Monitor
After John Oliver's net neutrality rant: 22,000 comments and site overload. About video ads. Most viewed. Stephen Colbert has some choice words for ...

Consumers oppose effort to wreck net neutrality
Times of India
NEW DELHI: A recent proposal by telecom operators, seeking to monetize internet services on mobiles, has set off alarm bells among open internet ...

Cable companies are reportedly funding fake consumer groups to attack net neutrality - Engadget
By Daniel Cooper
The public wants net neutrality so badly that it broke the FCC's website. But can the weighty voice of the people combat well-funded astroturfing?
Engadget RSS Feed

more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

Follow @expricom