Plan to keep Internet free of interference from ISPs draws opposition from GOP, service providers
Six Republican Senators have introduced an amendment that would block the Federal Communications Commission from implementing its recently announced Net neutrality policy.
Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison introduced the amendment to an appropriations bill. It would prevent the FCC from getting funding for any initiative to uphold Net neutrality. According to The Hill, the co-sponsors are Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA).
The move appears to be an attempt to pre-empt the FCC’s expected new policy to ensure that Internet service providers don’t discriminate between different types of information on their networks.
On Monday, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski gave a speech in which he outlined the FCC’s plan to enforce Net neutrality, a position President Barack Obama held during his campaign for president.
In recent years, concern has grown that some Internet service providers are slowing down “access to high speed Internet for things like Internet-based voice calls, video streaming, and legal file sharing (that carriers might wish to block or at least charge extra for),” writes Ian Paul at PCWorld magazine.
While Net neutrality is supported by Internet-reliant companies such as Google and Microsoft, it is opposed by major Internet service providers like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon. Those three have come out against Genachowski’s plan, ChannelWeb reports.
The part of Genachowski’s plan that ISPs are most opposed to, according to PCWorld’s Paul, is that it would apply to mobile carriers as well—cellphones, Blackberries and the like. Bandwidth for wireless is not infinite, and some carriers have argued that they need to shape some traffic on their networks in order to make sure there is space available for everyone.
But, as the experience of other countries has shown, that is not necessarily the way “traffic shaping” is used. In Canada, throttling some types of traffic on the Internet—not on wireless—has become commonplace. It is used to slow down peer-to-peer file sharing networks.
“Broadband providers cannot discriminate against particular Internet content or applications,” Genachowski said in his speech. “Nor can they disfavor an Internet service just because it competes with a similar service offered by that broadband provider. The Internet must continue to allow users to decide what content and applications succeed.”
“I am deeply concerned by the direction the FCC appears to be heading,” Sen. Hutchison said in a statement. “Even during a severe downturn, America has experienced robust investment and innovation in network performance and online content and applications. For that innovation to continue, we must tread lightly when it comes to new regulations.”
A Net neutrality bill is expected to be introduced in the House of Representatives this fall.
The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the industry group that oversees the Universal Serial Bus standard, has finally responded to Palm’s (PALM) claim that Apple (AAPL) is “hampering competition” by locking the Palm Pre out of iTunes and it’s not looking good for Palm. In a letter submitted to Apple and Palm today, the group dismissed Palm’s claim that Apple has violated its USB-IF Membership Agreement. It also took issue with Palm’s alleged use of Apple’s Vendor Identification Number (VID), which it says violates USB-IF policy.
As you may recall, Palm, responding to Apple’s efforts to prevent its new Palm Pre handset from syncing with iTunes, complained to the USB-IF that Cupertino was abusing the USB standard. “Over the years, those that have implemented the USB standard have clearly benefited from the interoperability and competition among devices fostered by the standard … however, benefits such as these will be short-lived if member companies turn to using USB protocols for other than their intended purpose,” Kevin Morishige, senior director for Palm’s product technologies, explained in the complaint. “Unfortunately, Apple has done just that. This exclusionary use is not contemplated by the USB standard, which is clearly intended to facilitate interoperability between USB devices, not to regulate the content that flows between them. Moreover, it is inconsistent with the letter and spirit of the USB-IF Membership Agreement, including the Antitrust Guidelines.”
But the USB-IF didn’t quite see things that way. “In the view of the USB-IF, Palm’s allegation (if true) does not establish that Apple is using its Vendor ID (VID) contrary to USB-IF’s policies,” the group said. “Therefore, under present USB-IF policies, the USB-IF does not consider the alleged use, without more, to be ‘improper’.” [Further details to follow]
The ability to use a stylus isn’t a bad thing. For many applications, (drawing specifically) it would be a major benefit. Apple should have an edge with this kind of device which would let us choose between multiple input devices. Each has it’s charms and limitations.
One of the attributes of the UI that had me totally befuddled was the pinch to change screens. What’s the idea behind that I wonder?
The ability to use a stylus isn’t a bad thing. For many applications, (drawing specifically) it would be a major benefit. Apple should have an edge with this kind of device which would let us choose between multiple input devices. Each has it’s charms and limitations.
One of the attributes of the UI that had me totally befuddled was the pinch to change screens. What’s the idea behind that I wonder?
Agreed, but apparently this thing uses a stylus AND multi-touch. Which leads one to assume that this is actually a box made up of a list of features and not an actual product. By ticking boxes on a sheet Microsoft hope to come up with a gadget. Fine for gadget fanbois but for real people, not so much.
Apple tends to develop products using technologies that exist but putting a unique slant on them which actually makes them useful.
Microsoft tend to develop products by seeing what others are doing and then announcing something which is “better” - it doesn’t actually have to exist of course, that can come later - and has far more boxes ticked to please the geeks. This is so typical of the “Don’t look over there at their shiny toy, look over here this is much more important” method of delivering products that Microsoft excels in.
Funny thing is that Apple produces a product that people can actually use and want, whereas Microsoft produces something that wows the press but is, ultimately, unusable.
South Korea Approves Sale of Apple iPhone There, Company Has No Immediate Plans: AP
BY Midnight Trader
— 06:42 AM ET 09/23/2009
06:42 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 09/23/2009 (MidnightTrader)—South Korea’s telecommunications regulator said Wednesday it has given approval for Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone to be sold in the country—potentially shaking up a handset market controlled by domestic manufacturers, the AP reports.
Apple spokesman Steve Park said the company had no comment on the commission’s decision and added that nothing was decided or planned on the iPhone’s release in South Korea.
Local service providers, however, said that they are in talks with Cupertino, California-based Apple regarding the iPhone’s introduction to South Korea, the AP said.
Funny thing is that Apple produces a product that people can actually use and want, whereas Microsoft produces something that wows the press but is, ultimately, unusable.
So far all that Microsoft has produced is an animation. It’s a long way from creating an animation to getting hardware and the software to support that hardware (and all the features shown in the animation). And the margins for such a device? Remember the Surface? $10,000.
Timeline: Apple releases their tablet Jan/Feb of next year. Microsfoft releases their’s…never.
The ability to use a stylus isn’t a bad thing. For many applications, (drawing specifically) it would be a major benefit. Apple should have an edge with this kind of device which would let us choose between multiple input devices. Each has it’s charms and limitations.
One of the attributes of the UI that had me totally befuddled was the pinch to change screens. What’s the idea behind that I wonder?
I agree that stylus input would be useful on a larger device, but only in very specific tasks. I also see trouble with a multitouch screen that you rest your hand on in order to write with a stylus. Wouldn’t the screen detect your hand as input as well? Seems you would have to switch into “stylus mode” before using it, which defeats the purpose of ease of use. It’s not Apple’s style. But if any company were to figure it out, I’d put my money on Apple, not MS.
Funny thing is that Apple produces a product that people can actually use and want, whereas Microsoft produces something that wows the press but is, ultimately, unusable.
So far all that Microsoft has produced is an animation. It’s a long way from creating an animation to getting hardware and the software to support that hardware (and all the features shown in the animation). And the margins for such a device? Remember the Surface? $10,000.
Timeline: Apple releases their tablet Jan/Feb of next year. Microsfoft releases their’s…never.
If the tablet is meant to be portable, then one should be able to use the stylus while holding the device in one hand. Thus the hinge wold have to lock in some one to make the device rigid or else it will close like a book. But a Device of this size would be awkward to balance in one hand while pressing down with a stylus. And what do you do with the stylus in your hand when you need to do some multi-touch while balancing the device in the other hand?
If the tablet is meant to be portable, then one should be able to use the stylus while holding the device in one hand. Thus the hinge wold have to lock in some one to make the device rigid or else it will close like a book. But a Device of this size would be awkward to balance in one hand while pressing down with a stylus. And what do you do with the stylus in your hand when you need to do some multi-touch while balancing the device in the other hand?
Which is exactly why Apply will not require a stylus for ANY of the UI of this device. It’s like the 2-button mouse: if you allow that as a central part of the UI, then you use it as a crutch, and it becomes confusing for the user.
My bet is everything will be gesture/multitouch based, just like the iPhone, but Apple will support the use of a stylus (sold separately for $59, of course ) for drawing/note-taking applications.
In a short article covering iPhone coming to South Corea, the Swiss “TagesAnzeiger” has some interesting numbers: Switzerland is getting weekly shippments of 5,000 iPhones; the start in China is oct. 15 with ChinaUnicom.
BUT TagesAnzeiger does NOT have too much fame for covering AAPL. iPhone is used as magnet for clicks.
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