August 3, 2012
by sjvn01
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Ballmer’s biggest blunder ever? The mis-naming of Metro

I have a low opinion of Microsoft, but even I never saw Microsoft under Ballmer making such a basic blunder as not checking out the trademark for Metro, the most distinctive name attached to Windows 8. Just how dumb is Ballmer?

Seriously. This is business 101. Oh, Microsoft is claiming now that the “Metro de-emphasis is not related to any litigation,” but they’re refusing to answer on questions about the Windows 8 Metro name conflicting with the German company name Metro AG. Metro AG isn’t talking either. Interesting huh?

Ballmer’s biggest blunder ever? The mis-naming of Metro. More >

August 2, 2012
by sjvn01
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AT&T acquires NextWare to expand 4G coverage

AT&T may not have been able to buy up T-Mobile and all its precious radio frequency spectrum, but it shouldn’t have any trouble acquiring NextWave Wireless with its Wireless Communication Services (WCS) and Advanced Wireless Service (AWS) spectrum licenses.

Under the terms of the buyout, AT&T will acquire all of NextWave’s equity for approximately $25 million plus a contingent payment of up to approximately $25 million and, through a separate agreement with NextWave’s debt-holders, NextWave outstanding debt for $600 million in cash. NextWave, which s a holding company for mobile multimedia businesses and a wireless spectrum portfolio, has been mired in the pink sheets, so it comes as no surprise that its debt-holders have agreed to the terms, and a majority of shareholders support the transaction.

What AT&T gets for it’s $650-million is access to WCS spectrum.

AT&T acquires NextWare to expand 4G coverage. More >

August 1, 2012
by sjvn01
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Verizon: No free tethering for unlimited data plan customers

For Verizon‘s remaining unlimited data customers, it’s turned out that Verizon being required to offer free tethering—letting other devices share a 3G or 4G connection via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB—was too good to be true. According to Verizon, customers with unlimited data plans must still pay the $20 a month fee to Verizon before they can share their connection.

Debra Lewis, Verizon’s director of public relations, said in an e-mail that “The tethering fee charged by Verizon Wireless reflects the fact that customers who tether multiple devices may be expected to use more data than customers who do not. Under the terms of the unlimited data plans, customers are not limited in the amount of data they can use with a single device, but if they choose to tether additional devices they are required to pay an additional fee to account for the greater usage. Our service is called Mobile Broadband Connect.”

Verizon is no longer offering unlimited data plans. Instead, the giant carrier is now offering Share Everything plans that offer unlimited voice and text, but doesn’t offer unlimited data options. These plans do include free tethering.
Verizon: No free tethering for unlimited data plan customers. More >

August 1, 2012
by sjvn01
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How HTML5 Video Works

Portland, OR: Adobe Flash seems to be ubiquitous, and it’s used by everyone from the London Olympics to your neighborhood brewpub’s website.

But in video technology circles, everyone hates Adobe Flash. Indeed, even Adobe is moving away from Flash. HTML5 video promised that it would be the one universal answer for Web video, but Web browser makers, such as Mozilla, have problems with it.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Scott Davis, founder of ThirstyHead, a training and consulting company, argued at the O’Reilly Open Source Convention (OSCON) that HTML5 Video is ready to go today.

Davis opened by saying that, unlike closed video standards, HTML5 video can play on a wide variety of devices – everything from smartphones to HDTVs. It achieves this by not supporting any single video format or container. With this multiple-choice approach, HTML5 makes a “standard” by defining a standard way to embed video in webpages using the <video> element.

But, before we can talk about that we need to know Web streaming video basics.

How HTML5 Video Works. More >

July 31, 2012
by sjvn01
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Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can’t charge for Wi-Fi tethering

n a US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling, Verizon was ordered to stop charging users an additional fee for using their 4G smartphones and tablets as Wi-Fi hotspots, aka tethering.

P. Michele Ellison, FCC, Enforcement Bureau Chief, said in a statement, “This case was the first of its kind in enforcing the pro-consumer open access obligations of the C Block [the spectrum band reserved for 4G] rules. It underscores the agency’s commitment to guarantee consumers the benefits of an open wireless broadband platform by providing greater consumer choice and fostering innovation.”

Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can’t charge for Wi-Fi tethering More >

July 31, 2012
by sjvn01
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Installing Linux on Windows 8 PCs: No easy answers

Here’s Microsoft’s plan: Every new PC sold with Windows 8 will be locked up tight with Microsoft’s UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) secure boot on. Microsoft says that this is to help secure your PCs from rootkits and malware. It also happens to stop you from easily installing Linux or any other operating system, such as Windows 7 or XP, on a Windows 8 system. Thanks Microsoft. We really needed that kind of protection!

To get you up to speed, the first thing you need to know is that UEFI is the 21st century replacement for your PC’s basic input/output system (BIOS). When you turn your computer on these are the first computing services that turn on. These enable your operating system to then boot up. PC vendors have slowly been replacing BIOS with the more flexible UEFI for years now. Modern Macs, for example, all use UEFI.

UEFI isn’t just a more advanced version of the BIOS. It’s a mini operating system in its own right. Exactly what a UEFI does depends on how your chip vendor, PC OEM, and operating system vendors implement it. If a company wants to install Windows 8, they must use Windows’ Secure Boot function, which blocks other operating systems from being booted and thus installed.

Linux developers have no problem with secure boot in and of itself. Indeed, as The Linux Foundation white paper, Making UEFI Secure Boot Work With Open Platforms (PDF), states, “Linux and other open operating systems will be able to take advantage of secure boot if it is implemented properly in the hardware.”

Installing Linux on Windows 8 PCs: No easy answers. More >

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