Month: January 2014

Can things play by human rules on the Internet?

8 January 2014 by Steve Blum
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The etiquette of things.

“Good practice, when it comes to handling data, is not something new, it’s something we’ve already done well”, said Marc Rogers, an Internet security researcher. “We have to be careful we don’t get paralysed by worrying about exotic threats”. He was speaking on a panel this morning at CES that looked at the need, or not, for regulating the so-called Internet of things (IoT). When a device in a home, a thermostat for example, automatically sends information to a private company – an electric utility, say – it might not be done with the same degree of privacy and consent that’s involved when a person manually enters data on a website.… More

First look at FCC's plans for Internet phone regulation expected tomorrow

8 January 2014 by Steve Blum
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“Software developers code sandboxes into their programs and create a space for safe experimentation”, said FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel during a panel discussion at CES this afternoon. “We need to do that in Washington”.

We’ll find out tomorrow what kind of sandbox the FCC is thinking about using to test how it’s going to regulate the telephone business as it transitions from traditional switched networks to systems completely based on Internet protocol technology. The draft order – scheduled for a vote by the commission later this month – will outline a series of trials that’ll eventually lead to a new regulatory framework for the phone industry.… More

FCC chair Wheeler pushes network neutrality regulation

8 January 2014 by Steve Blum
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If he sees a foul, Wheeler is ready to throw a flag.

Tom Wheeler, the new chairman of the FCC, left no doubt today that he intends to enforce network neutrality rules. Speaking at CES, he made it clear that the FCC will play a central role in regulating the relationship between Internet service providers and their customers.

The first question is exactly how much power the FCC has to regulate the way Internet service is delivered.… More

Yahoo CEO puts mobile first

7 January 2014 by Steve Blum
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Mayer steps out at CES.

“Mobile takes the things that Yahoo has excelled at, like news and mail, and puts them in your pocket”, said Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo, as she walked onto the keynote stage at CES this afternoon and launched a mobile makeover of the company. “Mobile is all about growth”.

Yahoo now has 400 million mobile users every month, she said. And that’s not even counting Tumblr. On average, smart phone owners are spending five times as much time using their devices now, than they did three years ago.… More

Samsung ditches phones, pitches 4K televisions at CES

7 January 2014 by Steve Blum
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Samsung positions itself with curves.

Samsung is the dominant smart phone maker, accounting for around a third of annual unit sales world wide. But mobile isn’t at the top of its agenda at CES this year. It’s not introducing any new smart phones, preferring to save the buzz for the mobile industry’s powerhouse show next month in
Barcelona. “CES is traditionally a slower show for phones and such”, a company spokesman said.

Instead, Samsung is highlighting the increasingly also-ran television category, showing huge new ultra high definition screens – 4K capable it says – including prototypes that can curve and bend at a consumer’s whim.… More

After hitting bottom, the only way Blackberry can go is up

7 January 2014 by Steve Blum
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I was dead, but I got better.

Blackberry is salvaging something out the wreckage of its mobile phone business, by porting its BBM chat service – formerly Blackberry Messenger – to the iOS and Android platforms. And it’s claiming a fair amount of success. According to a spokesman at this evening’s Showstoppers CES press, Blackberry has doubled its BBM user count – going from 40 to 80 million users worldwide – in the two months or so since it launched its iPhone and Android apps.… More

Mobile innovation will continue to be the growth engine of consumer electronics

7 January 2014 by Steve Blum
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Left to right: Vestberg, moderately bright moderator Andrew Keen, Jacobs, Donovan.

Qualcomm’s outgoing CEO, Paul Jacobs, Ericsson’s CEO Hans Vestberg and AT&T mobile executive John Donovan sat down on stage at CES this morning, for a conversation about the “global innovation of mobile”.

The longest view ahead came from Jacobs. “One thing that’s cool and scary and at the same time is neuromorphic computing”, he said. Qualcomm is trying to reverse engineer natural brains – starting with insects and working up to humans – to build computers with high cognitive functions that operate on relatively little energy.… More

Intel CEO's vision for a post-Windows world


Time for Linux and kin.

“This is a consumer show, like it or not”, said Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, as he gave his maiden CES keynote talk last night. Judging by what he said (and didn’t say), the consumer electronics world is built on Linux and Android. His focus was on wearables.

“They don’t integrate all the features you want, you still had to have something else with you”, Krzanich said about smart watches and other wearables.… More

ZTE turbocharging Firefox mobile OS with two new phones

6 January 2014 by Steve Blum
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LG is in the Firefox game too.

The Firefox OS smart phone universe is expanding. ZTE, which launched the Open last year, essentially as a software developers’ kit, will be unveiling two new phones based on Mozilla’s open source, HTML5-centric operating system. The expected Wednesday announcement will launch the Open C and Open 2 smart phones, which are pegged to move up the value chain with more features than the $80 Open.

Two other Firefox phones were on display at the Pepcom event at CES this evening: the LG Fireweb, which is currently available in Brazil, and the Alcatel One Touch Fire.… More

CPUC proposes new rules expanding broadband infrastructure subsidy eligibility

6 January 2014 by Steve Blum
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Welcome to the party.

Companies that provide broadband service, but aren’t traditional telephone companies regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission, would have to meet certain financial standards to qualify for broadband infrastructure grants and loans from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF), according to proposed new rules released today.

The draft decision, authored by commission president Michael Peevey, are the first step in implementing a law passed last year by the California legislature that made it possible for independent Internet service providers to apply for CASF subsidies, albeit with restrictions that give priority and preference to traditional phone companies.… More