[Software News] Sprint Redefines Mobile with 4G Launch in Baltimore
[Software News] eMusic CEO leaves for venture capital firm
David Pakman, CEO of eMusic, is leaving the online music service at the end of the year, he said in an interview with CNET News on Monday. Pakman said he is departing after five years at eMusic to become a partner at a venture capital firm. He declined to specify which firm. An important part of Pakman's legacy at eMusic is that the company continues to exist. How many CEOs of digital mus...
[Software News] Baltimore goes wireless with WiMAX
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The eastern port of Baltimore became the first major city in the United States on Monday to be blanketed with a wireless broadband network that uses next-generation mobile WiMAX technology. US telecom provider Sprint Nextel Corp. announced the start of the WiMAX service, known as XOHM, which allows computers to access the Internet wirelessly at faster speeds and w...
[Software News] House Web site overwhelmed as bailout bill fails
WASHINGTON - The House Web site was overwhelmed Monday as millions of computer users sought information about the financial bailout bill rejected by the House. "We haven't seen this much demand since the 9/11 commission report" was posted on the site in 2004, said Jeff Ventura, spokesman for the House chief administrative officer. "We're being overwhelmed with Web traffic about the bill." Ventura sa...
[Software News] NPR boosts online offerings, seeks larger audience
NEW YORK - National Public Radio, already strong online with free downloads from many of its shows, is boosting its digital ambitions with Monday's introduction of social-networking features akin to Facebook. NPR also plans to overhaul its Web site and expand the tools for sharing its programs elsewhere over the next few months. And it is working to increase the flexibility of its popular "podcasts,...
[Software News] Transpacific undersea cable completed
A crucial undersea fiber-optic cable that will provide more Internet capacity between the U.S. and China was completed Monday, according to news reports. Six of the world's largest phone companies have finished building an 18,000-kilometer "Trans-Pacific Express" cable that will link the U.S., China, South Korea, and Taiwan, according to the Dow Jones news service. The high-sp...
[Software News] Full encryption stops Amazon Web video leak: Adobe
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Amazon.com has fixed a glitch in its video streaming service by adopting Adobe Systems Inc's encryption on all television shows and movies found on its site, software maker Adobe said on Monday. Last week, Amazon.com said it fixed a temporary problem that allowed people to record and copy from the online retailer's video streaming service without paying. At the time, a...
[Software News] Congress poised to pass Internet radio legislation
WASHINGTON - Congress is close to passing legislation that would buy extra time to finalize an agreement intended to save the emerging Internet radio market from a crippling hike in copyright royalty rates. The House on Saturday unanimously passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., that would greenlight an anticipated agreement between Webcasters and SoundExchange, a nonprofit that collec...
[Software News] US lawmakers put bailout bill on Internet
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US lawmakers have posted on the Internet their hastily-crafted draft legislation to rescue the country's troubled financial sector, saying the unusual step was taken in the spirit of openness. The full text of the bill, more than 100 pages, is available at the websites of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- http://speaker.house.gov -- and the website of the House Fi...
[Software News] Presidential debate's Internet debut a forum for political trash talk
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - The first-ever online streaming of a US presidential debate provided a platform for hordes of amateur political pundits to exchange real-time critiques of Barack Obama and John McCain. An estimated 150,000 people logged into www.MyDebates.org on Friday where the verbal duel was broadcast live and pop-up boxes polled the audience for feedback regarding how candi...
[Software News] Ballmer on search: 'I don't like not being No. 1'
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said his company may be the only one with a chance to rival Google in search over the long term, but acknowledged that it will take several more years and a whole lot of money. "It's going to take us a while," he said, during a speech at the Churchill Club. "We've got a lot to do." Venture Capitalist Ann Winblad, who ...
[Software News] Congress expected to move on copyright, Internet radio issues
With Congress due to adjourn Friday, lawmakers worked late Thursday evening to resolve a couple of high profile digital-entertainment issues. A "Webcasting" bill was introduced in Congress on Thursday that would allow SoundExchange, the body that collects royalties on behalf of the music industry, to reach a settlement on royalty rates with the Digital Media Association (DiMA) after Co...
[Software News] Tech Leaders, Bloggers Call for Truly Open Debates
A collection of bloggers, political activists, and other technology luminaries sent a letter to both presidential candidates on Friday asking them to make the debates truly open to the public. Lawrence Lessig, the founder for the Center for Internet and Society joined Craig Newmark, Jimmy Wales and bloggers from both sides of the aisle in calling for the "wisdom of crowds" to be used as ...
[Software News] Japan's online social scene isn't so social
TOKYO - Like a lot of 20-year-olds, Kae Takahashi has a page on U.S.-based MySpace, and there is no mistaking it for anyone else's. It's got pictures of the funky Tokyoite modeling the clothes she designs in her spare time, along with her name, plus personal details and ramblings in slightly awkward English about her love life. Switch to her site on mixi, Japan's dominant online hangout, and her ide...
[Software News] Wired's NextFest 2008, in Pictures
Wired kicked off its fifth annual NextFest at Millenium Park in downtown Chicago, making the Windy City the first to host the festival for a second time. A tent will serve as the home of NextFest for the duration of this year's show, which will run through October 12. Check out our NextFest 2008 Photo Blog slideshow to see some familiar NextFest faces and new arrivals, and check back througho...
[Software News] Computer applications float in Internet cloud
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - When Merlin Mann is on the go and needs to access his computer information he steps into the cloud. Mann, a 41-year-old technology blogger, is one of thousands of Americans who are shunning packaged software in favor of programs served up as services available on the Internet. Technology titans including Microsoft, Google, Apple and Yahoo are part of what has b...
[Software News] ISPs Pledge To Require Permission for Targeted Ads
Web surfers can feel more secure about their clicks and Web purchases now that three of the nation's four largest Internet service providers have pledged to stop tracking users' behavior unless given permission by the user. AT&T, Verizon, and Time Warner Cable officials testified Thursday before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee that they would not deliver ads b...
[Software News] Twitter tweeting US election
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Twitter, the popular micro-blogging service, has launched a new site, Twitter Election 2008, to allow users to share news and comment on the US presidential election. The real-time short-messaging service (twitter.com) has created five filters at election.twitter.com for users to track news about the election: Barack Obama, John McCain, Joe Biden, Sarah Palin and ...
[Software News] New Dylan album to stream on NPR for 1 week
NEW YORK - Bob Dylan's new album shall be released one week early as a free online stream on National Public Radio's Web site. NPR Music will stream the entire two-CD, "Tell Tale Signs," beginning at 12:01 a.m. EDT Tuesday. It will be available for listening at least until Oct. 7, when the album is officially released by Columbia Records. "Tell Tale Signs" is the eighth volume of Dylan's ongoing rar...
[Software News] Muxtape Music Site Returns with a Focus on Bands
Muxtape, which vanished from the Web a month ago, is back and relaunching as an exclusive service for bands, said its founder. Justin Ouellette told of Muxtape's demise and rebirth in a letter posted to his Web site. Bands will be allowed to upload their music and offer an embeddable player that works anywhere on the Web. Bands, according to Ouellette, will be able to assemble a profile th...