John Lister

A federal court has ruled that major cellphone carriers must let their smaller rivals use their data networks. This could mean more competitive deals and better coverage for smartphone and tablet owners, as well as those accessing mobile broadband ... on a laptop. The United States Court of Appeals has rejected a challenge by Verizon, thereby upholding an earlier ruling by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The original ruling primarily covered data roaming, the technique by which customers of one cellphone carrier access the data services of another carrier. The FCC had said that ... (view more)

Austrian students are reportedly planning legal action over the way Facebook handles customer privacy. However, the lawsuit would be launched against European data regulators based in the Republic of Ireland, not Facebook itself. The students have ... formed a group dubbed Europe-v-Facebook. Its leader is law student Max Schrems, who made headlines in 2011 after exercising his right to demand a copy of all the data Facebook stored about him. Schrems learned the company had collected so much data about him it had to be delivered on a CD rather than in print. Shortly thereafter, Schrems discovered ... (view more)

According to a new report, an updated version of Microsoft's Windows operating system (OS) will now ship each and every year. Some observers suggest that Microsoft's idea may be to release gradual upgrades every year rather than wait for a complete ... overhaul to the operating system every few years. Various reports claim Microsoft is using the codename "Windows Blue" for its development work on a new OS, one that may possibly be made available to users as early as 2013. A New Plan for Microsoft? Some insiders believe Windows Blue is both a codename and the actual release name for the next ... (view more)

Microsoft has chosen an unusual way of dealing with critics of its newest version of Internet Explorer (IE). In a new TV commercial, the company openly mocks a stereotypical critique of the new Internet browsing software. The ad involves a fictional ... character named "Eugene Finlon." The TV spot shows Finlon -- who is young, wears a cut-off shirt, and lives in a dark, dank apartment -- visiting sites that praise Internet Explorer. Finlon responds to the praise by leaving comments boldly attacking the browser's quality. (Source: youtube.com ) IE: Only Good for Downloading Other Browsers? For ... (view more)

The first program designed to crack down on copyright infringement among American web users has had its launch date delayed. Those behind the program say the effects of Hurricane Sandy have made the delay necessary. The program's development is ... being overseen by the Center for Copyright Information (CCI), a partnership of major music and movie producers and five of the United States' largest Internet providers. Together, they believe they can reduce online piracy without relying on government legislation. Some content producers, particularly those in the adult entertainment industry, still ... (view more)

A string of hotel room thefts in Texas has brought into question the security of an estimated 10 million electronic door locks commonly used worldwide in hotels and other facilities. Back in July, a security researcher demonstrated a problem with a ... system known as Onity HT locks. He said the technology is used in one-third of hotels worldwide and covers more than half of all locks now in use. The researcher, Cody Brocious, says the main flaw in the system is the equipment used for two specific purposes: opening a door when the battery in the lock has failed and creating a master key card for ... (view more)

Google is urging Internet users to join a campaign designed to discourage governments from wielding additional control over how the world wide web functions. According to a recent report, the search giant fears an upcoming international ... communications conference could change worldwide rules that affect how websites are regulated. The conference is being held by the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency that develops worldwide communications standards. Conference Could Change Internet As We Know It: Google Observers expect officials attending the conference will ... (view more)

A Microsoft special offer has unintentionally made it much easier for software pirates to run bogus copies of Windows 8. But the loophole works only for particularly determined pirates. The loophole centers around the way Windows users activate ... their software. Each copy of Windows has a unique "key," which Microsoft checks to ensure the software copy is valid and not already in use by another registered owner. If the software's key passes these checks, the software copy is activated. Without activation within a certain period, Windows will begin to severely limit its functionality, mostly to ... (view more)

Insider reports suggest the US government may decide against taking Google to court over allegations it fixed its search results for its own benefit. Officials are reportedly concerned they don't have evidence to suggest such practices actually ... harmed any web users. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been carrying out a preliminary investigation to determine whether or not Google has broken any rules. If the FTC does find Google violated federal law, it must then determine what the government can do. Investigation Focuses on Smartphone, Search Markets The investigation covers several ... (view more)

Facebook is planning to drop a system that allows users to vote on whether or not the social networking site can alter its policies. The company says the site is now too large for such a system to work effectively. Until now, Facebook has been ... tracking comments on posts related to its proposed policy changes. Once there are more than 7,000 "substantive" posts, the proposal automatically goes to a vote of all Facebook users. The voting system began in 2009, when Facebook received complaints about proposed changes to the legal rights it claimed over photos, videos, and other materials its users ... (view more)