Every year, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas promises to unveil all sorts of gadgets that’ll not only make our lives better—but that we simply won’t be able to live without. Instead, what we get is stuff like the $99 “smart” fork.
Future of TV
Is Broadband Internet Access a Public Utility?
Should broadband Internet service be treated as a basic utility in the United States, like electricity, water, and traditional telephone service? That’s the question at the heart of an important and provocative new book by Susan …
Google Brings Free Public WiFi to Its New York City Neighborhood
Tech giant Google announced Tuesday that it has begun offering free public WiFi internet access in the southwest Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, close to its mammoth headquarters. According to Google, the new service — …
2013: Six Tech/Media Stories to Watch
In 2013, most tech consumers will be asking if it’s smart to buy a new computer, smartphone, or tablet device. As the structural shift from desktop to mobile computing races forward, hardware and software manufacturers are …
The Top 5 Tech Biz Stories of 2012
Farewell, Loud and Annoying TV Ads: The CALM Act Becomes the Law of the Land
Just when you thought Congress was utterly futile comes the implementation of the great bipartisan victory of our times.
YouTube to Boob Tube: Dane Boedigheimer’s Annoying Orange TV Show Has Kids Hooked
How a guy from Minnesota turned animated scenes of “kitchen carnage” into a hit TV show for boys in three years
Will the Kevin Clash Scandal Hurt the Sesame Street Franchise?
The resignation of Kevin Clash – the voice of “Sesame Street’s” Elmo – following allegations of sexual relations with at least two underage boys may have short-term repercussions for the PBS kids’ show. But in the long …
Raiders of the Lost Stream: Netflix Fight with Carl Icahn Escalates over ‘Poison Pill’
Internet video giant Netflix announced a defensive maneuver on Monday designed to fend off famed corporate raider Carl Icahn, who has amassed a sizable stake in the company and suggested it should be sold. Netflix’s “poison pill” …
The Winners and Losers of the New Television Landscape
Even in the so-called digital age, TV remains must-see. The average viewer in the United States watches about 4.5 hours of live TV per day, according to Nielsen. But it seems rarer and rarer that many of us are watching the same …
Google Fiber Issues Public Challenge: Get Up To Speed!
Google’s Kansas City broadband project is designed to shame the top US cable and telecom giants. Why is the U.S. ranked 28th in broadband speed?
Viacom and DirecTV Negotiating Failure Leaves 26 Channels Dark
The latest dispute between a programmer and pay TV operator went right up to the midnight wire — and then straight over the cliff as 26 Viacom channels went dark on DirecTV.