A Visit From the Geeks

     

                        ...with sincere apologies to Clement Clarke Moore

’Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the land
Not a computer was working as there was no broadband.
The software was loaded, wires connected with care,
In hopes that Bell, Time Warner or Verizon soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of a new iPad danced in their heads;
Unable to Tweet, Twitter or Facebook
Dad could order neither iPad nor Nook

When out on the driveway two trucks pulled in,
We sprang to our windows to investigate the din.

The LEDs reflecting on the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of high-tech to everything below.
When, what should appear to my wondering eye,
But one rep from Bell and the other, a cable guy,
 

More punctual that most, with tool belts they came,
Both knocked on the door and asked for our name:
“No Smith, Jones or  Johnson do we have on our lists
Are you sure that dispatch might not have missed?”

A quick call to the office confirmed our plight

and they both said they could set things right.

They spoke no more, but went straight to their work,
One checked the phone line the other gave a smirk,
“That’s old tech” he explained,

“Cable is better for the internet to be sustained.”

Back and forth they argued well into the night

While my wife and I feared going on line was getting out of sight.

And then, in a twinkling, we heard up above
The clanking of a ladder and someone shout “Shove!”

As we drew in our heads, and were turning around,
Down the chimney the DirectTV man came with a bound.

He was dressed all in blue, from head to toe,
And his face indicated that he was someone in the know

A bundle of tools he had flung on his back,
A drill and saw and of course a spare battery pack.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work
And installed a new dish, receiver and one added perk

A new satellite modem was part of the deal

Internet for only $150 a month, what a steal.

This will bring your modem back he inferred;

It not too late to order on line he assured.

So we logged on to Amazon and the iPad we did find
Compete with free shipping from UPS, oh how kind.

With our broadband back we were both in awe

And bought most everything on line that we saw.

There were tablets, iPods and a new smart TV,

A laptop, cell phone and of course a Blue Ray DVD.

As the three went to their trucks and were driving away

“Don’t forget the extra batteries” we heard them all say.

More Gift Ideas....

Last week I gave you some ideas for gifts and stocking stuffers for the techie on your list.  Here are some more ideas that will delight someone with a digital sweet tooth and not break your holiday budget.

Watching TV programs on demand via the internet has become very popular.  You don’t need to invest in a new smart TV to take advantage of offerings from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon TV or any of the other programming services streamed online.  For $35 to $40 you can give a Google Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV Stick.  Both of these units, about the size of a USB memory stick, plug into an open HDMI port on your digital TV and allow access to most all internet delivered TV services.  Of course you must have Wi-Fi, a good internet connection and a subscription to one or more of the TV services.  Both devices are easy to use and set up.  The Chromecast requires a smartphone or computer to operate.  The Amazon Fire Stick comes with a separate remote control.

For a few more bucks you can purchase Apple TV or Roku units.  Both provide most of the same features as the less expensive offerings and both come with separate remote controls, so it may be worth the higher price of about $100.  All of these devices are available online and at most big box electronic stores.

For the hobbyist there are several offerings from WEMO.  I wrote last year about this company that sells wireless devices to control electrical devices and lighting remotely from a smartphone or tablet.  WEMO has expanded their product line to include coffee makers, slow cookers and even wireless webcams.  Perhaps the most “geeky” addition is a universal module that can be customized to control most any household device.  The latter requires a bit of knowledge of wiring and electricity.  For the right person who loves to take things apart and tinker, this gift is sure to be a hit.  You can see all the WEMO offerings on line at www.wemothat.com

Seems that each year the digital stuff we want to keep increases almost exponentially.  The good news is that the cost to store our bits and bytes continues to fall.  Why not give a high capacity USB storage drive?  They come in various sizes from 500 Gb to 6 Tb and larger and plug into most any computer.  A good choice is a 1Tb drive. It will set you back less than $70.  1Tb (about one trillion bytes) is enough to store about 16,000 hours of music, 1000 hours of HD TV or 300,000 high quality photographs.

At about the size of a ham sandwich, it is a better alternative to the more than 120 individual DVD disks that it would take to store the same amount of data.  Of course, for those priceless photos and videos be sure to make a backup. This can be done most easily with a second unit. You can find these portable storage drives online and at most stores selling computer supplies.

I hope that these suggestion were helpful and result in some happy faces around the tree.

Holiday Stocking Stuffers and Gifts

It’s that time of year again when many of us are on the lookout for a gift or stocking stuffer for our techie friends or relatives.  This week and next I will give you some ideas that should help in your quest and not break your budget.

No matter if we are using the most powerful feature-filled iPhone or a five year old “flip” phone, we need to keep them charged up or they revert to nothing more than digital bricks.  Many kitchen counters or junk drawers today have more different cables and plug in power supplies than foodstuff.   The phone, the iPad, the GPS, the MP3 player all have chargers.  Fortunately most also are using USB cables.

For less than $25 you can replace all of these different plug-in chargers with a unit that mounts directly on your existing 110v outlet.  The unit has multiple regular AC receptacles for the coffee pot or radio as well as two or more USB power ports. You can use these ports rather than the individual chargers that came with your device.  An added benefit is that there is a built-in power surge protector in the unit.  There are several models available.  Best bet is to go on line or to a store that specializes in computer equipment like MicroCenter.

For the more ambitious, you can buy units that actually replace the existing AC receptacle in the wall with one that has both regular plugs and USB plugs.  They are as easy to install as replacing a regular receptacle.  You can find them at Home Depot for about $15.

While some new cars have USB power ports factory installed, older cars don’t.  It is not uncommon for several devices to require power while driving over the river to grandma’s house.  You may have the kids in the back seat using a tablet and also want to charge your phone and perhaps plug in the GPS.  There are several companies that make a multi-port USB power adapter that plugs into the standard power port (nee cigarette lighter). I have seen these for sale at automobile parts stores, electronics stores and of course on line.  Depending on the number of ports, plan on spending between $10 and $20.

No matter how much we prepare there will be times when we really need our phone and the battery is on life support.  About the size of a deck of cards, a portable battery power pack can be a real life saver.  The device has a rechargeable battery and a USB port.  When not in use it can be stuffed into a purse, backpack or briefcase. The unit stays charged for months. You can find various models on line and at most big box and electronics stores.  They cost between $20 and $60 depending on the number of charges they can handle.

Cable / Broadcasters Holding Their Breath

Just like toddlers who threaten to hold their breath until they get what they want, the cable operators and broadcast station owners seem to be doing the same thing.  Almost every week brings another example of these legacy services trying to hold back the advance of technology and the desires of their audiences.  Also, almost every week there are industry developments that bode ill for the status quo.   Until they see the error of their ways it looks like we as consumers are in for frustration.

Case in point.  You might remember I wrote extensively earlier in the year about a new company called Aereo.  The company provided local TV stations to subscribers wishing to watch these stations on a computer, smartphone or tablet.   I was an early subscriber and it was great to be able have that flexibility. I could take my iPad out on the deck and watch my favorite program.  The cable and broadcasting community thought otherwise and eventually sought an opinion of the US Supreme Court to put Aereo out of business.  Aereo lost the case, ceased operation, and just last week announced they would seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

So now you and I are left with Time Warner’s wimpy app that allows only some of the channels we pay for each month to be viewed on an iPad, computer or smartphone.  Of course, not all the cable channels are available and none of the local broadcast stations.  Viewing the latter requires me to use my TV set.  If I leave the confines of my house the number of channels available on my iPad decreases even further.  Right now the BBC and Aljazeera America are about the best of those offerings. Standing on the sidelines and watching these old media companies try to figure out how to hold on to their grip on TV entertainment is both comical and frustrating. 

Even companies that advise broadcasters are struggling in this new environment. Nielsen, the leading TV audience measurement service, continues to refine their survey process at a time when measuring an audience for a single program episode is no longer just a matter of counting people watching at one specific time.  Time shifting, first with the help of VCRs and more recently with slick new digital options and online streaming, has made the audience reports suspect at best.  Even large sophisticated media savvy companies like P&G have questioned Nielsen’s numbers.

We consumers are in for more frustration as slowly but surely the keepers of all things TV, the cable operators and broadcasters, move into the 21 century and abandon business models developed in the 1950s when we had three or four TV channels.   

Another Option Connecting To the Internet

There has been much in the news lately about the Internet.  Last week I wrote about the relatively slow access speeds we have in the United States.  President Obama weighed in on the Net Neutrality discussion and there were reports about hackers continuing to wreak havoc on our financial institutions.  Solving these issues is well beyond the purview of most of us.  We are more concerned with finding a reliable and affordable ISP (Internet Service Provider) to get us connected.  Think of an ISP as the on-ramp to the information superhighway.

For most of us at home or in small businesses there are few ISP options.  The phone company and the cable company are usually the only games in town.  For large corporations, universities and government there are several more robust options.  One that has been around for a long time but which is extremely expensive and somewhat clunky for home users, is satellite delivered internet service.  You see examples on roof tops of gas stations and big box stores. Small dishes abound. While satellites do allow access almost anywhere, its high cost has put it out of reach for many home users.  A new company, Exede.com www.exede.comis trying to change that.

Exede.com has started to advertise on TV and radio, offering an affordable option to the hard wired ISP.  I have not tested out the system but have done some research on what they offer.  Based what I have found, I think it may be an option for those seeking high speed access to the internet, but who live in locations not well served by traditional providers.  But, like with all introductory offers, it is wise to look at the fine print.

Much like satellite-delivered TV, Exede.com installs a small dish on your roof that receives and transmits a signal to an orbiting satellite.  Both incoming and outgoing data are sent via satellite.  This makes Exede.com different than some earlier satellite ISPs which used the satellite for incoming data only (downloading) and your telephone line for outgoing data (uploading).

The company offers three bundles that have monthly fees based on the amount of data you actually use.  This is a big difference from the traditional wired ISPs that most often provide unlimited data usage for home computer use.  Deciding what bundle you need requires you to examine how you use the Internet.  If you daily use email, surf the web, use social media, and watch a few videos, the basic package providing some 15 gigabits per month will serve you well. The introductory monthly fee for this service is $49 ($39 if you bundle with their phone service). If, on the other hand you watch lots of movies and TV on Netflix or Hulu Plus, you may need to sign up for the premium package costing about $100 per month.

Exede.com promises speeds of about 12 mb/s for downloading, which is better than most of us have with our wired ISP.  But there are some restrictions on when you use the service.  Use in the early mornings (3AM thru 8AM) is free while use during the heart of the business day is metered, and counts against your monthly allowance.

For those who are not able to get good service from a wired ISP, Exede.com might be a good option.  Be sure to read the details  so you don’t get locked into a plan with a hefty exit clause like some mobile phone plans.

For those who are not now able to get good service from a wired ISP, Excite.com might be a good option.  Be sure to read the detailshttp://www.exede.com/documents/master/exede-disclaimer.pdf so you don’t get locked into a plan with a hefty exit clause like some mobile phone plans.

Internet Just Not Fast Enough?

When it comes to technology, the USA would seem to be a world leader.  We have iconic tech companies like Apple, Intel and Microsoft.  People both young and old, rich and poor, rural and urban regularly use the latest smartphones, tablets and GPS devices.  Even our cars are replete with every new digital device known to man.  We have access to hundreds of channels of television in our homes and in our palms.  Indeed, the USA is a leader in the development of these new technologies.  But we are significantly behind the rest of the world in the state of the networks that link all of these devices and services together.

The Global Internet Report issued in early 2014 shows the USA 30th in the average network download speeds available to consumers.  Hong Kong leads the world having average internet access of almost 60 megabits per second.  This is more than 3x the average speed available in the USA.  Ahead of the United States are large counties like France, United Kingdom and Russia, as well as smaller states like Estonia, Iceland and Ukraine.

How can it be that the country that wrote the book on the Internet, the PC and the smartphone can lag behind on such a basic necessity of digital life in the 21st century?  The answer is a bit complicated.

First of all, the networks that serve the US have been around for decades.  That means that while they are ubiquitous and reliable, they are also old.  Also, many of the networks we use for getting on to the Internet were not initially designed for that purpose.  Many of us still get our Internet connection from the local cable company, whose networks were designed to deliver TV content—not bi-directional high-speed data.

The Comcasts, Time Warners and AT&Ts of the world have invested billions of dollars building out these networks.  They would much rather reap the profits than invest in new expensive higher speed networks.  There is no competition from others with better service because they are the only game in town. .

Thirdly, in most of the rest of the world the networks are operated by the government.  The networks are considered the same as any public resources like roads, water, sanitation and electricity.  As such there is not a requirement to make a profit.

As more of us Americans use the Internet and the networks that connect us to it for services aimed at both leisure and business, the current speeds available are going to pose a real impediment.  A combination of the public and private sectors will be forced to address the issue.

  

You might be interested in the speed you have at your home. Just point your browser to www.speedtest.netand find out.  Then compare the results with the average speed in Romania.   

Apple Pay Gets Some Pushback

A few weeks ago Apple launched its new electronic payment system utilizing the iPhone 6 called ApplePay.  Many consumers and retailers, increasingly concerned about credit card fraud, looked closely at this new way of paying for items.   Apple Pay is promoted as a much more secure method of paying for everyday items and services than traditional credit or debit cards alone.  While your traditional credit card or bank account does indeed get charged for your purchases using Apple Pay, the retailer never actually gets your card number.  For each purchase you make, Apple Pay generates a unique single-use code that your iPhone sends wirelessly to the retailer’s cash register.  That code is used by the retailer to retrieve payment from your account.  Again, this code is only for that specific purchase and does not contain your real credit or debit card account information, password or account number.

When first announced, Apple listed several major stores that would accept Apple Pay and listed as partners most of the major credit card companies and large national banks.  It looked like Apple may have again scored big with another game changing product.

Well, another 800 pound gorilla had yet to weigh in.  Last week Walmart and a few other large national chains have formed a consortium that is pushing another mobile payment system that is not compatible with the Apple system.

I guess it was inevitable that there would be more than one player in the billion dollar electronic payment industry.  Merchants for years have bridled under the charges that the major credit card companies, e.g., American Express, MasterCard and Visa, have levied on customers’ purchases.  Fees of 2 percent or more are customary.  With many big box, high volume stores operating at single digit profit margins, these fees are painful.

Led by Walmart, some large national chains like Best Buy, CVS and Target, are promoting a new mobile service called CurrentC to be launched next year.  It will not use the Near Field technology employed by Apple and some Google payment systems.  Rather it will use QR codes, and more importantly be platform agnostic.  In other words, you won’t need an iPhone.

It is much too early to predict which one of these competitors will win. It may be that both will co-exist.  There may well be one or more other entrants into the fray since billions of dollars are on the line.

If the stores behind CurrentC can establish a new payment system that is not dependent on Visa or MasterCard, that does not require fees paid to these thirds parties and that opens up a trove of consumer behavior information, the Holy Grail of retailing will have been found.

In the end it the consumer will decide.  I remember many years ago when certain retailers and restaurants would only take one credit card.  So if you had a Visa and the store only accepted MasterCard, you were out of luck.  Other than some major events like the Olympics and the Super Bowl, where only one card is honored, most places take most any plastic you can provide.  The same will be true for competing mobile payment systems.  Much to their chagrin, the McDonald’s down the street or the gas station on the corner will have to take your money whatever way you want to give it to them.

Free Software Can Save Big Bucks … and it’s legal

Free Software Can Save Big Bucks … and it’s legal

The fall is traditionally a time when many decide to upgrade their home computer or laptop.  The good news is the prices of desktop and laptop computers continue to be very affordable. While they may be inexpensive, they often come with some very powerful processors and more storage than most of us will ever need.  However, once you make the purchase you are often in for a surprise.  Some of the software on your old computer may not be compatible with your new machine.  Operating systems like XP, have been retired. New operating software, like Windows 7 and 8, provide a plethora of power and features, but if you want to take advantage of many of these improvements you may be required to replace your word processor, spreadsheet and email programs.

Even a basic suite of programs like Microsoft  Office (Student Version) which contains MS Word, a word processor, Excel, a spreadsheet program and Power Point, a presentation program, costs about $150.  If you want the deluxe edition, the price can go over $500.  That is more money than some of us will pay for the new computer.  Even MS Office 365, an annual subscription version, can still cost more than $100 per year.

You may be surprised to learn that you have an option and do not need to purchase these expensive software packages.  There are very good programs available free on the Internet.  No, they are not pirated versions of Microsoft programs.  If you download them you need not worry about having a visit from a contingent of FBI agents.

One of the leading free packages is Open Office, a suite of programs that has been developed by some very smart volunteer programmers spread throughout the world.  In fact, the code for these programs, rather than being a guarded corporate secrete, is available to anyone who wants to make improvements to the programs.  As of this writing there have been more than 120 million downloads of the Open Office software.

The basic package available at www.openoffice.org contains a word processor, spreadsheet program, presentation program, database program and a neat drawing program. All of them are compatible with MS Office. You can read and write files in Open Office and use those files in MS Office and visa versa.  Open Office looks and feels much like Microsoft Office.  You will find many of the same conventions, icons and tools.  If you have used MS Word or Excel, you will need little or no training on Open Office.

Getting Open Office is a snap.  Just set your browser to www.openoffice.org and follow the downloading directions.  It will take about 20 minutes to download the programs and set them up on your computer.

Open Office has been around since the late 1990s and is used by people all over the world.  Since the development is ongoing there are new features and improvements offered through the Open Office website all the time.

Before you order that new version of MS Office, you may wish to give Open Office a try.  What have you got to lose?  You can’t beat the price. 

HBO and CBS Expand Online Streaming

Last week HBO announced plans to increase program offerings using internet-based streaming.  While the very popular service has had some presence online, the bread and butter business has been delivering programs in cooperation with traditional cable and satellite services.  In the past in order to view HBO programs on your tablet, computer, smartphone or internet connected TV, you were required to be a cable or satellite service subscriber.  In fact, research indicates that HBO is a significant driver of cable customers to subscribe in the first place.  Simply put, up until now if you wanted to watch Game of Thrones, The Sopranos or Boardwalk Empire, three very popular HBO series, you had to subscribe to HBO via your cable company and pay a hefty monthly bill.

For several years customers of cable and satellite services had complained that they were forced into expensive program packages in order to get one or two of the networks they really wanted to watch.  For example, the average US cable customer pays $5.00 per month for ESPN even if they never watch it.  Recently there has been a slow but steady erosion of cable subscribers who prefer the “pay for what you watch” model promoted by online program providers.  HBO, the 800lb gorilla, has been slow to embrace the online model until now.   Their decision may bring us to a tipping point toward a la carte pay TV on cable.

It is not only the cable networks that are embracing an online pay-as-you-go model.  CBS announced that it will begin offering most of its shows online for a $6 monthly fee.  This will allow popular CBS shows to be viewed on demand bypassing local CBS affiliate (in Cincinnati Channel 12 WKRC).  While the other major broadcast networks have not announced similar services, competition will mostly force their hands.

These developments may offer the viewer more options in convenience and program diversity.  The impact however goes well beyond program choice.  The very basic business model of local TV stations is changed by the CBS plan.  Once a conduit for a national schedule of programs, the local station is no longer required to retransmit programming coming from the networks.  The worrisome outcome may be that the TV stations will follow the lead of radio stations when radio networks disappeared.  AM radio today has become a marginalized service full of shrill talk and a forum for both far left and far right wing zealots.  

The train has indeed left the station and there is no turning back.  Let’s hope that some creative minds can find a sustainable model for local TV stations.  They do provide local services that are invaluable to the communities in which they broadcast.

First Responders Need Your Location

The number of people giving up their home land line telephone service continues to increase.  Many look at the monthly bill from Cincinnati Bell or other phone companies and decide that what they are getting is not worth the price.  For example, many traditional phone companies charge extra for making long distance calls.  Long distance service is usually included at no extra cost with mobile phone plans and most of the internet-based home phone services.  It may seem easy to decide to just dump the hard-wired service, but a little investigation could save more than your money.

First responders have expressed concern about the increased number of calls coming into the 911 dispatch centers from mobile phones.   Many of these calls come in without an automatic location indication of the caller.  If the person needing help is disoriented, confused, or perhaps from out of town and not familiar with the local area, they may not be able to provide the exact location of the emergency and their response may be delayed.  Calls coming in from traditional land lines automatically indicate to the 911 dispatcher the location of the caller.

There has been proposed legislation at the Federal level requiring all mobile phones and carriers to have location software installed on all phones.  To date it is not required and the mobile phone lobby is fighting the requirement.

But it is not only mobile phones that have this issue. Many households have given up the traditional land lines and opted for an internet-based service.  Providers like Vonage, Time Warner, majicjack, basictalk, ooma and others use your existing telephones and wiring in your house, but instead of connecting to a traditional telephone company network like Cincinnati Bell, they use your internet connection to place calls.  These internet phone services are often much less expensive and a can be a good option. 

If you do decide to jettison your land line and go with one of these internet-based services there is an important set up configuration you must do before you begin using it.  This set up identifies the specific location of the telephone to any 911 operator.  A traditional land line automatically is set up to identify the phone’s exact street address.  

So, when you first install the new service be sure to activate the 911 option.  It could save your life.

Wi-Fi on the Go

Our wireless world continues to expand with Wi-Fi hotspots easy to find most anywhere you travel, but there are still times when you are on the go—staying at an old hotel, in a park, camping or traveling in your car—and can find no Wi-Fi.  It can be frustrating not to stay connected and be able to do all those things you need do on the web. 

Just the other day I got a call from a relative who was going to be out of town on business and needed to access materials online using his iPad.  His iPad does not have 4G internet access (many don’t as this feature costs extra).  For him and you there are some options that you might consider.

If you have a smartphone, either iPhone or Android, you can often set up the phone to serve as a Wi-Fi wireless router.  It depends on the model of the phone and, more importantly, your carrier.  Most carriers have restrictions to prevent you from sharing your mobile data and require a monthly extra fee to do so.  Also, you need to be careful as it is very easy, when connected to the Wi-Fi, to use up your monthly data allowance, which will result in extra data fees.

Many carriers like Verizon, Sprint and AT&T also sell stand-alone devices that connect to the 4G network and provide Wi-Fi service to as many as 10 devices.  Many teachers use these devices when conducting class lectures in the field, since it allows a small group of students to all be connected.  Again, these devices have monthly data fees.  I have used the Clearwire version offered by Sprint and it works very well.  Depending on the network coverage, these devices can even be used in a moving car.  Once you are out of a metropolitan area, however, the coverage can be a bit sparse.

Finally, you may have seen commercials touting Chevrolet’s new in-car Wi-Fi.  The new offering provides up to 20 simultaneous internet connections to passengers.  Chevrolet has yet to offer a solution for how to fit 19 people in your back seat.

This new service does open the door for many internet based applications like Pandora, iTunes and other entertainment services.  Also, allowing passengers to use laptops and tablets might make a long trip seem shorter.

Chevy’s new service has an annual price of about $200 upfront and a monthly minimum data fee of about 30 bucks.  The coverage map is impressive, but it is still too early to get actual reports from users. 

For sure the Wi-Fi enabled car is going to be common with others joining Chevrolet’s lead. Ford, VW, BMV and many others already have internet-connected cars; internal Wi-Fi capability is a simple addition.

Two things to remember: When using Wi-Fi in the car, make sure it is the passenger doing the internet browsing.  When using any of these 4G devices, be careful not to rack up a bank-breaking data bill at the end of the month.  Otherwise, the YouTube cat video you viewed while driving over the river to grandma’s house may be the most expensive video you ever watched.

You Don’t Have To Answer That!

There is no doubt that modern digital tools can be a boon to our productivity.  I am writing this article on a computer allowing me to make changes, move entire paragraphs and conduct on-the-go research if I need some additional information.  Not too long ago I would be pounding away at my typewriter, fixing my typos with “whiteout” and most likely still missing several mistakes in the final draft.  As for research, I would have the library (which would be closed at this hour) or a trusty, albeit out of date, encyclopedia as my go to source.  For certain I don’t want to go back to the “good old days” because in many ways they were not so good.

As much as I enjoy and value my computer, smartphone, iPad and other digital accoutrements, I do try not to let them take over my life.  For example, I have a policy that if I am having a conversation with someone in person, I will not answer my phone. I am amazed at how uncomfortable this makes some people.  I may be having a conversation in my office and my mobile phone will ring.  I ignore it but often my guest will ask if I was going to get that.  I respond that he or she has my attention now and I am sure if it is President Obama, he will find a way to get me.   In other words I give respect to the person at hand rather than some unknown caller.

Many of us have a tone that sounds whenever an email or instant message comes in on our phone or computer.  It is interesting to note the Pavlovian response that many have to this sound.  No matter where they are or what they are doing they must look at the email.  I am well aware that sometimes a specific email is important.  It is also my experience that often the email is a sales pitch or a message from a long lost cousin who is now a Saudi Prince wanting to give me some money to put in my account for safer keeping.  In other words, in most cases a wait of an hour or so is not going to be an issue.

I read an article recently that decried the fact that we don’t have time to day dream, to just think, or to be un-plugged.  Our digital tools once allowed us to work longer hours.  Now many of us are expected to work 24/7.

I am not a Luddite. There is no going back.  Many social scientists opine that we will be even more connected in the future.   I do think that there is value in being un-connected.  Give it a try.  See if you can turn off the email, the smartphone, or the iPad for an hour a day.  Perhaps while taking a walk or talking to a friend or spouse (in person).

Finally We May Have A Real Digital Wallet

Finally We May Have A Real Digital Wallet.

Last week’s much awaited and ballyhooed Apple event announced the upcoming release of a couple must-have gizmos from the folks in Cupertino: the iPhone 6 series and the Apple Watch.  There was a lot of excitement about the new devices offering cool, larger screens and the ability to monitor your best friend’s heartbeat.  Amidst all the buzz, it was easy to miss another part of the announcement, which has the potential to be much more revolutionary than any new hardware tweak.  The company announced Apple Pay, a service that has the potential to change the way we pay for things.

It is true that paying for retail items with a smartphone is not really new.  Using phones to purchase goods and services has been prevalent in some European countries for years, but slow to take off in the USA.  A few companies have embraced the service.  Starbucks’s mobile app is one of the most popular.  You enter your Starbucks Card account number into your phone and it becomes your Starbucks Card.  It is available now at over 7,000 company-operated Starbucks stores nationwide.  To date, there are some movie theatres and other entertainment venues that also accept smart phone payment using.  It remains, however, a novelty embraced by relatively few.

Apple Pay could render the use of physical credit and debit cards as obsolete as pay phones.  With the recent incidents of hacking of credit card information at Home Depot, this new payment method—with its promise of better security—may be coming at a perfect time.  Not only is the Apple Pay technology simple to use, the company announced that it is working with some very heavy hitters in the financial industry. According to the Apple press release, VISA, MasterCard, and American Express are partnering with Apple as are several major banks like Bank of America, CapitalOne, Chase, Citi, and Wells Fargo.

The new iPhone 6 and other new Apple products will use NFC (Near Field Communication) technology that Apple had ignored up until now.  NFC allows you to pay your bill by waving your phone when checking out at a participating retailer.  The payment is made, as is a record of what you bought and when you bought it.  Although your credit or debit card account is still used, the actual account information is never actually transmitted or retained by the retailer.  Would-be digital miscreants would have nothing to hack or steal.

It is reported that Apple Pay will work when released in October at some 200,000 stores in the US.  Among those listed are Macy’s, Subway, Walgreens, and Whole Foods.  If this takes off, other stores will need to accept such payments to stay competitive.

The wholesale adoption of any major new technology requires the alignment of several factors.  In this case, we have an iconic brand, major banks signing on, and an increased desire, from both consumers and retailers, to improve the security of credit/debit card transactions.

Seeing Not Always Believing

The posting of videos on YouTube and other video sharing sites is nothing new.  For several years, videos ranging from the serious to the proverbial cute cat movies have been available on line.  More recently, on line video sharing has become a tool of disseminating news, political discourse, and propaganda.  Many political scientists maintain that the recent Arab Spring movement was made possible in large part by the effective use of social media using online video.

Up until very recently, these videos were recorded and uploaded to the internet for watching on a delayed basis in non-real time.  The number of people viewing over time often counted into the millions.  For sure the videos have been effective, but there is nothing quite like live TV—nothing like seeing and often being a part of what is happening right now.

The newest generation of technologies takes online video to another level.  There are now several services that provide inexpensive live streaming to a worldwide audience.  Once the province only of well financed major news operations, live distribution of TV required expensive satellite equipment, complicated gear, and highly skilled technicians.

Today, a mobile phone with a camera, an internet connection, and a subscription to a streaming service can allow most anyone to broadcast a live event to a worldwide audience.

In some cases, this technology is bypassing traditional TV networks.  For example, the recent LumenoCity Concerts (presented by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from Washington Park in Cincinnati) were streamed live to anyone with a computer, iPad, or smartphone.  There was no need for a traditional TV channel.

Perhaps some of the most dramatic and revolutionary use of live streaming comes from the violent conflicts in the middle-east and Ukraine.  There has been a steady stream of live video feeds coming from well organized government factions as well as from private citizen journalists.

As we watch this coverage, we might find the adage “seeing is believing” may not be quite as true as we’d like to believe.  While this new high-tech live video coverage might well give a real time look at what is going on, it is important to remember that these views often are being provided by biased reporters or even agents of the government or political faction.  A camera might focus on a small portion of a demonstration or battle and give a false impression of what is actually going on.  With greater access to live streaming should come greater scepticism of what is broadcast.  We need always ask what it is that we are not seeing.

Relax ...TV Police Are Not Coming

If you have been watching local TV stations recently you may have seen a spot urging you to contact your federal elected officials and tell them not to take away your “free over-the-air TV channels.”  These slick spots tout the benefits of free broadcast TV, but fail to explain what it is that is really in jeopardy. Even if you visit the special website  featured in the spots, the exact nature of the real issue is not clear. From the tone of the spots the viewer is left wondering if the Federal TV Police will soon be breaking down your front door and confiscating your rabbit ears.  Or perhaps the big wigs in Washington are getting ready to levy a TV tax similar to the one in the UK.  Well, if you dig deeper (and the local stations and the NAB, their lobbying group, know you will not) you will find that the issue is all about money and profits and not at all about taking your TV away.

I have written extensively about the revolution in the TV business and how what we see, how we see it, and how it is all financed are undergoing unprecedented change.  The broadcast industry is not a big fan of change since the status quo serves their business model well.

To help you understand the issue, here is a bit of background.  Local commercial TV stations receive cash payments or other compensation from cable and satellite companies that choose to carry local broadcast signals on their systems.  The technical term is retransmission consent payment.  (Note that noncommercial public stations do not receive these payments.)  Nationwide these payments amount to billions of dollars and have become a very important revenue source for local TV stations.   This revenue stream has been on the increase in recent years as other revenue sources for local stations have been on a downward trajectory.  Periodically, stations negotiate with the cable and satellite carriers to establish the fees.  Recently, these negotiations have become more contentious as stations want more and cable and satellite want to pay less. 

Often these negotiations become public and acrimonious.  Right now for example, WXIXChannel 19 is in negotiation with DIRECTV and is running spots on the air warning that DIRECTV may cease carrying the channel.  Increasingly the cable and satellite carriers are balking at these payments and have been lobbying congress to change the retransmission consent regulations.  Their argument is that these escalating fees force them to increase monthly customer bills at a time when fewer people are watching these stations.  Some have threatened to put the local stations on a more expensive tier of service and, of course, charge more.  This may require some FCC rule changes.

This issue is only a small part of a much larger issue of how we pay for our TV.  For many years, cable and satellite companies have used a bundling system to develop your monthly bill.  Subscribers pay for TV channels even though they may never watch them.    The new internet-based TV program distributors can provide an a la carte service with viewers able to select and pay for only what they watch. 

So contrary to what you might gather from the TV spots, there is no need to lock your doors and hide the remote or rabbit ears.  You are safe for the time being.  

Siri On Steroids May Be Coming To Your New Phone

When Apple rolled out the iPhone 4S back in 2011, one of the new features to garner lots of attention was Siri.  This digital assistant could receive voice commands and accomplish various tasks. It seemed to be right out of a Star Trek movie.   Siri was the source of extraordinary media attention and grist for several stand-up comedians.  Siri has expanded the tasks that it can do and has spawned several other competing applications that allow for voice commands.  You can now ask Google questions by speaking rather than typing in requests.  Microsoft has a new app called Cortana.

There is a new company entering the market that seeks to take Siri and Siri-like apps to a new level.  The company called Viv has set up shop in San Jose, California and has attracted a literal “Who’s Who” in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) to join its staff.  The team now has engineers who worked on the original Siri and IBM’s Watson of Ken Jennings and Jeopardy fame.  Their mission is to take Siri-like applications and enable them to do some very complex tasks.

For anyone who has used Siri, once the novelty and fascination of speaking orders to your phone wears off, it becomes very apparent that the complexity of tasks within Siri’s grasp is very limited.  In most cases Siri can only provide actions on existing functions or retrieve information already stored and organized in a form that answers your question.  Tasks that require the acquisition of information and actions based on that information to accomplish another action are well beyond Siri and all of the other similar apps now available. 

For example, you can ask Siri to wake you at 6:00 AM.  This is a simple task since your phone has an alarm program and a clock.  Siri needs only to connect the two to accomplish your request.    Let’s change the request making it more complex.  Let’s say that the reason you needed to be awake by 6:00 AM was to get to the airport for an 8:30 AM flight to Washington, DC, on Delta.  You know that bad weather is predicted overnight.  This could slow your drive.  So you request Siri is to wake you in time to get to the airport for your flight to DC.  Viv hopes to have an app that will break down your request into smaller tasks, gather information and then set the alarm to allow you to make your flight.

This task now requires monitoring the weather for your area.  It must also gather traffic reports for roads you will use.  The app must also retrieve data from your airline to make sure that the flight is indeed on time.  With all this information it will compute the amount of time you need to make the flight and wake you at the appropriate time.    While this task would be a simple one for a human personal assistant, it is now well beyond the reach of any app available for your phone.

The folks at Viv see extraordinary applications.  This level of AI might assist with medical diagnoses using information gleaned from millions of research papers, information that the attending physician doesn’t even know exists.   It might open opportunities for those with sight or auditory impairments.  For sure it will speed the development of driverless cars.  Although my morning commute on I-275 often seems like I am among many “driverless” cars.  Not sure even a new Siri will solve that issue!

GoPro Captures Life on the Move

I recently returned from a week of bicycle riding.  This was my eleventh RAGBRAI ride, one of the most popular group rides in the world.  Over the years it has been interesting to see how digital technology has found its way into an event that is based on the bicycle, a device that requires neither bits nor bytes.  When I first participated in this ride, our team used hand-held walkie-talkies to stay in touch with one another. Over the years, mobile phones have made keeping tabs on fellow team members, dispersed among the 15,000 other riders, much easier. And of course the smartphone, Facebook and Twitter have made sharing the experience with family and friends easy.

This year a new device found its way into this event and into other similar events. It allows participants to share their experiences in a way never before possible.  The new device is the GoPro.  The GoPro is a wearable compact digital video camera which has become one of the most successful new electronic gadgets ever.  Developed by a small startup only a few years ago, the company is now valued at more than $3.5 billion.  Sales revenue doubled for 2013 from the previous year.  You may have seen one attached to a head band, helmet, handlebars or a surf board. 

The basic GoPro retails for about 200 bucks and can record, store and playback exceptional quality high definition video and stereo sound.  Since the camera is smaller than a pack of cigarettes it can go anywhere.  With several different mounting brackets available, the GoPro can be attached to the user’s body or bike and capture, up close and personal, all the action.  

YouTube  is replete with extraordinary videos shot using the GoPro.  You can vicariously participate in climbing a mountain, skydive over the Grand Canyon and of course ride a bike through the heartland of America.   There is available a waterproof case that allows the user to take GoPro underwater.  

GoPro has changed forever the “wish you were here” vacation mantra on postcards of years gone by.  It allows you to “be there.” The images are clear and crisp and rival a quality once only possible with cameras costing thousands of dollars. 

As the GoPro and other small cameras become commonplace, they, along with the smartphone cameras, chronicle most every aspect of our lives no matter how mundane.  While sharing extraordinary experiences with those unable to be with you is laudable, the proliferation of these cameras will make it more difficult to maintain privacy. Also, there are some times when using our mind’s eye may be a better way to remember some of life’s journeys.  Too often I have seen people miss the moment by trying to capture it for posterity. 

Models of the GoPro start at $199 for the entry version.  Top of the line models with fancy waterproof cases, special mounting brackets and lenses can cost upwards to $500.  For the money there is no better way to capture the excitement and action of sports and other outdoor activities.

Cincinnati Area Again Broadcast Leader

The Cincinnati area was once considered a major force in broadcasting. The city was home to Avco (nee Crosley) Broadcasting, Scripps Howard and Taft Broadcasting making it a major national and international player in the TV and radio broadcast industry.  It was the home of the first non-commercial public TV station, WCET. North in West Chester the Voice of America operated for more than 50 ears a major transmission facility with the world’s most powerful short wave facility.  The area was also home to several broadcasting companies with extensive radio holdings.  The broadcasting business was once considered to be in Cincinnati’s DNA and it seems that it still is.

Cincinnati is once again making national headlines with the E.W. Scripps Company’s announcement last week.  The locally based Scripps, and Journal Communications Inc. of Milwaukee, have agreed to merge broadcasting operations.  This will make Scripps one of the largest broadcast station group owners in the country with more than 30 TV stations in markets spread throughout the nation.

At a time when the lines between broadcasting and online video services were becoming blurred, Scripps was able to make some significant mid-course corrections in the way they did business.  In the 1990s, the company, which was then invested heavily in daily and weekly newspapers, embarked on a plan to reinvent itself and to include the development of several targeted cable TV program services.  These services now include some of the most watched.  DIY, The Food Network, HGTV and others continue to have robust programming delivered both on cable and online.

About five years ago, Scripps split the company into two new companies.  The cable TV programming holdings were spun off to a new company based in Knoxville leaving the Cincinnati based E. W, Scripps to operate traditional TV stations and newspapers.  Both companies have performed well for audiences and shareholders.  This most recent merger will spin off the Scripps daily and weekly newspapers into a new separate company and allow Scripps to concentrate solely on radio and TV broadcasting.

Scripps has demonstrated innovations within what some feel is old media.  They have incorporated highly visible web content to support their news and entertainment programming which they broadcast on their stations.  By doing so they have merged extraordinary audience reach and easy access to programming made possible by broadcast technology. Using the web they are able to target the rich content and offer interactivity and participation to audiences.  Programs like Let’s Ask America, a production of Scripps stations, incorporate both broadcast and web.

It is good to see a locally based company back in a leadership position within the broadcast industry.

Sometimes a Good Old Wire Works Best

One of the most common complaints I hear from people who are new to using Apple products, especially the iPad and iPhone, is their difficulty in getting things in and out of the machines.  Most of these people are coming from the Windows world and the domain of Steve Jobs can be vexing at first.  While once initiated, most of these users find that cloud technology can handle most anything they want to do, there are times when a good old wired connection really is easier and faster.

Perhaps some history will help explain.  Jobs and Apple have always been somewhat iconoclastic when it came to importing and exporting files to and from their devices.  In 1998 Apple introduced the iMac.  This machine was the first to be made without a floppy drive and used only a CD-ROM drive.  So iMac users who were used to sharing files, pictures and games with friends by sharing floppy disks could no longer do so.  Back then, Apple was a bit ahead of the technology curve.  Many iMac users ended up buying “unapproved” USB floppy drives.  Today Apple and most other technology manufactures rely on the cloud and wireless technology to provide storage and access to our files.

If you are not cloud savvy or are not connected to the internet, there is a simple way of getting those pictures stored on your iPhone or iPad copied to your computer or USB thumb drive.   While neither the iPhone nor iPad have traditional USB ports, they both do have a port and cable normally used for charging.  These ports may not look like USB ports but in reality they function the same.  They just have a different non-standard plug. So you can use these ports and charging cables to access some files on the devices. 

Let’s say you want to get those vacation pictures and videos taken using your iPhone on to a DVD to share, once you do some editing and cropping.  Just connect the iPhone to your computer (Mac or Widows) using the charging cable.  Once plugged into the computer’s USB port your will find that the device becomes an external hard drive.   Any picture or video can be dragged and dropped from the phone to a folder on the computer.  Once there,  you can view, edit and crop the photos and then store them on any media or send them to Facebook or other social media.

Of course all of this can be done using the cloud but some might be intimidated by this technology or you may be in a location that does not provide connection to the Internet.

Sometimes the direct wire approach works just fine.

Supreme Court Says “No” to Aereo

In January I wrote about Aereo, a TV subscription service that delivered local over-the-air TV channels via your Internet connection to a variety of digital devices and enabled you to record, pause and fast forward the programs.  In essence, it was a personal antenna and DVR in the cloud.  (Full disclosure … I was a beta tester for the fledgling service)

When you signed up for Aereo you had access to all the local TV channels.  By my count there were 24 TV channels available to Cincinnati area viewers.  They included the main channels like WCET, WCPO, WLW as well as all the multicast channels available with digital broadcasting.

To watch any program you used your computer, tablet or smartphone to access the Aereo.com web site and, using the program guide, you could choose the program you wanted to watch or record.  You could watch live, or choose to record a program selected from the on-screen guide up to two weeks in advance.

As reported in January, the broadcasters were not happy about Aereo since the company did not pay them retransmission fees.  These fees are paid to commercial broadcasters by cable and satellite services and are a source of billions of dollars for the TV stations.  The broadcasters and the National Association of Broadcasters, their lobbying group, petitioned the courts to force Aereo to either pay the fees, or cease operation. Late in June, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the broadcasters.

Aereo had argued that since they were using individual small antennas (one dedicated to each subscriber) to pick up the TV broadcasts and the internet to provide the programs, they were only serving as an enabling agent for each subscriber allowing them to exercise their right to watch and record over-the-air broadcasts for free.

Without going into all the complicated legal prose, suffice it to say the Supreme Court did not buy the argument and essentially said that Aereo was trying to manipulate the intent of the copyright laws governing fair use of broadcasts by individuals in their homes.  So as of last week Aereo is no longer in operation.  Their future is still uncertain.  The company could decide to pay broadcasters the retransmission fees but that would require a significant increase the monthly subscription price for the service.

Many in the industry were concerned that high court’s opinion would have a stifling impact on the operation of other cloud-based services like Dropbox or iCloud.  These services often allow individuals to store and retrieve copyrighted materials.

I’ll keep an eye on this issue and report back.  I don’t think we have seen the last of Aereo or other similar services.

Amazon Wants To Sell You Everything … With Just One Click

Last week Amazon announced that they are getting into the smartphone business.  This was hardly a surprise for most savvy tech industry watchers.  The company had been dropping hints for weeks.  The new Fire Phone has a few innovative features like a multiple lens camera system that makes your photos look 3-D.  The screen is also 3D and a tad larger than the iPhone 5 screen.  It is not the camera or improved screen or any other smartphone feature that sets this new phone apart from the competition.  Rather, it is how the phone communicates with “mother ship Amazon.”  The phone is designed from the bottom up to assist you in making purchases from Amazon.

It is no secret that Amazon wants to be the place that everyone buys everything.  No longer do they offer only books, DVDs and cool electronics.  For several years the company has continually expanded their inventory to a level which rivals Wal*Mart.  They even have experimented with selling groceries online with same day delivery. 

The managers at Amazon have taken to a new level one of the most widely successful marketing and sales tactics ever developed.  Companies like Gillette and Kodak have for more than 50 years used the sale of one product to enhance the sale of other products. The tactic generates enhanced revenue by requiring the consumer to make many repeat purchases.  Kodak was one of the first to perfect this concept.  They practically gave their cameras away.  They knew that the buyer would need to continue to get film and processing.  Gillette did the same with razors.   Even today, a new high tech razor costs less than single package of replacement blades.   This same strategy was embraced by Ink Jet printer manufactures.  A trip to Office Depot will demonstrate the effectiveness of offering inexpensive hardware and charging an arm and a leg for an ounce of ink. 

For those who use a Kindle, you already know how simple it is to order a book.  It is a “one click” process.  I know that I have purchased several books that if I would not have purchased if I had gone through the traditional online shopping process.  Once Amazon has your personal information, you can buy most anything in a few seconds.

The Kindle Fire tablet is another Amazon product aimed at getting you to be tethered to the company.    Amazon brought out the Fire right after the launch of the iPad.  They did not try to compete directly with the iPad. Rather they designed the Fire to be an easy way to buy and watch videos, programs and movies.  Of course all could be found in the Amazon Library.

So the new Fire Phone follows this tradition of products that get you hooked on other products.  The phone has several features that are designed expressly to help you spend money with Amazon.  For example there is an app that allows you to take a picture of most any item.  The item is recognized by the phone and you are provided a web page that offers to sell you that item.  One click, and it is on a UPS truck heading for your home.  Of course your credit card is charged just as quickly.

Over the years Amazon has made very prudent business decisions.  Their most recent entry into an already crowded smartphone market will be watched closely by tech and Wall Street analysts.   Seems to me that as a phone, the new Fire Phone is nothing get too excited about.  Will enough people want that easy access to buying stuff?  That is the big question.  Maybe I will ask Siri! 

4G Wireless Might Be Fine For Some Users

A friend recently found herself in a situation that I thought I would share.  You or an acquaintance may find that you are in a similar predicament.  My friend recently took a new job and needed to move into an apartment in the Cincinnati area.  Living on a modest income, she wanted to find the least expensive way to have access to the internet in her new digs.   For the last several years she was living on a college campus where very robust internet service was provided either free or very inexpensively.

After shopping around, my friend found that she could get internet access from the local cable company, but the local telephone company was not offering service to her new address.  After considering all the rebates, specials, and other marketing hocus pocus, she found that if she opted for the cable internet service, her monthly bill would be about $50.  Not being a big TV buff, she didn’t want to sign up for one of the “bundles” that include TV.  While this would reduce the cost of the monthly internet access, it would also result in a higher total monthly bill, once the TV portion was added.  She wanted dearly to find a less expensive option.

In our conversation she mentioned that she was going to need a smartphone.  This opened up a new option.  Many smartphones can also serve as a Wi-Fi hotspots.  The phone connects with the internet using wireless 4G or 5G networks and then using a mini Wi-Fi router built into the phone, it can connect to devices nearby enabling them to connect to the internet as well.  So a laptop, iPad or any other Wi-Fi-enabled tablet can access the internet through the phone.  In my friend’s case, there would be no need for another internet service in her apartment.

My friend was purchasing an iPhone 5.  This is one of several phones offered by Apple and many Android and Windows manufacturers which can be used as a Wi-Fi hotspot.  She was required to get a 2 Gig. data plan that would support the increased data usage, but in the long run she was able to get both a new smartphone and internet access for both her phone and laptop in her apartment.  This package was less than the cost of buying a smartphone plan and home internet plan separately.

Caveat Emptor!  This option is not for everyone.  My friend is not an internet power user.  She has a robust internet connection at work and accesses the internet at home essentially for email and some Facebook browsing.  In other words she will not use much bandwidth.  If, on the other hand, she was going to watch movies, play online games and view endless YouTube videos at home, this option would be very expensive.  Unlike most internet plans offered by the cable and phone companies which have unlimited data usage, the 4G and 5G wireless data plans offered by the major mobile carriers, like Verizon and AT&T, do charge extra for using more bits and bytes than your monthly plan allows.  So shop carefully before opting for a wireless plan. 

It is interesting to note that my friend first thought that she could live without internet access in her home since she would have it at work and the library was not far.  After a short period she changed her mind.  We all have become so dependent on having information at our finger tips for somewhat mundane tasks like finding a friend’s street address, directions to the new mall, a phone number or the hours your local dry cleaner will be open.  Some would say we are spoiled.  Others would say it is progress.  I vote for the latter.  If you disagree, don’t forget to go down to the general store and get some oil for your lamps.  You don’t want to run out!

FCC Facing Some Push Bach on Internet Control

Normally a meeting of the Federal Communications Commission does not garner much press unless the commissioners are discussing a “wardrobe malfunction” or slip of the tongue by some miscreant local radio personality.  Most meetings deal with arcane technical standards and are of interest to engineers and executives of large telecommunications and broadcasting companies. Last Month in Washington, when the FCC meet, many of the participants in the room and in the assembly outside on the street looked like they were part of a 1960s protest march.

 

The main agenda item was about Internet Neutrality. The question being discussed was if all content running through the internet’s pipes should be treated equally.  The crux of the discussion was if Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should be allowed to provide faster speeds for some content providers and charge a fee for this “first class” service.  Since its inception, the internet has been free of any preferential status for data flowing across the networks.  So a million dollar bank funds transfer travels on the internet on a first-come-first-served basis along with that picture of your Aunt Mary’s cat.

There were no decisions reached at this meeting.  The FCC’s process is to develop a suggested set of rules.  They release these rules to the public and allow an extended period of time for public comment.  Although any individual may submit a comment, they are usually submitted by lawyers in the name of specific interest groups.  For instance there will be comments by the 8000 lbs. gorillas like Google and NetFlix.  The latter uses a tremendous amount of internet bandwidth to provide video to millions of subscribers.  Public interest groups too will have representation.

Internet purists contend that the internet should continue to provide open and equal access to all.  Corporate and some government officials contend that this can be done by adopting rules that provide faster speeds for those willing and able to pay, but at the same time forbid any technology that would slow down other data. 

Once the stuff of researchers and hobbyists, the internet now is integrated into most every facet of our lives.  Even if we choose to stay “off the grid,” daily we rely on the internet for growing our food, commerce of all stripes, and communications, to name only a few.  Today, the internet is as important as our electric and water services; both of which rely heavily on it to operate.

Look for these internet regulation discussions to increase not only here in the USA, but around the world.   Many governments around the globe are beginning to get very worried about the fact that internet control has become beyond their capacity and some governments get very worried when lack of control happens.