Publishers and libraries are at odds over how to satisfy the public’s craving for electronic books. How they resolve this thorny issue will have a tremendous impact on readers. Fearing potentially crippling losses, publishers are withholding e-books from libraries, charging them more than other customers, or limiting how many times a library can lend an e-book. That bumps into librarians’ unwavering commitment to promote literacy, preserve culture, and make books available to people regardless of their financial situation.
One of the most important provisions of the recently enacted The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 authorizes the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to conduct long-awaited spectrum incentive-auctions. This is an enormous accomplishment for Congress and a vital and welcome challenge for the FCC, which has repeatedly highlighted the need for more »
How goes the effort to ward off a looming “spectrum crunch” because of all those tablets and smartphones crowding the public airwaves? In Washington nothing is ever settled, and that axiom applies doubly to the wireless fix passed by Congress last month. Read More
At the end of Q4 2011, the worldwide LTE subscriber base nearly doubled in size over the previous quarter to reach 12.02 million subscribers worldwide, showing a rapid adoption of LTE at the expense of WiMAX, according to the 17th issue of the 4GCounts Quarterly Report from Maravedis. The quarter over quarter subscriber increase for more »
Apple Inc.’s high-resolution display on its new iPad creates an opportunity, and a challenge, for software developers. But the company moved to ease one of their potential headaches. To take full advantage of the new “retina” display, developers need to update their applications with larger images, creating larger file sizes.
New reports emerge daily that the iPad 3 will be the first iOS device with LTE connectivity, but Apple hasn’t given any official confirmation. There’s a lot riding on that spec sheet. If the new iPad—and more important the next iPhone—doesn’t support LTE, then Apple will have struck a huge blow to the wireless industry and impeded mobile broadband’s progress.
For all the genuine concern that Congress isn’t doing enough to create jobs and restart the economy, you would think that last month’s bipartisan Congressional action to auction off underused wireless spectrum would have caused more of a media stir. Instead, the news passed with the barest of notice.
You live in rural Berks County, the snow is a foot deep and it doesn’t look like you’re going to be able to keep your appointment with a doctor in Reading. So, have the doctor make a house call. Out of the question? Don’t be too sure.
For decades price and complexity kept all but the professionals from benefitting. Today, nearly every cell phone user has a camera, video camera, and more computing power on a hand-held device than what was on a desktop a decade ago.
Professor John Mayo discusses the practicality and many economic benefits of wireless broadband in rural areas.
