By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Mon Jul 25, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
Here is a simply amazing video of a super-lightweight robot imitating a bird’s flight by flapping its own wings. A must-see. [TED]
A recent study claims that internet movie pirates are actually better consumers for the movie industry than non-pirates. the pirates typically buy more DVDs and visit movie theaters more often. [Geek.com]
A fantastic editorial on the unfortunately common practice of data-capping. “Caps should not just be a way for Internet providers to extract monopoly rents.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. [NY Times]
Here is another interesting article that explains how wider WiFi ranges (up to 45 miles) are possible using lower power consumption. [Clean Technica]
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Mon Jul 18, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET  The Politics of Tech Google+ has now been in Beta for two weeks and has hit the 10 million user mark. Of course, if you choose to compare that number to Facebook’s 750 million, it doesn’t seem like much. The point is that growth so far has been extremely promising. We will be discussing the developments much more in the coming weeks and it is going to be very interesting to see how things progress. [The Atlantic]
A little Google+ humor based on limited access to the Beta. [comic]
Movie rental giant Netflix recently announced pricing changes. They have made their DVD rental service and streaming service mutually exclusive at $7.99 each and $15.98 for both. This comes only 7 months after the most recent price increase last November. At lot of customers are not happy, but it looks like many investors are. The question going forward is whether this will hurt Netflix’s ability to dominate the market like they have in recent years [Huffington Post]
A new poll indicates that 1/3 of iPhone owners are under the impression that they currently have access to 4G networks. This is, of course, wrong. Current generation iPhones doe not have LTE technology, nor is it being planned for the iPhone due out this Fall. [retrevo]
This 360 panorama of the last space shuttle’s flight deck is truly amazing. [The Last Shuttle]
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Mon Jul 11, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
A collab-oration that includes several large ISPs has recently been announced. The plan would call for the ISPs, including Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, Time Warner, etc., to slow down, redirect, or possibly even cut off internet access for people accused of copyright infringement. [Wired]
If you have never heard of Dropbox you should know they are taking the time to do right by their users. They recently updated their TOS to be explicitly clear: your stuff belongs to you. A direct quote from the new TOS: “You retain full ownership to your stuff. We don’t claim any ownership to any of it.” Companies like Facebook that intentionally write in vague and broad language into their TOS should take a page out of Dropbox’s book and realize that users appreciate honesty and privacy. [Dropbox Blog]
Bob Lutz, the former Vice chairman of General Motors, has stated that his way to get the economy going is to take the power away from the MBA’s and give it back to the engineers. Personally, I find his argument that consumers are best served by a product-driven philosophy very agreeable. [TIME]
A group of 90 law professors has banded together to oppose the Protect IP Act that is making it’s way through Congress on the grounds that it violates the First Amendment right to free speech. [ars technica]
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Tue Jul 5, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
It’s now official that Google has launched its newest social networking venture: Google+. The makers of the world’s most popular search engine have sputtered a few times while trying to dive into the social networking market. However, this looks to be a very promising idea. Google already has more users than than Facebook, so why send people to some new service or website? This time they aren’t. Google+ will be integrated into the service that billions already use: Google search. [The Official Google Blog]
Here is an artist’s representation of the organizational structures of some of the largest tech organizations in the world. [comic]
Did you know the cable box under your TV more than likely uses more power than your refrigerator? It totally does. [MSN]
More from the world of Google! Several weeks ago I told you to keep an eye on Google attempting to make driverless cars legal in the state of Nevada. That has now become a reality. Assembly bill no. 511 has passed! [inhabitat]
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Mon Jun 27, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
Net Neutrality has been a hot topic in the U.S. for a while now. While we have made little progress, across the pond in Europe, strides have been made. The Netherlands recently became the first European nation to adopt Net Neutrality as a law. [BBC]
Many of us have access to the latest wireless network, 4G. We know 4G is fast. How fast is it? That is something we aren’t really sure of. However, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) recently introduced a bill that would force wireless carriers to inform customers of their minimum 4G speeds. [Slashdot]
Are you into photography? You may be interested to know that a start-up company called Lytro is claiming that a camera they are releasing later this year “will bring the biggest change to photography since the transition from film to digital.” [All Things D]
Late last week there were leaked memos from Verizon revealing their plans to introduce tiered data plans, effectively ending the unlimited variety we are used to seeing. If you want to keep an unlimited plan hurry and sign up so you can be grandfathered in once the change occurs. [ZD Net]
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Mon Jun 20, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
Al Franken (D-MN) has taken the initiate in regards to companies collecting information on consumers. He has introduced a bill that aims to “close current loopholes in federal law to ensure that consumers know what location information is being collected about them and allow them to decide if they want to share it.” [ars technica]
One of the most promising contenders for the best artificial heart yet made. It produces no heartbeat, no pulse, and a flat EKG, but it works. One of the inventors, Dr. Billy Cohn, described the futile efforts of early inventors trying to make flying machines that resembled nature: bats, butterflies, etc. as an analogy of their thought process. The author said it best “…what works in nature is often not the only mechanical solution, or even the best one.” [NPR]
ICANN, one of the governing bodies for the Internet, is all set to officially expand the use of domain names. As long as you can pay $185,000 to license the domain name and prove your connection to it, you can have your own. What is $185,000 to Apple or Sony? Not much. [Reuters]
Wow. The Bento Box. Hands down, one of the best designs I have seen. In terms of function it is something completely new and innovative. [Yanko Design]
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
Let me introduce one of the worst laws regarding technology in recent years. A ban signed into law last week by Gov. Bill Haslam will have this effect “Anyone who sends or posts an image online (and yes, that includes TwitPics) that they “reasonably should know” would “cause emotional distress” could face several months in jail and thousands of dollars in fines.” Wow! [Engadget]
Newegg.com got a cease and desist from Best Buy for this one. [Youtube]
Google’s R&D team has been charged with making renewable energy cheaper than coal “within a few years.” I can’t wait to see what they come up with. [Fast Company]
Contact lenses that project a HUD (heads-up display) into your field of vision? Why not? [The Economist]
A company called Sonic.net that has been around since 1994, is introducing 1Gbps internet service along fiber-optic lines for $70 per month. Am I dreaming? [ars technica]
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Mon Jun 6, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
Lets start off with a bit of fun, shall we? Apple is currently constructing one of the largest Apple stores in the world in Hamburg, Germany. Things seemed to be going according to plan until a few pranksters decided to do a bit of trolling. [OS News]
Ladies and gentlemen, I’m pleased to introduce Windows 8. Or at least a sneak peek of the future iteration of Microsoft’s 25-year-old operating system. [All Things D]
Are you using an old browser? Specifically IE7, Safari 3, Firefox 3.5 or older? Well stop it! Mainly because you are severely limiting yourself, but also because at the beginning of August Google will cease supporting those browsers. [BBC]
Three banks are responsible for 95% of spam transactions. Surprised? I don’t blame you. However, this is revealed in a study conducted by the University of California-San Diego, the University of California-Berkeley, and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. [ars technica]
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Mon May 23, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET  The Politics of Tech Apple recently updated iTunes. No big deal, just a simple update, right? Wrong. The latest version of iTunes has has made using your iPod or iPhone with an older Apple computer impossible. This column’s author was unable to connect his daughter’s iPod Nano with his 4-year-old Macbook. This is another entry in a growing list of mistakes Apple has made since becoming the world’s valuable brand. [The Guardian]
Age verification done right. [picture]
Was LinkedIn scammed? This story goes to show, if you are going to take your company public, make sure you get it right. [New York Times]
26 terabits per second. “At those speeds, the entire Library of Congress collections could be sent down an optical fibre in 10 seconds.” Your mind should now be blown. [BBC]
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Mon May 16, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
Google is trying to introduce driver-less cars to the roads of Nevada. A very cool story and something that is definitely worth keeping an eye on. [Physorg.com]
HDMI cables. They are required for any high-definition equipment you have these days. I’m not sure if you have noticed, but some retailers carry ridiculously expensive cables (if that doesn’t make you cringe please re-evaluate your life). Do not be fooled, the cheapest cable (this one is $2) you can find will do the same job the expensive ones will. [PC Mag]
Is it time to break up the “Communications Trust” the same way Standard Oil was broken up at the turn of the 20th century? Some have begun to organize the movement and make an effort to the landscape that is largely controlled by AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. [Alternet]
Playstation Network is finally back online after only 26 incapacitated from a hacker attack. Playstation is offering a “Welcome Back” package for its users that includes some bonuses and free play time on select titles. It will be very interesting to see what Sony’s long term PR stance will be on this incident. [ars technica]
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