US net neutrality bill dead in the water
A proposed bill to ensure net neutrality on internet access has been killed after a lack of support from US republicans. The bill, proposed by the chairman of the House Energy & Commerce committee Henry Waxman, would have handed regulation of the internet to the FCC (which has already stated net neutrality as a goal), curbed paid preferred access by ISPs, stopped mobile internet providers from blocking sites and ensured that broadband providers were transparent in their dealings with customers.
V3
Facebook and Skype plan comms deal
Facebook and Skype are considering aligning their communications services more closely, according to reports. As per the proposed partnership, Facebook users will be able to sign into Skype via their Facebook Connect accounts. Users will be able to text message, voice chat and video chat with their Facebook friends from within Skype.
Global Telecoms Business
Google Android app allows texting while driving
A free Android application to be unveiled on Thursday at the Mobilize conference in San Francisco will let mobile phone users send and receive text messages without touching or looking at the phone. AdelaVoice, a Boston startup, developed the StartTalking app primarily to solve the problem of distracted driving, according to Chairman and CEO Chris Hassett. Texting while driving has been linked to driver distraction and accidents and is illegal in some places
PC Advisor
Can Twitter Lead People to the Streets?
In The New Yorker this week, Malcolm Gladwell offers a bracing critique of the notion that social media like Twitter and Facebook are reinventing activism -- claims that were broadly made after Twitter became identified with protests in Moldova and Iran last year. "Social networks are effective at increasing participation — by lessening the level of motivation that participation requires," he writes. And the "weak ties" created by these platforms, he adds, cannot promote the discipline and strategy that true political activism requires.
New York Times
How to tell if someone is happy or sad on the phone
Boffins have come up with some vital research on what makes different types of people "tick". The scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed new mobile phone technology called EmotionSense that can tell if a caller is happy, angry or sad. Scientists hope to fit the speech recognition system to standard mobile phones and use it to determine emotions - it will also use a GPS tracking system to log where the call is made.
Tech Eye
Mobile web page views up 14 percent
The number of web pages viewed from mobile phone has surged by 14 percent, says Opera. According to the web browser developer's latest 'State of the mobile web' report, 33.9 billion pages were viewed using its Opera Mini mobile browser. As well as being 14 percent up on last month, its a 143 percent increase on the same period last year.
PC Advisor
Students pick Dell as top-desired employer
Dell Inc. was picked among the top 50 companies college students would like to work, according to a recent poll.The Round Rock-based computer maker ranked No. 45 on the list, which was dominated by technology and financial companies. Google Inc. retained the top spot in the annual poll by the Universum Group employer branding firm.
Austin Business Journal
Augmented Reality Program Allows Users To Try On Swimsuits Virtually
We've all been through the scenario where we go to the mall and couldn't find the right suit or piece of clothing for ourselves, but thanks to the magic of augmented reality (AR), the ladies will be able to try on swimsuits without having to go all the way to the mall (and through traffic). A company called immediaC has come up with a system that uses a webcam to keep an eye on the user, allowing them to virtually try on swimsuits, even allowing them to walk back and forth and seeing what the whole piece will look like. The app currently only supports swimsuits, though we're sure it will be expanded further down the line to support other pieces of clothing. Video after the jump.
Uber Gizmo
UK plc desperately seeking social media consultants
Demand for social media consultants is rising sharply in the UK, according to PeoplePerHour.com. The freelance jobs marketplace said job postings for Facebook advisers, Twitter gurus and YouTube experts who can advise businesses on how to make better use of social media services to boost sales and marketing have leapt more than 300 per cent this year, as businesses look to ramp up their social media presence.
Silicon
The Flintstones Games For Kids: Google Doodle Celebration
Today is the 50th anniversary of The Flintstones, and Google thought that they would help celebrate this by way of a doodle on their homepage, which Alan Ng reported earlier. We thought we would also celebrate these characters birthdays by looking at four flash games online. The first game we have is Sort My Tiles: Fred Flintstone. This game is simple, as you have an image and then a lighter tile with an image, you just got to match this up to the main image
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