I've spent the last couple of days mostly disconnected. We're in Quebec City on our way to Shediac New Brunswick, and while the hotel does have WiFi, I made the mistake of installing multiple pieces of software and Windows updates on Friday morning. I wanted to be able to edit photos and download videos from my Sony video camera while on vacation. Suffice it to say that the fragility of Windows never ceases to amaze me. After two days of blue screen's on boot, I've managed to roll back the updates and installs to a week ago, and roll forward the updates only — just in time to leave.
Today seems to be beat on AT&T day. This morning has two pretty inflammatory pieces as the top items on techmeme.
BlackBerry Cool reports a rumour that AT&T is neutering the GPS on the BlackBerry 8820 in an effort to make it less competitive with iPhone. It's tough to imagine that they would do that, but if so, it's probably one of the more anti-consumer moves they've made in a long time. On a par with, for instance, Vodafone's decision to kill WiFi VoIP.
Ars Technica writes that FCC Commissioner Michael Copps is openly linking the AT&T censorship of Eddie Vedder to Net Neutrality issues. This ups the ante considerably, suggesting that content and carriage should be separate businesses.
And, while not about AT&T, this Washington Post article about consumer disatisfaction with cell phone contracts shows the lengths that people will go to in order to get out of their contracts. One man reportedly faked his own death.
It seems to be just a matter of time before carriers must modify their policies to be more consumer friendly — either voluntarily, or at the end of a stick wielded by politicians.
Alec Saunders is the Vice President of Developer Relations for BlackBerry maker Research in Motion. This is his personal blog, with his personal viewpoints. Prior to this Alec was the CEO and co-founder of Calliflower — the easiest way to hold a meeting, online, on a conference call, or on the go. A double-decade veteran of product management and marketing, he spent nine years at Microsoft where he helped launch Windows 95, the first two versions of Internet Explorer, the Universal Plug and Play initiative, the push into home markets, opt-in email marketing and what might well go down in history as the very first direct email list ever.
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I didn’t really make the connection between the Pearl Jam/At&t issue and Net Neutrality myself though. Since it was At&t doing it and not an ISP I don’t see how its connected – I do some work with HOTI and seeing how this is a company independently doing this it sounds like government regulation really wouldn’t be a solution to this issue.