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Technology BLOG |
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Going, Going, Gone! Spectrum Auction Starts Today
By: Daniel R. Ballon, Ph.D
1.24.2008 2:00:00 PM
The Federal Communications Commission begins auctioning off a large swath of the nation's airwaves today, making room for faster mobile broadband technologies. According to a recent survey, 61 percent of respondents did not know about this auction. Even among those with familiarity, 77 percent did not understand the rationale, significance, or consequences. Operating under the public's radar, a coalition of special interest groups and corporate lobbyists have used this auction to manipulate the FCC, impose regulations on the wireless industry, and restrict innovation over the airwaves.
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Amazon Leads La Résistance Against Protectionism
By: Daniel R. Ballon, Ph.D
1.15.2008 4:10:00 PM
The CEO of Amazon.com vowed this week to challenge a French law making it illegal to offer customers discounts and rebates. Last month, a French court ruled that Amazon must raise its prices, or face a fine of $1500 per day. Baffled that a country would force its citizens to pay more for his company's products, Amazon's Jeff Bezos proclaimed that "France would be the only country in the world" where offering a good deal "would be declared illegal." Sadly, however, protectionist policies are spreading all across Europe, punishing consumers with fewer choices and higher prices.
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Mayor Newsom’s Wi-Fi Flip-Flop
By: Daniel R. Ballon, Ph.D
1.8.2008 4:00:00 PM
On the eve of this morning's inauguration ceremony, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is renewing his pledge to blanket the city with free municipal Wi-Fi Internet access. At first glance, Mayor Newsom's comments revive memories of the waste, bureaucracy, and mismanagement which plagued the city's previous projects. At second glance, these words signal a revelation: the Mayor finally understands that success can only be achieved by taking the ‘muni' out of ‘muni Wi-Fi.'
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