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Engadget decides the Best of CES 2015: Here's how it goes down
Repeating the events of CES 2014, Engadget's once again in charge of the Best of CES awards. A cocktail of trepidation and adrenaline, we love exploring the country's biggest tech convention and hunting down the best on show. AS CES 2015 happens, and we reveal the nominees and eventual winners, we'll be giving you, our passionate readers, the chance to decide our Peoples' Choice winner. But before even get to that, let's talk submissions. Whether you're a company (from tech giant to scrappy start-up) with something amazing to show us, or a reader simply curious about the rules, you'll find all the info you need at our newly-christened awards hub. We've honed and tweaked the categories (and even created some new ones) this time -- let's take a closer look at them.
Mat Smith11.03.2014
Sticking to the rules in Rules!
Rules! for iOS is a very fun but challenging game about following and remembering rules in a sequence in order to clear a tiled board. A variable time limit adds excitement and ups the challenge. The game is compatible with all iOS devices running iOS 7.1 or later and costs US$1.99. The game works by presenting the player with the first rule which is to tap numbers in descending order. That's simple enough, but then a new rule is added: tap only green tiles. So clear the board of all green tiles (rule two) and then tap the rest of the tiles in descending order (rule one). From there, a third rule is added. Get it? Rules! Is a game that challenges your mind by testing your ability to remember the order of rules and recall that information quickly. You must also decipher which of the tiles matches the particular rule you are working on. There is the option to add color indicators, which may help some players distinguish tiles easier. However, I often times found the indicators were more confusing than helpful. After several levels a new element is introduced: the birds, which signify playing the rules in reverse order. For instance, you start the game off by tapping tiles in descending order but after the birds are introduced, you tap tiles in ascending order. This switched up the gameplay and helped refresh the game. The tiles are also placed in the level in a random order so even though you will always be doing the same rules in order the tiles will differ in each level. This really keeps you on your toes and keeps the game from being stale. Bonuses are awarded if you follow each rule perfectly with no mistakes in the level or if you're speedy. When you complete a level, the immense feeling of accomplishment pushes to player to keep trying to achieve an even higher level and score. The music is pleasant but a bit repetitive. Sound effects add depth, however, the clicking sound when you tap a tile seemed a little out of place. The art style has a clean minimalistic feel with a few cartoonish characters. Rules! is very entertaining and the art style adds personality to the basic simple mechanics. The gameplay is also what make Rules! so addictive because the player will want to challenge themselves to beat their previous score and advance toward the next rule. Mindlessly tapping will not get you through this game, you have to be constantly thinking about what you are doing. The time limit helps reinforce this behavior. Rules! is a really well done puzzle game that challenges the player while still being fun and exciting. It is US$1.99 on the App Store and worth the download.
Jessica Buchanan08.12.2014
National parks will soon ban most drone flights
While we've already seen a few US national parks clamp down on drones in their airspace, it now looks like that no-fly rule is about to extend across the country. The National Park Service tells the Associated Press that it's about to order all 401 of its parks to ban unfettered use of drones on their grounds. Each park will have exceptions for high-altitude flyers, hobbyist clubs, researchers and rescuers, but you won't get to lug your personal camera drone around purely for the sake of remote sightseeing. If all goes according to plan, the Service will also have a preliminary national rule drafted within 18 months.
Jon Fingas06.20.2014
Shards Online launches its Kickstarter
If you had a dollar for every Kickstarter MMO that advertised itself as a fantasy sandbox, you'd have... well, a fair bit of money. We've lost count. Shards Online, though, is a bit of a different beast, as it's not reserving its sandbox nature to mechanics. Players will be able to influence and take control of server rules, creating individual shards where things are arranged just right for particular playstyles. The prospect of unlimited custom rulesets for servers is pretty different, isn't it? The game's Kickstarter campaign has just launched, aiming for $320,000 by 6/12/14. It includes most of the things that you'd expect in an MMO Kickstarter -- beta access, digital copies, and so forth. If you've got $10,000 to throw at the game, you can even get a custom-designed house and have the developers show up as gods to run a one-time live event. If you're interested in the concepts, check out the Kickstarter and consider throwing a few dollars toward it.
Eliot Lefebvre05.13.2014
China drafting new rules for consoles, disallows products 'hostile to China'
Roughly one week after China temporarily lifted its ban on foreign-made video game consoles, the government is looking to draft new rules for regulation, Bloomberg reported. Among the principles that govern the distribution of game consoles under the rules of the free trade zone, head of China's Ministry of Culture Cai Wu said "things that are hostile to China, or not in conformity with the outlook of China's government, won't be allowed." "We want to open the window a crack to get some fresh air, but we still need a screen to block the flies and mosquitoes," Wu added. Whether that indicates further regulation in China on the distribution of games based on their content is unknown. China started its plans last year to revoke the console ban, which began in 2000. Following the ban's temporary suspension last week, the stock prices for both Sony and Nintendo saw small increases.
Mike Suszek01.13.2014
EA allowing official SimCity mods, imposing official restrictions
Modders have never really needed a developer or publisher's blessing to do their work, but EA and Maxis have, nine months post-release, begun to allow official mods for SimCity. There are some caveats to being an official mod however: according to a post on the SimCity blog, you can't modify any executable files (.exe, .dll, .so, etc), can't use copyrighted material, can't use material unbefitting of an E10+ rating, and cannot "jeopardize the integrity of the gameplay" or "affect the simulation for multiplayer games and multiplayer features." While the first three items on the above list could be described as "restrictive," it's the rules about "jeopardizing the integrity of the gameplay" that raise eyebrows. In March, Maxis General Manager Lucy Bradshaw tweeted that "the game was designed for [multiplayer]," and reiterated in a blog post that a single-player mode "didn't fit with our vision." So if the game was designed with multiplayer as an integral gameplay experience but mods can't affect the multiplayer simulation or "jeopardize" gameplay, this may be the most restrictive clause of all. EA also has the right to use, copy, modify and/or distribute an official mod without asking the creator's approval, without paying the creator, and without crediting the creator. So feel free to change the game, modders; just don't change it too much, and don't expect to get paid or credited.
S. Prell01.11.2014
Behind the scenes as a [REDACTED] Game Master
Once upon a time, I worked as a game master for a very popular MMORPG. My duties were relatively simple: help players out of sticky situations and enforce the rules of the game when it came to cheating, harassment, and general player behavior. A game master's role is to protect the player from any and all potential game dangers, up to and including the player himself. In my work as a GM, I saw many amazing things. I saw guild members contact support staff because they were worried about another player's real-life wellbeing. I saw incredibly complex scams across multiple players and accounts that, while infuriating and exceptionally against the rules, were astonishing in their genius. And of course, I saw lots and lots of cybering.
Mike Foster08.30.2013
Google tightens Android app rules for device interference and in-game purchases
Google occasionally updates its Play Store rules to weed out inconsistent or shady behavior in Android apps, and we're witnessing one of its larger clean-ups today. The company's new guidelines more explicitly ban device interference: titles in the Play Store can't modify settings or other apps without permission, and they can't install bookmarks or icons that pitch a third-party service. Google is also adamant that any in-game purchases of virtual goods must go through its billing system. As usual, new apps have to follow these guidelines right away, while developers with existing apps have a 30-day grace period to make any changes. The policies won't necessarily stop rogue code from sneaking into the Play Store, but Google can at least say that it gave fair warning.
Jon Fingas08.23.2013
FAA planning to let you use your gadgets in flight
I know those flight attendants are just doing their job, but I've always resented being made to "turn off" my iPhone and iPad during pre-flight announcements. Ever since Mythbusters disproved it, I've never believed that there was a problem between my iPad's wireless connection and the airplane's signaling (especially in Airplane Mode, which is what it's for, right?), and I've always secretly suspected that turning things off was just a ploy to make me rewatch those safety instructions yet again. Now, finally, it looks like the FAA is ready to relax those rules, after another report saying that there are no issues between consumer wireless devices, and airplane tools. The regulations themselves date back to the 1960s, when wireless devices were indeed very different, and it's about time these rules were laid to rest. Note, however, that the report doesn't mention actual phone calls -- this change, if made, would only be about turning devices on and off, not full wireless interaction. Certainly, there are good reasons to keep flight passengers quiet and paying attention during pre-flight announcements, and if that's what this is all about, then they should say that. But the "wireless interference" story has always been bunk, and hopefully, if this report is finalized, we should see the FAA turn the rule around officially in a few months. [via @martinvars]
Mike Schramm06.21.2013
EVE Online lays down Alliance Tournament rules
EVE Online's Alliance Tournament XI is coming up this summer, and prospective combatants can now check out the full list of official rules as well as format details. Changes from past tournaments include the elimination of pre-qualifying and group stages, an entry fee of just 5 PLEX, the addition of a practice server, and a new tie-breaking system. The tournament will pit 64 alliance teams against each other in a single stage that involves double-elimination brackets and random initial seeding.
Justin Olivetti05.29.2013
AppleScripting Mail > Announce New Emails By Voice
You're in the kitchen cooking dinner, or sitting down watching TV, or exercising. Ding! You have a new email. Quickly, run to your Mac to see who it's from. Meh, spam. Ding! Meh, a message from your boss. Ding! Meh. Sure would be nice if Mail could announce who's emailing you. That way, you could just listen for ones you care about. Well, with the help of AppleScript and Mail rules, you can set this up on your own. Think of it as an audible caller ID, but for email. Setting It Up 1. Launch AppleScript Editor (in /Applications/Utilities) and create a new script document. 2. Enter the following script into the document. NOTE: if you have any trouble following along, you can download the completed script here. NOTE: If you wish to test the script, which is always a good idea, you can do so by running it in AppleScript Editor. Just select a message or two in Mail. Then, return to AppleScript Editor and click Run in the script document's window. 3. Make any adjustments to the properties at the top of the script to customize its behavior. For example, if you don't want the script to raise your volume if it's too low, change the raiseVolumeIfNeeded property value to false. If you don't want the script to read the first few paragraphs of each message to you, set the readFirstParagraphsOfEachMessage property value to false. Modifiable Properties in the Script 4. Save the script in Script format to your Desktop as Mail > Announce New Emails By Voice.scpt. Saving the script to the Desktop 5. Launch Mail, open its Preferences window, and click Rules in the toolbar. Mail's Rule Preferences window 6. Click Add Rule to create a Mail rule. 7. Set the rule's description to Announce New Emails by Voice. 8. Set the rule to trigger if any of the following conditions are met: Account matches [Your Account]. If you have multiple accounts, click + and add each one. 9. Set the rule to perform the following action: Run AppleScript. From the list of scripts, choose Open in Finder. Configuring the Mail rule 10. Copy the Announce New Emails By Voice.scpt script file from your desktop into the newly opened folder (this folder is ~/Library/Application Scripts/com.apple.mail in Mountain Lion). Mail's rule scripts folder in Mountain Lion (in ~/Library/Application Scripts) 11. Go back to Mail and close and save the rule. The configured Mail rule, set to run the script Now, whenever a new message arrives for the accounts you specified, the rule should trigger the script, and the messages should be announced audibly. If you get tired of listening to the announcements or want to mute them, just open up Mail's Preferences > Rules window again and de-select the Active checkbox next to the rule. Happy Scripting! You can disable the Mail rule by de-selecting the Action checkbox
Ben Waldie03.25.2013
White House announces support for unlocking cell phones
A petition on the White House's website to work for a new law universally allowing the unlocking of cell phones recently raised more than 100,000 signatures from the public, and the White House has now officially responded to the idea, stating its support. The petition refers to Section 1201 of the Library of Congress' rules, which disallows users from unlocking their cell phones (including iPhones) for any reason, even when any contracts associated with the phones has expired. The phone industry says the rule is needed in order to keep illegal phone trafficking down, but obviously lots of consumers disagree, saying that the rule is prohibitive and often leads to lots of expensive fees. The White House's statement of support isn't exactly legally powerful, as it doesn't have any direct control over the rule or the Library of Congress. But the president's office can push for a new law to overturn the rule, and of course an official statement of support from the White House can do a lot to push the issue forward. The Library of Congress sent TUAW a statement saying that "we also agree with the administration that the question of locked cell phones has implications for telecommunications policy and that it would benefit from review and resolution in that context." So there's more "review" to be done on this issue. But for now, it sounds like there's both public and administration support for a change to the rule, which means there may come a time in the future when you're guaranteed to the right to unlock your phone whenever you want.
Mike Schramm03.04.2013
Engadget Expand Giveaways: Official Rules
ENGADGET GIVEAWAYS OFFICIAL RULES NO PURCHASE REQUIRED TO ENTER OR WIN 1. ELIGIBILITY Engadget Giveaways (the "Giveaways") are open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) who are 18 years of age or older. Employees of AOL Inc., its advertising or promotion agencies, those involved in the production, development, implementation or handling of Giveaways, any agents acting for, or on behalf of the above entities, their respective parent companies, officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, licensees, service providers, prize suppliers any other person or entity associated with the Giveaways (collectively "Giveaway Entities") and/or the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members (whether related or not) of each such employee, are not eligible. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Void where prohibited by law. 2. SPONSOR The Giveaways are sponsored by AOL Inc., 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 ("Sponsor"). 3. AGREEMENT TO OFFICIAL RULES Participation in the Giveaway constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. 4. ENTRY PERIOD The start and end dates/times of each Giveaway (the "Entry Period") will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. 5. ENTRY To enter a Giveaway, follow the instructions on the Giveaway site. Submission will result in one (1) entry. The number of times you can enter the Giveaway will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. The use of any agencies or automated software to submit entries will void all entries submitted by that person. 6. DRAWING At the conclusion of the Entry Period, Sponsor will select the name(s) of the potential winner(s) in a random drawing of all eligible entries received during the Entry Period (winner(s) may be selected by other methods as described on the Giveaway site). The number of winners to be selected in a specific Giveaway will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. The odds of being selected as a potential winner depend on the number of eligible entries received during the Entry Period. Potential winners will be contacted via email and will be asked to provide their full name, age and mailing address within a specified time period. If a potential winner does not respond within the timeframe stated in the notification email, the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from all entries received during the Entry Period. Limit one (1) prize per household per Giveaway. 7. REQUIREMENTS OF THE POTENTIAL WINNERS Except where prohibited, the potential winners may be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (the "Affidavit/Release") within a timeframe to be specified. If a potential winner fails to sign and return the Affidavit/Release within the required time period, an alternate entrant will be selected in his/her place in a random drawing of all entries received. Acceptance of a prize constitutes consent for Sponsor to use winner's name and likeness for editorial, advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. Limit one (1) prize per household per Giveaway. 8. PRIZE(S) The prize(s) (including each prize's approximate retail value) available to be won in a specific Giveaway will be posted on the Giveaway site. No cash or other substitution may be made, except by the Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute a prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the prize is not available for any reason as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. The winners are responsible for any taxes and fees associated with receipt or use of a prize. 9. GENERAL CONDITIONS In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Giveaway is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Giveaway to address the impairment and then resume the Giveaway in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prize(s) at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Giveaway or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In case of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the screen name from which the entry is made. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. 10. RELEASE AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY By participating in the Giveaway, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Giveaway Entities from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Giveaway or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Giveaway; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Giveaway or the processing of entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Giveaway or receipt of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Giveaway Entities' liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Giveaway, and in no event shall the Giveaway Entities be liable for attorney's fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. 11. DISPUTES Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Giveaway or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Giveaway, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia. 12. GIVEAWAY RESULTS To request the name of the winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope (stating the specific Giveaway you are requesting the winners for) to Engadget Winner's List, c/o AOL Inc., 770 Broadway, Rm 6B:D56, New York, NY 10003. Requests must be received within thirty (30) days from the end date of the applicable Giveaway.
Barb Dybwad02.07.2013
Officers' Quarters: Gnome and punishment
Every Monday, Scott Andrews contributes Officers' Quarters, a column about the ins and outs of guild leadership. He is the author of The Guild Leader's Handbook. Like any group that runs an organized activity, raiding guilds need rules. Rules define expectations, set boundaries for behavior that might cause problems, and establish consequences when a member hurts the team. The latter part is often tricky. The week's email asks, What do you do when someone breaks the rules? Hello, I have a question about guild management. Coming into MoP raiding we have afew new people and we've written up our rules on the forums such as being on time, gemmed/enchanted/flasked, etc to make it clear to everyone what we expect from our raiders. One challenge that we currently have is coming up with consequences for breaking these rules. Our guild roster isn't large enough to always bench someone from coming to raid and while we're all gearing up denying someone gear seems to just make things harder for everyone else overall. If occurrences are excessive we will recruit to replace the person, but otherwise we need some good consequences for rule infractions.
Scott Andrews11.05.2012
Ask Massively: Rules, sources, and buy-to-play MMOs
There are 4,001 words in the Massively style guide. The abbreviated version of the style guide. And that's without counting a few hundred emails detailing other rules that our writers must follow, plus English grammar and syntax, plus hand-me-downs from Captain Joystiq and peevish precepts imposed by a mean ol' editor-in-chief. Rules help us deliver a consistent product to you, the readership, and when we don't, you notice. Gamers follow a set of rules, too, when it comes to judging games. Indie games are judged less harshly than blockbuster developers. Overhyped games are held to a higher standard. Games with subs are cut less slack than freemium titles. You might not have codified all these little rules into a 4,001-word document, but they're rattling around your brain making decisions for you all the same. So let's talk about rules and how they apply to Massively's sources and buy-to-play MMOs like Guild Wars 2.
Bree Royce10.18.2012
FCC votes in favor of rethinking spectrum holding rules, goading broadcasters into wireless selloffs
FCC meetings can be momentous occasions under the right circumstances, although it's seldom the case that we see the agency pass two potentially far-reaching measures in one sitting, like we just saw on Friday. To start, regulators have voted in favor of a proposal that will review spectrum sale rules and might drop the case-by-case determinations in favor of a more consistent screening mechanism. The reexamination will also consider a change to the ownership rules surrounding wireless frequencies that treats bands below 1GHz differently than those above -- the better to address a chorus of smaller carriers that don't like all the prime spectrum going to the companies with the most existing clout, namely AT&T and Verizon. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski argues that reform could spur innovation through more competition, although dissenting Commissioner Robert McDowell is worried that consistent rules will somehow create "uncertainty." Side-by-side with the review, the FCC is proposing an incentive-based reverse auction strategy to have TV broadcasters voluntarily give up their spectrum for cellular and data use. The multi-phase approach would have TV providers set the price at which they're willing to sell their spectrum to the FCC; those that just can't bear to part with their airwaves would be corralled into a tighter band range to make for larger available frequency blocks in the auction that follows. As with other FCC proposals, there's likely to be a long interval between the auction vote, the review and any definitive rulemaking, let alone an impact -- auctions by themselves can take years to play out. Still, any success with the measures could head off spectrum crunches while simultaneously preventing any solutions from consolidating too much power and creating their own problems. [Tower photo via Shutterstock]
Jon Fingas09.28.2012
Kickstarter imposes new rules to address project risks
Kickstarter is imposing new rules designed to give backers more information on a project's risks. In a post titled 'Kickstarter is Not a Store,' the crowdfunding site announced the introduction of a 'Risks and Challenges' section to projects. The section must adequately explain the difficulties a project may face, and what the project creator can do to overcome them. Kickstarter says the new section is designed to give backers what they need to know about a work-in-progress.Kickstarter is also imposing additional rules on Hardware and Product Design projects, again in mind with dispelling the idea of the site being like a store. Product simulations and renderings are now banned, meaning concept images and demonstrations are not allowed. Products must also not be offered in multiple quantities, as Kickstarter feels this implies "that products are shrink-wrapped and ready to ship." These additional rules do not apply to video games, as they don't fall into either category, but they do apply to consoles like the Ouya and to console peripherals.Kickstarter recently declared 2012 to be the 'year of the game'. Games represent the site's second most-funded category, as well as the majority of projects to surpass $1 million.
Sinan Kubba09.21.2012
The unspoken etiquette of world boss encounters
World bosses are returning in Mists of Pandaria! You know, my uncle, the legendary General Commandicus Brutallicus, told me stories of veteran players staying up at various odd hours of the day to challenge the emerald dragons, Lord Kazzak, and others. Even though I was but a young priest at the time, he told me that going after them was a hoot and experience in itself, especially if your home was on a PvP realm. There was an unspoken etiquette among raid leaders who went after world bosses. Since world bosses are making a comeback, I wanted to share them. You can't call dibs. The first group that arrives, is buffed, and ready gets to pull the boss first. No exceptions. You can't just stroll in there and call dibs when your entire raid group wasn't there or ready yet. Heck, you can't even physically contest the boss even if you did get there first. Back in my day, anyone who cried about seeing the boss first and losing out was generally laughed at. You take turns. There was an unspoken level of respect between the top raiding guilds. Despite the hatred and the fierce competition, we never interfered with attempts that were already progress. To do so brought dishonor to the guild and would cause you to be blacklisted from the realm. In an era when realm and faction transfer never existed, it was a big deal -- not to mention, if you opened fire on one group, they would come back and wipe your attempts. This would go on back and forth before everyone got tired, but no one would give. Yes, which leads me to the next rule ... Bring two raid groups. You had one raid group which would tackle the main boss. The second raid group was there to provide cover and to engage or otherwise tie up any hostile players who wanted to wipe your raid. These tended to be the PvP contingents within the various guilds. They were the players who didn't raid but spent all day grinding Alterac Valley for Grand Marshall and all that. This second group of players would hide behind a mountain or a tree or something and wait for instructions from the primary raid leader before engaging anyone. Majority guild receives first picks on loot. This is more of a courtesy than anything else. If a raid group consisted primarily of a raiding group and it was demonstrable that they did most of the heavy lifting, they had the right to select one item they wanted out of the loot drops before opening the rest to free roll. However, since the loot method is going to change, this rule is no longer relevant.
Matt Low04.17.2012
FAA to take 'fresh look' at gadget restrictions on flights
The only thing worse than the Terrible 10,000 Feet is the underlying sense that it's all so unnecessary. Why should using an iPad, Kindle or bag-holding alarm clock be banned during take-off and landing, even with all wireless comms switched off? Nick Bilton from the New York Times has been hounding the Federal Aviation Administration over this issue for a while, but he's suddenly received a reply other than "Just turn it off, sir." A senior official told him that the agency as decided to take a "fresh look" at the rules, not for cell phones, but for the myriad of other gadgets that can make a flight so much more peaceful and productive. Currently, airlines complain that they have to test each model of device individually, on every single plane in the fleet, and with a separate empty flight used for each test, before they're allowed to relax the rules for that model. That's why personal electronic devices remain so closely restricted, but also why there's so much room for a smarter solution -- even if there are still reams of red-tape to overcome before anything changes.
Sharif Sakr03.19.2012
Canada relaxes rules on foreign ownership of wireless companies, plans spectrum auction for first half of 2013
The Canadian government made a major announcement on telecom policy late this afternoon, revealing a change that opens the door to more foreign ownership of wireless companies -- an issue that's been a point of contention for some time. As The Globe & Mail reports, the new rules will allow for 100 percent ownership of companies with a market share of ten percent or less -- something that can then grow beyond ten percent, so long as it's not done through mergers or takeovers. Previously, total foreign ownership in telecom companies has been restricted to 46.7 percent. Along with that news, the government also confirmed that the anticipated 700MHz spectrum auction will take place in the first half of 2013 (with a 2500 MHz auction to follow within a year), and that there will be caps in place that are said to "effectively ensure that new wireless entrants and regional providers have access to prime spectrum." The auction will also have some conditions intended to bring service to rural areas, and there will be a block of spectrum reserved for public safety use. All of this, the government says, is intended to "provide Canadian families with more choices at low prices," although we'll naturally have to wait and see if that last bit pans out. [Tower photo via Shutterstock]
Donald Melanson03.14.2012