Science and Technology

Computerworld says free Wi-Fi is an effective markeiting tool: Cities and community development organizations across the country have embraced free Wi-Fi to boost economic development and attract visitors to downtown areas. A handful of small airports in the shadow of large hubs offer free Wi-Fi to attract travelers. And Verizon …

If the British “secret transsexual” dating show is a new low in reality TV, this is a new low in spam – fresh out of the box. I shant be clicking any of the links, but note the implicit threat that something will happen if you don’t click over. I …

The inexorable logic of broadband is working its way through the populace: After a quarter marked by DSL price cuts and cable speed boosts, one thing is clear: Broadband use is surging, regardless of what form it takes. Recently released numbers from cable companies and from the Baby Bells who …

We had a pretty great Halloween this year, here and in real life. Once again I thank all Blogcritics who contributed to our Halloween special, which was an artistic and “commercial” success. Thanks to all our linkers, trackbackers and commenters as well. I urge you all to work your way …

Congressman Rick Boucher (D.-Va.), friend of fair use, voices his complaints with the Copyright Office’s ruling on DMCA exemptions, which we mentioned a couple of days ago. As a result of the ruling, Boucher said, “Consumers will continue to be subject to the whims of copyright owners seeking to deny …

So you’re an antisocial type who would rather confer with the disembodied for Halloween – the NY Times has some cool links: For the members of www.masquerade.org, for example, every day is Halloween. In this so-called MUSH – “multi-user shared hallucination” – those who log on portray various types of …

Like it or not, the last five years have seen an explosion of media aimed at infants and very young children. In the guise of education, parents are utilizing the electronic babysitter – TV, video, computer – from birth on. Is this good, bad or indifferent? I’d say the best …

Please recall the DMCA exemption request process in which many of you helped participate – it was essentially all for naught: The U.S. Copyright Office has opted to leave a controversial software-protection law largely in place, despite protests that it interferes with consumers’ rights to watch movies and listen to …

Napster selling prepaid music download cards in convenience stores and elsewhere: Prepaid cards for tunes from the Napster online store soon will be on sale at 14,000 electronics retailers, supermarkets, convenience stores and other outlets around the country, Santa Clara-based Roxio Corp. plans to announce today. The cards are being …

Very compelling telling of the Alex Halderman-“shift key”-copy protection-SunnComm tale of madness and hilarity in USA Today: About every 30 seconds, the phone rings in the Phoenix offices of SunnComm Technologies. When the receptionist at the 28-employee company answers, someone on the other end curses into the phone. That’s happening …