INTERNET
Domain-Name Regulator Is Given a Year to Improve
Report: Demand Low for Broadband
BORADCASTING
Justice Department Continues To Look at Satellite-TV Merger
Software to Channel Films From PCs to TVs
INTELLECUAL PROPERTY
Africa Set to Embrace Linux
INTERNET
DOMAIN-NAME REGULATOR IS GIVEN A YEAR TO IMPROVE
ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, was granted
a one-year extension on Sunday to continue managing the Internet's
addressing system. The U.S. Commerce Department made the announcement
despite much current dissatisfaction with the way the organization handles
their responsibilities with the public and government. ICANN will have until
September 30, 2003 to re-design its structure to improve efficiency among
national governments and to make improvements in the way they are responsive
to Internet users. The government contact also calls for ICANN to submit
quarterly updates beginning December 31.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Susan Stellin]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/21/technology/21DOMA.html)
REPORT: DEMAND LOW FOR BROADBAND
While high-speed Internet connections are available to most American
households, many see no compelling reason to pay extra for it, according to
a new Commerce Department study. Compiled from a variety of analyst surveys,
the report from the department's Office of Technology Policy cites a need
for more music, movies and games on the Internet in order to make broadband
connections more popular. "New applications and services that consumers want
and businesses need will provide the tipping point for broadband demand and
usage," says it says. Only 10 percent of U.S. households subscribe to
high-speed access, lower than the rate in Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong or
Canada.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: D. Ian Hopper]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54599-2002Sep23.html)
BROADCASTING
SOFTWARE TO CHANNEL FILMS FROM PCS TO TVS
New software company, BroadQ, will soon offer the latest attempt to
stimulate demand for both broadband Internet access and digital home
networking. The company's software allows owners of Sony's PlayStation2
game console to connect the device to a PC through a digital network,
enabling the box to play digital audio and video stored on the PC. Past
efforts to bring multimedia content from the Internet into America's living
room have failed as consumer demand remains low. Some analysts say BroadQ
is jumping the gun. Most consumers aren't interested in such a complicated
solution, they say, and the next generation of game machines will be better
equipped for the job. Only about 6% of U.S. homes have any kind of digital
network, according to Parks Associates, a Dallas market research and
consulting company. With too many competing technologies and not enough
compelling programming, consumer electronics companies have been reluctant
to push home networking, said Kurt Scherf, vice president of research at
Parks. Still, BroadQ hopes that the ubiquitous nature of PS2 (currently in
40 million US homes) will increase sales of their product, which requires
PS2 owners to buy Sony's broadband adapter.
[SOURCE: The LA Times, AUTHOR: John Healey and Alex Pham]
(http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-playstation23sep23(0,7028651).story
?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Dtechnology)
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO LOOK AT SATELLITE-TV MERGER
The U. S. Justice Department still has many questions regarding the proposed
merger between EchoStar Communications and DirecTV. Assistant Attorney
General for antitrust Charles James says the deal "in many markets reduces
the number of competitors to two from three, and in some areas, to one from
two." EchoStar says that prices for their cable service will remain the same
as those in competitive markets despite the loss of a competitor.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Mark Wigfield]
(http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1032469546585034875,00.html?mod=telecomm
unications%5Fprimary%5Fhs)
(requires subscription)
INTELLECUAL PROPERTY
AFRICA SET TO EMBRACE LINUX
After years of speculation, 2002 appears to be the African breakout year for
Linux, the flexible open source operating system technology. Following a
strategic review of business in Africa conducted by Hewlett-Packard last
week, the company is teaming with its African business partners to hone its
focus on Linux and HP-UX (HP's Unix offering) solutions. HP has stepped to
the plate by offering sales, consulting, support and education solutions for
the operating system, working with the open source community to accelerate
the delivery of Linux-based solutions, and delivering security-enhanced
servers, hardware and peripherals that support Linux across the continent.
According to Andre Hartley, HP's software solutions consultant for Africa,
the steady march toward open source and open connectivity standards "will
shift the underlying economics and the basis of competition in our industry
... [leading] to more competition, greater choice and flexibility for
businesses and increased ease-of-use for consumers."
[SOURCE: AllAfrica.com, AUTHOR: Andre Hartley]
(http://allafrica.com/stories/200209230058.html)
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