John Lister

Comcast has announced it will no longer freeze downloading by subscribers who use too much bandwidth. Instead, it will revise the monthly limit, and introduce extra charges for those who go over. At the moment, the company cracks down on users who ... consume more than 250 gigabytes (GB) in a month. Comcast first issues a warning, and then may suspend service for customers who refuse to cut down on their data use. The 250 GB limit will now be set aside while Comcast tests two alternative systems in sample markets. One alternative will be a system in which all customers operate under a 300 GB ... (view more)

A major software problem may have significantly limited the number of people able to purchase Facebook stock when it first became publicly available on Friday, May 18, 2012. Nasdaq has assumed total responsibility for the fiasco and says it will ... offer compensation to those negatively affected by it. By some estimates, the payouts could total as much as $13 million. Nasdaq officials had planned carefully for the huge amount of trading that was expected when Facebook stock "went live". The combination of the number of shares put up for sale and the asking price made it the third-biggest stock ... (view more)

If you are confused by the differences between a laptop, notebook, and netbook, you may soon find the situation a whole lot more baffling: New portable computer models now carry titles like 'Ultrabook,' 'Sleekbook,' and 'fauxtrabook'. To help you ... break through some of the mystery, here's a quick guide to some of the terminology: Tough Terminology Explained A laptop is a personal computer that combines a screen and keyboard in a single unit designed to be portable. Most of the other computers described here are laptops, too. The only major form factor for a portable computer that isn't a ... (view more)

Google has added to its search results a new feature designed to make the search function act "more human". The feature, called "Knowledge Graph", may make the site behave more like rival Microsoft's Bing. The main aim of Knowledge Graph is to deal ... with the shortcomings of using typical search terms, which frequently denote a range of very different meanings. Google gives the example of a search for 'Taj Mahal.' Someone using this term could be looking for the Indian landmark, a musician, a casino, or a restaurant specializing in Indian food. There's no way to know. At the moment, this search ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced that child safety measures built into the new Windows 8 operating system (OS) will be significantly different from those in Windows 7. It insists the new strategy will be more effective in keeping kids safe. According to the ... company, both Microsoft and third-party software developers have often been unsuccessful at helping parents and guardians to control exactly what children in their care can and can't do online. That's because such systems can be complicated and require constant parental involvement. For example, some children who sought to access certain websites ... (view more)

United States customs officials have reportedly blocked shipments of two high-profile Android smartphones from entering the country. It's the result of a court injunction obtained by Apple on the basis of alleged patent violations. The affected ... phones are the One X and the EVO 4G LTE, both manufactured by HTC. It's a significant blow to the smartphone maker, as these phones were intended to be its flagship models in the fast-growing Android smartphone market. Apple, Android No Strangers to Courts Apple and various manufacturers of Android devices have been engaged in a lengthy war of ... (view more)

A Russian company says its "Pirate Pay" project can eliminate online piracy by blocking web users from sharing files via the BitTorrent system. The people behind Pirate Pay (not to be confused with The Pirate Bay) came up with an alternative method ... of combating illegal file-sharing via BitTorrent. To help them get started, they received $100,000 from Microsoft. The first major test of the Pirate Pay system involved attempting to block distribution of a Russian movie titled "Vysotsky: Thank God, I'm Alive". Pirate Pay says it managed to block 44,845 illegal downloads of that film in ... (view more)

Under investigation for abusing its domination of the search market, Google has floated a new argument: that the way it chooses and arranges its search results qualifies as protected free speech under the U.S. First Amendment. The new approach is ... part of an attempt to stave off government investigations that could seriously hamper Google's ability to operate, as well as its profits and its reputation. The investigation is based upon two related issues: first, that Google has a dominant position in the search engine market, and second, that Google uses this position to support its own ... (view more)

An upcoming revamp of Microsoft's search engine Bing will allow users to pose queries on Facebook. It's the first visible partnership of its type between the two Internet companies. The new tools will come in the form of a separate sidebar. As long ... as users are signed in to Facebook (meaning they must have an account), the sidebar will be active each time a Bing search is made. Bing, Facebook Coordinate Search Results Once users have typed in their query, the sidebar will come up with a list of Facebook friends that Bing believes may be able to help out. For example, if users search on a ... (view more)

A San Francisco jury has decided that Google did copy Java code when creating its Android system. However, the jury said it couldn't decide if this copying was 'fair use' or not, leading Google to demand a mistrial. The complex case involves Java, a ... computer language used in creating applications that can run on many platforms. The rights to the language currently belong to the software firm Oracle. Google stood accused of directly copying code from Java and using it when creating Android, its operating system for mobile devices like smartphones and tablet computers. Oracle launched a lawsuit ... (view more)