Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Senator Al Franken gets answers regarding CarrierIQ, still not satisfied]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/16/senator-al-franken-gets-answers-regarding-carrieriq-still-not-s/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/16/senator-al-franken-gets-answers-regarding-carrieriq-still-not-s/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/16/senator-al-franken-gets-answers-regarding-carrieriq-still-not-s/#comments
It's been two weeks since the CarrierIQ story caught the eye of Senator Al Franken, who swiftly put his fist down and began demanding answers from the companies that admitted to allowing the tracking software on their handsets, as well as CarrierIQ itself. The deadline for the companies to respond is over for all but two -- T-Mobile and Motorola were both given until December 20th -- and the good Senator's had the chance to look over their questionnaires. Here's what Sen. Franken had to say about what he read:
I appreciate the responses I received, but I'm still very troubled by what's going on... People have a fundamental right to control their private information. After reading the companies' responses, I'm still concerned that this right is not being respected. The average user of any device equipped with Carrier IQ software has no way of knowing that this software is running, what information it is getting, and who it is giving it to -- and that's a problem. It appears that Carrier IQ has been receiving the contents of a number of text messages -- even though they had told the public that they did not. I'm also bothered by the software's ability to capture the contents of our online searches-even when users wish to encrypt them. So there are still many questions to be answered here and things that need to be fixed.
Kind of makes you wonder exactly how each company answered the Senator's questions, right? Wonder no longer, our curious friends -- the responses in their fullness can be found on Senator Franken's website, linked below. In addition, tune in tomorrow when we'll dive into the responses in-depth. There's one question that we still want answered, though: what will each company do about the matter, now that it's caught public scrutiny? Our bet is on "not much."

Senator Al Franken gets answers regarding CarrierIQ, still not satisfied originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>al frankenAlFrankenattcarrierIQfrankengovernmenthtcmobilepostcrossmotorolasamsungsenatorsprintt-mobileFri, 16 Dec 2011 00:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Senator Schumer blasts OnStar for 'brazen' privacy violation, calls for FTC investigation]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/26/senator-schumer-blasts-onstar-for-brazen-privacy-violation-ca/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/26/senator-schumer-blasts-onstar-for-brazen-privacy-violation-ca/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/26/senator-schumer-blasts-onstar-for-brazen-privacy-violation-ca/#comments Last week, OnStar issued a privacy notice informing customers that it would continue to collect data on vehicles still connected to its servers, even for those who have already canceled their subscriptions. The move elicited a chorus of protests from Democratic privacy advocates in the Senate, including Chris Coons, Al Franken and, most recently, Charles Schumer, who wrote a letter to the FTC yesterday calling for an investigation into what he sees as a bold violation of consumer rights. "By tracking drivers even after they've canceled their service, OnStar is attempting one of the most brazen invasions of privacy in recent memory," the New York Senator said. "I urge OnStar to abandon this policy and for FTC to immediately launch a full investigation to determine whether the company's actions constitute an unfair trade practice." Find out more about OnStar's new policy, after the break.

Continue reading Senator Schumer blasts OnStar for 'brazen' privacy violation, calls for FTC investigation

Senator Schumer blasts OnStar for 'brazen' privacy violation, calls for FTC investigation originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>al frankenAlFrankenautocarcharles schumerCharlesSchumerchris coonsChrisCoonsconsumercustomerdatademocratFederal Trade CommissionFederalTradeCommissionftcGPSinvestigationletterlocationmarketingonstarpoliticsprivacyprivacy policyprivacy rightsprivacy violationPrivacyPolicyPrivacyRightsPrivacyViolationsenatesenatorthird partyThirdPartyvehicle trackingVehicleTrackingviolationweatherMon, 26 Sep 2011 09:43:00 EST<![CDATA[US Senate passes patent system reform bill, Obama expected to sign into law]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/09/us-senate-passes-patent-system-reform-bill-obama-expected-to-si/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/09/us-senate-passes-patent-system-reform-bill-obama-expected-to-si/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/09/us-senate-passes-patent-system-reform-bill-obama-expected-to-si/#commentsThink it's time to change our patent system? So does Congress. Yesterday, the Senate approved the America Invents Act by an 89-8 vote that could bring about the most drastic changes to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in five decades. Under the bill, which the House approved back in June, patents would be awarded not to the first person to invent a technology, but to the first one to actually file with the USPTO, bringing US policy in line with protocol adopted in most other countries. It also calls for a streamlined application process and would allow the USPTO to charge set fees for all apps. The revenue generated from these fees would go directly to a capped reserve fund, allowing the office to retain the lion's share of the money, rather than funneling much of it to Congress, as had become the norm.

Supporters say this extra revenue will give the USPTO more power to chip away at its backlog of some 700,000 patent applications, while a new third-party challenge system will help eliminate patents that should've never received approval in the first place. Opponents, meanwhile, criticized the bill for not eliminating fee diversion altogether (an amendment that would've placed more severe restrictions was ultimately killed, for fear that it would jeopardize the bill's passage), with Washington Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell questioning the legislation's impact on small businesses, calling it "a big corporation patent giveaway that tramples on the rights of small inventors." But Senator Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat who sponsored the bill, argued that yesterday's approval marks a major and historic inflection point in US patent policy:

The creativity that drives our economic engine has made America the global leader in invention and innovation. The America Invents Act will ensure that inventors large and small maintain the competitive edge that has put America at the pinnacle of global innovation. This is historic legislation. It is good policy.

The America Invents Act will now make its way to President Obama's desk, where it's expected to receive his signature. For more background on the legislation, check out the links below.

US Senate passes patent system reform bill, Obama expected to sign into law originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 03:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>america invents actamerica invents act 2011AmericaInventsActAmericaInventsAct2011applicationapprovalbarack obamaBarackObamabillbipartisancongressdemocratfeefee diversionFeeDiversionhouse of representativesHouseOfRepresentativesinnovationintellectual propertyIntellectualPropertyinventionIPlawlegislationmaria cantwellMariaCantwellmoneypasspatentpatent trollPatentTrollpatrick leahyPatrickLeahypolicypoliticsrepublicanrevenuesenatortrademarktrollingUS patent and trademark officeUS senateUsPatentAndTrademarkOfficeUSPTOUsSenateFri, 09 Sep 2011 03:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple to drop DUI checkpoint apps like a bad habit]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/09/apple-to-drop-dui-checkpoint-apps-like-a-bad-habit/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/09/apple-to-drop-dui-checkpoint-apps-like-a-bad-habit/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/09/apple-to-drop-dui-checkpoint-apps-like-a-bad-habit/#commentsIn a move that's bound to get at least a few MADD moms smiling, Apple's officially decided to block apps that encourage drunk driving. Section 22.8 of the newly revised App Store Review Guidelines reads:

Apps which contain DUI checkpoints that are not published by law enforcement agencies, or encourage and enable drunk driving, will be rejected.

That revision comes on the heels of a request from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, asking that Google, Apple, and RIM yank offending apps from their respective mobile outlets. At the time, Google declined while RIM was quick to jump on the bandwagon, leaving Apple to stew. For now, it looks like the rest of us still have to keep our eyes out for Android users with a propensity for boozing and skirting the fuzz.

Apple to drop DUI checkpoint apps like a bad habit originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 07:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appAppleApple appstoreAppleAppstoreappsdrinking and drivingDrinkingAndDrivingdrunk drivingDrunkDrivingduidui checkpointdui checkpoint appDuiCheckpointDuiCheckpointAppharry reidHarryReidiphonesenatesenatorsentaor harry reidSentaorHarryReidThu, 09 Jun 2011 07:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Senator Harry Reid calls for DUI checkpoint app removal: RIM's game, Google isn't, Apple's undecided]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/24/senator-harry-reid-calls-for-dui-checkpoint-app-removal-rims/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/24/senator-harry-reid-calls-for-dui-checkpoint-app-removal-rims/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/24/senator-harry-reid-calls-for-dui-checkpoint-app-removal-rims/#comments There's a lot of folks out there drinking and driving, and Congress sees DUI checkpoint location apps as enablers of all that cruising and boozing. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid and his fellow Democrats have decided to use their powers of political persuasion to address the issue and ask Google, Apple, and RIM to pull such apps from their respective stores. The letter didn't name names, but Reid and co. want offending software yanked or "altered to remove the DUI checkpoint functionality" to prevent checkpoint circumvention. Of course, the creators of one such app, PhantomAlert, claim it provides such information to deter drunk driving by letting users know the risk of getting caught (yeah, right). RIM agreed to comply with the congressional request while Google said no thanks, but mum's the word out of Cupertino -- time will tell if Apple gets on the banning bandwagon too.

Senator Harry Reid calls for DUI checkpoint app removal: RIM's game, Google isn't, Apple's undecided originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid marketAndroidMarketappapp storeappleappsAppStoreappworldcongressdemocratsduidui checkpointDuiCheckpointgoogleharry reidHarryReidiosPhantomAlertrimsenatesenatorThu, 24 Mar 2011 16:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Germany's Senator Entertainment follows Constantin, goes Blu-ray only]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/16/germanys-senator-entertainment-follows-constantin-goes-blu-ray/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/16/germanys-senator-entertainment-follows-constantin-goes-blu-ray/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/16/germanys-senator-entertainment-follows-constantin-goes-blu-ray/#commentsIf you were wondering just how long you'd have to wait until the next domino fell, wonder no more. Germany's own Senator Home Entertainment is reportedly following in the footsteps of Constantin Film AG and will stop supporting HD DVD. Notably, any films that were already scheduled to arrive on HD DVD will supposedly still ship, but after March 1, 2008, the studio will be supporting Blu-ray exclusively. Another one bites the dust, we suppose.

[Thanks, Khattab]

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Germany's Senator Entertainment follows Constantin, goes Blu-ray only originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu rayblu-rayblu-ray exclusiveBlu-rayExclusivebluraybreaking newsBreakingNewsexclusiveformat warFormatWargermangermanyhdhd dvdhddvdheisesenatorsenator Home EntertainmentSenatorHomeEntertainmentWed, 16 Jan 2008 22:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Senator pushes for expansion of "V-chip" video censorship technology]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/04/senator-pushes-for-expansion-of-v-chip-video-censorship-techno/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/04/senator-pushes-for-expansion-of-v-chip-video-censorship-techno/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/04/senator-pushes-for-expansion-of-v-chip-video-censorship-techno/#commentsThe Democratic Senator for Arkansas -- Mark Pryor is his name -- wants to expand on the "V-chip" video content blocking program, and create a tracking system that could enable parents to censor content on platforms including TV, DVD, and the internet. A new bill proposed by Senator Pryor calls for the FCC to look into ways of blocking "indecent and objectionable programming, as determined by the parent" on basically all platforms capable of displaying images. As always, the devil is in the details: how exactly the FCC is going to figure out a method for precisely tracking obscenities on a "platform blind" basis remains to be seen, and the issue of classification of content is always sure to cause controversy. What politicos like Pryor always seem to miss is the fact that parental filters are already in place, albeit in messy meatspace form.

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Senator pushes for expansion of "V-chip" video censorship technology originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Aug 2007 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CensorshiphdMark PryorMarkPryorPoliticsSenatorTVV chipVChipSat, 04 Aug 2007 13:01:00 EST