government

Entertainment

MPAA Is Still Trying To Plug Your Analogue Hole

2:40AM Danny Allen | Still use component connections with your pay TV box? Listen up: The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has again asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to let studios disable analogue connections during certain on-demand movies. The FCC currently bans this, and here’s why that’s a good thing. More »
Hardware

The NSA To Store A YOTTABYTE Of Your Personal Data

1:40AM Mark Wilson | In Utah, the National Security Agency is building a $US2 billion storage facility that will house and analyse all forms of electronic communication…a potential yottabyte of everyone’s (formerly) personal data. So how big is a yottabyte? CrunchGear puts it well…+ More »
Random Stuff

Maldives Gov’t. Meets Underwater To Show Effects Of Global Warming

4:30AM Dan Nosowitz | The Maldives, a stretch of islands off the coast of Sri Lanka, are so close to sea level that global warming poses a serious threat. So the government held a cabinet meeting underwater to bring attention to the problem. More »
Random Stuff

Obama Bans Government Employees From Driving While Texting

8:00AM Matt Buchanan | An executive order from President Obama bans all government employees—including soldiers and postal workers—from texting while driving if they’re working, driving one of Uncle Sam’s cars or using one of his mobile phones. Meaning we’re all next. [Ars]
Gadgets

Coming Back From China? Throw Your Phone Out

9:20AM Adam Frucci | According to the US government, if you’re coming back from China you probably want to ditch your phone. You know, just in case. More »
Software

Obama Administration Gets Their Own Cloud Computing App Store

3:00PM Adrian Covert | Vivek Kundra, the Obama Administration CIO, just opened up a new app store for federal agencies so that they can get up on these wacky, government-approved cloud computing programs. Looks like he’s following through on his promises. More »
Business

The Industry’s Response To Conroy’s Telstra Ultimatum

12:20PM Nick Broughall | Most of these responses to Conroy’s bitch-slapping of Telstra came through yesterday, but they’re still worth a read. Personally, I’m disappointed by the lack of fireworks from Telstra themselves – I can’t help but think that if Sol was around, we’d have lawyers duelling pistols at dawn… More »
Business

Government To Force Telstra To Structurally Separate Wholesale And Retail

11:46AM Nick Broughall | Somebody get me some popcorn: This could get very messy. Today Senator Conroy announced that the Rudd government has made some pretty major changes to telecommunications laws that will require Telstra to structurally separate its wholesale and retail businesses. And if they don’t do it voluntarily, the government’s going to bring the pain… More »
Online

Teenagers Apparently View Online Porn By Accident – Yeah, Right…

1:12PM Nick Broughall | A government commissioned study says that 84% of boys aged 16-17 have seen internet porn, but most claim it’s accidental. What horseshit. Here’s a much more accurate view of the situation: 100% of teenage boys are horny little bastards who’ll lie about their porn viewing habits to government researchers because they don’t want to seem like horny little bastards. More »
Hardware

$US2.4 Billion Grant Means Batteries Might Finally Join The 21st Century

10:40AM John Herrman | The Obama administration has dumped an electric truckload of money on car and battery companies, with hopes they’ll develop technology that’ll make plug-powered cars suitable for the mainstream. As you can imagine, this is way bigger than just cars. More »