The agreement follows recommendations made by the NTIA last year that the option be used as an alternative to new spectrum auctions. The companies will test sharing a 95MHz slice of airwaves between 1755MHz and 1850MHz, which is currently used by the DoD. The testing will be carried out over the next couple of months, and is expected to be completed by the end of March. The tests will include monitoring, sharing, and simulations at five locations specified by the DoD to see if DoD activities are harmed or disrupted by nearby base station activity. The results will be shared by the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee when ready.

The post AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, DoD to Explore Spectrum Sharing appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The existing Twitter integration aspect of Ping will remain in iTunes, and be joined with Facebook integration and likes in a future major update following the release of iOS 6, which will bring the features to Apple’s mobile devices. Apple today released an update to iTunes 10, version 10.7, but the Facebook integration will not be implemented until iTunes 11 is released.

Playlists created in Ping will automatically be converted into iMixes, but lists of followers or people and artists users followed will be lost. The service let users “like” and post comments to other Ping users (and later, post to Twitter), and the system noted songs users liked or purchased on iTunes. A number of bands and artists signed on to Ping, and continue to post occasionally, but the service failed to catch on.

The post Apple Will Shut Down Ping on September 30 appeared first on Takes On Tech.

“We’re always looking for ways to give people the opportunity to sample The Wall Street Journal. This is the latest in a long history of those efforts.” a representative from the Wall Street Journal said. Existing subscribers will be able to log into the Wi-Fi network using existing credentials. New users will be required to register a (free) account to use the service.

The Journal stands to collect a large amount of subscriber, and non-subscriber data about websites visited and locations that the Journal readers frequent. No information has been provided about content filtering with the service, nor has there been any specifics on DNS manipulation for advertising insertion by the Journal.

The post Wall Street Journal Offering Free Wi-Fi Hotspots in New York, San Francisco appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The catalog increase brings it level with streaming giant Spotify’s collection. Although the increase in track numbers will help Rdio in gaining more subscribers globally and fight against its competitors, the deals will allow artists and labels to take more of an income from streaming. Spotify became the second highest source of revenue for record companies in June, and funds from Rdio would certainly be welcomed by the independent artists now being included by the service.

TuneCore boasts over 250,000 account holders, with notable artists including Nine Inch Nails, They Might Be Giants, and Moby generating over $300 million in gross music sales and songwriter revenue. CD Baby plays host to over 4 million tracks, supplying them to major retailers and streaming services and has paid its artists over $200 million over the last 12 years.

The post Rdio Catalog Now Over 18 Million Songs Due to Deals with TuneCore and CD Baby appeared first on Takes On Tech.

“One of the key things we’ve learned over the past few years is that when developers begin to demand an increasingly high volume of API calls, we can guide them toward areas of value for users and their businesses,” Twitter director of product Michael Sippey wrote in a blog post directed to developers. “To that end, and similar to some other companies, we will require you to work with us directly if you believe your application will need more than one million individual user tokens.”

Some apps will be allowed to surpass 100,000 users, but only after receiving official permission from Twitter. Any apps that already reach more than 100,000 users will be allowed to increase their subscriber base by 200 percent before running into the cap.

Twitter has also converted its “display guidelines” into “display requirements,” requiring developers to adhere to a set of presentation rules. The requirements relate to linking usernames to profiles, displaying appropriate tweet actions, and properly scaling tweets for various devices.

The company has made several attempts to modernize and improve its popular service, filing lawsuits against spammers and enforcing its terms-of-service by shutting down violating apps. Popular third-party client TweetDeck was halted early this year, fueling speculation that Twitter was beginning to cull the herd, however service was later restored and the interruption was said to be necessary to patch a security vulnerability.

Version 1.1 of the Twitter API is expected to arrive within the next few weeks.

The post Twitter Tightens Rules on Third-Party Apps appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The feature announced today marks Google’s latest attempt to deliver data that people are seeking more quickly as it tries to maintain the dominance of its lucrative Internet search engine.

Google Inc. is initially testing the feature with 1 million Gmail users who must sign up to participate.

Gmail users who join the trial will be shown a list of relevant e-mails on Google’s main search results page if the correspondence contains a word entered in a search request.

The post Goggle Now Testing Putting Gmail on Main Search Page Results appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Viewers can see the space shuttle launch pad close up and from the top of its tower, and can also view the Vehicle Assembly Building and Launch Firing Room #4. One panorama allows for a good view of one of the space shuttle’s main engines, capable of 400,000 pounds of thrust. Space Shuttle Orbiters Atlantis and Endeavor can also be examined.

Another project by Google, the World Wonders Project, has taken images from world heritage sites and important locations and put them online. Using the same technology behind Street View, it has assembled panoramas of the Albula-Bernina line in the Swiss Alps, as well as places in Antarctica like Shackleton’s hut, Scott’s hut, and the Ceremonial South Pole itself.

The post Take a Tour of the Kennedy Space Center with Google Street View appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Whether this will replace Hotmail going forward is unknown at this.

The post Microsoft Intros New Personal Email at Outlook.com appeared first on Takes On Tech.

According to Verizon, users on the top plan can download a 2-hour long high definition movie in just 2.2 minutes. Its fiber optic connection allows up to 14 devices in one household to share the connection. Users choosing the 150/65 plan will still be able to download the same 2-hour high-def movie in 4.4 minutes, while users on the 75/35 service ($145/month) will get it in 8.9 minutes. Users on the entry 50/25 service ($120/month) will have downloaded the movie in 13.3 minutes.

Some early adopters of the original fiber optic service will need to have their hardware upgraded, while others may end up paying more for their current plan without any speed boost.

The post Verizon FiOS Quantum Offers Speeds up 300Mbps appeared first on Takes On Tech.

“Haunted” is a story that follows paranormal investigators working inside an abandoned house tormented by supernatural events. The storytelling format features multimedia elements such as research documentation and investigators’ blogs. Shot with multiple cameras, the project’s navigational timeline allows viewers to manipulate how they view the story. In an interview with PBS’s MediaShift, Knauf details how he got frustrated with the traditional Hollywood players while working on “Carnivale” and how the frustration drove him to seek other avenues for storytelling.

He also details how technology plays a unique role in “Haunted” and that he is even patenting some of the innovations. Keep an eye out for our full review of “Haunted” soon, and check out the trailer in the mean time:

The post Carnivale Creator Forgoes Hollywood with New Transmedia Project appeared first on Takes On Tech.

March 18 is the one-year anniversary of launching paid digital subscriptions, during which the service has amassed 454,000 paid subscribers for e-readers, digital subscription packages, and digital editions of The New York Times and the International Herald Tribune. To celebrate, before the end of March, digital subscribers will be able to gift one 12-week subscription each to the NYTimes.com and smartphone apps.

Users can access videos and slideshows with their digital subscriptions, including the Business Day Live daily live business news video program. The smartphone and tablet section of the newspaper will be free, though access to other sections will require a digital subscription. Accessing individual stories from e-mail links, searches, blogs, and through social media won’t count towards the 20 or 10 article limit. Some unnamed search engines have a daily limit of five free links to Times articles, however.

Three different digital subscription plans are offered, with promotional rates in effect for the first four weeks. Print subscribers get free access to digital content.

The post NY Times Has 454K Digital Subs – One Year of Paid Digital Subscriptions Celebrated appeared first on Takes On Tech.

With dozens of iconic Marvel characters available at launch, “Marvel: Avengers Alliance” offers players a tactical turn-based combat experience. Players will have the opportunity to recruit some of Marvel’s most notable characters, including Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Hawkeye, Black Widow and many others. Players can train their heroes to unlock unique abilities, and further customize abilities. Players can also square off against each other in player-versus-player combat, challenging their social graph to super-powered showdowns.

“Marvel: Avengers Alliance” takes place in the wake of a galaxy-wide disaster, known as the Pulse, which exposes Manhattan to attacks by Marvel’s most deadly super villains. Players are recruited as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., the secret espionage and peace-keeping organization of the Marvel Universe, to assemble and lead teams of super heroes with a mission to keep New York City safe from the clutches of such enemies as Loki, Doctor Doom and Magneto, as well as sinister criminal organizations like Hydra and AIM.

In the coming months, “Marvel: Avengers Alliance” will continue to expand with ongoing content releases. Players can look forward to new missions and storylines, additional super heroes, and upgraded abilities, plus new equipment, weapons, powers and costumes for unlock and purchase.

Social gamers and Marvel fans can join S.H.I.E.L.D and begin the adventure immediately: http://www.facebook.com/avengersalliance.

Trailer for Marvel: Avenger’s Alliance

The post Marvel: Avengers Alliance Now Live on Facebook appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Comcast users will also get the ability to stream sports thanks to Disney’s WatchESPN app and live Disney programming, though live ABC streaming doesn’t appear to be part of the contract. What will become of ABC.com or Hulu wasn’t disclosed either. The fees for the retransmission of ABC-owned local stations are covered under the new deal, which were free in the past. Skipping ads during ABC video-on-demand programming is no longer supported either.

How much money the deal is worth hasn’t been publicly disclosed.

The post Comcast and Disney Sign New 10-year TV, Web Deal appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Timeline is a major shift in philosophy for Facebook that reduces the emphasis on recent updates in favor of long-term history. Depending on how much a member fills out, it can go back through to birth. Users can also add important memorable events and selectively choose what events are shown as well as what content is visible in the normally compressed older updates.

Apps also get more persistent placement for updates, and profile photos are much more visual with a banner above the actual profile shot. Those on iPhones, Android devices, and other modern mobile devices get a timeline adapted to their screen size but otherwise with most of the components of the desktop page.

The post Facebook Timeline Starts Rolling Out in New Zealand First appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Why Buy Local?

The Buy Local movement aims to take us beyond the promise of environmental responsibility that the organic movement delivered, and awakening the US to the importance of community, variety, humane treatment of farm animals, and social and environmental responsibility in regards to our food economy.

The post Use New Tech to Find An Heirloom Turkey appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The new Boingo VPN will be available for Windows and Macintosh laptops, and iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. It is currently in limited beta release among select customers, and is scheduled to launch in early 2012. The personal VPN will be free to Boingo monthly subscribers.

“The single most reliable means of security when using public Wi-Fi is a personal VPN,” said Niels Jonker, Chief Technology Officer for Boingo Wireless. “Especially with the proliferation of unmanaged free networks and new hacker exploits, people need a tool to protect their personal information while they’re online. Our easy-to-use VPN will help make it simple.”

The new personal VPN will incorporate important technological updates that leverage the power of cloud computing to deliver quality service around the world, as well as extend support to new mobile computing platforms that need secure access options.

With the explosion of new devices and exploits, and as less technically sophisticated users flood the Wi-Fi market, overall risk is at an all time high. As a result, Boingo has published a security whitepaper (PDF) to help venue owners understand the risks of operating open networks and the importance of ensuring that their network operator actively manages those risks to protect the venue and its customers..

The post Boingo Wireless Announces Personal VPN – Kicks Off Wi-Fi Security Initiative appeared first on Takes On Tech.

A successful vote was unlikely to have gone forward. The White House had issued a statement saying it would veto any bill, saying that a rejection of any net neutrality laws would undermine the open Internet.

Republicans have objected to any regulation of the Internet and have largely sided with carriers, which want the freedom to block and slow down competing services on their networks. They have also insisted that the FCC needed Congressional approval to implement any of the changes.

In putting forward net neutrality rules, the FCC argued that new Internet services needed protection to make sure they could compete fairly in the market. It has also pointed to existing clauses that it says grant the authority to make changes without overstepping its bounds.

Some advocates believe the regulations don’t go far enough, as the FCC deliberately left out in wireless terms from wired service that would prevent carriers from slowing access down. Agency officials have claimed that the newness of 3G and 4G networks, along with the reduced bandwidth on wireless, means carriers might need or want to slow down certain kinds of apps.

The post US Senate Votes Just Slightly in Favor of Net Neutrality appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD) today announced the first-ever “social series” from a Hollywood studio will debut on Facebook starting October 18. Consumers can now become part of the show by seamlessly integrating their profile information – including photos, text and friends  by simply opting into the application on the show’s Facebook page. The action comedy series “Aim High” produced by Warner Premiere and Dolphin Entertainment, staring Jackson Rathbone (“Twilight”), Aimee Teegarden (“Friday Night Lights”), and Greg Germann (“Ally McBeal”) will debut as the first “social series” October 18 through Facebook.com/AimHighseries and Cambio.com.

By choosing to watch “Aim High” in a personalized viewing mode through the show’s Facebook page, viewers will be able to see themselves or their friends integrated into select scenes throughout the series – from their photo appearing on a student body election poster, to having their name seen as graffiti on the bathroom wall. This video application not only allows consumers to have an immersive and engaging viewing experience, but also a social one where they can share comments, scenes and Tweets about their favorite moments from the show.

“Facebook is an increasingly influential destination for discovering and acquiring movie and television content,” said Thomas Gewecke, President of Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. “This effort takes video distribution to a whole new level by making the actual viewing experience personal and social in a truly innovative and entertaining way.”

“The ability for fans to become part of a production by simply watching a show is truly revolutionary,” said McG, Producer of “Aim High.” “I’m delighted that Aim High is the first to embrace this technology and I’m looking forward to including this in future productions.”

To learn more about “Aim High,” visit Facebook.com/AimHighseries.

About “Aim High”

“Aim High” is the story of a young man leading a double life – juggling his studies by day and serving as a government operative by night. This series chronicles the life of Nick Green, a junior who’s just starting a new school year as one of the country’s 64 highly trained teenage operatives.

When he’s not handling international spies, Nick is dreaming of Amanda Miles, the most popular girl in school who’s cool, intelligent and very alluring. Amanda mercilessly flirts with Nick, but before he can enjoy her advances he has to avoid Derek – her overly protective boyfriend who threatens him for even looking at her.

“Aim High,” a Warner Premiere and Dolphin Entertainment series, comes from Director/Producer McG (“Chuck,” “Charlie’s Angels”), Wonderland Sound and Vision. Peter Murrieta (“Wizards of Waverly Place”) is Executive Producer. Mary Viola, Andy Shapiro, Jackson Rathbone, Bill O’Dowd, Jim Henrie and Philip von Alvensleben also serve as Executive Producers. The series is written and created by Heath Corson and Richie Keen who also serve as Executive Producers, directed by Thor Freudenthal (“Hotel for Dogs,” “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”) and produced by Lance Sloane and McG.

The post Warner Bros’ ‘Aim High’ Social Series Will Debut on Facebook October 18 appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Prospect Park announced Tuesday that The Online Network, its Internet-based platform, will launch in January with original programming including new episodes of All My Children and One Life To Live.

As part of its January bow, TOLN will feature first-run programming including longform content and lifestyle shows, with reality, scripted comedy and drama offerings added at a later date.

The post All My Children and One Life To Live “Air” on the The Online Network in January appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Eric Stonestreet (“Modern Family”), Seth Green (“Family Guy”), Eddie Kaye Thomas (American Pie), Ron Livingston (Office Space), Greg Grunberg (“Heroes”) and Rob Riggle (“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”) lend their hilarious talents as the superheroes that get under Dr. Ted’s skin. Produced by Oates, Cooke and Clio Tegel; directed by Oates; and animated by Titmouse Studios, “Issues” is an entertaining take on the therapy driven world in which we live.

Each episode of this six-part series will feature a new superhero client complaining of their ‘issues’ to Dr. Ted:

• Episode One – “Captain Magnificent” as played by Rob Riggle
• Episode Two – “Side-Car” as played by Seth Green
• Episode Three –“K-9” as played by Eric Stonestreet
• Episode Four – “The Dark Kodiak” as played by Greg Grunberg
• Episode Five – “The Nothing” as played by Ron Livingston
• Episode Six – “The Incredible Flame” as played by Eddie Kaye Thomas

“Led by a cast of extremely talented comedians, we are excited for viewers to experience a unique take on the underbelly of a superhero’s life,” said Eric Berger, Executive Vice President, Digital Networks for Sony Pictures Television. “‘Issues’ is a hilarious hybrid series that combines live action and animation in a truly innovative way.”

The first of six episodes, each three to five minutes in length, will debut July 20, 2011 on Crackle.com. Crackle is also available in the UK, Canada and Australia. “Issues” will premiere simultaneously in these territories on July 20, 2011.

The post New Series on Crackle to Feature Josh Cooke, Seth Green appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The service also hopes to one-up Apple with a new intelligent playlist feature known as Instant Mix. Rather than using a crowd-sourced collection like iTunes, Music Beta ‘listens’ to the music and uses the sound of the music to automatically generate a playlist.

A Music Manager desktop app for Macs and Windows PCs lets users automatically grab and upload their iTunes or Windows Media Player collections to the cloud for use later.

Music Beta is currently limited to invitations only and the US. More areas should come later, Google said. The service is initially free, but Google hinted that it might start charging after the beta period ends. Updated apps should be available today for Android 2.2, 3.0, and later.

Google’s already publicized YouTube movie service is also migrating to Android through Android Market. Visitors can rent from the 3,000 available movies and watch them either directly from the Android Market website or through a new Movies app for Android phones and tablets. As with Music Beta, movies can be pinned to store them locally.

Movies start at $2 to rent and give viewers up to 30 days to start watching. Motorola Xoom owners will be the first to see the Movies app with the Android 3.1 update appearing as soon as today, but Android 2.2 and later devices will have to wait for a separate app within the next two weeks.

During a question and answer session after the keynote, Google digital content head Jamie Rosenberg acknowledged that the company had taken a cue from Amazon and bypassed labels. The current service doesn’t have a music store to automatically match songs and isn’t intended as a complete backup. While limiting, this meant it was “completely legal” without approval, Rosenberg said.

He didn’t get into rumors of label talks backfiring but did admit that Google reached an impasse with two music labels. Executives chose to go without the store entirely rather than limit it to independents.

The post Google Kicks Off Music Cloud Beta at Google I/O appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Many titles have extras linked off of their main pages, such as interviews or related videos on YouTube. Movies would be available on any computer that can see YouTube, although product managers Camille Hearst and Matt Darby didn’t say whether the service would be available through mobile apps.

The company was vague on costs but promised “industry standard pricing.” Top-tier content would start showing up Monday night but would roll out gradually over the next few weeks.

YouTube’s rollout follows nearly a year of preparation and an initial service that focused exclusively on indie titles from inside and outside of the US. Some of the wait has come from needs to reassure major studios worried over piracy, such as by acquiring Widevine for copy protection and a takeover of fflick for movie reviews. Many of the pages also tie into Rotten Tomatoes for a quick overview.

The rental scheme isn’t Google’s first attempt to compete directly with Apple in a media store, having launched its bookstore earlier, but does represent its first attempt at challenging services that have been core to iTunes, Zune Marketplace, and other services for years.

Options such as Blockbuster have existed in the past but have never been available on all or even most Android devices due to the variety of devices and fragmented copy protection system in Android 2.x and earlier. A recent update added Widevine to Android 3.0 and should give tablet owners access to YouTube movies while reassuring studios anxious about stream ripping.

The post YouTube Now in the Movie Rental Business appeared first on Takes On Tech.

“MapQuest has been providing solutions to Canadian users to meet their trip-planning needs for years,” said Christian Dwyer, senior vice president and general manager, MapQuest. “The launch of MapQuest.ca speaks to the growing needs of Canadian consumers for MapQuest tools, including search results and Canadian-specific directions providing a localized experience.”

The launch of the dedicated Canada site underscores AOL’s continued commitment to the Canadian marketplace, coming on the heels of AOL Canada’s recent announcement of the IAB Portrait (formerly known as Project Devil), the new ad format that could transform online marketing; and the announcement of a Canadian version of The Huffington Post, the leading online news and opinion site.

MapQuest.ca is a key part of MapQuest’s strategy of inspiring consumers to explore and discover while on their travel journeys. MapQuest also offers tailored opportunities for advertisers looking to engage users.

Key Facts:

According to comScore, Canadians are one of the most engaged online audiences, ranking highest among the top markets in both average hours and visits per visitor. MapQuest’s new, dedicated site provides a better experience to users through customized features including precise search, advertising messages geared toward individual inquiries and needs, and directions defaulting to kilometers.

Additional information on Canadian users:

• Directories/Resources (where mapping is) grew 18% Y/Y and is a top category
• Canadian males spent the greatest amount of time on Directories sites, averaging more than 94 minutes per month in Q4 2010.
• Women spent double the amount of time on Photos and Directories sites when compared to Q4 2009

“Though Canadians have been using MapQuest for 15 years, the new site provides new inventory for advertisers looking to reach travelers in all stages of trip-planning and discovery,” said Graham Moysey, general manager, AOL Canada. “We’re thrilled to bring these enhanced, new opportunities to our current and prospective advertising customers.”

MapQuest.com also operates with 14 language localization options and 27 country-specific open-source mapping sites that harness crowd-sourced map data.

The post MapQuest Launches Canadian Site appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Google picked Friday to add Flash support to its Instant Previews feature even as it cautioned against using Adobe’s plugin too heavily. The move lets users with a regular web browser see a Flash-heavy site’s animations, layout, and videos in the quick view sidebar instead of plugin errors. The approach would work immediately for any site whose details were scraped by Google’s regular bots but would be turned off when the preview had to be generated on-demand.

The on-demand limitation prompted an uncommon backing away from Flash. Google asked site developers to have a “reasonable, seamless experience” for anyone not using Flash. The approach would both help previews render properly and make viewers “happier,” product lead Raj Krishnan said. He also encouraged those who were using Flash to streamline any code to help it run faster.

Google is widely considered Adobe’s closest partner and has both made Flash built-in with Chrome and a common feature on Android 2.2 and up. Partly because of its existing emphasis on web standards, though, it has had to backtrack and occasionally take steps to reduce its dependency. The search firm decided to sandbox plugins in Chrome 10 as an admission of Flash stability issues and decided to fix a Flash security hole itself through a Chrome fix rather than wait for Adobe.

It’s not known if Instant Previews on Android will support Flash. The call to make Flash optional, not mandatory, is potentially a concession to iPad owners to ensure they have a consistent experience with the desktop version of the page.

The post Google Adds Flash to Instant Previews appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The data in the report was collected from over 100 million reader sessions across more than 100 premium publishers using Outbrain providing a view into content discovery that no single publisher would have access to alone. Key findings include:

• While search still reigns supreme in directing traffic to content pages (41% of external referrals), social is gaining share at 11%.
• Of the six content verticals examined, stories in the news, entertainment and lifestyle categories were the most likely to receive traffic from social sources.
• Traffic coming from social media sources has the highest tendency to bounce.
• Readers who go from one content site to another (i.e. USA Today to The Daily Beast) are most likely to be engaged in what they’re reading, presumably, because they are already in content consumption mode.
• Facebook delivers a more diverse audience than Twitter.

“Outbrain is in a unique position — with over 2 billion page views per month on content pages across a wide variety of premium publishers, we’re able to identify patterns in web traffic that paint an important picture of how people are discovering content, and how they engage with it post click,” said David Sasson, Outbrain COO. “With our inaugural report, we hope to help publishers and the wider industry understand how audiences are sourcing content.”

Outbrain helps online publishers better engage readers by placing tailored content recommendations on individual Web pages to increase site traffic and revenue. The company also provides marketers with a platform to promote their own content alongside publisher editorial. The Q1 report is the first in a series of quarterly reports from Outbrain.

The full Q1 report is available for download at: http://www.outbrain.com/res/etc/content_discovery_Q12011.pdf

The post Outbrain Study Gives Insight Into Content Consumption Trends appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Assuming the connection reached its peak and the destination can match the service, Comcast estimated about a 15- to 18-fold speed boost compared to a 6Mbps connection. A 4GB 720p movie on a service like iTunes should take about five minutes to download, Comcast gave as an example.

Full pricing hasn’t been mentioned so far. Comcast is hoping to steer subscribers into TV and phone bundles where the Internet service will cost $105 per month for the first year of service. It hasn’t said what the price will be afterwards.

The post Comcast 105Mbps Cable Internet Coming to Major Cities appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Motorola outranked it in a large January survey of Americans, giving the Droid creator a top score of 64.4 among phone makers where Apple managed 59.3. It wasn’t even second place as the study also put HTC (60.6), Sony Ericsson (59.8), and even Nokia (59.5) slightly higher.

“There is still a large audience of consumers that aren’t interested in a smartphone running their life, and Apple doesn’t have a product to meet that need,” Harris Executive VP Jeni Lee Chapman said.

HP scored 69.9 where Apple was close at 68.3. The company had the advantage of its ubiquity in stores along with its long-serving brand name. Apple was still well ahead of Dell’s 64.1-point score.

Other scores were more in line with expectations. Verizon beat out AT&T for the most valued carrier brand, while Sony was at the forefront for general home electronics. Nintendo was the best reputed console maker to beat both Sony and Microsoft.

The rankings put a strong emphasis on brand equity, which Harris said included a mix of not just familiarity with a brand but its perceived quality and whether or not a buyer was likely to consider it.

The post Motorola, Verizon Wireless Lead Mobile Categories Two Years Running in 2011 Harris Poll EquiTrend appeared first on Takes On Tech.

ISPs already are required to prominently display or provide easy access to details of their management practices, performance and other terms of service. Initial regulations left the exact definition of “performance” relatively vague, however, without any rules dictating a specific format for the required disclosures.

“Some broadband providers advertise that their offerings support certain applications, but consumers lack standardized tools to determine which speeds and other features they need for a range of services,” the public notice reads. “The lack of such information hampers consumers’ ability to compare services offered by and among broadband providers.”

The Commission is asking for input regarding the specific types of “need for speed” information that is relevant to consumers, though the proposal notes that several additional measurements, including latency and jitter, have a significant impact on certain services such as videoconferencing and web-based gaming.

The fresh proposal appears to represent a continuation of the FCC’s existing strategy, which initially focused on false or exaggerated speeds advertised by many ISPs. The Commission then worked to set a definition for what speeds are truly deserving of the label ‘broadband,’ a benchmark that has climbed over several years to reach 4 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream.

Despite the suggestion that consumers need even more broadband measurements to make an informed decision, the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau acknowledges a 2010 study that found that 80 percent of broadband customers are unaware of their basic connection speed.

“The marketplace for broadband service is a confusing one for consumers,” said CGB Bureau Chief Joel Gurin. “Most people don’t understand megabits-per-second in the way they understand miles-per-gallon.”

The post FCC Wants to Standardized Sisclosure of Broadband Speeds appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Founded in 2005, Postlets has more than 500,000 registered users, who currently use Postlets to distribute more than 350,000 for-sale and for-rent listings across the country. As part of the acquisition, Postlets co-founders Asher Matsuda and Raymond Chen have joined Zillow as full-time employees. Postlets will continue to send listings to its current distribution partners.

“Postlets is a terrific tool for agents, property managers and landlords to promote their listings and manage their online presence,” said Spencer Rascoff, Zillow CEO. “We are very excited to have the Postlets brand and its talented founders join our team.”

The post Zillow Acquires Postlets appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The introduction was matched by a beta platform for live video recording. Its test version will let some YouTube partners with accounts “in good standing” broadcast live on their own. Its expansion would widen to cover “thousands” of partners in the months ahead to make sure the streaming was smooth.

YouTube’s entry into the category comes relatively late versus services like Justin.tv, Qik, and Ustream that have made their businesses on live streaming.

The post YouTube Live Now a Permanent Feature, Teases Recording Plans appeared first on Takes On Tech.