It's official, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler wants to reclassify internet service providers as utility providers under the FCC's Title II authority. The move aims to preserve the principles of net neutrality in law, barring ISPs from blocking, throttling, or prioritizing traffic.
Said FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler:
"I am submitting to my colleagues the strongest open internet protections ever proposed by the FCC. These enforceable, bright-line rules will ban paid prioritization, and the blocking and throttling of lawful content and services. I propose to fully apply—for the first time ever—those bright-line rules to mobile broadband. My proposal assures the rights of internet users to go where they want, when they want, and the rights of innovators to introduce new products without asking anyone's permission."
We can expect the ISPs to fight tooth-and-nail to derail the FCC's effort — expect particularly vociferous objections from the likes of Comcast and Time Warner. They'll claim that this will stifle competition (when the two don't compete at all) and investment (when they've been investing in upgrading their networks for decades without using any of the potentially-violating tactics they seek to employ). They'll say that this is bad for the internet, when the internet has flourished under the blanket assumption of these very same rules. What the FCC is proposing is to set the current operating conditions of the internet as the standard operating conditions, to enshrine into regulation that this is how the internet should work going forward.
In a surprise twist, the FCC even plans to apply these rules to mobile network operators. Previously the FCC had taken a more hands-off approach to cellular networks, but it appears they're poised to enforce net neutrality principles onto wireless carriers that have played fast-and-loose with the idea.
We've been watching this fight unfold for months now, and things are about to get very real.
Source: Wired
Apple Store employees in the United States must now wear masks
Apple has reportedly told employees at its United States Apple Stores that they must once again wear masks when at work, although the company has stopped short of requiring that customers also wear face coverings.
Apple's mixed reality headset could have an external screen
Rumors of Apple working on some kind of mixed reality headset are far from fresh but a new report has shared more information about how the project has struggled to ship a product. According to that report, and to deal with concerns from people on the team, Apple may be putting an external display on the headset so that people can see what you look like.
Leaked iPhone 14 cases show Pro models' insanely huge camera bumps
Apple is roundly expected to announce a new iPhone 14 lineup later this year and a new leak claims to show some of the cases that are being built for those new handsets. And as we've been expecting, they show the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max devices will both come with massive camera bumps.
Need to print something from your iPhone? Check out these printers!
Printers are a reliable way of obtaining a physical copy of documents. Even if you're mostly using your iPhone or iPad for everyday computing, AirPrint capable printers will keep you printing with no problems. Here are some of our favorites!