The FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rule Making on modifying the definition of MVPD to include certain type of OTT providers wasn’t exactly the top choice for reading over the break, but it was informative. This document does a good job of raising the right questions and looking at the potential implications of a change of the definition of Multichannel Video Programming Distributor to include Over the Top (OTT) video providers. Still, from the layman’s perspective, it seems like the FCC is having to contort things to fit into laws that were written before anyone dreamed of the changes the Internet would bring (haven’t we heard this before with other regulations).
This may be naive, but perhaps 2015 could be the year for a comprehensive rewrite of telecommunications’ law by Congress. It happened in 1996 with a divided legislative/executive branch, so maybe it can happen again. Even today’s Wall Street Journal is suggesting there might be an opportunity for a pivot in the relations between these two branches of government.
The 2015 ViodiTV Tour – Beyond Fiber & Into the Data Center
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Security is Biggest Issue for U.S. Infrastructure, Cloud Computing, Open Networking, and the Internet of Things by Alan Weissberger
As is now common knowledge, Sony Pictures Entertainment revealed that it had been hacked by a group calling itself the Guardians of Peace, which the FBI claims was an agent of North Korea. Apparently, that repressive Communist country was using cyber-terrorism in an attempt to repress free speech in the United States. Few remember that between April and May 2011, Sony Computer Entertainment’s online gaming service, PlayStation Network, and its streaming media service (Qriocity), along with Sony Online Entertainment (the company’s in-house game developer and publisher), were hacked by LulzSec – a splinter group of the hacker collective known as Anonymous.
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Unique Municipal Relationship Brings Business Gig to Idaho
Gigabit network announcements are fast becoming non-announcements in that they are occurring so regularly and gigabit will soon (2015?) become a must-have for most North American service providers. What makes Silver Star Communications’ recent announcement about expansion of Gigabit service into Idaho Falls unique is how they brought service to this Eastern Idaho Berg of 56,000+. Silver Star is using the fiber network of Idaho Falls Power, Idaho Falls municipally owned power provider, to extend its Gigabiz service offering to Idaho Falls’ businesses.
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From Prune Shed to Silicon Valley Success – The Story of ROLM
Part of Silicon Valley’s mystique is the way companies treat their staff. From free to subsidized lunches to on-site daycare to gymnasiums, the Silicon Valley egalitarian and work-play culture is definitely part of the draw that attracts people from around the world and part of the reason for this region’s continual reinvention. Recognizable names such as Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and Yahoo are the face of today’s Silicon Valley, but, if not for the foundation laid by pioneering companies, such as ROLM, Santa Clara Valley might not be known as Silicon Valley.
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Some Tweets and Short Thoughts:
- Thanks to Barb Ostrander of Finley Engineering for pointing out this gem about North Dakota leading the U.S in fiber deployment. The report, published by Dakota Carrier Network, North Dakota Association of Telecommunications Cooperatives and the USDA Rural Development, predicts that, “Every rural North Dakotan will have access to gigabit speed by 2019.”
- A high-tech twist on a Christmas classic from our friends
@Arvig – Twas The Night Before Christmas – Great job Jeanne, Adam and the rest of the gang. - Happy Birthday Roger and congratulations on the Wisconsin Women’s Brewers and Growers acceptance in the 2015 Green Bay Film Fest.
- My rolling tripod made the video highlights at 2014 CES Unveiled:
The Korner – A Few Last Things – Internet o’ Things, That Is
The personal highlight of last year’s International CES was a comment that ViodiTV coverage CES 2013 videos was the impetus for one person’s trip to CES2014. With that in mind, here are three videos from CES2014 that point to the Internet of Things theme from last year; a theme that will probably be even more pervasive at CES2015. Please send a note if there is anything in particular that you think we should cover at CES2015.
The Internet of Things doesn’t always mean new things. In the above video, OKIDOKEYS spokesperson Kristin Berry demonstrates OKIDOKEYS’ smartphone/cellphone or RFID-controlled door lock that fits over most existing door locks enabling electronic locking and unlocking of a door. It will provide notifications that a door has opened (e.g. alert that child is home from school) or an alarm if an unauthorized user is attempting to open the door.
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The Internet-Connected Sump Pump
One of the worst surprises for a homeowner is to discover water in her basement. Pentair aims to solve that problem by adding connectivity to the sump pump. Combining battery back-up, an Internet connection and the obligatory app, Pentair’s Brian Alexander explains that the sump pump, shown in the above video, will send messages to its owners, such as when it is operating (indicating that it is pumping out water) or if the back-up battery needs replacing (a good thing to know before the battery is needed).
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Business failure, policy changes and security breaches are some of the dark sides of the cloud. At the same time, having one’s data backed up at off-site locations can be convenient and provides the physical diversity that protects data from single points of failure (e.g. hard-drive crash, theft, fire, etc.). Connected Data‘s approach to solving this problem is an on-site storage device that automatically connects to other devices, whether on the same Local Area Network or some other place via a Wide Area Network.
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