October 29, 2009
Google Sends Another Letter to the FCC Explaining Voice
Google has provided additional information to the FCC's regarding Google Voice. You might remember that Google already responded to FCC's questions about Google Voice and why a mobile app for it was rejected for the iPhone.
This time, Google Voice is responding to concerns raised by AT&T about restricting calls to select area codes, something telecommunications carriers are prohibited by law from doing.
In the most recent letter to the FCC, Google said they're not a telecommunications carrier because their service is not open to the public and it's free. Indeed, Google Voice is available by invitation only and is free - for the most part. Still, the public can request Google Voice invitations and they must pay for international calls. Google says, though, that international calls only make up 4% of calls placed through Google Voice.
Instead, Google calls itself an information provider:
Google Voice constitutes an "information service" under the federal Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. ยง 153(20), because it offers users "a capability for generating, acquiring, storing, [and] transforming" information of the user's choosing. The Google Voice number is a personal number for managing the user's connectivity in one place, and it is not associated with an underlying telephone access service.
Google maintains that Voice as a web-based application, but stresses it's not VOIP.
Google Voice is a Web-based software application. It is a single, integrated unified messaging and call management offering that is completely distinct from the user's existing telephone access lines/services.
Google's strongest argument is that you can't simply sign up to Voice as a telecommunications provider. Instead, Google Voice is used to manage the telecommunications services you're already signed up to.
Importantly, prospective users of Google Voice must subscribe to one or more traditional telecommunications services to be eligible to create a Google Voice account. The Google Voice system will require that a unique US telephone number be verified before an account will become active.
What truly looks to be the problem is that Google Voice is a combination of information and telecommunications services, which doesn't fit existing (and now outdated) descriptions of providers as set by the FCC and Congress. Ironically, both AT&T and Google probably have similar goals here: to bring government regulation up to date with how technology has progressed.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on October 29, 2009, 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
MapQuest Gets a Fresh Coat of Paint
Earlier this week, Google updated the look of its mapping service and now MapQuest has done the same. The goal is to improve readability and give more accurate details such has a building's proportional footprint compared to the streets around it.
Additionally, MapQuest says they've added new imagery for terrain and vegetation for Levels 4-9. Here's before and after screenshots of Philadelphia, per the official MapQuest blog:
Posted by Nathania Johnson on October 29, 2009, 2:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Microsoft and Yahoo! Deal Implementation Delayed, But Progress Made
Yahoo! has filed a document with the SEC stating the obvious: that their search deal with Microsoft did not get finalized by October 27, 2009. But the statement also said that progress was being made:
On October 28, 2009, Yahoo! Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Yahoo!"), and Microsoft Corporation, a Washington corporation ("Microsoft"), mutually agreed to extend the period to negotiate and execute a Search and Advertising Services and Sales Agreement and a License Agreement (the "Definitive Agreements") reflecting and supplementing the provisions of such agreements as set forth in annexes to their binding letter agreement dated July 29, 2009 (the "Letter Agreement"). The Letter Agreement specified that the parties would execute Definitive Agreements by October 27, 2009, but given the complex nature of the transaction, there remain some details to be finalized. The parties are working diligently on finalizing the agreements, have made good progress to date, and have agreed to execute the agreements as expeditiously as possible. The Letter Agreement was the subject of a Current Report on Form 8-K filed by Yahoo! on August 4, 2009.
I reached out to Microsoft for comment, but none was provided at the time of this post.. Comment came in literally as I hit publish:
Microsoft and Yahoo! are committed to this agreement and believe this is a highly competitive deal that is good for consumers, advertisers and publishers. We have made good progress in finalizing the definitive agreements. Given the complex nature of this transaction there remain some issues that need some additional clarity and definitive details. So, the teams at Yahoo! and Microsoft are continuing to work on the remaining details, and we have mutually agreed to extend the period to negotiate and execute the agreement. We plan to do this as expeditiously as possible. Both companies are optimistic that we will be able to close this deal by early 2010.
It sounds as if the deal is still on, but like the construction of a new building, they just have some delays.
What do you think?
Posted by Nathania Johnson on October 29, 2009, 1:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Twitter Begins to Roll Out Lists
If you normally use a third-party client to access and update your Twitter feed, you have a reason to go to Twitter.com in the next few days: LISTS! At the beginning of the month, Twitter announced that it was testing Lists and now it looks like they're beginning to roll out the beta to users. This is what I happily saw when I visited Twitter.com today:
Let's walk through the steps of making and viewing lists. I decided to make a list of funny people.
Create a new list by clicking the button in the announcement - or in the new Lists section under the search box on the sidebar:
A box will pop up. Name your list and decide whether you want it to be public or private.
To add people to a list, you search for them - or go directly to their Twitter page, click on the List icon and select the list you wish to add them to:
Once you have your list going, you can view the list by clicking the link to the list in the List of Lists under the search sidebar (see pic above). Still with me?
When you do, you'll see a stream of Tweets posted by Tweeple on the list.
If you want to get a list of Tweeple on the List, look for the "following link" at the top of the stream:
Here's the Tweeple so far in my Funny People List:
Posted by Nathania Johnson on October 29, 2009, 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
