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FCC again balks on telephone network shutdown

Six months after wireline telephone operators and trade groups asked the Federal Communications Commission for permission to begin shutting down their aging switched networks, the agency responded late Friday, calling for further study.

In a public notice (PDF) issued by an agency task force created in December 2012, the FCC reiterated the importance of accelerating the transition from switched networks to native IP infrastructure. But rather than approving limited trials to test technical and regulatory obstacles to a full conversion, the agency instead raised more questions about the trials and called for more rounds of comments.

The task force also … Read more

Optimize video viewing experience

The Power Video Cutter is a tool for converting videos from one format to another and to perform simple editing to cut out part of a file and create a new file. While novice users might need to spend some time with the Help file before cutting files, the app proved easy to use.

The program's compact interface looks professional and clean, with large buttons to locate the source file and output directory. Nearly 20 file types are supported, including FLV, DVD, MP4, and AVI. The download process for acquiring videos off of YouTube is quick and they have … Read more

Divide for Android integrates Box with version 1.7

If you find yourself carrying around two separate mobile devices (one for work, the other for personal use), then you probably haven't heard of Enterproid's Divide app for Android.

Known as a solution to the growing BYOD (bring your own device) trend that plagues many a corporate IT department, Divide creates a separate, fully encrypted and password-protected work environment right on your Android device. This means you can securely access your work e-mail, contacts, calendars, and corporate applications, all while keeping your personal life out of your employer's reach.

Today, Enterproid updates Divide for Android to version … Read more

The 404 1,064: Where just enough is more (podcast)

Today's show title is the design credo of Milton Glaser, the celebrated designer responsible for turning the "I <3 New York" graphic into a world-recognized symbol.

That ethos is also the inspiration for today's discussion topic about Apple's "faux-real" user interfaces that Tom Hobbs at Fast Company believes is stunted by skeuomorphs, or elements of design that retain parts of its inspiration.

We'll look at how Apple's desire to show off the look of its products may be hindering its principal innovations, why the Amazon Kindle uses its own basic layout to create a more immersive environment for its readers, and how apps harnessing nostalgia like Instagram and Hipstamatic are holding back the next evolution of technology.… Read more

Comcast offers cheap broadband to poor families

Cable giant Comcast is making good on its promise to help the U.S. boost broadband adoption rates and eliminate the so-called digital divide by offering poor families more affordable broadband.

The company announced today its Internet Essentials program that will target low-income families with school-age children and help them get connected to the Internet by offering a combination of discounted broadband service, low-cost computers, and free training programs to teach people how to use the technology.

The company kicked off the program at Ballou High School in the District of Columbia. David Cohen, an executive vice president at Comcast, … Read more

Minority entrepreneurs set up own Valley incubator

As a teenager, Curtiss Pope worked as a clerk at Food 4 Less in east San Jose, Calif., gathering up shopping carts and helping customers find grocery items. He got the job to help his single mother of nine pay the bills, but it also seeded the idea for a start-up he's launched while helping to buck a well-documented Silicon Valley trend.

Pope, an 29-year-old African-American, goes up against some tough stats as he seeks funding for his company, AisleFinder, which aims to help people find items in grocery stores.

According to a recent CB Insights report, which tracked … Read more

U.K. aims to close digital gap with cheap PCs

A new plan will offer a PC and peripherals for 98 pounds ( $157) to help get low-income Britons online, according to the recycling project that will provide the hardware.

The plan, which launches this week, will provide a computer, flat-screen monitor, keyboard, mouse, and telephone support in the sub-100-pound package, E-cycle marketing manager John Busby said Tuesday. The initiative is a part of the Race Online 2012 project, which aims to have the whole U.K. adult population online by the time of the London Olympics in 2012.

"We have an opportunity here in the U.K. to make … Read more

Show your work

One of the drawbacks of many basic calculators is that you can't view each operation in a long equation all at once. CCCalc seeks to remedy this problem by providing users with a view of their work as though it's been written on a piece of graph paper. The program isn't crammed with features, but it is a nice alternative for people who like to view their work as they go.

The program's interface is plain, with a keypad at the bottom and the graph paper-style display on top. The keypad can be turned off if … Read more

Task management software

ToDoList provides a set of easy-to-use tools for monitoring several tasks and due dates. The program's efficient layout is designed to keep users informed of progress and upcoming deadlines on everything from simple tasks to major projects.

The program is a little intimidating to start off with, since it's really not much more than a blank screen with a lot of strange-looking command icons. Fortunately, the Help file's tutorial quickly gets you on track. Populating the list took only a few minutes. You can make notes, set due dates, mark your progress, and color-code everything. Completed lists … Read more

Split and join

Chop is a fast, lightweight tool for splitting up large files and rejoining them. Its interface is a bit sparse on instruction, but anyone that's not an absolute beginner should be able to start using the application effectively within a few minutes.

The default Chop window lets you split files by target medium or by number of files. You can specify the destination as well, or let Chop create a folder automatically. A wizard option simplifies this process and provides context for some of the fields. If you have additional questions, a clear Help file is a button click … Read more