Lawsuits resume against illegal file sharers
Suing people for illegal file sharing appears to have made a comeback, CNET reports—although now it’s smaller studios that are the plaintiffs.
FCC aims to measure home broadband speeds
The Federal Communications Commission wants to find out whether broadband providers are delivering internet connections that are as fast as advertised, reports the Associated Press—and so the agency is seeking 10,000 volunteers to take part in a study of residential broadband speeds.
Not everyone ready for the digital textbook revolution
Don’t let the iPhones and BlackBerries fool you: Research and a recent pilot program that put eReaders in college students’ hands showed that most students aren’t ready to read their textbooks electronically, despite the proliferation of internet-ready mobile devices on campuses nationwide.
House passes major science, technology bill
The U.S. House of Representatives gave its assent on May 28 to $84 billion in federal funding to help keep the country competitive in the fields of scientific and technological innovation.
Researchers: Even violent video games can be learning tools
You’re at the front lines shooting Nazis before they shoot you. Or, you’re a futuristic gladiator in a death match with robots. Either way, you’re playing a video game—and you might be improving your vision and other brain functions, according to research presented May 27 at a New York University conference on games as a learning tool.
Supreme Court gets RIAA copyright case
A case testing the meaning of the so-called “innocent infringer’s” defense to the Copyright Act’s minimum fine of $750 per music track that is downloaded or shared illegally has landed at the U.S. Supreme Court, Wired reports.
Image-conscious youth rein in social networking
It might go against conventional wisdom, but a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project is adding fuel to the argument that young people are fast becoming the gurus of online reputation management, especially when it comes to social networking sites.
ASU’s education technology program top-ranked for productivity
With only a few graduate faculty members, the educational technology program at Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College might be small, but according to a recent publication it’s one of the most productive in the world, ASU News reports.
Apple offering price breaks for educators, college students
School isn’t quite out yet for many students, but Apple already is looking ahead to next year: The company is giving college students and educators at all grade levels a break on some of its products as the planning begins for 2011, CNET reports.
Apple is said to face inquiry about online music
The Justice Department is examining Apple’s tactics in the market for digital music, and its staff members have talked to major music labels and internet music companies, according to several people briefed on the conversations, The New York Times reports.