Blackest Berry in the basket ...

The New Year begins with us staring down the abyss over the tip of the privacy iceberg. Once RIM allows GOI an all-access-pass, it shall crusade through all other operators across 3G, 2G, WiMAX, broadband, and all conceivable communications technologies in the name of terrorism. Unbridled power creates despotic ramifications that would be very hard to handle by the end consumer. Our Constitutional existence shall be put aside for the Pentagon way of life.







References:

BlackBerry denies India email access deal as struggle continues

India This Evening: BlackBerry Says India Can't Access Encrypted Data

Jail House Break!!!

The DMCA does not crack down as expected, but Apple has surely been bitten by the Copyright Board ruling on Cellphones, both for adding unapproved software installation as well as untethering of phones to run with all operators. Let the free market rule, without any anti-competitive measures forcing the consumer, who has ownership rights over his phone, to give-up his usufructory rights. Sadly of course, violation of contractual terms, thereby voiding of warranty, has not been held as a conscionable violation, merely the DMCA Copyright violation has been waived, so to speak!!!





References:

DMCA ruling supports smartphone jailbreaking, unlocking

Copyright Office OKs iPhone 'Jailbreaking'‎

Jailbreaking the iPhone: Not a Federal Offense‎

iPhone Jailbreaking: Legal, but Dangerous

More legal reasons to circumvent electronic locks | Technology | Los Angeles Times

Apple: Jailbreaking an iPhone can (still) violate your warranty

Apple bites the dust!!!

The Apple chose to fall instead of being handled by the FSF!!! This is pure intellectual snobbery, let alone proprietorial dictatorship over consumer choice. Isn't anyone peeking into such Abuse of Dominance!!!???







References:

Apple picks death not compliance for open source iPhone game

FSF: Apple's iTunes Store terms of service at odds with GPL

War of the Roses: Battle Lines Drawn

Now it seems clear, a waste of effort on part of MS & Apple, howsoever apart their goals might be, that the new age is not theirs for the keeping, since Google pretty much owns the commanding share of web content search, management, and formatting. Given Google's commitment to net-neutrality, MS & Apple sure would have a fair chance, but that would also be on the Google turf. Adobe's prudence in being on Google's turf on strategic terms would sure pay-off in future, despite being as closed as Apple and MS themselves are!!! Its now just about taking sides: Google or Anti-Google ... such a determinate factor this ... eh!!!





References:

Is Google's WebM a game-changer or a big mess?

Google video effort to be dubbed WebM Project?

Google tries freeing Web video with WebM

Details on Google's Chrome Store and WebM plans

War of the Roses ... Gets Federal Peek ... its getting hotter!!!

Now the FTC, only a few days after my earlier post has decided to take cognizance of the matter. Lets hope that the Apple of Sin is brought down!!!




References:

Report: Feds May Launch Inquiry Into Apple's Flash Stance

Regulators mull antitrust look at Apple: source

Unix-like versus Unix-like ... the War of the Roses!!!

Apple is about to be left in the ice cold winter of the snow leopard with its new tactics of taking on Adobe. Google and Canonical are already developing flash based tools and developer kits and ignoring Apple or any new video format it may want to float on a large scale (SVG for instance). Adobe seeks to launch flash in the HTML5 era and Apple is competing hard to beat it. Apple's closed door policy is not going to work given the Unix revolution having become more competitive with Google and Canonical gunning for the original Unix cousin called Macintosh OS.

Besides, I wonder why are the FTC and the EU Commission not taking cognizance of Apple's behavior!!!



References:

Apple and Adobe's war of words heats up‎

Ubuntu Wants Adobe, Even if Apple Doesn't - PCWorld

Google's Chrome now silently auto-updates Flash Player

Neutral Ground disturbed ...

Net Neutrality is something that has never been enacted upon and is the classic example of Social Practice as a law unto itself. However, Airtel has sadly tilted the balance for the first time in a country where, as it is, this principle is not only unheard of, but also uncared for!!!



References:

Airtel Ad on Youtube Taints Google's Net Neutrality Efforts

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YouTube Caught in Net Neutrality Flap in India

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Apple of Deceit ...

The Devil works its ways through the apple once again!!! Trade related restrictions upon partners is not only abuse of dominant position but also a road to take over the universe like Darth Vader! But little do we all realize that Apple has already made us slaves by selling us bare bones and thereafter requiring us to run those bones with purchased muscles, skin and the works at its app store.

Apple also restricts access to open source developers to develop freely executable applications for its operating systems/embedded software.

I hope to see the Competition Commission of India taking a peek and wrestling with this sumo Apple for exacting fairness.


References:

EFF Breaks Down Apple's App Store License

EFF posts Apple's Iphone SDK licence terms

iCompetition Freak ...

With hardware restricting competition by not allowing other software to be run on it, I think its time we reassess our competition law strategy. Its very akin to Windows coming preloaded with Internet Explorer and Windows not supporting any other office suite other than MS Office!!! Composite embedded software and appliances utilizing such platforms should now be checked as they have grown beyond cellphones into smart-phones and now have evolved into cell-pads (iPhone into iPad). The Adam is a more competitive and acceptable equivalent to this evolutionary chain.



References:

Apple iPad will choke innovation, say open internet advocates

Apple’s iPad vs Notion Ink’s Adam tablet with Ubuntu: battle of two worlds « sola's blog

Medical Profession NOT Medical Business ...

Synonyms? ... nope ... then what's the confusion about?!!

Our nation fails to understand the difference between Medical Profession and Medical Business and the emergence of the latter concept owing to Patent Protection and weak Drug Price Control Order, 1995.

It is sad to see that the world's largest democracy can not become "by the people and for the people"!!!



References:

Obama prods House to pass health care bill

House poised to pass historic health-care reform bill

AARP Takes a Stand, Endorses Health Care Bill

US House Nears Vote on Health Care Reform Measure

If a spade can dig, so can a shovel, if the soil is loose and unsettled ...

The Agricultural Produce Market Committees are marketing boards established by the state governments of India to facilitate farmers to sell their produce to the APMC and get a reasonable price for it. However, due to middlemen creeping in, the system has become so profiteering that the ultimate price to the end consumers is more than 100% of the price of procurement from the farmers!!! It is also illegal to circumvent an APMC under state law. But due to political reasons, the Shiv Sena has shown that circumventing the system can enable them to sell agro-produce to the end consumer at 1/2 the retail market rates, without affecting the agro-procurement prices or the nominal profit margins.

This development poses a very interesting intersection of law, politics, consumer interest, constitutional duties of governments and above all the duty to serve by upholding justice (that may or may not include upholding the law!!!).

As it has been rightly said, Law is merely a tool, if its breaking serves the purpose, so be it.




References:

Eyeing vote gain, Shiv Sena sells veggies at no-profit-no-loss rates

Sena members stage protest against price rise

Thankless freeloaders Part 2 ...

Despite RBI's persuasion and surplus cash with banks, lowering of interest rates have not seen the light of day. Private profiteering? or just that PSU Banks are stupid!!!



References:

India call rates dive on surplus cash with banks

Bankers say no to lowering lending rates

RBI asks banks to ease lending rates

Real Interest rate increases with inflation dipping down

Net Neutrality: A Clear & Present Danger ...

Absolute non-discrimination, is the demand by TRAI towards broadband users. There are some ISPs favoring their corporate clients to the detriment of end consumers. I surely have felt the discrimination when network speed ratios drop from 1:1 to 1:3 during peak hours.

As of now, TRAI has pronounced guidelines only on speed related net neutrality. However ,the day is not far when it would also have to dictate content neutrality guidelines as well.



References:

TRAI trying to empower broadband users in the country

Trai moves to ensure broadband speed

TRAI issues guidelines on broadband service