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From Ars Technica: AT&T to set (some) iPhones free beginning April 8


AT&T has confirmed that it will begin unlocking iPhones for qualifying customers beginning Sunday, April 8. This means that, if you have purchased an AT&T-locked iPhone and you meet AT&T’s (somewhat strict) requirements, you’ll be able to take that phone to another GSM carrier here in the US or abroad.

Engadget was first to report the anonymous information about the new policy, but AT&T was quick to confirm once the word got out. According to AT&T, the iPhone you want to unlock can’t be associated with a current active term commitment, and you must already be out of your contract terms (usually two years from purchase) or you must have paid an early termination fee. Your account must be in good standing, too—no $700 overdue phone bills for you.

Apple does sell already unlocked, contract-free iPhones that work on GSM carriers, including AT&T. But those devices cost $649 up front for the 16GB iPhone 4S, going up to $849 for the 64GB version—significantly higher than the $199 subsidized starting price when you buy from AT&T or another carrier. As such, the majority of current iPhone users in the US have carrier-locked devices, but AT&T’s latest announcement will undoubtedly help to set a few of those users free with minimal pain involved. How many of you are going to try and get your devices unlocked come April 8 so you can hop over to T-Mobile?

 

 

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From Ars Technica: Feature: How the Aussie government “invented WiFi” and sued its way to $430 million


US consumers will be making a multimillion dollar donation to an Australian government agency in the near future, whether they like it or not. The great majority won’t even know about it—the fee will be hidden within the cost of a huge array of tech products. After the resolution of a recent lawsuit, practically every wireless-enabled device sold in the US will now involve a payment to an Australian research organization called the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, or CSIRO.

In the culmination of a nearly decade-long patent campaign, CSIRO has now scored a $229 million settlement from a group of nine companies that make a variety of wireless devices and chips, including Broadcom, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Lenovo. The settlement was reached last week just before the companies were scheduled to face a jury in Tyler, Texas—a location with a growing reputation for patent lawsuits.

CSIRO (commonly pronounced “si-roh”) adds this lump sum to the $205 million it received in 2009, when a settlement with 14 companies was struck midway through another East Texas trial. Soon after that, CSIRO began boasting to the Australian press that WiFi was a homegrown invention. By suing over its patents, it anticipated an additional “lazy billion” out of tech products sold in the US. Ultimately, this didn’t quite happen—but CSIRO is about halfway there.

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From Ars Technica: Judge spares Amazon from Colorado sales tax reporting scheme


A federal judge has ruled that Colorado ran afoul of the US Constitution when it passed legislation forcing out-of-state retailers to report their customers’ purchases to the state’s tax authority.

Two decades ago, the US Supreme Court ruled that a state cannot require mail-order retailers to collect sales tax unless the retailer has a physical presence in the state. Under the commerce clause of the US Constitution, only Congress can regulate interstate commerce, and the Supreme Court ruled that forcing retailers to collect out-of-state sales taxes would create too much of a burden on interstate commerce. The courts left the door open for Congress to establish an interstate sales tax collection system. But while Congress has discussed the possibility, no legislation has been enacted so far.

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From Ars Technica: Farm-fresh infringement: Can you violate a patent by planting some seeds?


Can a farmer commit patent infringement just by planting soybeans he bought on the open market? This week, the Supreme Court asked the Obama administration to weigh in on the question. The Court is pondering an appeals court decision saying that such planting can, in fact, infringe patents.

In 1994, the agricultural giant Monsanto obtained a patent covering a line of “Roundup Ready” crops that had been genetically modified to resist Monsanto’s Roundup pesticides. This genetic modification is hereditary, so future generations of seeds are also “Roundup Ready.” Farmers had only to save a portion of their crop for re-planting the next season, and they wouldn’t need to purchase new seed from Monsanto every year. The company didn’t want to be in the business of making a one-time sale, so when Monsanto sold “Roundup Ready” soybeans to farmers, it required them to sign a licensing agreement promising not to re-plant future generations of seeds.

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From Ars Technica: Apps bar users from Internet, Facebook—and prove surprisingly popular


Fred Stutzman, a post-doctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University, has written two programs that allow users to block their own online activities. At first blush, they seem like the answer to a question nobody’s asking. But that has turned out not to be the case.

Stutzman, who researches social media at the university’s Heinz College, has released two apps, Freedom and Anti-Social. Freedom, which banishes a user from his or her Internet connection for up to eight hours, has been downloaded 350,000 times. Anti-Social, which blocks access to social networks like Facebook, has been downloaded by 125,000 users.

More surprising is that Freedom costs $10 and Anti-Social $15 (there are trial versions available with a limited number of uses). To a slightly higher degree than most apps, arguably, you have to really want what they offer. That is, the elimination of distraction.

“Freedom enforces freedom,” the app’s site 1984ishly proclaims. “You’ll need to reboot if you want to get back online while Freedom’s running. The hassle of rebooting means you’re less likely to cheat, and you’ll enjoy enhanced productivity.” The app has been praised by writers from Dave Eggers to Nick Hornby to Zadie Smith.

But Freedom might be too much for those who need online access for their work. “Anti-Social solves this problem,” Stutzman says, by “allowing you to do your online work, while preventing you from accessing top social sites.”

These apps, marketed by his company Eighty Percent Solution, may be indicators of a larger trend. Stutzman seems to think so.

“I think people are starting to pull back and realize how the time we spend online impacts their work, the quality of their work, and their ability to hit goals,” he told Ars.

“Freedom, and Anti-Social, are ways to get this time back—to turn off the constant social obligation of social networks, to better compartmentalize work time and play time. As a technology researcher, I am very positive on the impact of technology, particularly social technologies, on our lives The net effect of a lot of these technologies are positive. However, just because technology can be seamlessly integrated into our lives, does not mean that we need to engage with these technologies at all times. It is important to find space for solitude, concentration, and reflection. I believe a lot of technologies don’t consider this.”

 

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From Autoblog: New York: 2013 Nissan Altima debuts, does 38 MPG HWY and priced from $21,500*

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It boasts the best highway fuel economy for any non-hybrid midsize sedan: 38 miles per gallon.

Perhaps more than most people realize, the Nissan Altima is a hugely important car here in the United States. In 2011, it was the second best-selling car in the country (trailing its classmate, the Toyota Camry), and with the launch of this fifth-generation Altima, Nissan appears to simply be going for an evolutionary enhancement rather than completely reinventing its successful midsize sedan formula.

That said, this step forward for the Altima should make it more competitive than ever in one of the most highly shopped segments of North America’s automotive marketplace. Nissan has not only been able to shed enough weight to make the Altima the lightest car in its class, it now boasts the best highway fuel economy for any non-hybrid midsize sedan: 38 miles per gallon when paired with the 182-horsepower 2.5-liter inline-four. Combine that with a new rear suspension setup, class-exclusive driving aids such as Active Understeer Control and a slew of new infotainment functionality, and Nissan’s midsizer looks to have what it takes to keep running with the segment’s best.

Scroll down for an in-depth look at what’s in store for the 2013 Altima.

Continue reading 2013 Nissan Altima debuts, does 38 MPG HWY and priced from $21,500*

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