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TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 2002 Microsoft Expands DSL Access New Mobile Phone Services Target Teens Text Messaging on TV Mitsubishi to Build Connexion Antennas AND ASU PCs Seized in Investigation Web Radio Fees Set Napster Technology Ownership Challenged NPR's Link Policy Protested MICROSOFT EXPANDS DSL ACCESS Verizon Communications will begin using Microsoft's software, content, and marketing support for its DSL Internet service, paying Microsoft part of its revenue as recompense. Microsoft now offers a DSL version of its MSN online service in 70 markets in the United States, thanks to its purchase of wholesale DSL access from Qwest Communications, BellSouth, SBC Communications, and Verizon. Microsoft resells the access with its own content and software, with Qwest providing the backbone. Verizon customers who sign up with MSN for DSL service will be encouraged to convert to Verizon Online with MSN when it begins later this year. New York Times, 21 June 2002 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/21/technology/21MSN.html NEW MOBILE PHONE SERVICES TARGET TEENS The Virgin Group and Sprint PCS have joined in a new company called Virgin Mobile USA, a U.S. cellular virtual operator that will use Sprint PCS's cellular network to provide services. The two parent companies will split the revenues from the new service, which is prepaid, meaning that customers buy a phone, then deposit cash into an account they use to purchase ring tones, music downloads, calls, and text messaging services. CNET, 20 June 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1033-937859.html TEXT MESSAGING ON TV A new system called Text2TV from Wireless Ocean, a UK-based firm, lets users send and receive cellphone text messages using their television sets and a set-top box that plugs into the cellphone's data port and one of the TV set's multimedia SCART channels. A text message can be displayed on the TV screen and replied to using the TV's remote control and a virtual keyboard on the screen. The system is in prototype stage. New Scientist, 20 June 2002 http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992431 MITSUBISHI TO BUILD CONNEXION ANTENNAS Mitsubishi Electric Corp. has announced an agreement to make antennas for Boeing Co. jets to support in-flight Internet service for passengers. The antennas are a key component of Boeing's Connexion service, which is scheduled to debut in late 2003. The antenna permits the plane to connect to a satellite that links with a ground-based computer, providing the same kind of Internet access that wireless devices use. San Jose Mercury News, 21 June 2002 http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/3516860.htm AND *********************************** ASU PCS SEIZED IN INVESTIGATION State police have confiscated desktop computers and hard drives at Arizona State University on the suspicion that unknown third parties installed keystroke-capture software on the computers with the goal of recording credit-card numbers and other personal data. Most of the affected systems were in open-use kiosks, according to campus representatives. The U.S. Secret Service is leading the investigation, with help from Arizona State Police. Computer systems at other colleges may also be involved. Speculation targets the Russian mafia as the perpetrators. Chronicle of Higher Education, 20 June 2002 http://chronicle.com/free/2002/06/2002062001t.htm WEB RADIO FEES SET A final schedule of fees that radio stations must pay record companies for playing music online has been released by James Billington, the Librarian of Congress. College radio stations claim that the fees are too high and will put them out of business, while the Recording Industry Association of America say they are too low and don't fairly recompense artists and recording studios. The fees are two-hundredths of a cent per listener per song for noncommercial stations and seven-hundredths of a cent for commercial radio stations. A minimum fee of $500 per year will be assessed on all radio stations that play music online, and the fees are retroactive to October 1998, when the Digital Millennium Copyright Act took effect. Chronicle of Higher Education, 21 June 2002 http://chronicle.com/free/2002/06/2002062101t.htm NAPSTER TECHNOLOGY OWNERSHIP CHALLENGED PlayMedia Systems claims that it provided key parts of the Napster technology, which cannot, therefore, automatically be transferred to Bertelsmann in its purchase of Napster's assets. PlayMedia created the MP3-playing functions of Napster's original file-swapping software and security features of the planned subscription service. PlayMedia representatives said that the company does not plan to interfere with the bankruptcy proceedings and sale of assets to Bertelsmann, but wants to protect its technology licenses during those proceedings. CNET, 19 June 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1023-937459.html NPR'S LINK POLICY PROTESTED National Public Radio has roused public protest in response to its policy on Web linking, which requires prior written consent to link to, or frame, any material on the NPR Web site. A form on the site requests the linker's name, e-mail address, physical address, phone number, information about the linking site, how long the link will remain on the site, the proposed wording, the U.S. state in which the linking site is incorporated, and whether the site is commercial. Although the permission form was updated in March 2002, the policy began to attract attention on Web logs June 19 after a blog owner posted a link to the form. NPR established the policy to support its noncommercial, journalistic nature, according to an NPR spokesman, and to track use. Wired News, 20 June 2002 http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,53355,00.html ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your settings, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html Or, you can subscribe or unsubscribe by sending e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SUBSCRIBE Edupage YourFirstName YourLastName To UNSUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SIGNOFF Edupage If you have subscription problems, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For past issues of Edupage or information about translations of Edupage into other languages, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html ***************************************************** OTHER EDUCAUSE PUBLICATIONS EDUCAUSE publishes periodicals, including "EDUCAUSE Quarterly" and "EDUCAUSE Review," books, and other materials dealing with the impacts and implications of information technology in higher education. 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