AMAZON BECOMES MORE LIKE COSTCO, THE FCC IS GOING TO ANNOUNCE A NEW
NET NEUTRALITY PLAN, AND GOOGLE BOOKS GOES BACK TO THE DRAWING
BOARD. IT'S MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST. I'M NATALI DEL CONTE AND IT'S TIME
TO GET LOADED.
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AMAZON HAS STARTED ITS OWN LINE OF CONSUMER ELECTRONICS. AS IN
AMAZON-BRANDED CABLES, DVDS, DRIVES, ETC. THEY AREN'T MAKING ACTUAL
GADGETS OR COMPUTERS, UNLESS YOU COUNT THE KINDLE. THE BRAND IS
CALLED AMAZON-BASICS AND IT IS OF COURSE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE CHEAP.
THEY ARE ALSO SUPPOSED TO HAVE FRUSTRATION-FREE PACKAGING. THE LINE
WILL EXPAND IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS BUT WE CAN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT
THAT WILL INCLUDE. FOR NOW, WE SEE THIS AS KIND OF THE KIRKLAND BRAND
OF CONSUMER ELECTRONICS. WHICH MAKES AMAZON LIKE COSTCO. EXCEPT
THEY DON'T SELL HOT DOGS THAT GIVE ME A STOMACH ACHE.
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YOU MAY SOON HAVE TO PAY FOR HULU. RECENT REPORTS ARE THAT
EXECUTIVES AT THE COMPANY HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO PAID SUBSCRIPTION
MODELS. OF COURSE NO ONE CAN CONFIRM OR DENY THIS BUT MY GUESS IS
THAT IT MIGHT INVOLVE SOME KIND A-LA-CARTE PAYMENT PLAN WHERE YOU
PAY PROGRAM BY PROGRAM. OR PERHAPS SOME KIND OF OPT-IN TO PAY TO
OPT-OUT OF THE ADS? IF THIS IS TRUE, IT MUST MEAN THAT THE COMPANY
ISN'T MAKING MUCH MONEY OFF OF THOSE CREST WHITENING STRIPS ADS?
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IN OTHER HULU NEWS, THE COMPANY HAS LAUNCHED A FACEBOOK APP. NOT
ONLY CAN YOU WATCH HULU SHOWS IN FACEBOOK, YOU CAN WATCH IN GROUPS.
NOT ONLY CAN YOU WATCH TOGETHER, YOU CAN ALSO ATTEND PREMIERS AND
SCREENINGS AT PRE-DETERMINED TIMES. THE FIRST PREMIERE EVENT WILL BE
THE SEASON OPENER FOR HEROES ON TUESDAY.
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THE FCC IS GOING TO ANNOUNCE A NEW PLAN FOR NET NEUTRALITY TODAY.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISION CHAIR JULIUS GENACHOWSKI IS GOING
TO MAKE A NEW PROPOSAL TODAY DURING A KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE
BROOKINGS INSTITUTE. WE DON'T KNOW TOO MANY DETAILS AND THE PLAN IS
SUPPOSED TO BE BROAD BUT IT SHOULD INCLUDE NEW GUIDELINES FOR
TELECOMMUNICATIONS OPERATORS AND THEIR CONTROL OVER THEIR
NETWORKS. IT WILL ALSO PREVENT DISCRIMINATION, GATEKEEPING, OR
FILTERING. WE WILL REPORT ON THE DETAILS IN TOMORROW'S BROADCAST.
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I OFTEN HAVE PEOPLE ASK ME HOW TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO APPLE OR
HOW TO MOVE THEIR APPLICATION ALONG. I HAVE NEVER WRITTEN OR
SUBMITTED AN IPHONE APP BUT FOR SOME REASON PEOPLE THINK THAT I
HAVE THE INSIDE TRACK. NOW I CAN REFER THOSE PEOPLE TO APPLE'S NEW
APP STORE RESOURCE CENTER. THIS IS A DESTINATION FOR DETAILS ON
APPLICATION REVIEW AND DISTRIBUTION. YOU CAN FIND IT AT
developer.apple.com/iphone/appstore.
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YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE WON'T BE RATTING YOU OUT ANY MORE. THAT IS
BECAUSE BEACON HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN ONCE AND FOR ALL. BEACON WAS
FACEBOOK'S ILL-FATED ADVERTISING SCHEME THAT WOULD TELL YOUR
FACEBOOK FRIENDS BASICALLY EVERYTHING YOU WERE UP TO ON THE WEB. IT
WON'T DO THAT ANYMORE. RECENTLY FACEBOOK SETTLED A YEAR-OLD CLASS
ACTION SUIT ACCUSING THE SITE OF NOT PROTECTING USER PRIVACY.
FACEBOOK HAD ALREADY MOSTLY PHASED BEACON OUT BUT NOW IT WILL
HAVE TO PHASE IT OUT ALL THE WAY. THE COURT HAS STILL NOT APPROVED
PENALIZATION FOR FACEBOOK WHICH MAY INCLUDE A $9.5 MILLION
SETTLEMENT FUND TO SET UP AN INDEPENDENT FOUNDATION TO FUND
PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES THAT PROMOTE ONLINE SAFETY.
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GOOGLE IS READY TO LET YOU SEARCH ITS BOOKS DATABASE. OF COURSE YOU
COULD ALWAYS DO THIS BUT NOW YOU CAN DO IT FROM WITHIN THE MAIN
SEARCH PAGE. THE COMPANY HAS ADDED A BOOKS OPTION IN THE SEARCH
OPTIONS PANEL. THIS IS AN INDICATION THAT GOOGLE IS GETTING MORE
CONFIDENCE IN ITS BOOK SEARCH INDEXING. THE COMPANY'S BOOK LIST HAS
NOT BEEN FOOLPROOF BUT IT IS NEW AND HTIS IS A START.
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SPEAKING OF THE GOOGLE BOOK PROJECT, THE SETTLEMENT WITH THE
AUTHOR'S GUILD IS FAR FROM OVER. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT MADE IT CLEAR
ON FRIDAY THAT THE DEAL NEEDED MODIFICATIONS. THIS IS THE AGREEMENT
THAT GOOGLE MADE TO HELP AUTHORS MAKE MONEY FROM THEIR DIGITIZED
BOOKS. APPARENTLY OUR LEGAL SYSTEM IS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS
AGREEMENT HARMING COMPETITION AMONG AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS.
GOOGLE IS HEADING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND WE'LL KEEP YOU
POSTED ON HOW IT ALL TURNS OUT.
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THOSE ARE ALL OF YOUR HEADLINES FOR TODAY. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.
I'M NATALI DEL CONTE WITH CNET TV AND YOU'VE JUST BEEN LOADED.
