Many online today are protesting the FCC’s proposed Internet Fast lanes but has the movement been co-opted by the telco industry? Plus strong rumors suggest Microsoft is in talks to buy Minecraft maker Mojang & much more!
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Internet Slowdown Day warns what may be to come – CNN.com
Etsy, Foursquare, Kickstarter, Reddit and others will alter their websitest, and will be displaying a constant “loading” symbol — the so-called “loading pinwheel” or, alternately, theSpinning Wheel of Death.
It’s part of a protest called “Internet Slowdown Day,” a push against the U.S. government’s support for so-called Internet fast lanes.
As part of the Internet Slowdown Day protest, the websites will also include a prompt to contact your lawmakers about the FCC proposal.
Large US tech firms plan ‘go slow’ day in protest over net neutrality rules | Technology | theguardian.com
“Net neutrality is tough to explain to people, so we wanted to organize an action that actually shows the world what’s at stake. I think the three most hated words on the internet right now are ‘Please wait, loading … ‘ Unless internet users unite in defense of net neutrality, we could be seeing those dreaded ‘loading’ wheels a lot more often on some of our favorite websites, while monopolistic companies get to decide which content gets seen by the most people.”
Several other large internet companies are expected to back the day of action, which is being coordinated by Silicon Valley lobby group Engine. Engine will direct people to call or email policymakers with their concerns.
Cable companies want to slow down (and break!) your favorite sites, for profit. To fight back, let’s cover the web with symbolic “loading” icons, to remind everyone what an Internet without net neutrality would look like, and drive record numbers of emails and calls to lawmakers.
Microsoft Said Near $2 Billion Deal for Minecraft Maker
Microsoft, the world’s largest software maker, is in serious talks with 4-year-old Mojang, said the people, who asked not to be named because the negotiations aren’t public. The deal may be concluded as soon as this week, though next week is more likely, said two people.
Bloomberg reports that the deal is more likely to be wrapped up next week. According to Bloomberg, talks between the companies began when Persson reached out to Microsoft a few months ago to explore the possibility of a sale. Microsoft believes it can make Minecraft more profitable by increasing its user base and doing more licensing agreements for toys and movies, the report said. Perhaps of greatest interest to Minecraft fans is that Persson will stay with Mojang through its transition to Microsoft but plans to leave beyond that, according to Bloomberg.
If a deal is reached, Microsoft plans to pay for an acquisition with cash held overseas, one person familiar with the company said. That would have favorable tax consequences for the software maker, whose vast majority of cash and short-term investments are kept outside the U.S.
EBay Announces First Foray Into Bitcoin With Braintree Unit
On Monday, eBay announced that Braintree, the company’s payment processor subsidiary, would begin accepting the virtual currency in the “coming months.” According to Braintree CEO Bill Ready, who was speaking at San Francisco’s TechCrunch Disrupt conference, the company has partnered with Bitcoin exchange Coinbase in a move to “embrace” the relatively new form of payment.
While users will not yet see Bitcoin integrations in eBay’s marketplace or on PayPal, Braintree’s customers, which include Airbnb and Uber, will eventually be able to start accepting Bitcoin if they desire. Braintree provides payment processing software for companies and was acquired by eBay last year for about $800 million. The Wall Street Journal first reported that Braintree was exploring Bitcoin integrations last month.
The BBC, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Forbes and several other business sites are buzzing with Paypal’s incorporation of Bitcoin transactions. According to Wired, Paypal will be “the best thing ever to happen to Bitcoin.” Paypal-owned Braintree not only brings 150 million active users in close contact with Bitcoin, it signals “mainstreaming” similar to cell phone app banking, perceived as experimental just a few years ago.
U2, Apple and the Deal Behind Getting ‘Songs of Innocence’ Free of Charge
Along with Apple’s announcement of its latest-model iPhones and its new smartwatch, the company also revealed that it is giving away as many as 500 million copies of the veteran
rock band’s 13th album, “Songs of Innocence,” via the iTunes Store.“Songs of Innocence” appears automatically on a user’s “purchased” page in the iTunes store, requiring customers to simply click on it to download. As part of its deal with Apple, the band will also benefit from the kind of massive promotional blitz.
Apple didn’t pay a traditional wholesale price for each of the 500 million albums. Instead the company paid Universal and U2 an undisclosed lump sum for the exclusive window to distribute the album. Universal plans to piggyback on the big push for “Songs of Innocence” to promote the band’s 12 older albums, a critical factor for a veteran rock band. The band’s recent albums have shown a steady decline in sales even steeper than the overall industry trend. “No Line on the Horizon,” from 2009, has sold 1.1 million copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. That’s down from 3.3 million copies for “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb,” and 4.4 million copies for “All That You Can’t Leave Behind,” released in 2000.
As part of the deal forged by the band, manager Guy Oseary (hired by U2 last year to replace longtime manager Paul McGuinness) and Universal, Apple also made plans to use the first single from the album, “The Miracle (of Joey Ramone),” as a central element of a global, 30-day television advertising campaign for its new iPhones and Apple Watch. The campaign is believed to be worth around $100 million, according to a person familiar with the talks.
On Oct. 14, the 11-song “Songs of Innocence” will be released (including a deluxe version with four additional tracks) through other physical and online retailers.