Rules

The Federal Communications Commission Wednesday voted to close a "loophole" that allowed cable operators to withhold local sports programming from competitors.

In a 4-1 vote, the commissioners ended the "terrestrial loophole," which prevents satellite TV providers and new TV providers, such as AT&T and Verizon Communications, from offering some live sports channels in certain areas of the country. These companies say they have had a competitive disadvantage, because they have not been able to offer this content.

Cable companies are required by federal law to offer access to channels that they own to competitors … Read more

Congratulations, people of Earth. We've pushed back our mutual destruction by one metaphorical minute. On Thursday morning, members of the board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists turned the minute hand on their Doomsday Clock back one minute to 11:54, or six minutes to midnight.

This is a good thing, as we discussed Tuesday, since the clock is supposed to be a metaphor for human devastation. Ostensibly, the closer the hand gets to midnight the closer we are to total annihilation. Gaining a minute indicates that we as a people have collectively acted to delay our inevitable … Read more

CNET's Digital City Podcast giveaway

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Official Sweepstakes Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER OR AGE OF MAJORITY IN YOUR STATE OF RESIDENCE AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Sweepstakes Entities: CBS Interactive Inc. (&… Read more

Official Sweepstakes Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER OR AGE OF MAJORITY IN YOUR STATE OF RESIDENCE AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Sponsor, Administrator and Prize Provider: CNET, a Division of CBS Interactive, Inc. 235 Second Street, San Francisco, California 94105 (the "Sponsor"). Sweepstakes Entities: CBS Interactive Inc.

1. Acceptance of Rules. By entering the … Read more

Editors' note: This is a guest column. See Larry Downes' bio below.

I've managed to slog through the 107-page "Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" (PDF) issued late last week by the Federal Communications Commission.

Let me save you the trouble of reading the 185 numbered paragraphs, 310 footnotes, and three appendices, including separate statements from each of the five commissioners: there's nothing to see here, folks.

First, let's be clear about what has not happened. No new law was passed. No new federal regulations were enacted. No decisions were made.

Instead, the FCC proposed draft rules … Read more

CNET's Crave Blog Giveaway

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Sponsor, Administrator and Prize Provider: CNET, a Division of CBS Interactive, Inc. 235 Second Street, San Francisco, California 94105 (the "Sponsor"). Sweepstakes Entities: CBS Interactive Inc.

1. Acceptance of Rules. By entering the CNET's Crave Blog Giveaway (the "Sweepstakes") operated on the cnet.… Read more

MB Tamil Astrology provides users with a tool for determining their future and characteristics using the Tamil form of readings. While it gets off to a rocky start, the program eventually leads to an excellent showcase of signs and lucky days.

The program's interface is a mixed bag. Its simple use of colors is matched by its simple interface and users can easily navigate through the screen that requests personal information (though the longitude and latitude of birth proves challenging and a little confusing). From there, users are treated to tabs that dictate their astrology on the proceeding screen. … Read more

Of all the sports leagues, Major League Baseball has the reputation of being the most technologically savvy. On Thursday, MLB proved it by winning its first tech patent.

The league's digital unit, Major League Baseball Advanced Media(MLBAM), announced on Thursday that it was granted patent No. 7,486,943 for a system that helps determine a subscriber's geographical location. MLBAM oversees MLB.tv, the online video distribution service that streams live and on-demand games, and is widely considered to be the most successful subscription business on the Internet.

Pinpointing where a subscriber is located when he or … Read more