gary

Kovacs to leave Mozilla CEO post

Mozilla once again needs a new chief executive.

The developer of Firefox and defender of open-Web principles announced today that after two and a half years as CEO, Gary Kovacs will step down this year. He'll remain on the organization's board, and Mozilla is beginning a search for a new CEO immediately.

Mozilla Foundation Chair Mitchell Baker credited Kovacs for helping bring the nonprofit organization into the mobile era, releasing a version of Firefox for Android devices and debuting, if not quite yet shipping, the Firefox OS for smartphones. That mobile presence remains just a foothold, though, with … Read more

No Google Glassing-and-driving ban likely this year

Those who were planning road trips in West Virginia were worried.

Especially those who were included in Google's list of eminent and lucky people who would be the explorers of Google's wonderful, breakthrough (and possibly insane) eyeglasses known as Google Glass.

For a Republican legislator had proposed a bill -- after reading just one Technically Incorrect post -- that would ban anyone in the state from wearing Google's glasses and driving.

Gary. G. Howell explained very cogently that he was not against the invention, but that he feared it would be just as distracting as texting. And … Read more

Don't Glass and drive -- lawmakers seek to ban Google Glass on the road

Dabbling in politics can bring troubling consequences.

So here at Technically Incorrect, we prefer to keep our distance, because, from a distance, our laughter can still be heard quite well.

However, I received a curious message last night from Gary G. Howell, a Republican in the West Virginia Legislature.

It read: "Your article on Google Glass prompted this bill."

The only bills I'd ever previously inspired were $20 ones accompanied by the words: "Here's money for a taxi. Get out of here."

So I wondered what sort of bill this could be. It transpires that West Virginia has decided to think proactively about Google Glass.

This bill seeks to make it illegal to drive while "using a wearable computer with head mounted display." … Read more

Mozilla CEO: Android, iOS leave lots of room for Firefox OS

BARCELONA, Spain--With another 2 billion people hooking up to the Internet in the next five years, there's plenty of room for another mobile operating system, Mozilla Chief Executive Gary Kovacs said today in a sales pitch for his new Firefox OS.

Apple and Google have led the way in the smartphone market but can't cover the whole thing, he said in a speech to thousands at the Mobile World Congress show here, though he didn't mention the companies by name.

"I find it impossible to understand how 3, 4, 5, or 6 billion people are going … Read more

Amazon Studios taps John Goodman for 'Alpha House' comedy

Imagine John Goodman strutting across the screen as a smooth-talking, deal-making Southern House member or senator. But, don't think of Kevin Spacey's conniving Francis Underwood in Netflix's "House of Cards."

Amazon Studios is reportedly tapping Goodman to play North Carolina Sen. Gil John Biggs in an upcoming comedy, "Alpha House." The new series, written by Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau, centers around four senators who live together in Washington, D.C.

"Alpha House" is just one piece of Amazon's ambitious foray into original content. In December 2012, Amazon announced that it … Read more

Gary Reback: FTC blew it with Google decision

Dismayed, yes. Disappointed, to be sure. But Gary Reback, one of Silicon Valley's best known antitrust attorneys, gave no indication today that his hopes for a government antitrust case against Google had been dashed by the FTC's decision today to settle its investigation into the search company with a deal.

Reback, who played a key role mobilizing support in Washington for an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft, has urged similar action against Google. As a counsel at the firm Carr & Ferrell LLP, he has argued publicly for the last couple of years about Google's behavior, saying it … Read more

NASA hacker won't face prosecution in U.K.

NASA hacker Gary McKinnon will face no legal action in the U.K.

The Crown Prosecution Service has decided the appropriate jurisdiction for the McKinnon case is the U.S., after discussing the case with the U.S. Department of Justice and the police.

U.S. authorities started their bid to extradite McKinnon in 2005, accusing him of causing hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage by hacking into NASA and military systems. McKinnon admitted to the intrusion in 2002 but claimed he was looking for evidence of UFO activity.

But U.S. requests for his extradition were formally turned down … Read more

NHL star retweets message wishing commissioner dead

I know that hockey is important to some misguided souls.

I can't entirely fathom why, but I'm prepared to respect those who feel the need for a little institutionalized violence in their lives.

The thing is, the National Hockey League also enjoys institutionalized lockouts that seem to make whole seasons disappear.

There's one occurring right now. Progress seems to be running slightly behind the pace of DSL.

Perhaps one shouldn't be surprised, then, that the Chicago Blackhawks' Dave Bolland appears to support the, um, death of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

The what?

The way that ESPN slapshoots it, … Read more

CES 2013 will feature 20,000 products; here are a few of them

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), which organizes the gargantuan gadget-fest known as CES, predicted at a press conference in London yesterday that there will be 20,000 products at the 2013 show, with 150,000 attendees and 3,000 exhibitors from 150 different countries.

The CEA showcased a small number of products that will be shown off at this year's Las Vegas-based show, several of which are from British manufacturers hoping to make a big push into the U.S. market. Have a look at our photo gallery to see what was there.

Generally, the CEA is predicting a … Read more