New legislature would do away with tax-free online shopping

via digitaltrends.com

Say goodbye to tax-free shopping! Yesterday, the Senate voted for a bill that if legalized, will take away a nice perk we’ve all taken for granted while shopping online. This bill is called the Marketplace Fairness Act, which would force online retailers to tack on a sales tax for all online purchases. The bill will be voted on in the Senate for a final time on May 6.

The bill would change a 1992 law that didn’t require online-only retailers to pay a sales tax in states that require retailers to charge a sales tax unless this retailer had a brick and mortar store in the United States. Right now, how online shopping works is that if you’re shopping for something on BestBuy.com and Best Buy has a physical shop in your state, you’ve had to pay your state’s sales tax. However, if you bought something from Etsy, and the seller didn’t have a brick-and-mortar location, you didn’t have to pay the tax. If the proposed legislature passes, you will start paying that tax. With this bill, the state you live in will collect taxes for everything you buy online.

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If you’re not afraid of #CISPA, you’re not really paying attention

via techi.com

SOPA was a black eye for the US government. Nothing in the last few decades can compare to the complete turnaround Washington DC had to make once the people of the internet and websites across the web made their opposition to the bill known back in January, 2012. Now, the politicians and other entities have learned from their mistakes. This time, they have been able to pull off the unthinkable.

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BlackBerry Takes Its PR Fight To The SEC: Seeks Review Of “False” Report On Return Rates Of BB Z10

via techcrunch.com

BlackBerry, the beleaguered Canadian handset maker, today said it is contacting the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Ontario Securities Commission for formal reviews of the analysts Detwiler Fenton, after its analysts issued a statement saying that its new flagship handset, the BB Z10, was seeing record-levels of returns in retail sales — reports that BlackBerry today says are “false and misleading.”

“Sales of the BlackBerry® Z10 are meeting expectations and the data we have collected from our retail and carrier partners demonstrates that customers are satisfied with their devices,” said BlackBerry President and CEO Thorsten Heins said in a statement. “Return rate statistics show that we are at or below our forecasts and right in line with the industry. To suggest otherwise is either a gross misreading of the data or a willful manipulation. Such a conclusion is absolutely without basis and BlackBerry will not leave it unchallenged.”

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Google, BlackBerry EarthLink and Red Hat Take A Stand Against Patent Trolls, Ask FTC, DoJ To Do The Same

via techcrunch.com

Google, along with BlackBerry, EarthLink and Red Hat today appealed to the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice to take stronger action against companies like Lodsys, Intellectual Ventures, and other “patent assertion entities” (aka patent trolls or patent privateers) — companies they believe abuse patents for financial gain and are an increasing detriment to the technology industry, costing U.S. companies alone nearly $30 billion in 2011, “and $80 billion when accounting for all costs – direct and indirect.”

The four companies’ position was laid out in a lengthy comments document submitted to the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice. The 22-page report lays out how PAEs’ activities have evolved over the last several years; they claim that their licensing regimes and court cases cost the U.S. economy some $30 billion annually.

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Google challenges US government's private data demand in court

via theverge.com

Google is fighting back against National Security Letter, the secretive, controversial form of datarequest for data from the US government that bypasses the court process and comes with a gag order. The company has filed papers in a case called In Re Google Inc. Petition to set aside Legal Process; while the documents are sealed, Bloomberg reported on the nature of the filing. No details are currently available on the request itself, but the move is significant — Google would be the most prominent company yet to challenge an NSL.

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The White House Agrees: Unlocking Your Cellphone Should Be Legal

via readwrite.com

Earlier this year, the Library of Congress allowed an exemption to the Digital Millenium Copyright Act to expire, effectively making it illegal to unlock cellphones purchased after Jan. 26. A group of citizens outraged at the unlocking ban started a petition on the White House’s “We The People” website to fight the new law, garnering more than 114,000 signatures in 30 days.

Today, the White House responded. The verdict? The administration is firmly in support of ending the unlocking ban. Unfortunately, it can't do very much about it on its own.

David Edelmen, senior advisor for the Internet, innovation and privacy at the White House, wrote:

The White House agrees with the 114,000+ of you who believe that consumers should be able to unlock their cell phones without risking criminal or other penalties. In fact, we believe the same principle should also apply to tablets, which are increasingly similar to smart phones. And if you have paid for your mobile device, and aren't bound by a service agreement or other obligation, you should be able to use it on another network. It's common sense, crucial for protecting consumer choice, and important for ensuring we continue to have the vibrant, competitive wireless market that delivers innovative products and solid service to meet consumers' needs.

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Anonymous Threatens To Leak Sensitive Records If The Feds Don't Reform An Anti-Hacking Law

via businessinsider.com

Hactivist group Anonymous has hacked the website of the U.S. Sentencing Commission in the name of Aaron Swartz, threatening to leak sensitive government documents if the feds don't reform the justice system, CNET reports.
The collective posted a manifesto regarding "Operation Last Resort," along with a set of encrypted files that it claims have "enough fissile material for multiple warheads."

Anonymous won't specify the contents of the files at issue but said it would start leaking the documents, with heavy redactions, to one media outlet "at a regular interval commencing today," according to CNET.

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Here's Why Kim Dotcom's New File-Sharing Site MIGHT Be Legal

via businessinsider.com

THERE are less conspicuous ways to launch a business. A staged helicopter raid and a synchronised dance routine that would put Korean rapper Psy to shame were the sideline attractions as German-born entrepreneur Kim Dotcom, a 39-year old whose bluster is as big as his waistline, returned to public life with his new site, Mega. Much like Megaupload, Mr Dotcom's previous troublesome offering, Mega works as a file storage and sharing service.

The site claims more than 1m users have registered since its launch in New Zealand yesterday, which is not an implausible number since Mr Dotcom is something of an internet celebrity. The website’s servers seem unable to cope with the large initial interest. Those who sign up to the website will have access to 50 gigabytes of free storage space to store and share files with other users—ten times the free storage space provided by Google Drive, and 25 times the amount offered by Dropbox, the two major competitors in the field.

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Now The Guy Who Won $2.7 Billion From Yahoo Is In Hiding And Fears For His Life

via businessinsider.com

Carlos Bazan-Canabal may seem like a lucky guy.

The cofounder of Worldwide Directories, got a $2.7 billion judgment in his favor in a lawsuit with Yahoo in Mexico.

But the money isn't his yet. Yahoo is appealing the case. And in the meantime, he's been labeled as the "$2.7 billion guy"—the kind of headline that attracts unwanted attention. Kidnapping by criminal gangs has soared in Mexico in recent years.

As a result, he fears for his safety, he told El Economista, a Mexican newspaper.

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Controversial UN Internet Treaty Approved After United States Walks Out

via mashable.com

United Nations member countries approved Friday a controversial new treaty governing international telecommunications, despite the opposition of the United States, the UK, Canada and several other countries.

The U.S. and other countries that chose not to sign the new agreement did so because of fears that it would allow increased censorship on the Internet.

The new treaty, an update to agreements last refreshed more than two decades ago, wound up including language designed to fight online spam and encourage member states to promote Internet access across the world.

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12 Points to Include in Your Design Contract

via freelanceswitch.com

When I started my own design business, one of the first things I put in place was a well-written contract. Before I spoke to an attorney about drafting an official document for me, I made sure I had my design process established.

I also did a lot of research as to what other design firms and freelancers were including in their agreements. With something as subjective as design, there are lots of gray areas that need to be clarified as much as possible on paper.

If you’re in the process of drafting a client contract, or if you are considering revising one that already exists, I would recommend including the following list of items...

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Samsung Sues Apple Over iPad Mini

via businessinsider.com

Samsung filed a motion this week to amend its patent lawsuit against Apple to include the iPad Mini and new fifth-generation iPod Touch.

The motion claims since Samsung didn't know of the products when it filed the original lawsuit, they should be included since their design and software are so similar to other Apple products.

Here's an excerpt of the filing via AllThingsD:

The iPod Touch 5, iPad 4, and iPad Mini have the same accused functionality as the versions of the iPod Touch and iPad that are already part of this case. As such, the proof of infringement of the patents-in-suit by the iPod Touch 5, iPad 4, and iPad Mini will be substantially the same as for other Apple devices already accused of infringement in this litigation.

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The 3 Best Places To Legally Watch Free Movies Online

via businessinsider.com

You don't need to become a poster child for Hollywood's antipiracy campaigns and get smacked with nasty fines for downloading movies from the Internet.

You shouldn't have to worry about copyright law when you just need a couple of hours of entertainment. So find something from one of these sites and start watching. Rest easy and know that the Feds will leave you alone.

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Designers: Know your rights! 4 Must-have Clauses in a Contract

via hongkiat.com

Freelancers, you have learned to never start work without a written contract, but it’s hard to like contracts. They’re impossible to read, long and boring and you just can’t wait to sign that piece of paper to get it done and get to the real work. Well this post is here to help.

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Foxconn admits child labor laws breached by use of underage interns

via engadget.com

Foxconn has admitted that it employed underage interns in breach of China's child labor laws. An internal investigation at its Yantai factory found some of the young trainees were aged 14- and 15-years old (16 being the legal minimum). In a statement received by CNET, the company advised that "this is not only a violation of China's labor law, it is also a violation of Foxconn policy and immediate steps have been taken to return the interns in question to their educational institutions." This comes as a further blow to the firm's employment record, after recent riots breaking out and strikes over iPhone 5 quality standards. These interns were sent to the facility from schools, with Foxconn carrying out full investigations with the relevant educational bodies to try to work out how this was allowed to happen. The tech manufacturer has been keen to accept responsibility for its part in the situation, advising strong action will be taken against any full-time members of staff found to have played a part in the breach.

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5 Essential Contract Templates for the Freelance Designer

via designmodo.com

You’ve heard this before: “Sign a written contract for every design job! And most importantly, sign it before starting to work!” What you don’t often hear is the answer to, “What do I have to sign, exactly?”. This is particularly important in those cases where your receive a contract from your client. You want to know if they are making reasonable requests, and not hiding some tricky provisions in the legalese. Let’s break down the most frequent contract types that a freelance designer will encounter sooner or later in his/her professional life, and let’s try to take the mystery and fear out of them. A contract is a pretty important business decision, and you should understand 100% of what you sign. So, read on and try not to fall asleep.

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New California laws provide free digital textbooks to college students

via digitaltrends.com

Detailed in the L.A. Times recently, California governor Jerry Brown signed two laws last week that will help new college students save money at the bookstore during their first semesters. Covered within two bills, the legislation will create a system where students at California’s universities will be able to download digital copies of textbooks for free. The first bill provides the resources to fund the creation of fifty digital textbooks, all open-source and specifically targeted for basic college courses. The second bill establishes the California Digital Open Source Library to host the books and offer students a single place to download copies of each textbook.

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Google's Eric Schmidt slams patent wars, still has nice things to say about Apple and Samsung

via engadget.com

Eric Schmidt's recent trip to Seoul wasn't all spontaneous Gangnam dancing. Google's former-CEO / current executive chair had a lot to say during the Korean launch of the company's Nexus 7 tablet, bemoaning the patent wars that have ensnarled the industry, telling the crowd, "literally patent wars prevent choice, prevent innovation and I think that is very bad. We are obviously working through that and trying to make sure we stay on the right side of these issues." The war for marketshare ought to be fought with the release of better products, rather legal maneuvering, according to the executive.

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Internet freedom is on the decline, but we’re fighting back

via extremetech.com

Our internet freedoms are being curtailed, but not without a fight. This is the finding of a new study released on Tuesday by Freedom House, which looked at threats to Internet freedom and efforts to fight back in 47 countries worldwide.

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Holy Crap, Self-Driving Cars Are Now Legal in California

via gizmodo.com

Just moments ago, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into effect SB1298, effectively paving the way for driverless cars in California. For a state that relies more heavily on cars than any other, this is hugely significant when it comes to traffic and road congestion.

"Today we're looking at science-fiction becoming tomorrow's reality," said the governor. And tomorrow isn't that far off. According to Google's Sergey Brin, "You can count on one hand the number of years until ordinary people can experience this." More and more Google employees will be beta-testing it starting this year, and when you hear the potential advantages, you'll start to wish you worked there.

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