The White House may not be an insurmountable obstacle to bipartisan net neutrality legislation that may be coming together in the Senate, industry observers told us Tuesday. Lawmakers from both parties involved in the negotiations confirmed real progress and activity last week (see 1506040046), but the White House reaffirmed its broader objections to legislation.
The White House may not be an insurmountable obstacle to bipartisan net neutrality legislation that may be coming together in the Senate, industry observers told us Tuesday. Lawmakers from both parties involved in the negotiations confirmed real progress and activity last week (see 1506040046), but the White House reaffirmed its broader objections to legislation.
Despite having launched its Fire TV streaming box and stick in 2014, Amazon has quickly established itself at the top of the rankings in the U.S. digital media streamer market, taking a 30 percent share of Q1 shipments, Strategy Analytics said last week, citing the availability of its quarterly vendor share report. Market concentration is prevalent in the stand-alone digital media streamer space, as the top four brands -- Amazon, Roku, Google and Apple, in the order of their rankings -- accounted for more than 90 percent of Q1 shipments, the research firm said. Other findings: (1) A total of 35.7 million digital media streamers are installed in U.S. homes, and about a third of U.S. broadband homes own at least one such device. (2) Apple has shipped in excess of 15 million Apple TV units since its 2007 launch. (3) Apple TV, Roku streaming boxes, Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV in Q1 accounted for 18 percent of all connected TV streaming devices installed in U.S. homes, up from 14 percent in Q1 a year earlier. "Low-cost standalone digital media streamers are proving hugely popular with consumers who want a quick and easy way of accessing their favorite online streaming services on the living room TV and the entry of instantly recognizable brands such as Google and Amazon is helping maintain growth in the sector," said David Watkins, Strategy Analytics service director-connected home devices.
Despite having launched its Fire TV streaming box and stick in 2014, Amazon has quickly established itself at the top of the rankings in the U.S. digital media streamer market, taking a 30 percent share of Q1 shipments, Strategy Analytics said last week, citing the availability of its quarterly vendor share report. Market concentration is prevalent in the stand-alone digital media streamer space, as the top four brands -- Amazon, Roku, Google and Apple, in the order of their rankings -- accounted for more than 90 percent of Q1 shipments, the research firm said. Other findings: (1) A total of 35.7 million digital media streamers are installed in U.S. homes, and about a third of U.S. broadband homes own at least one such device. (2) Apple has shipped in excess of 15 million Apple TV units since its 2007 launch. (3) Apple TV, Roku streaming boxes, Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV in Q1 accounted for 18 percent of all connected TV streaming devices installed in U.S. homes, up from 14 percent in Q1 a year earlier. "Low-cost standalone digital media streamers are proving hugely popular with consumers who want a quick and easy way of accessing their favorite online streaming services on the living room TV and the entry of instantly recognizable brands such as Google and Amazon is helping maintain growth in the sector," said David Watkins, Strategy Analytics service director-connected home devices.
The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council told the FCC it supports rules proposed by the Land Mobile Communications Council allowing new, full-power, interstitial 12.5 kHz “offset” channels in the 809-817/854-862 MHz band (see 1505270015). “The matrix developed by the LMCC incorporates protection mechanisms to and from all known technologies operating in the 800 MHz band,” the public safety group said. “NPSTC believes the LMCC recommendations will serve public safety and the overall land mobile community well to protect systems on existing channels and allow implementation of new interstitial channels that provide more spectrum opportunities.” NPTSC’s comments were posted in docket 15-32. The Enterprise Wireless Alliance asked for the rule change in 2009 and the FCC most recently sought comment in February.
Despite having launched its Fire TV streaming box and stick in 2014, Amazon has quickly established itself at the top of the rankings in the U.S. digital media streamer market, taking a 30 percent share of Q1 shipments, Strategy Analytics said last week, citing the availability of its quarterly vendor share report. Market concentration is prevalent in the stand-alone digital media streamer space, as the top four brands -- Amazon, Roku, Google and Apple, in the order of their rankings -- accounted for more than 90 percent of Q1 shipments, the research firm said. Other findings: (1) A total of 35.7 million digital media streamers are installed in U.S. homes, and about a third of U.S. broadband homes own at least one such device. (2) Apple has shipped in excess of 15 million Apple TV units since its 2007 launch. (3) Apple TV, Roku streaming boxes, Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV in Q1 accounted for 18 percent of all connected TV streaming devices installed in U.S. homes, up from 14 percent in Q1 a year earlier. "Low-cost standalone digital media streamers are proving hugely popular with consumers who want a quick and easy way of accessing their favorite online streaming services on the living room TV and the entry of instantly recognizable brands such as Google and Amazon is helping maintain growth in the sector," said David Watkins, Strategy Analytics service director-connected home devices.
The Land Mobile Communications Council’s goal is to see more intensive use of the mid-800 MHz band, the group said Tuesday in a news release. The LMCC filed comments at the FCC last week supporting a proposal to introduce new, full-power, interstitial 12.5 kHz “offset” channels in the 809-817/854-862 MHz band (see 1505270015). “The primary goal of the coordination process described by the LMCC is to protect the operations of existing 25 kHz licensees,” LMCC President Greg Kunkle said. “At the same time, there is an opportunity for more intensive use of the adjacent interstitial, 12.5 kHz-wide channels. Although LMCC’s proposal will add complexity to the frequency coordination process, the LMCC welcomes this if it means making available more spectrum, a scarce commodity, while protecting current users.”
Apple landed a U.S. patent Tuesday for a “fusion keyboard” featuring “individually depressible mechanical keys having a touch sensitive area located on their surface,” Patent and Trademark Office records for patent number 9,041,652 show. “One or more of the depressible mechanical keys can be multi-purpose keys capable of being depressed to multiple levels,” says the patent, which was applied for in September 2011 listing John Elias, of Townsend, Delaware, and Steven Martisauskas, of San Francisco, as the inventors. Under the invention, the touch-sensitive mechanical keyboard “can receive key depression input, touch event input, or combinations thereof at the same time,” the patent says. The keyboard can “further include a processor for distinguishing detected touch events from detected key depressions,” it says. “The processor can generate a key depression command or a touch event command in response to the detected touch events and key depressions.” Apple representatives didn’t comment.
Apple landed a U.S. patent Tuesday for a “fusion keyboard” featuring “individually depressible mechanical keys having a touch sensitive area located on their surface,” Patent and Trademark Office records for patent number 9,041,652 show. “One or more of the depressible mechanical keys can be multi-purpose keys capable of being depressed to multiple levels,” says the patent, which was applied for in September 2011 listing John Elias, of Townsend, Delaware, and Steven Martisauskas, of San Francisco, as the inventors. Under the invention, the touch-sensitive mechanical keyboard “can receive key depression input, touch event input, or combinations thereof at the same time,” the patent says. The keyboard can “further include a processor for distinguishing detected touch events from detected key depressions,” it says. “The processor can generate a key depression command or a touch event command in response to the detected touch events and key depressions.” Apple representatives didn’t comment.
Initial comments demonstrate broad support for a proposal to introduce new, full-power, interstitial 12.5 kHz “offset” channels in the 809-817/854-862 MHz band, said the Enterprise Wireless Alliance in reply comments posted by the FCC Wednesday. EWA sought change in 2009 and the FCC asked for comment in February (see 1505130018). Replies were posted in docket 15-32. The comments filed “confirm that the Part 90 community has a keen interest in deriving highly efficient use from its limited spectrum allocations,” EWA said. “Virtually all parties support the availability of 800 MHz interstitial channels in the 800 MHz Mid-Band if appropriate protection is provided to adjacent 25 kHz bandwidth systems.” Some critics question whether the interstitial channels can be deployed without creating interference for 25 kHz channel licensees, the alliance said. “The Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC) is close to completing a detailed matrix that will enable frequency advisory committees (FACs) that chose to coordinate these channels to make appropriate, consistent determinations as to the interference potential between interstitial and full channel systems.” The LMCC recommended some protections for incumbent users of the band based on rules already established by the FCC, including co-channel and adjacent channel separation and limits and antenna power and height. “Proceed conservatively and err, if at all, on the side of protecting the operations of incumbent 25 kHz systems,” LMCC advised the FCC.