Amazon began shipping the Fire TV Stick Wednesday, calling it the “fastest-selling Amazon device ever,” but shoppers who didn’t take advantage of the $19 pre-sale at the end of October can’t get a device before Christmas, according to the Fire TV Stick order page. The pre-sale was offered exclusively to Amazon Prime members. Sales were fueled by a two-day cut-rate deal in late October in which Prime customers who bought the media player early could get it for half the list price (see 1410270040). Amazon said customer demand for Fire TV Stick “outpaced our supply” and the company is working to build more “as quickly as possible.” The item didn’t appear on the Amazon landing page Wednesday, but in a news release the company said customers can order the Stick for $39 “to reserve their place in line” for the next round of shipments scheduled for Jan. 15. Fire TV Stick delivers content including A&E, Hulu Plus, NBA Game Time, Netflix, Pandora, PBS, PBS Kids, Plex, Prime Instant Video, Prime Music, Showtime Anytime, Spotify, Twitch, Vevo, WatchDisney Channel, WatchESPN and YouTube.com. With Fire TV Stick, which connects to a TV's HDMI port, users can fling apps or mirror a phone or tablet to a TV, Amazon said. The device allows users to search for content by voice.
Amazon began shipping the Fire TV Stick Wednesday, calling it the “fastest-selling Amazon device ever,” but shoppers who didn’t take advantage of the $19 pre-sale at the end of October can’t get a device before Christmas, according to the Fire TV Stick order page. The pre-sale was offered exclusively to Amazon Prime members. Sales were fueled by a two-day cut-rate deal in late October in which Prime customers who bought the media player early could get it for half the list price (see 1410270040). Amazon said customer demand for Fire TV Stick “outpaced our supply” and the company is working to build more “as quickly as possible.” The item didn’t appear on the Amazon landing page Wednesday, but in a news release the company said customers can order the Stick for $39 “to reserve their place in line” for the next round of shipments scheduled for Jan. 15. Fire TV Stick delivers content including A&E, Hulu Plus, NBA Game Time, Netflix, Pandora, PBS, PBS Kids, Plex, Prime Instant Video, Prime Music, Showtime Anytime, Spotify, Twitch, Vevo, WatchDisney Channel, WatchESPN and YouTube.com. With Fire TV Stick, which connects to a TV's HDMI port, users can fling apps or mirror a phone or tablet to a TV, Amazon said. The device allows users to search for content by voice.
CBP's enforcement processes for International Trade Commission exclusion orders at the ports are rife with problems, the Government Accountability Office said in a new report (here). "CBP's management of its exclusion order enforcement process at the ports contains weaknesses that result in inefficiencies and an increased risk of infringing products entering U.S. commerce," said the GAO in a summary of the report (here) on the exclusion orders, which are meant to stop imports of goods that violate intellectual property rights. The GAO looked at CBP's enforcement process, using trade alerts and targeting that are overseen by CBP's Office of International Trade and Office of Field Operations.
CBP is looking into automating the handling of fees at all land ports of entry, said CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske on Nov. 18 while talking at the Council of the Americas. "In Buffalo, we found that some of the delays are caused by handling cash fees," he said (here). "In response, we’re looking to automate that process—not just in Buffalo, but at all of our land ports of entry."
A top FirstNet executive defended the network’s progress Tuesday before the House Homeland Security Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee. Lawmakers dug in with questions on timelines and broader interoperability coordination struggles. Democrats worried about a lack of funding for state efforts and called for legislative action.
The FCC should move ahead with Connect America Found Phase II by providing adequate funding “to bring robust broadband service to 4.2 million residential and small business locations in the hardest to serve parts" of the country. That's what Steve Davis, CenturyLink executive vice president and USTelecom chairman; Melissa Newman, CenturyLink senior vice president-federal regulatory affairs; Walter McCormick, USTelecom president; and Jonathan Banks, USTelecom senior vice president-law and policy, told commissioners Ajit Pai and Mike O’Rielly and an aide to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel in separate meetings on Wednesday, according to ex parte filings posted Monday. The minimum broadband speeds required under the program should be increased from 4 Mbps to 10 Mbps under certain conditions to make it economically feasible, they said. A number of factors should be considered in increasing speeds, including a requirement “to serve all very high-cost locations,” to eliminate “the cherry picking likely in auctions” and to create “a path to bringing broadband to the greatest number of locations within CAF Phase II’s limited budget,” the filing in docket 14-28 said. The “sooner the program is implemented, the sooner this massive infrastructure deployment can begin, bringing investment, jobs, and economic development to the approximately 18 percent of the land mass of country that stands to benefit from this program," the filing said.
The FCC should move ahead with Connect America Found Phase II by providing adequate funding “to bring robust broadband service to 4.2 million residential and small business locations in the hardest to serve parts" of the country. That's what Steve Davis, CenturyLink executive vice president and USTelecom chairman; Melissa Newman, CenturyLink senior vice president-federal regulatory affairs; Walter McCormick, USTelecom president; and Jonathan Banks, USTelecom senior vice president-law and policy, told commissioners Ajit Pai and Mike O’Rielly and an aide to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel in separate meetings on Wednesday, according to ex parte filings posted Monday. The minimum broadband speeds required under the program should be increased from 4 Mbps to 10 Mbps under certain conditions to make it economically feasible, they said. A number of factors should be considered in increasing speeds, including a requirement “to serve all very high-cost locations,” to eliminate “the cherry picking likely in auctions” and to create “a path to bringing broadband to the greatest number of locations within CAF Phase II’s limited budget,” the filing in docket 14-28 said. The “sooner the program is implemented, the sooner this massive infrastructure deployment can begin, bringing investment, jobs, and economic development to the approximately 18 percent of the land mass of country that stands to benefit from this program," the filing said.
CBP will accept proposals for the Section 559 Donation Acceptance Program until a strict deadline on Dec. 23 at 5:00 p.m., two CBP officials and a General Services Administration official said during a briefing on Nov. 5. CBP began accepting applications last month (see 1410210015). The program is designed to help the two agencies in boosting infrastructure development at land ports across the country, particularly at a time when CBP hiring has flat-lined and the agency is struggling with insufficient funding, the officials said.
Democrats lost control of the Senate and several seats in the House turned over to Republicans, while partisan issues such as net neutrality heat up and debate takes hold over overhauling the Communications Act. Democrats had enjoyed a Senate majority of 55-45, and Republicans gained more than the six seats necessary to seize the chamber, winning at least seven.
Democrats lost control of the Senate and several seats in the House turned over to Republicans, while partisan issues such as net neutrality heat up and debate takes hold over overhauling the Communications Act. Democrats had enjoyed a Senate majority of 55-45, and Republicans gained more than the six seats necessary to seize the chamber, winning at least seven.