Good morning! Here are today’s top tech links so far. We’ll cover some of these topics throughout the day, but feel free to get a head start.
Is Facebook preparing to hurdle the Great Firewall?
Source: The Guardian
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was spotted at the headquarters of China’s largest search engine, Baidu, chumming around with company head Robin Li. Can we expect Facebook to make a big push for the lucrative China market? A Facebook rep told the Guardian, “It was just two nerds comparing notes. Keep the speculation in check.”
Google TV Faces Delays Amid Poor Reviews
Source: The New York Times
Google has apparently asked certain TV manufacturers not to demonstrate Google TV-powered sets at the Consumer Electronics Show, set to take place the first week in January. This has prompted speculation that the search giant is looking to revamp the Google TV software and solidify more robust content partnerships over the coming months.
Nokia eyeing Windows Phone 7 for new devices? Not to worry, Symbian will live on!
Source: ZDNet
Is Nokia considering putting Windows Phone 7 software on some of its handsets? The Finnish company makes solid hardware but its Symbian operating system hasn’t enjoyed the same success as the iPhone and Android operating systems. Windows Phone 7 might be a nice middle ground.
Internet road rules near FCC vote
Source: Reuters
The Federal Communications Commission will vote on Tuesday about whether or not to allow internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon to manage network congestion based on various types of traffic, though some regulators fear such tactics could lead to anticompetitive behavior.
U.S. soldier in Afghanistan gets $16,000 AT&T bill
Source: CNET
A soldier mistakenly believes that he can make calls from Afghanistan back to the U.S. over AT&T’s network for an additional $5 per month. In actuality, the cost is $5 per minute. He eventually racks up a $16,000 bill and is upset that AT&T didn’t take any steps to warn him that he’d been spending so much money. To its credit, AT&T eventually forgave the entire debt.
Recently on Techland (in case you missed it):
What A Mess: As Yahoo Crumbles, Delicious Will Be Sold
Why Is Google Trying To Ban Ads For A Gay History Book?
The Internet Is The Enemy Of Journalism, Claims Internet CEO
Forget TV: Parents Withholding Internet As A Form of Punishment