22
Aug
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[Oh Snap] FBI And DoJ Seize Three Android App Pirate Sites, Including Applanet

Posted by in Apps/Games, News

One small and two major sites that have a long history of distributing pirated Android apps have been seized in a first of its kind operation conducted by the FBI, DoJ, and a variety of U.S. and foreign governments. These sites are:

  • applanet.net
  • snappzmarket.com
  • appbucket.net

seized

Each of the taken down hosts is now displaying this FBI seizure notice

According to PC World, FBI agents downloaded numerous copies of paid Android apps as part of the operation before seizing all three domains and executing nine search warrants on August 21st. It's a little unclear whether the FBI and the DoJ will be pursuing criminal action against the site operators or whether anyone was detained.

16
Aug
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Editorial: The $3.6 Billion Spectrum Sale To Verizon That Was Just Approved Is Kind Of Really Shady

Posted by in Carriers, Editorials, News, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless

The US Department of Justice approved a sale of unused wireless spectrum to Verizon today, marking one of the largest spectrum sales to a single corporate entity in history. The unused portion of the AWS spectrum is owned by a number of cable companies (known collectively as "SpectrumCo") that bought it during the FCC AWS auction back in 2008.

Of course, back in the old spectrum heydays of, uh, four very long years ago, those megahertz were a lot cheaper. In fact, $1.3 billion cheaper. The cable company axis of evil consortium purchased the AWS blocks for a comparatively paltry $2.3 billion at the time.

19
Dec
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Official: AT&T Cancels Plans To Purchase T-Mobile, Eats $4 Billion - What Now For T-Mo?

Posted by in AT&T, News, T-Mobile

It's official: AT&T-Mobile will not be happening any time soon. AT&T, the US's second-largest wireless carrier and all-around communications mega-corporation, after months of attempting to convince consumers and federal agencies alike that the deal was going to be good for everyone, has given up its plans to purchase T-Mobile, a division of Deutsche Telekom.

As part of the cancellation, AT&T will pay DT a $4 billion accounting fee to get out of its contract, as well as expand roaming agreements with the company (where, when, and for what purpose was not stated).

One worrisome issue that comes to mind for me is the damage done to T-Mobile's reputation in all of this.

28
Sep
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Department Of Justice Taking A Second Look At Google-Moto Deal, Probably No Cause For Alarm

Posted by in Android OS, Motorola, News

Over at Google's Public Policy Blog (yes, that really exists) today, Senior VP Dennis Woodside issued a statement that the U.S. Department of Justice was taking a "second look" at certain potential antitrust issues in the Google-Motorola deal. What's it mean?

A $12.5 billion acquisition of a major US company that has been independent for over 30 years is always going to invite scrutiny from Uncle Sam, and let's face it, it's probably not a bad sign that the government is batting a second eye at these kinds of purchases.

Google, according to the post as shown below, remains confident that the deal will go through, and is cooperating fully with the DoJ during this evaluation, one Google has undergone before.