Phone unlocking to become legal in the United States again

Back in 2012, the United States Copyright Office effectively outlawed the unlocking of cellphones, making it very difficult for someone to use their phone on a carrier other than the one it was purchased for.

A new bill that's set to be signed into law by president Barack Obama will change this, making cellphone unlocking legal in the country. Known as the "Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act", the bill has already passed through both Congress and the Senate.

The passing of the bill follows many months of activism from groups who believe consumers should have the right to unlock devices they've legally purchased. While having an unlocked handset is necessary for switching providers without purchasing a new device, it's especially helpful for travelers, who might want to use a local SIM over often-expensive global roaming options.

Obama said in a statement that "the bill Congress passed today is another step toward giving ordinary Americans more flexibility and choice, so that they can find a cell phone carrier that meets their needs and their budget". 

Next Verizon is preparing to throttle 4G LTE unlimited data usersMore See a summary of the most popular topics in tech right now

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Facebook exceeds expectations again with Q2 2014 results

Facebook has reported its second quarter numbers exceeding analyst expectations for the eighth time in a row and resulting in positive reactions in the marketplace. The company shows growth in revenue, income and user numbers. Compared to Q2 of last year, its revenue jumped 61% to $2.91 billion and its net income grew 139% to $791 million.

Facebook is also seeing user growth across the board with 1.32 billion active users and 829 million daily active users, up 14% and 19% year-over-year respectively. When talking specifically about mobile, Facebook's Q2 2014 numbers are even more impressive. The company hit 1.07 billion monthly active mobile users, up nearly 6% from last quarter, and its daily mobile users jumped 7.4% from 609 million to 654 million.

Facebook has also now set records around the world for its global rise in average revenue per user (ARPU), according to reports. The company seems to be pulling in more cash on a user by user basis, even as it continues to grow. 

As some have suggested, the growth numbers are fairly impressive for a company that already has so many users, but the expansion also rises costs. Facebook spent $1.52 billion in the second quarter of 2014, up about 22% from the year prior.

However, despite the heavy expenses, Facebook clearly had a strong quarter. "Our community has continued to grow, and we see a lot of opportunity ahead as we connect the rest of the world," Mark Zuckerberg said during a statement accompanying the Q2 results. 

Next Samsung to host annual developers conference at Moscone West this NovemberPrev Google offers three months of free streaming music to celebrate Chromecast anniversary

View the original article here

Phone unlocking to become legal in the United States again

Back in 2012, the United States Copyright Office effectively outlawed the unlocking of cellphones, making it very difficult for someone to use their phone on a carrier other than the one it was purchased for.

A new bill that's set to be signed into law by president Barack Obama will change this, making cellphone unlocking legal in the country. Known as the "Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act", the bill has already passed through both Congress and the Senate.

The passing of the bill follows many months of activism from groups who believe consumers should have the right to unlock devices they've legally purchased. While having an unlocked handset is necessary for switching providers without purchasing a new device, it's especially helpful for travelers, who might want to use a local SIM over often-expensive global roaming options.

Obama said in a statement that "the bill Congress passed today is another step toward giving ordinary Americans more flexibility and choice, so that they can find a cell phone carrier that meets their needs and their budget". 

Next Verizon is preparing to throttle 4G LTE unlimited data usersMore See a summary of the most popular topics in tech right now

View the original article here

Facebook exceeds expectations again with Q2 2014 results

Facebook has reported its second quarter numbers exceeding analyst expectations for the eighth time in a row and resulting in positive reactions in the marketplace. The company shows growth in revenue, income and user numbers. Compared to Q2 of last year, its revenue jumped 61% to $2.91 billion and its net income grew 139% to $791 million.

Facebook is also seeing user growth across the board with 1.32 billion active users and 829 million daily active users, up 14% and 19% year-over-year respectively. When talking specifically about mobile, Facebook's Q2 2014 numbers are even more impressive. The company hit 1.07 billion monthly active mobile users, up nearly 6% from last quarter, and its daily mobile users jumped 7.4% from 609 million to 654 million.

Facebook has also now set records around the world for its global rise in average revenue per user (ARPU), according to reports. The company seems to be pulling in more cash on a user by user basis, even as it continues to grow. 

As some have suggested, the growth numbers are fairly impressive for a company that already has so many users, but the expansion also rises costs. Facebook spent $1.52 billion in the second quarter of 2014, up about 22% from the year prior.

However, despite the heavy expenses, Facebook clearly had a strong quarter. "Our community has continued to grow, and we see a lot of opportunity ahead as we connect the rest of the world," Mark Zuckerberg said during a statement accompanying the Q2 results. 

Next Samsung to host annual developers conference at Moscone West this NovemberMore See a summary of the most popular topics in tech right now

View the original article here