Weekend tech reading: End of year edition

[Julio Franco]

Verizon Reverses on $2 Fee for One-Time Payments After a customer backlash, Verizon Wireless on Friday dropped a plan to start charging $2 for every payment subscribers make over the phone or online with their credit or debit cards. Time

Her Majesty the Queen honours Apple designer with knighthood Jonathan (Jony) Ive has been appointed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE). UK in the USA

EA, Nintendo, Sony Quietly Withdraw SOPA Support A quiet update to the list of Stop Online Piract Act supporters has shown that Nintendo and Sony have backed away from the proposed bill. Both were originally endorsing the bill as of November but quietly removed themselves from the list sometime in the past month. Neither has acknowledged the change in attitude. Electronista

Get Ready to Run in 2012 with Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II The iconic blue hedgehog will be making his 2D return in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II in 2012. Following the award-winning success of Episode I, which took the world by storm in 2010, Sonic will continue his journey through the epic Sonic 4 saga on XBLA, PSN, and mobile platforms including the App Store, Android Market and Xbox LIVE on Windows Phone 7. Sega

LG to Show Off 84-Inch ‘Ultra Definition’ TV at CES Apparently, a 55-inch OLED television isn’t wowing enough. So, in addition to the TV we reported on Tuesday, LG will also be unveiling at CES what it describes as the world’s largest 3-D “Ultra Definition” television — an 84-inch, 3840×2160 resolution 3-D display. Wired

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https://www.techspot.com/news/46855-weekend-tech-reading-end-of-year-edition.html

 

[dedparrot]

EA, Nintendo, Sony did not withdraw SOPA Support, they just reduced it by 50%

http://www.destructoid.com/ea-nintendo-sony-reduce-sopa-support-by-50--218742.phtml

 

[Rick]

dedparrot said:
EA, Nintendo, Sony did not withdraw SOPA Support, they just reduced it by 50%

To be fair, there is no "50%" support. Let's be realistic here...

If I had to disassociate myself with everything I believe is unjust and wrong in this world, I would use no services, buy no products and live in a cabin on a desolate volcanic island built with my own two hands.

Bottom line: guilt by association is typically unfair and even unreasonable in most circumstances.

ESA is an organization that is very heavily invested in protecting intellectual property rights -- that's what they do -- so obviously they support SOPA. That's the ESA's business though.

I don't think it makes sense for Nintendo and others to leave the ESA over a singular "disagreement" they have with the organization's overall ideology. ESA is involved with ESRB ratings, IP protection, charity, scholarships, events like E3 etc... Most companies like those things. I'm sure most of them would choose to remain an ESA member regardless of how they feel about SOPA unless they were truly invested in making a serious statement against SOPA.

The fact is though, most companies aren't willing to make a stance like that, regardless of their principles. Honestly, I don't blame them if they aren't willing. Don't get me wrong -- it is great when a company who shares your principles does make that momentous, symbolic stance -- but I certainly don't *expect* any of them to be activists.

Judge Nintendo, Sony and others as you will, but just because they are members of ESA (like most other game publishers, studios etc..) doesn't mean they support SOPA. It simply means they don't hate SOPA enough to justify letting go of all the other things about the ESA they have in common.