Edupage, May 19, 2003

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Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association
whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting
the intelligent use of information technology.
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TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2003
  Study Predicts Slowing Adoption of Broadband
  Broadband Grants for Rural Areas
  Gateway Launches Recycling Program
  Chinese Man Sentenced for Online Postings
AND
  Site Helps Small Companies Find MBA Interns
  Pressplay Deal to Reincarnate Napster

STUDY PREDICTS SLOWING ADOPTION OF BROADBAND
A new study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project predicts
that, despite strong growth in recent years in the broadband market,
many users satisfied with current access will not upgrade to
broadband. An estimated 31 million U.S. households have high-speed
access, up 50 percent from a year ago, and a number of companies are
trying various approaches to encourage consumers to continue moving up
to broadband at a similar rate. The new study, however, indicates that
a large percentage of dial-up users are content to continue with their
existing service. Pew analyst John B. Horrigan said the good news is
that 13 percent of current dial-up users are ready to upgrade, but, he
said, the bad news is that "the pool of dial-up users most primed to
migrate to broadband ... is shrinking."
NewsFactor Network, 19 May 2003
http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/21537.html

BROADBAND GRANTS FOR RURAL AREAS
New grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will send more than
$20 million to rural and underserved communities for development of
broadband service. The 40 communities awarded funds under the Community
Connect Grant Program are located in 17 states and include 13 Native
American and Native Alaskan communities. The grant winners were
selected from more than 300 applicants. According to Agriculture
Secretary Ann M. Veneman, the grants will bring "new opportunities for
accessing education, health, and economic resources." The communities
selected lack broadband connections for police, fire protection,
hospitals, libraries, or schools. Communities will use the grant money
to provide computer and Internet access to local residents.
Internet News, 19 May 2003
http://dc.internet.com/news/article.php/2208621

GATEWAY LAUNCHES RECYCLING PROGRAM
Gateway has launched a recycling program aimed at corporate customers,
having started a program for consumers in 2000. Waste from computers
and other electronic devices totals 220 million tons each year,
according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition,
thoroughly erasing data from hard drives is a time-consuming task that
results in many companies' deciding simply to store old hard drives.
In the new program, companies can pay Gateway $30 per unit to pick up
the unwanted systems, break them down according to applicable
regulations, and fully erase any information stored on the machines.
Depending on how much of each system can be refurbished and resold,
Gateway will award a credit, good for future purchases of hardware, to
companies participating in the program.
CNET, 19 May 2003
http://news.com.com/2100-1003_3-1007623.html

CHINESE MAN SENTENCED FOR ONLINE POSTINGS
Huang Qi has been sentenced by Chinese officials to five years in
prison for allowing users of his Web site to post articles about the
1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations in which demonstrators were killed
by the Chinese army. Huang did not write any of the articles. He began
the Web site as a clearinghouse for information on missing persons,
though many visitors to the site covered topics including alleged
human-rights violations and political issues. Huang, who was arrested
in June 2000, was the first person charged for Internet crimes in
China. Since then, Chinese authorities have detained others for similar
crimes. Huang's sentencing, for subversion, comes as the Chinese
government continues to seek a balance between promoting commercial
uses of technology while limiting political content and dissent.
BBC, 19 May 2003
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3039041.stm

AND
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SITE HELPS SMALL COMPANIES FIND MBA INTERNS
Asher Epstein has set up a Web site called MBAFinders.net that he said
gives small companies a chance to find MBA students for internship
programs. Epstein, an MBA student at the University of Maryland, said
many small companies cannot "cost-effectively recruit MBA talent" the
way large companies can in order to get inexpensive labor. The site
focuses on particular projects that companies need help with, rather
than summer- or semester-long commitments, and is thus a good match for
MBA students looking for extra work while in school. According to
Epstein, this arrangement means students are willing to work on
individual projects even though most companies involved do not
necessarily offer high pay or the prospect for employment after the
student graduates.
Washington Post, 19 May 2003
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4725-2003May17.html

PRESSPLAY DEAL TO REINCARNATE NAPSTER
Software maker Roxio, which already owns the rights to the Napster
brand, has bought Pressplay, the online music service from Universal
Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. Roxio bought Napster when it
was dissolved by court rulings. According to Chris Gorog, chairman
and CEO of Roxio, the name "Napster" remains "the most powerful brand
in the online music space." Pressplay was started by Universal and Sony
as a legal alternative to file-trading services such as Napster, but
Pressplay reportedly has not achieved profitability. "Now," said
Gorog, "with our acquisition of Pressplay, we have the most complete
and scalable legal technology infrastructure to use as a platform to
relaunch Napster." The new Napster is expected during the current
fiscal year.
Associated Press, 19 May 2003
http://www.nandotimes.com/technology/story/892288p-6216726c.html


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