Hasta La Gadget!

In an effort to update the FCC’s long-running Lifeline program that helps put telephone access in low-income homes, a new piece of legislation has been introduced to the House of Representatives that would aim to give low-income homes the opportunity for unsubsidized broadband internet access.

The bill is backed by Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), and it’s being called the Broadband Adoption Act of 2013, which would instruct the FCC to modify the Lifeline program in order to include broadband internet. Matsui says that the Lifeline program is fantastic, but it needs to be updated and modernized to fit within the 21st century.

Lifeline is funded by the “Universal Service” system, which helps low-income Americans pay for their landline phone, but this new bill would see Universal Services also helping pay for broadband internet access. In addition to subsidizing services, the Universal Service also helps pay for telephone service in rural areas around the country.

However, the discussion of whether or not to provide low-income households with cheaper broadband internet has been up and down in Washington for several years now, with a 2010 government report showing up that recommended the addition of broadband internet to the existing Lifeline program. Plus, Matsui introduced similar legislation in 2011, but it quickly faded away.

[via Ars Technica]

New legislation aims for subsidized broadband in low-income homes is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
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If President Obama rejects the pipeline, will all of that Canadian heavy crude find another way to get to market?

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Bicycle-powered generators aren’t new concepts by any stretch, but they frequently generate AC power and sometimes can’t charge at all when the pedaling stops. Siva Cycle doesn’t think either limitation is very helpful for powering a smartphone during the daily commute, so it’s launching the Atom generator to keep the energy flowing smoothly. The rear-wheel unit puts out power regulated to match its USB port, and it includes a detachable 1,300mAh lithium polymer battery that can follow riders long after they’ve parked. Moreover, the Atom is unintrusive — it slips on after releasing the rear wheel, and it’s diminutive enough to minimize drag.

As is often the case these days, the catch is getting the product to market. Siva Cycle wants to crowdfund $85,000 to make the Atom’s November release target, and supporters will need to plunk down at least $85 to receive a generator, if its fundraising goes smoothly. When the company plans to donate one Atom to the needy for every ten it sells, however, the pledge is for a good cause — and it might be the key to having a usable device charge after a bike ride home.

Filed under: Peripherals, Transportation

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Source: Kickstarter, Siva Cycle

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