Will Leitch for Bloomberg:
We’ve been watching a magic balancing act, an actor playing a part on the fly every night, for nine years. Colbert says he’s retiring the character after this week: Now we get to see the real guy.
As much as I’ll miss the character Stephen Colbert, I’m looking to foward seeing what he does on The Late Show.
That said, this is still my all-time favorite Colbert appearance:
Pebble:
‘Tis the season for anticipation. We count down the days to gifts and good wishes, and we just can’t wait. We’ve been in the workshop ourselves, crafting something Android Pebblers will love unwrapping. Version 2.3 of our Android app gives Pebble the power to reply and act on notifications right from your watch. It’s Android Wear notification compatibility on Pebble, and it’s awesome.
Android users on our own team are super thrilled with what version 2.3 lets them do from their Pebbles. We’ve built actions that even Android Wear devices themselves don’t perform.
My iPhone’s hardware is so … boring.
My buddy and coworker Jeffrey Abbott has a new book out on Dropbox:
We all have Dropbox accounts. Most people throw a few pictures up there and forget about them. There’s so much more Dropbox can do for you. If you’re a productivity/organizational freak, this is your chance to maximize your Dropbox potential. It’s not just a folder, it’s a tool to simplify your work and personal life.
It’s a good gift for the starter nerd in your life.
When I reviewed the Pebble back in March 2013, I wasn’t all that nice to it. The software was rough, and at the time, iOS didn’t offered even less control over notifications than it does now.
However, with Apple stepping into the smartwatch arena early next year, I thought the Pebble was worth revisiting. Not that the Kickstarter darling is in the same league as Cupertino’s device in terms of hardware or software, but the idea of notifications going to our wrists is about to be a lot more mainstream.
A senior executive at Uber suggested that the company should consider hiring a team of opposition researchers to dig up dirt on its critics in the media — and specifically to spread details of the personal life of a female journalist who has criticized the company.
The executive, Emil Michael, made the comments in a conversation he later said he believed was off the record. In a statement through Uber Monday evening, he said he regretted them and that they didn’t reflect his or the company’s views.
MG Siegler:
Coming out in favor of net neutrality is pretty much the easiest high ground one can grab. The President knows that his Republican counterparts will largely take the unpopular position defending the business interests of the telco companies under the guise of free market weasel-speak.
The only slight friction for the President here is that his strong stance puts Tom Wheeler, the FCC chairman that he appointed, in a tough spot. It’s a lose-lose for Wheeler. If he supports the President’s position, he’s a White House stooge. If he opposes it, he’s the fall guy. And it sure looks like he’s getting ready to oppose it…
Brian Fung and Nancy Scola, for The Washington Post:
Huddled in an FCC conference room Monday with officials from major Web companies, including Google, Yahoo and Etsy, agency Chairman Tom Wheeler said he has preferred a more nuanced solution. That approach would deliver some of what Obama wants but also would address the concerns of the companies that provide Internet access to millions of Americans, such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable and AT&T.
My friend and fellow Volunteer State citizen Bradley Chambers, over on Tools and Toys:
With the growth of social media, video games, and streaming services, many people are finding they don’t use their cable subscription enough to justify the continued expense. We get our news, entertainment, movies, and TV shows through other channels now. This guide is about getting the right gear to make a smooth transition away from cable or satellite into cheaper alternatives.
Net neutrality is important. If you aren’t familiar with the term, let CGP Grey explain:
In short, net neutrality promises protection from Internet service providers slowing traffic down based on content or source.
This morning, the President issued a statement urging the FCC to consider Internet access as a public utility, which would forbid companies like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon from creating “fast lanes” on the Internet.
President Obama:
An open Internet is essential to the American economy, and increasingly to our very way of life. By lowering the cost of launching a new idea, igniting new political movements, and bringing communities closer together, it has been one of the most significant democratizing influences the world has ever known.
“Net neutrality” has been built into the fabric of the Internet since its creation — but it is also a principle that we cannot take for granted. We cannot allow Internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict the best access or to pick winners and losers in the online marketplace for services and ideas. That is why today, I am asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to answer the call of almost 4 million public comments, and implement the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality.
If you have a nerd on your shopping list this year, start with this post.