LightSquared vs. GPS gets ugly

Photo: European Space Agency

Those following the LightSquared / GPS debacle (all six of you) know it’s been a fiercely contested issue, and rightfully so. But the smear campaigns and misinformation have to stop.

In case you’re not one of the six, here are the basics: The GPS industry claims that LightSquared’s proposed 4G network will interfere with its transmissions. The FCC commissioned a study and LightSquared believes it has a technical solution.

As it stands now, LightSquared is not allowed to build anything until the FCC approves it.

But misinformation has been spread to the contrary. Senator Grassley was even prompted to send a letter to the FCC, asking why the FCC provided LightSquared with a waiver to use spectrum licensed to GPS companies. The FCC sent a response, which correctly said that it had done no such thing, and it won’t approve LightSquared’s network until it believes a solution is in place.

The GPS industry also overreached by issuing a questionable report about how LightSquared would affect its signal — a report that has been batted down by many independent scientists. 

On Thursday, LightSquared opted to resort to similar dirty tactics. The company commissioned a report from the questionable Brattle Group that found the GPS industry was receiving $18 billion in implicit subsidies from the U.S. government. The underlying argument was essentially that the government is in bed with the GPS industry.

What the report does highlight — and should have focused on — is the fact that the GPS industry has made little effort to upgrade its systems, and its receivers are not operating according to specification. They are, in fact, spilling over into spectrum that was licensed to LightSquared.

The GPS industry and its advocates have acted shamefully in this proceeding. But it’s also a shame that LightSquared felt it needed to go on a smear campaign to compete. 

In the meantime, a rare new entrant to the wireless market that could compete with a dwindling number of providers is being held up. It’s time to focus on the problem at hand and fix it without attempting to get the public on board by obfuscating the facts. -David

If the rise of new media makes you pine for the scent of the old…

photo via Refinery29

…then you are not alone, apparently. Refinery29 found a candle called The Times of New York, a concept from now-deceased artist Tobias Wong.

One of Tobias’s pals put the concept into action; he made 1,000 of these newsprint scent candles, available for $65 at Project No. 8 and at Bondtoo.com.

Project No. 8’s site describes the scent as “newsy, with hints of guaiacwood, cedar, musk, spice, with ‘a powdery note and velvet nuance,’ meant to mimic the aroma of black ink on newsprint.” Get ‘em while people still remember what print journalism is! -Julianne

Yahoo eyes cliff, charges straight over it

Yahoo PR just called to complain that our article — “Cranky shareholders blast Yahoo” — misrepresented the “tone” of the company’s shareholder meeting. 

Direct quote from shareholder: “The debacle over the past few months is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.” 

S’rly? That has a tone other than cranky? 

Even better bit: The rep said we didn’t get the vibe right because we weren’t in the room. 

From AP’s coverage of the meeting: “The Associated Press monitored Yahoo’s meeting through a webcast because the company banned media from the gathering held at a Santa Clara hotel.” -Stacy (burying head in hands)

 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This Is like the most exciting thing that’s happened in a realy long time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’ve been freaking out and running around the house screaming :-)  

— a Harry Potter fan, posting on MuggleNet after hearing the children’s series will be available in e-book form in October.

 4G LTE smartphones run twice as fast on the Verizon Wireless network, no matter how many ‘Gs’ the AT&T marketing department claims. 

— Verizon Wireless spokesman Jeffrey Nelson, using the new “please clarify what you mean by ‘4G’” bill introduced in Congress to fire off some competitive shots. 

It is the most exciting thing EVER in our newsroom

Spotted in the wild in the CNNMoney newsroom: A NEW COMPUTER. It was just delivered to our colleague Steve. We plan to mug him for it this evening. -Stacy (whose Windows XP PC running Office 2003 has not crashed for four whole hours now) 

How to talk for 3 minutes and 30 seconds and not say anything