Faster streaming for Netflix at a heavy cost.

There's been a pretty high amount of uproar over the new net neutrality rules proposed by the FCC. If you haven't heard, the part that people care about is a little clause that would allow streaming services to strike deals with internet providers that would increase the speed at which content is streamed. So in the very near future, Netflix will be able to negotiate the speed at which it streams content.

Courtesy: Matt Perreault (CC)

It's already looking like they have a deal with AT&T. Today, they made a deal with Verizon as well.

I smell a little blood in the water. The changes are apparently coming because of a federal appeals court ruling that was filed by Verizon. That is immediately suspicious. It's like when Henry VIII threw the Catholic church out of England, just so he could divorce his wife and marry Anne Boleyn.

While speeds are increasing for Verizon internet users, it might be that Netflix intends to slow down other connections. Forcing expensive contracts with providers that drive up prices for internet service in general.

Obviously, this is bad for the common man. I pay enough for internet as it is. So, uh, I guess you should write a mean letter to your local congressman. In the meantime, I'll keep my eye on those two conniving hooligans.

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-By: Levi Warner-

Facebook Drops Major Cash on WhatsApp

Well this bit of news is huge today in the social media department. Facebook paid $19 billion for the rapidly growing app, WhatsApp. This is more of a move to eliminate competition so I wonder what the future of WhatsApp is to be.

Courtesy of Lobo Studios, Hamburg. (CC)

There are several options here. Facebook could literally fire the entire staff, dissolve the company, and make Whatsapp die. This is obviously least likely.

A more likely option is that Facebook attempts to combine the mobile version of their service with that of WhatsApp's existing platform.

But what will likely happen is that Facebook will take a couple interesting concepts that Whatsapp uses, then ultimately reject the company. The app itself might stay in existence for a short while but I doubt Facebook will put any real work into improving the service when they want to boost their personal brand. Co-branding doesn't really work in the billion dollar businesses.

-by Levi Warner