The Land Mobile Communications Council requested a meeting with Rosemary Harold, chief of the FCC Enforcement Bureau, on rogue Part 15 devices. The bureau is likely well aware of the problem, the group said in a Tuesday letter. “Devices produced in Asia by multiple manufacturers are often sold through the internet … as well as from retail outlets,” said LMCC. “The accompanying materials note, at most, that the devices have received FCC type-acceptance for use under Part 15 of the rules for amateur operations. In fact, the devices are marketed for use by any entity, for any purpose, complete with programming instructions for operation on any channel from 136-174 MHz and 400-520 MHz without regard or critical information relating to Federal and non-Federal spectrum allocations, user eligibility or licensing requirements.” The FCC didn't comment.

Intel has been working “around the clock” with customers and partners to resolve the Spectre and Meltdown security vulnerabilities (see 1801050050) that can let hackers retrieve sensitive information through design flaws in processors, said CEO Brian Krzanich on a Thursday earnings call. Though progress has been made in tackling the threats, “I'm acutely aware that we have more to do,” he said. Intel’s “near-term focus” is on delivering “high-quality mitigations” to protect against the Spectre and Meltdown “exploits,” he said. Products incorporating “silicon-based” solutions to the threats will begin appearing later this year, he said. Intel is “approaching this work with customer-first urgency,” said Krzanich: “I've assigned some of the very best minds at Intel to work through this.”

Qualcomm will appeal the European Commission fining the company $1.23 billion on grounds its now-expired modem chip pricing and supply agreement with Apple violated EU competition law, said the company Wednesday. The EC decision “does not relate to Qualcomm’s licensing business and has no impact on ongoing operations,” it said. “We are confident this agreement did not violate EU competition rules or adversely affect market competition or European consumers,” said Qualcomm General Counsel Don Rosenberg. “We have a strong case for judicial review and we will immediately commence that process.” The company “abused” its “market dominance” in modem chips “by preventing rivals from competing in the market,” said the EC Wednesday. “It did so by making significant payments to a key customer on condition that it would exclusively use Qualcomm chipsets. The issue with such an arrangement is not that the customer receives a short-term price reduction, but that the exclusivity condition denies rivals the possibility to compete.” The “latest episode in the fractious relationship between Apple and Qualcomm appears to have reached new heights” in the $1.23 billion penalty, said David McQueen, ABI research director, in a Wednesday statement. “It comes as a surprise that this level of 'sweetener' has been paid by Qualcomm, as it has solid leadership in the baseband chipset business,” he said of the exclusivity clause. With its market dominance, “did Qualcomm really need to have such a clause with Apple?” he asked.

Google remedied across its entire suite of products vulnerabilities that were uncovered last year the company blogged Thursday. Products include Google Cloud Platform, G Suite applications, and Google Chrome and Chrome OS items. Intel said something similar. It's "rapidly issuing updates for all types of Intel-based computer systems -- including personal computers and servers -- that render those systems immune from both exploits (referred to as 'Spectre' and 'Meltdown') reported by Google Project Zero," the chipmaker said. Wednesday, it said it's addressing vulnerabilities (see 1801030053).

Intel is "aware" of new security analysis revealing some software inspection methods pose security risks, it said in a Wednesday statement. The software analysis "when used for malicious purposes" has potential to improperly gather sensitive data from computing devices that are operating as designed. Intel said it believes these exploits lack potential to corrupt, modify or delete data, and it's working with other systems operators to develop an industrywide approach to resolve this issue "promptly and constructively."

The solid-state drive (SSD) industry will have robust growth through 2021, growing by a 15 percent compound annual rate to $33.6 billion, said a Wednesday ABI Research report. Drivers of an improved market outlook are more product availability and improved pricing dynamics as the industry transitions to 3D NAND flash, said ABI. Current NAND flash supply constraints will begin to ease next year and contribute to further price erosion in the overall SSD market, leading to lower pricing that will fuel higher adoption in PCs and other client devices, it said. IDC expects higher SSD capacities at key price points to result in higher attach rates in notebook and desktop PCs over time, as well as in 2-in-1 tablets such as the Microsoft Surface.

The American Cable Association and WTA are at odds over the ability of small and mid-sized MVPDs to have affordable accessible user navigation guide interfaces by the Dec. 20, 2018, deadline. ACA commented, posted Tuesday in docket 12-108, that most IPTV providers should be able to provide audibly accessible program guides and menus through apps that work on mobile devices with screen-reading capabilities. WTA said ACA's options for small MVPDs are very expensive or don't let smaller MVPDs completely comply. Monday was the deadline for replies (see 1710310031). ACA doesn't expect to seek a delay of the compliance deadline. It said IPTV middleware platform vendors still are developing the apps, but it has no reason to think they won't be affordably available to IPTV providers by the deadline. WTA said TiVo's Quattro platform -- one ACA option -- could cost at least $100,000 for implementation across a small MVPD's network. WTA said some members operate legacy analog systems and won't be able to comply because of costs. It said action on the compliance deadline should reflect such market realities and "not force small MVPDs to end their video services."

Leman Micro Devices is pitching its V-Sensor for measuring temperature via smartphone. The V-Sensor measures blood pressure and other vital signs, including temperature, “with medical accuracy,” said the company. V-Sensor uses the Riva-Rocci technique to measure blood pressure, but instead of using a cuff on the arm, the user presses an index finger against the V-Sensor inside a smartphone, it said. The V-Sensor app gives a reading in under 60 seconds, without additional accessories or equipment, and a thermopile inside the sensor, used to measure body temperature, also could be used to measure the temperature of food, wine “or anything else,” it said.

Many small and mid-sized cable operators will have options for accessible user interfaces by the Dec. 20, 2018, deadline, letting them meet accessibility obligations, and others will be able to meet at least some, the American Cable Association said in an FCC docket 12-108 filing posted Tuesday. Consumer groups representing the deaf or hard of hearing pushed for the agency to keep the due date. Monday was when comments on compliance for small and mid-sized MVPDs were due, replies due Nov. 13 (see 1709280057). ACA said commercial options available include the advanced user interface developed by TiVo, and various "plug-in" devices like the TiVo Bolt and a simpler digital terminal adapter under development. Those plug-ins are only partial solutions for some operators since they aren't compatible with QAM-delivered VOD, all-analog systems or systems not offering broadband, ACA said. But it said likely as much as 97 percent of all domestic MVPD subscribers will have access to three or more MVPDs that can provide a talking guide that meets agency requirements. The FCC "set generous compliance deadlines" in its 2013 user accessible interface order, and the ability of people with disabilities to access video programming outweighs "any challenges that may remain" for meeting the deadline, said Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the National Association of the Deaf, American Foundation for the Blind, Cerebral Palsy and Deaf Organization, and Hearing Loss Association of America.

Honda spoke with FCC Media Bureau and Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau officials Wednesday about possible adjustments to accessibility features and how they're initiated by users, said a brief ex parte filing posted Thursday in docket 12-108.