CTIA asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to let it intervene in support of the FCC against the legal challenges brought against incentive auction rules by NAB and Sinclair, said a motion to intervene filed Thursday (http://bit.ly/YTCQyL). CTIA’s interests “will be substantially affected by this Court’s review of the challenged order,” the motion said. The Expanding Opportunities for Broadcasters Coalition and CEA filed motions to intervene in support of the FCC (CED Sept 30 p4), opposing only the Sinclair petition, which has been described as having broader objections to the auction order than the NAB petition did.
The FCC created a new inbox for comments on Comcast’s planned buy of Time Warner Cable and the associated transfers of systems to Charter Communications, the commission said in a public notice Wednesday (http://bit.ly/1vBdly2). The inbox address is ComcastTWCMerger@fcc.gov, the PN said. Documents submitted to the inbox become part of the official record of the proceeding -- docketed as 14-57 -- and will be posted in the commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System, the PN said. The commission will also host a “Comma Separated Values (CSV) file for bulk upload of comments,” the PN said. There was a delay recently in posting comments to the docket on a document confidentiality issue related to the deals.
Pioneer said its lineup of 2014 CarPlay-compatible in-dash multimedia receivers will have access to Apple’s CarPlay platform via a free firmware update. Consumers with the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5 can use the Siri “personal assistant” to make and receive calls, compose and respond to text messages, use Apple Maps for navigation, and listen to their music libraries and iTunes Radio, Pioneer said Thursday. Ted Cardenas, vice president-marketing for Pioneer’s car electronics division, said CarPlay improves the iPhone experience while driving by “by providing a safer way to access the iPhone features.” In another announcement, Pioneer said its gen-four AppRadio touchscreen receiver is shipping to Pioneer dealers including Best Buy, Car Toys and Crutchfield. The CarPlay-compatible AppRadio 4 SPH-DA120 ($600) lets consumers use cloud and device-sourced content from the iPhone 5 and later Apple smartphones, Android smartphones and MirrorLink-enabled smartphones, Pioneer said. AppRadio 4 adds “feature-enhanced” smartphone control, voice control for Siri Eyes Free and Google Voice Recognition, Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming, and a new graphical user interface, Pioneer said. AppRadio 4’s design uses minimal physical buttons on the left side of the screen for quick access by drivers, Pioneer said. Most functions -- including the app interface, music control/playback, AM/FM radio and Bluetooth connection -- are operated through the 6.2-inch WVGA capacitive touch screen, the company said.
Bose sent subscribers an email Wednesday saying SoundLink III speakers are now available with colors and logos for seven NFL football teams. NFL branding adds $50 to the cost of the Bluetooth SoundLink III, bringing it to $349. Supported teams are the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks. Shipping is free at Bose.com.
Alcatel Onetouch announced a $59 smartphone for AT&T’s prepaid GoPhone product line. The C1 will be available this month at national retailers and billed as an “ultra-affordable” pricing option “with a stylish design,” Alcatel said Thursday. Specs include a 3.5-inch Half-size Video Graphics Array touchscreen, 2 megapixel camera, 4 GB storage and 1.0 GHz dual-core processor running the Android 4.2 operating system.
Sinclair’s court challenge of the FCC incentive auction order would deprive the broadcasters in the Expanding Opportunities for Broadcasters Coalition of the chance to participate in the auction, the EOBC said in a motion to intervene filed Wednesday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Wednesday. The EOBC motion seeks only to intervene against Sinclair’s challenge, not the narrower NAB filing it has been consolidated with, the motion said. CEA also asked to intervene solely against Sinclair (CED Sept. 30 p4). “EOBC member broadcasters have relied in good faith that the auction will occur under the rules adopted in the Report and Order and on the timetable set forth by the FCC,” the motion said. By asking the court to vacate or enjoin the auction order, Sinclair’s petition is a threat to the EOBC plans, the motion said. “If successful, Petitioner’s appeal will harm EOBC’s members,” the motion said.
JVC Americas and Kenwood U.S.A. completed their merger, announced in April, that aims to streamline operations and spur innovation, the companies said Wednesday. JVC and Kenwood brands will remain distinct in their respective user markets and sales channels, the companies said. Sales and marketing of car electronics for both brands, along with JVCKenwood USA headquarters, will continue to be based in Long Beach, California, while sales and marketing of communications and security products will be in Suwanee, Georgia, they said. Sales and marketing of AV and professional camera products will remain in Wayne, New Jersey. The combination of the two companies will lead to new product and system areas for consumer and professional markets, they said. In 2008, JVC and Kenwood said they would combine businesses, R&D and other work in under the corporate structure JVC Kenwood Holdings but with plans to retain their identities as separate operating companies.
Toshiba will use next week’s CEATEC Japan show to showcase a wristband fitness tracker that draws on Toshiba’s biosensor technology to record a user’s physical activity and sleep patterns, the company said Wednesday (http://bit.ly/ZslfPh). It also will showcase the Silmee, a vital signs sensor module that senses the heart’s activity, pulse and body temperature to analyze the condition of the user’s autonomic nervous system and sleep, Toshiba said. In the field of electronic devices, Toshiba will showcase products that use wireless technology “to provide new user experiences,” it said. Examples include SeeQVault, a next-gen content protection technology, Toshiba said. SeeQVault, developed by Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba, uses bidirectional authentication with a unique identifier and public key infrastructure and can be integrated into flash memory cards for Ultra HD content playback in a smartphone, tablet or TV (CED Feb 27/13 p7). Also on display at the CEATEC stand will be “a glasses-like wearable device” called Toshiba Glasses, Toshiba said: “Visitors can try them out in different situations, such as watching sport or maintenance inspection.” CEATEC opens Oct. 7 in Japan’s Makuhari Messe for a five-day run.
AT&T Wireless announced new promotions bundling tablets with smartphone purchases in an effort to boost the uptake of tablet wireless contracts. A limited-time offer beginning Friday includes an LG G Pad 7.0 LTE for 99 cents with the purchase of a smartphone for $0 down on AT&T’s Next installment plan. The promotion includes a two-year agreement and qualifying data plan with voice activation for the phone and a two-year data plan for the tablet, the company said. In an offer running Oct. 3-Jan. 8, customers can get a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 8.0 (a $369 value) for $99 with the purchase of any Samsung Galaxy smartphone with two-year service agreement including data for the phone and a two-year data plan for the tablet, it said. Customers who buy an iPhone on the AT&T Next plan will get $200 off a new iPad bought on a two-year wireless agreement through Oct. 31, AT&T said. Qualified wireless service is required on both devices, it said. Customers must sign a two-year wireless agreement for the iPad and use AT&T Next to purchase the iPhone, the carrier said. Customers can score a $100 credit when purchasing a smartphone via AT&T Next and adding it as a new line to an account, AT&T said.
Correction: An FCC declaratory ruling said that in the incentive auction process the agency will permit only 0.5 percent interference to another station’s viewers (http://bit.ly/1vxTOOR) (CED Oct 1 p5).