Welcome to Gahtan’s Technology and Internet Law Blog

According to PC World, Walmart is now selling Skype-compatible equipment and Skype pre-paid cards. The “Skype-certified” devices including products from Plantronics, Philips and Logitech. A three month subscription for unlimited calling to Canada and the US is available for $8.88. Seems like the perfect choice for someone who needs a short-term subscription in order to cover a vacation or business trip.

Free use of OneZone in downtown Toronto, provided by Toronto Hydro Telecom, came to an end last month. Users can now purchase access by the hour, day or month (CDN$4.99, 9.99 and 29.99 respectfully plus PST and GST - or about 30-50% less than the Bell/Telus/Rogers HotSpot service).

The CRTC, Canada’s broadcast regulator, has apparently commissioned a study of its policies with a view to reducing its regulation of Canada’s radio and television industries.

From the Globe and Mail Report on Business.

I recently acquired another SIP-based VOIP Wi-Fi handset, the Samsung SMT-W6100. The appeal was the inclusion of a mini-web browser (WAP 2.0) which could be used to log into hotspots that required authentication (or clicking on an “I accept” button before gaining access). The only other VOIP Wi-Fi handset that features a built-in browser is the Linksys WIP 330. However, the long term competition for this type of phone will likely be the dual mode (cellular/VOIP) handsets such as the Nokia N95.

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Thought I’d put together a list of things to look for in a hotel.

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Recently, a client who came to Canada from the US in order to assist in the negotiation of an outsourcing contract had his laptop examined by Canada customs agents while clearing customs at the border. While nothing incriminating was found and he was quickly on his way, the incident highlights the increased risk of international travelers having their laptops searched or detained by Canadian and/or US border agents.

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An edited version of the following article appeared in the March 12, 2007 issue of Law Times News.

The new version of Microsoft’s Windows operating system (Vista) hit retail shelves recently. What does this mean for you?

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An edited version of the following article was published in a January issue of Law Times News:

On a recent vacation in the US, rather than pay the relatively high roaming rates charged by Canadian cellular providers, I decided to explore other alternatives.

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