U.S. judge strikes down New Hampshire ban on ballot photos

A federal judge on Tuesday struck down a New Hampshire law barring voters from sharing photos of their filled-out ballots online, saying the statute violated constitutional free speech laws. New Hampshire’s so-called “ballot selfie” law was enacted ahead of the 2014 election. It was intended to revise laws passed about a century ago when vote-buying was relatively widespread and voters shared their marked ballot to redeem promises of cash or other inducements.

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Google overhaul ‘shareholder friendly’ but details scarce

Google Inc's overhaul of its operating structure is an acknowledgement of the lack of transparency surrounding its disparate businesses and projects, analysts said, but it remains to be seen how much more the company will actually disclose. Analysts and investors have long sought more granular detail on Google's capital spending and cash flow, as well as the financial performance of YouTube and Android. Google said on Monday it would split into two reporting companies under a new holding company called Alphabet.

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BlackBerry snags two new domain names as Android chatter heats up

By Euan Rocha TORONTO (Reuters) – BlackBerry Ltd , which has been coy about its ambitions to make a mainstream Android smartphone, fueled more speculation about its plans this week when it scooped up two Android-related domain names. The purchase of the domain names is particularly interesting since BlackBerry Chief Executive John Chen has declined to confirm a June Reuters report that said the company was planning an Android phone

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BlackBerry snags two new domain names as Android chatter heats up

By Euan Rocha TORONTO (Reuters) – BlackBerry Ltd , which has been coy about its ambitions to make a mainstream Android smartphone, fueled more speculation about its plans this week when it scooped up two Android-related domain names. The purchase of the domain names is particularly interesting since BlackBerry Chief Executive John Chen has declined to confirm a June Reuters report that said the company was planning an Android phone.

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Carmakers to tech partners: Keep your hands off our data

By Julia Love and Paul Lienert SAN FRANCISCO/DETROIT (Reuters) – Carmakers are limiting the data they share with technology partners Apple Inc and Google Inc through new systems that link smartphones to vehicle infotainment systems, defending access to information about what drivers do in their cars.      Auto companies hope that the vehicle data will one day generate billions of dollars in e-commerce, though they are just beginning to form strategies for monetizing the information. Apple and Google already make money from smartphone owners by providing a variety of products and services, from digital music to targeted advertising, and connecting phones to car systems will almost certainly extend their reach.

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India’s top court upholds free speech on the Internet

By Suchitra Mohanty NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India's top court struck down a law on Tuesday that gave authorities powers to jail people for offensive online posts, a verdict hailed as a victory for free speech in the world's largest growth market for the Internet. Section 66A of the country's Information and Technology (IT) Act was challenged in the Supreme Court by law students, bloggers, writers and rights groups following arrests across the country for statements posted on social media sites

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School math answers only a scan away with Croatian app

By Zoran Radosavljevic ZAGREB (Reuters) – Damir Sabol, Croatian computer expert and entrepreneur, was helping his son with his maths homework when he had an idea. “I found it a bit tedious, all those additions and multiplications, so I reckoned, 'We already have intelligent software, why not make it deal with maths?'” Sabol said

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U.S. Internet providers hit with tougher rules, plan challenges

By Alina Selyukh WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. regulators on Thursday approved the strictest-ever rules on Internet providers, who in turn pledged to battle the new restrictions in the courts and Congress, saying they would discourage investment and stifle innovation. Experts expect the industry to seek a stay of the rules, first at the FCC and then in courts, though the chances for success of such an appeal is unclear.

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