iPhone User Awarded $850 in Throttling Case Against AT&T

Few weeks back we had reported that AT&T was throttling down top 5% of the unlimited data plan subscribers to 2G speeds.  If that was not bad enough, users have reported that they have been downgraded to those pathetic 2G speeds after using less than 2GB of monthly usage.
AT&T has said that the average usage by the top 5 percent unlimited data users, indeed comes to around 2GB per month, but that isn't the only criteria to throttling:

Mr. Siegel [AT&T rep] said that even if you do exceed 2 gigabytes of data usage and qualify as one of the top 5 percent, that doesn’t absolutely mean you’re going to be throttled. AT&T will only reduce speeds for the top 5 percent of users in areas where network capacity or spectrum is insufficient, he said. In other words, throttling is done on a case-by-case basis, not based on a hard number, according to AT&T’s claims.
“There’s a very good chance you wouldn’t be slowed,” Mr. Siegel said. He added that in the last month, less than 1 percent of AT&T smartphone customers were affected by the policy.

AT&T however, hasn't explained, why does it offer a 3GB usage plan for the same price as the unlimited plan at standard, non-throttled speeds, even in congested areas. This hasn't gone down too well with users, and understandably so. Not surprisingly, some have even taken AT&T to court over this issue.

There might finally be some good news for these users who are being unfairly treated by AT&T. Associated Press has just reported that a judge in Californian court has awarded an iPhone user $850 because AT&T reduced his download speeds.
Pro-tem Judge Russell Nadel found in favor of Matt Spaccarelli on Friday in Ventura Superior Court. Spaccarelli filed a small claims case against AT&T last month, arguing the communications giant unfairly slows speeds on his iPhone 4's unlimited data plan.
AT&T's area sales manager declined to comment on the ruling, but argued in the court that AT&T had the rights to modify or cancel customers contracts.
The court ruling could have serious consequences for AT&T as it could pave the way for more lawsuits against AT&T or at least force AT&T to stop throttling these unlimited data plan subscribers.
[via Associated Press]    
View the original article here

Football Manager version 2011

Soft32 rating: 4

Football Manager 2011, like its predecessors – either in the Championship Manager form or the rebranded Football Manager series – is a fantastic backroom, strategy and management football game. In Football Manager 2011, you take the position of – you guessed it – a football manager. You start the game at the beginning of the football year, choose your player, choose your strategy and make all the decisions every budding Alex Ferguson might think of.

The Football Manager series is known to go on for weeks and even if you were rushing through a season, it’d still take quite a few hours. These are games that you invest your time in, and Football Manager 2011 – with its new features, larger database of players and clubs, and more interactive game play – is no exception. It is important to note, to those unfamiliar with the Football Manager series, that this is not your typical football sports game like the Fifa or Pro Evolution Soccer series. This is a game dedicated to the management, strategy and simulation side of football, and while there are 3D games to watch, the matches themselves are entirely lacking when lined up alongside other football game series.

Pro's: Highly configurable, huge replay-ability, the best football management game out there.

Con's: Requires a lot of time invested into it, 3D game play is lacking.

Conclusion: Football Manager 2011 offers a level of realism, professionalism and depth that many video games simply could never offer. You can spend weeks and weeks playing a single season of Football Manager and forever be learning something. Never will you feel like you’re clicking ‘Next’ just for the sake of it. Yet this expansiveness will naturally turn many away, and if long-term, large-scale, management simulation games aren’t for you, then you should avoid at all costs. As with each instalment of the game, Football Manager 2011 gets better than the last, and when you’re already the greatest football management game out, that’s a winning combination.

Football Manager 2010 is the latest iteration of the worlds best selling football management simulation series. Developed by multi award-winning studio Sports Interactive

Read more

View the original article here

Wavepad Free Audio Editing Software version 5.08

Soft32 rating: 4

If you are an amateur music producer, musician or just interested in sound, the chances are you will want to use some audio editing software. Audio software can be very expensive, easily reaching high three-figure valuations for something, which you probably don’t need. Enter WavePad Sound Editor. WavePad Sound Editor is free for non-commercial use and is the perfect tool for anyone just getting into audio editing as an alternative to expensive high-end software.

With WavePad you can cut, chop, paste, insert and trim audio loops within songs. You can normalize tracks, apply reverb or delay, adjust sound levels and EQ. Along with the editing and effects capabilities of WavePad, the software also includes a strong spectral analysis tool, which is perfect if you have a more technical interest in sound. WavePad concentrates on ease of use and so once you have a track or audio loop open, it is very easy to apply effects, chop up the track or perform some basic audio edits. 

Pros: Easy to use, free, great basic capabilities.

Cons: Misses many features that professional software would have. 

Conclusion: WavePad meets the demands of a very particular market sector: those wanting to try their hand with music editing or who want to touch up a few old recordings. It lacks the fully-fledged recording, advanced mastering or production techniques that high-end audio software has, but in its place is an easy-to-use, well-rounded editor that’s free to use for commercial use.

WavePad is a sound editor program for Windows. This software lets you make and edit voice and other audio recordings. You can cut, copy and paste parts of recording and, if required, add effects like echo, amplification and noise reduction.

A list of WavePads features follow but a quick way to try it out is to download and install now. You don't need...

Read more

View the original article here