6 Considerations for State's Digital Accessibility Roadmaps

by  Robert Knapp

The Department of Justice's final rule on website accessibility is now in effect. Governments must act now to develop a strategy.

The Department of Justice's final rule regarding state government website accessibility went into effect in June. For states navigating these new requirements, now is the time to develop a thoughtful strategy and roadmap.

The U.S. Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer agrees. Its December 2023 memorandum on Strengthening Digital Accessibility and the Management of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act recommends that government agencies “develop an internal digital accessibility strategic roadmap and align it to agency-wide strategic planning efforts … and budget formulation efforts.”

In other words, you need a plan for establishing and maintaining digital accessibility. A thoughtfully designed roadmap serves as your digital accessibility blueprint.

 Read full story at Route Fofty…

Holding Back China's Chipmaking Progress Is a Fool's Errand, Says U.S. Commerce Secretary

by  Jowi Morales

Investments in semiconductor manufacturing and innovation matter more than bans and sanctions.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in an interview that the country should focus more on investments in domestic innovation than applying bans and sanctions. “Trying to hold China back is a fool's errand,” said the politician. She also added that the Biden administration's CHIPS and Science Act, which led the country to spend more money on building out its chip infrastructure than the past 28 years combined,“matters more than export controls.” Nevertheless, the Wall Street Journal says President Biden still pushed for bans and sanctions against Chinese firms and even urged its allies, including the Netherlands and Japan, to stop China from acquiring advanced tech, especially those containing American tech.

“The only way to beat China is to stay ahead of them,” said Sec. Raimondo. “We have to run faster, out innovate them. That's the way to win.” Despite the various export controls that the U.S. has applied against several Chinese companies, many of its companies are still able to procure banned chips through the black market and unofficial conduits. Aside from that, Chinese innovation is seemingly continuing, with many businesses and organizations forced to be creative in pursuing their goals despite the roadblocks posed by American sanctions.

 Read full story at Tom's Hardware…

Senators Want DHS to Detail Efforts to Mitigate GPS Disruptions

by  Edward Graham

Sens. Maggie Hassan. D-N.H., and James Lankford, R-Okla., expressed concerns that adversarial powers are investing in land-based alternatives to GPS, but that the U.S. has not taken similar steps.

A bipartisan pair of senators are pressing the Department of Homeland Security to release information on the efforts being taken to protect critical infrastructure from GPS disruptions or outages.

In a Dec. 18 letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Sens. Maggie Hassan. D-N.H., and James Lankford, R-Okla., pointed to steps that global competitors — such as Russia and China &mdash have taken to bolster their own navigation and positioning technologies outside of satellite-based systems, like GPS.

Hassan currently chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight, while Lankford is the ranking member of the panel's Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management.

 Read full story at NextGov/FCW…

Apple Must Ensure Interoperability of iPhone With Rivals, Says European Commission

 Read full story at euro news…

by  Romane Armangau

Apple Must Ensure Interoperability of iPhone With Rivals, Says European Commission

Apple must offer developers and businesses free interoperability with hardware and software features controlled by its operating systems, the European Commission said today, presenting preliminary conclusions from a probe into Apple's iOS system under the new Digital Markets Act (DMA), the new regulatory code for the tech sector.

The Commission launched a probe last September, quizzing Apple on how it planned to ensure its devices work with third-party smartwatches, headphones, and virtual reality headsets. The inquiry covers features such as notifications, device pairing, and connectivity, amid concerns Apple may restrict competition to favour its own products, such as AirPods and Apple Watch.

The Commission has also proposed measures to enhance transparency regarding internal iOS features.

Google Tries to Persuade Judge in Antitrust Case Not to Force the Sale of Its Chrome Browser

by  Mike Wheatley

Google LLC has proposed putting limits on its search partnerships in order to resolve antitrust violations in its search business, as an alternative to the U.S. Department of Justice's suggestion that it sell its Chrome browser.

Google Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Lee-Anne Mulholland detailed the company's remedies proposal in a blog post Friday. It comes in response to a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in August that it's running an illegal monopoly across the search engine and search advertising markets.

The DOJ and the group of states that brought the case against Google suggested last month that Judge Amit Mehta should force it to sell the Chrome browser to resolve the issues. In addition, they requested that Google be prevented from entering default search agreements with companies like Apple Inc. They also want it to open up its search engine results to competing search companies, and further request that it spins off its Android operating system.

Mulholland said today that the DOJ's proposal reflects an “interventionist agenda#8221; that goes well beyond what the judge's decision was actually about.

 Read full story at siliconANGLE…

Report: Apple Developing a Video Doorbell With Face ID

by  Jibin Joseph

Move over Nest and Ring, getting in the door could be as simple as unlocking your iPhone.

Keys and codes are so last century. Apple is working on a Face ID-enabled video doorbell, Mark Gurman at Bloomberg reports. The camera is expected to launch by the end of 2025 and is part of Apple's wider push to further establish itself in the smart home space, which is currently dominated by rivals Amazon and Google.

The camera would connect wirelessly to your door lock and use Face ID, just like on your iPhone, to unlock the door. You could enter your home simply by looking into the camera, with no need for passcodes or fingerprints.

According to Gurman's report, the video doorbell would be compatible with many third-party smart locks that support Apple's HomeKit protocol. It could feature Apple's existing Social Enclave SoC to securely store biometrics, and the upcoming Proxima chip for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. The latter is under development and would give Apple more control over how its devices connect to cellular networks and Wi-Fi hubs.

 Read full story at PCMag…

Entergy Texas Earns #1 Ranking in J.D. Power Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study

by  entergy Press Release

The company also achieves the highest overall score among all utilities surveyed in its segment

Entergy Texas has been ranked the highest in customer satisfaction among midsize electric utility business customers in the South, according to the J.D. Power 2024 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study. The company also achieved the highest score out of all utilities in their segment. This prestigious recognition underscores the company's commitment to delivering affordable, reliable and innovative energy solutions to its business customers.

“Being recognized as the leader in customer satisfaction is an honor that reflects the trust our customers place in us, and we do not take that lightly,” said Eliecer Viamontes, CEO of Entergy Texas. “This award is a testament to our team's unwavering dedication to providing exceptional service and developing meaningful partnerships.”

The J.D. Power study, now in its 26th year, evaluates business customer satisfaction with 80 U.S. electric utilities, collectively serving more than 12 million customers. Satisfaction is measured across six key factors: power quality and reliability, price, billing and payment, corporate citizenship, customer contact, and communications.

 Read full story at entergy…

EPRI Adds Power to eRoadMAP™ Grid Planning Tool

by  EPRI Press Release

EPRI has unveiled significant updates to its publicly available eRoadMAP™ online grid planning tool, featuring the ability to estimate future power requirements at the feeder level for transportation loads across light-, medium-, and heavy-duty electric vehicles (EVs).

As part of EPR's EVs2Scale2030™ initiative, eRoadMAP is a first-of-its-kind resource designed to help industry stakeholders plan for the power, energy, and infrastructure needs required to support the growing EV market. The tool offers critical insights into the expected pace of EV adoption across the U.S., allowing key stakeholders to plan ahead for grid investments.

The latest eRoadMAP updates include:

Power requirements (in addition to Energy) at the feeder level for all vehicle segments:

• Updated light-duty vehicle load estimates from RMI
• Managed and unmanaged charging scenarios, allowing users to explore the potential to alleviate significant transportation power demands
• A 500-mile filter, allowing users the option of removing long-range vehicles from the forecasted loads (that could potentially be served by other vehicle technologies)
• Service territory boundaries representing the nation's electric power companies to streamline for customers the process of identifying the correct utility
• Expansion of hosting capacity maps to include utilities in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Maine

 Read full story at EPRI…

NV Energy's Plan to Build Solar, Battery Plants, More Approved

by  Emerson Drewes

The Public Utilities Commission approved NV Energy's plans for keeping up with future energy demand.

The approval green lights NV Energy's plan, called an approved Integrated Resource Plan, or IRP, to add 1,000 megawatts of solar power and 1,000 megawatts of battery storage in Nevada, as well as adding approximately 400 megawatts of natural-gas peaking units.

“We are proud to support economic growth and job creation in Nevada with these investments,” said NV Energy President and CEO Doug Cannon in a statement. “All while continuing to provide reliable energy services at a cost that is below the national average and is more than 50 percent cheaper than energy rates paid by residents of California.”

The PUCN approved all three proposed solar and battery powered plants, with two in Southern Nevada — Dry Lake East and Boulder Solar III — and one in Northern Nevada — Libra Solar.

 Read full story at Las Vegas Review-Journal…