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Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia that allows users to post neutral information, has blocked several Church of Scientology IP addresses from posting content after the group allegedly posted content pushing its agenda.

The Web site, which is run by the Wikipedia Foundation and touts itself as being a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit, has taken editing tools away from the controversial religious group sometimes referred to as a brainwashing cult.

Wikipedia's action is the first of its kind, according to the U.K.-based publication, The Register, which first broke the story.

10 Votes To Block Content

Wikipedia administrators found multiple persons editing Scientology-related content from church machines and coordinating their work. What remains unclear is whether one person or several are using multiple Wikipedia accounts.

The Wikipedia arbitration committee voted to block the group, with 10 supporting the ban and none opposing it. One member of the committee abstained.

"All IP addresses owned or operated by the Church of Scientology and its associates, broadly interpreted, are to be blocked as if they were open proxies. Individual editors may request IP block exemption if they wish to contribute from the blocked IP addresses," said a statement on Wikipedia's site.

Wikipedia explained its action in an effort to maintain neutrality and because the posters were slanting postings in a particular way.

Remaining Neutral

Wikipedia has already started to get backlash from some observers who say the Web site isn't staying open to edits.

The Center for Democracy and Technology, however, said the process, not the outcome, is what is significant.

"As an abstract matter, certainly we can understand where Wikipedia might need to take action to block a particular poster," said John Morris, the center's director of Internet standards. "If someone continues to put up hateful content, it seems to be within Wikipedia's right to take this action. The idea of this...

The licensing arm for the HDMI standard governing the wired transfer of high-definition multimedia content between consumer electronics devices said an upgrade to the spec will be ready for industry-wide adoption by the end of next month.

Called HDMI 1.4, the upgrade represents an important milestone because of the additional enhancements to the high-definition content experience that it will bring to PCs and home consumer electronics, HDMI Licensing President Steve Venuti said.

"The 1.4 specification will support some of the most exciting and powerful near-term innovations, such as Ethernet connectivity and 3-D formats," Venuti said. "Additionally, we are going to broaden our solution by providing a smaller connector for portable devices and a connection system specified for automobiles, as we see both more and different devices adopting the HDMI technology."

IP Content at Ethernet Speeds

As the industry's first all-digital interface to deliver digital video, multichannel surround sound and advanced control data over a single cable, HDMI has already proven its worth as a global standard for connecting a variety of high-definition devices. The upgraded HDMI 1.4 spec will push the evolution of the spec one step further by enabling high-speed bidirectional communication between multiple devices at 100Mb/sec Ethernet speeds.

Any HDMI 1.4-enabled device will be able share its Internet connection with other compatible entertainment-system components -- as well as share content between multiple devices -- without requiring the use of an extra Ethernet cable. Even better, HDMI 1.4 will offer support for HD resolutions that are four times greater than the maximum 1080p resolution of today's HDTV sets, which is comparable to what is achieved in many digital theaters.

Other new capabilities that have been added to the HDMI upgrade include the delivery of 3-D video content to compatible home-entertainment systems via dual-content streams at 1080p resolution. Moreover, HDMI 1.4 incorporates...

With all the anticipation surrounding the Palm Pre smartphone, which is scheduled to be launched exclusively through Sprint Nextel on June 6, other carriers are scrambling to let potential smartphone buyers know they will eventually have the Palm Pre on hand.

Verizon Wireless this week said it will soon offer several new smartphones, including the Palm Pre, the next-generation BlackBerry Storm, and several Android-based phones. On Wednesday, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said his company would like to see the Palm Pre added to its lineup, which includes Apple's iPhone, the BlackBerry Bold, and the HTC Fuze.

The announcement by Stephenson during the D: All Things Digital conference and by Verizon executive Lowell McAdam during a conference call has prompted Sprint to provide more details about its exclusive agreement with Palm.

Sprint's deal is short in comparison to Apple and AT&T's deal for the iPhone. The agreement with Palm that lets Sprint offer the Palm Pre for $199 with a rebate and a two-year contract is over at the end of this year. That gives the carrier a six-month jump on selling the device, and Sprint has increased its marketing. Callers to Sprint are greeted with a message that says: "Sprint is proud to announce it will be the launch partner for the new Palm Pre."

Hype Grows Stronger

Since last fall, there has been a buzz about the Palm Pre and its new webOS. Some analysts have predicted Palm's failure, while others have said the Pre will put Palm back on the competitive map.

While the analysts have been debating, Palm has focused on getting the device and its OS right the first time and out the door with the best features and a lot of marketing. The Pre will give users a mix of features that can be used for professional and personal...