The Upload: Your tech news briefing for Monday, April 13

The ability to change shape hasn't saved a robot probe from getting stuck inside a crippled Japanese nuclear reactor. On Friday, the utility sent in the pipe-crawling, snake-like robot, which can transform itself into several configurations depending on the terrain, to determine the state and location of melted-down fuel in the reactor.

Microsoft, robot firm demo industrial IoT based on Windows

In Germany this week, Microsoft and industrial robot maker Kuka Robotics are showing a robot arm that can stream movement data to Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform for human staff overseeing production. Microsoft has its eye on the industrial Internet of Things space, and aims to show how Azure and Windows can serve as underlying computing and communication technologies.

Pivotal sets the stage for open-source in-memory computing

Pivotal has followed through on a promise to open-source its data analysis software and released the source code that powers its GemFire in-memory database. Opening up the code could give enterprise customers more input into what new features are added into future versions. The company hopes the move will also help the software find a wider user based among customers looking for big data analysis technologies speedier than Hadoop or Spark.

Rules are rules: Net neutrality published to Federal Register

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission's new rules governing the Internet were published over the weekend to the Federal Register, starting the clock on the 60-day period after which the regulator's order becomes effective. The new rules apply to both fixed and mobile broadband Internet access services. A raft of lawsuits opposing the regulations are expected.

Hacker group targets Southeast Asia and India

A hacker group dubbed APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) 30 has targeted Southeast Asia and India since 2005, according to a new report, which speculates that the group could be backed by the Chinese government. The group is said to have hacked journalists, companies and government agencies, and its choice of targets suggest an interest in information that could be of interest to the Chinese government, particularly on border disputes, according to security firm FireEye.

Sprint hopes personal delivery will give it a smartphone edge

Sprint will deliver smartphones to customers and help them set up and transfer data from their older phones, in a bid to get an edge over its rivals. The wireless operator is starting in Kansas on Monday with its Direct 2 U program, which will be extended this year across the U.S., and will employ about 5,000 workers delivering gear in their Sprint-branded cars.

Health IT vendors hit for making it hard to exchange patient data

Electronic health records vendors make the process of sharing patient information too expensive and complicated for hospitals and doctors, says a report from the U.S. government agency that oversees the country's health IT efforts. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology said health IT vendors charge high fees to set up interfaces for hospitals and labs to share patient data, and force customers to use proprietary technology and refuse to publish APIs.

Watch now

Five rules of Apple Watch etiquette, per re/code.

One last thing

Are small-time home repair guys about to get disrupted out of a decent living by big tech companies The New York Times looks at how Amazon and Google want to get their cut out of home services.