December 2006 Archives

Eminem will share and count down 25 of his favorite hip-hop tracks on SIRIUS Satellite Radio channel Shade 45 on New Year's Eve.

This end-of-year special will feature the most successful artist in hip- hop history "stating the facts and playing the tracks" on his SIRIUS music channel, Shade 45. Eminem and SIRIUS launched Shade 45, the freshest and most adventurous, uncensored hip-hop channel in radio, in October 2005.

This year ended on a high note for Eminem, with the chart-topping release of the album Eminem Presents The Re-Up and a GRAMMY nomination with Akon for "Smack That."

His Shady New Year special will be broadcast exclusively on SIRIUS on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, on Shade 45 / channel 45. It will be re-broadcast at 10:00 p.m. ET, and again on New Year's Day, Jan. 1 at 12:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET.

DSL's subscriber base went up to more than 173 million while global broadband subscribers reached more than 263 million over the last year. Each week, 1.25 million people signed up to broadband according to the latest statistics prepared for the international DSL Forum by industry analyst Point Topic. An additional 65 million people subscribed to broadband in the period—with two-thirds of new subscribers choosing DSL that delivers broadband over telephone lines.

According to the Forum, DSL is by far the most popular broadband access technology in the world at 65.6 percent market share, rising to 82 percent in the European Union—the world's largest broadband region.

Sixteen countries now have more than two million DSL subscribers, together representing just under half of all broadband customers using this technology. Globally, the largest broadband market in the world is the USA with more than 55.5 million subscribers, followed by China at 48.5 million. Japan in third place has almost 26 million. Together, they account for almost half of all broadband connections across the world.

"As the global reach of broadband into people's lives continues to grow, the range of access technologies used to deliver its benefits is also expanding to capitalize on the various available infrastructures," said Michael Brusca, president of the international DSL Forum. "Even though DSL is the predominant delivery technology in the world, the DSL Forum is working to extend the benefits of our own specifications to be equally applicable for other network technologies and to address the service delivery needs of the ever-growing range of multimedia devices and applications that depend on broadband for their success."

To read more about these findings, visit www.dslforum.org.

Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission voted to make it easier for phone companies to get approval of local authorities to offer video in local markets by mandating a 90-day deadline for state and city authorities to review applications. This comes after pressure by the phone companies to get a federal ruling so they no longer have to lobby state by state.

AT&T is currently offering U-verse in selected test markets, a video-over-fiber optic service, and Verizon offers a competing service called FiOS. Prices are compatible with or slightly lower than cable or satellite and the channel selections are similar. Both also offer HDTV programming. Coverage areas are currently limited and that's why the telcos pushed so hard for this ruling.

Naturally, cable companies are fighting back to protect their turf and it's likely the ruling will be challenged but we support increased competition in the marketplace, since it offers more choice for consumers.

Are you football fan upset over not receiving the NFL Network? The American Cable Association wants to  help you get your voice to be heard. They have created a new Web site to encourage cable subscribers to demand "Sports Choice Now" from the NFL Network.

The site isn't shy about it's opinion, either:

Cable companies want to carry the NFL Network on their cable systems and be fair to all of their customers—those who are football fans and those who are not. Therefore, the price must be fair for the value of the NFL Network.

Cable companies would like to include the NFL Network in a sports package or sports tier—this would allow all cable customers to get the NFL Network if they wanted to without requiring all customers to pay for this expensive programming. We think that is fair for sports fans and for those who are not.

The site includes a link for consumers to tell Congress that they would like to receive the NFL Network on a tier or if they are not a sports fan and do not want to be required to pay extra for the channel. You will also find video, a myths vs. facts information page and current press clips that detail criticism of the network.

If you are interested in learning more about The American Cable Association's opinion on the matter or you would like Congress to know how you feel, visit out www.sportschoicenow.org. If you want to hear the other side of the story, check out I Want NFL Network, a site run by, you guessed it, the NFL Network. And finally, if you can't wait for your cable provider to make the channel available, consider switching to DIRECTV or DISH Network satellite TV service. Both providers include the NFL Network as part of the standard programming packages.

According to a recent article in The New York Times, Comcast is testing a service in Pittsburgh and Denver that will allow customers to download a movie via the company's On Demand service on the same day it becomes available for purchase on DVD.

Consumers usually have to wait 30 to 45 days from when a movie is released on DVD for it to be available On Demand. "This is a sampling mechanism for the title," Andrew Mellett, vice president for the video-on-demand division of Warner Digital Distribution, told the Times. "I don't expect it to cannibalize sales on DVD. What we are really interested in seeing is whether this increases the buy rates."

The Times reports that Comcast has declined to comment on the project, although it has been advertising films' availability in local newspapers. According to the paper, Comcast has been the industry leader in offering free and paid video on demand, compiling a library of 8,000 movies and television episodes in an attempt to lure subscribers and distinguish itself from satellite TV.

Also quoted in the article is a representative from Blockbuster, which could be hurt by the success of simultaneous release. The company said that the sales and rentals of DVDs represent the largest revenue stream for the studios and "we believe that they will be very cautious in introducing any new less profitable service that could be cannibalistic to the rental and retail channel."

For more details, check out the full New York Times article On Demand and on DVD at the Same Time.

There's a new wrinkle in Internet shopping that's set to help protect shoppers but which may end in confusion and disaster for many small on-line vendors, according to The Wall Street Journal. In a move to counter "phishing" (when online crooks impersonate legitimate vendors to lure unsuspecting consumers into a scam) Microsoft's new Internet Explorer 7 Web browser will contain a feature that turns your Web address bar green when you've landed on a legitimate e-commerce site, as defined by Microsoft. Sounds like a great idea, right?

The problem is that the necessary certificates to get IE7's 'green light' are generally only available to larger companies. That's because the new certificates, which are called EV SSL's (short for extended validation secure-sockets-layer) will be offered only to corporations and limited liability companies. Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and individuals will be unable to purchase certification. And so your Aunt Edna will be suspect if she tries to sell her hand made holiday wreaths on her personal Web site.

There's no denying that phishing is a legitimate security issue, but considering that the Internet grew on the efforts of individuals and person-to-person connections, it seems a shame to deny legimate, honest individuals who sell valuable goods and services online the ability to stand in the green zone with larger companies. If only Microsoft could find a way to turn this process around and create "red zones" where truly dangerous and suspect sites could be identified and action taken; that would leave individual vendors free to do what they've always done and make the Internet the quirky, free-for-all it's always been.

For the last few months, I've been closely following the Time Warner Cable/NFL Network dispute. Judging from the latest news, it appears that the two companies have put aside their differences for the college football bowl season.

Earlier this week, NFL Network accepted an offer from Time Warner Cable to provide a "freeview" of the National Football League's cable service on its digital-basic tier in the New York region Dec. 24-30.

According to the Washington Post, Time Warner Cable said last week it would either carry the Texas Bowl on basic cable or the entire free preview on its digital basic. The NFL Network initially balked but changed its mind. Time Warner Cable is currently largest multiple system operator that doesn't carry the channel.

In a prepared statement about the offer, NFL Network communications director Seth Palansky said, "In light of the fact that 75 percent of Time Warner's New York-area customers subscribe to the digital-basic tier, we have concluded that its offer represented the quickest and best way to bring Rutgers' appearance in the Texas Bowl to Time Warner subscribers and to make the freeview a reality."

The Texas Bowl football game between Rutgers and Kansas State is scheduled for Dec. 28. Without the agreement, fans in the area with Time Warner Cable service would not be able to see the Scarlet Knights' first bowl game appearance in the school's history.

"In addition, we have let Time Warner know that if they are interested, we would extend this same freeview to subscribers of Time Warner in affected regions in Kansas and Texas (both states in which state universities are participating in bowl games that NFL Network will telecast) on similar penetration terms," he continued. "However, the New York resolution is not tied to the additional freeview offer in Texas and Kansas."

While this may be a small step toward healing the rift between the NFL and the cable giant, the situation is far from being resolved. The NFL Network is still requiring that the channel be available on the most widely distributed package but Time Warner Cable is holding strong to offer it on a premium sports tier to avoid passing the cost of the network on to its customers.

For more on this development, check out the WP article NFL Network in N.Y. freebie carriage deal.

Blockbuster recently made a strategic move that changes the landscape of the rentable entertainment market as we know it: they decided to link their online and in store offerings into a single membership that allows members to use both channels on the same membership, whenever they feel like it.

Called Total Access, the new program allows members to browse the store for movies and order hard-to-find titles on line. They can return videos through the mail or exchange them for new ones in the store. And they receive on line promotions they can redeem in their local store for additional movie and game options. The result makes it very difficult for the competition: on line competitors like Netflix have no answer to Blockbuster's nationwide network of 5,000 stores; and the only viable store competitor, the combined Hollywood/Movie Gallery chain, has less than 3,000 stores and no chance of raising the billion dollars needed to compete on line.

The result is a confused business climate in an already shrinking market. Netflix stock is declining and Movie Gallery's stock was close to being delisted when it took a sudden and mysterious spike up, fueling a rumor of a possible joint venture or even merger between Netflix and Movie Gallery. It's really the only logical way the two companies can compete against the Blockbuster juggernaut.

Confusing the picture further is the looming shadow of downloadable movies in the not-too-distant future, a game in which all three companies hope to play but in which only Blockbuster has the experience and the capital to compete against other media outlets, which may include the studios themselves or, at least, the major media conglomerates.

In the end, those who innovate in ways that are most relevant to the customer are those who will survive. And it's a great time to be a movie fan. Not only is Hollywood making more movies than ever, but when you have more than 60,000 movies to select at Blockbuster Online, it's hard to complain that there's nothing to watch.

Unfortunately, just because you pay for HD service doesn't mean you will always be able to watch your favorite teams in HD. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, Why You Can't See the Game in HDTV, many nationally televised sporting events are not broadcast in high definition. To prove the point, the author of the WSJ article wrote that only 18 of the St. Louis Cardinal's games were broadcast in HD - out of their 110-game season. While this might not be true with all teams, it is definitely something to keep in mind when you are thinking about investing in HD.

So, if you are a sports fan about to make the HDTV plunge, you should first check to ensure that your team's games are broadcast in HD. To read more about his story, check out the WSJ.

Internet media and market research company Nielsen//NetRatings recently announced findings that showed 78 percent of active home Web users connected via broadband during the month of November, up 13 percentage points from 65 percent of active Web users a year ago.

According to their research, broadband consumers are heavy Internet users compared to their narrowband counterparts. In November, with an average of 34 hours and 50 minutes per person, they spent 33 percent more time online than narrowband users, who had an average of 26 hours and 13 minutes per person. Among all time spent online during the month, 82 percent could be attributed to those connecting via broadband. In addition, broadband users viewed over twice as many Web pages as narrowband users, with averages of 1,574 and 681 Web pages per person, respectively.

Analysts say the new data shows that social activities dominate broadband time online. Web sites for online gaming, instant messaging, e-mail and social networking all made the top 10 list when ranked by average time per person among broadband users at home. The Web has become an integral part of everyday social life, particularly among kids and teens. Online gaming site Pogo.com led the pack among broadband users, with an average of four hours and 23 minutes per person in November. Another online gaming destination, Electronic Arts, ranked second with an average of 3 hours and 43 minutes per person. MSN Games and RuneScape also made the top 10, with average times reaching nearly two hours.

AOL Instant Messenger ranked third according to time spent by home broadband users, with an average of three hours and 24 minutes per person. Yahoo! Mail and Google Gmail were also among the top 10, both with averages over one and half hours. Social networking favorite MySpace followed in fourth place, with a monthly average time spent of two hours and eight minutes per person.

"What most of these Web sites have in common is that they engage the consumer for an extended period of time by offering a way to connect with others," said Carolyn Creekmore, senior director of media analytics, Nielsen//NetRatings. "Online games provide an outlet for camaraderie and playfulness, while instant messaging, e-mail and social networking allow for more direct, albeit often equally creative, communication."

For more information, check out the Nielsen//NetRatings press release. If you are interested in broadband Internet access for your home, click here to enter your address for information on the providers and services available in your area.

EMBARQ recently announced the opening of its first Technology and Innovation Center^SM in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club. In addition to modernizing the existing lab with new computers and educational software, the Center is now equipped with new furniture and EMBARQ products and services, including high-speed Internet as well as local and long-distance phone service, a value of more than $40,000.

EMBARQ says that the Center is the latest initiative in the company's ongoing commitment to education and to the communities where it provides communications services.

"It is rewarding to see the EMBARQ Technology and Innovation Center come to life," said Angela Quinn, president, Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas. "Thanks to EMBARQ's generous donation of advanced technology, our kids now have the world at their fingertips, which will help them improve their education and life skills."

As part of its efforts to further the success of the Technology Center and the local Boys & Girls Club, EMBARQ says employees will volunteer in a variety of capacities, including mentoring and after-school programs. Many of the volunteers have been involved with the Club for years and now have the opportunity to further their commitment to Las Vegas youth with the opening of the Technology Center.

"EMBARQ is honored to support the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club by offering financial, technological and volunteer resources," said Dan Hesse, EMBARQ Chairman and CEO and a member of the national board of governors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "We are pleased that the Center will provide Las Vegas youth with the technological resources necessary to further their education and explore the world around them."

EMBARQ has been a long time supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs and plans to open EMBARQ Technology and Innovation Centers at Boys & Girls Clubs in Franklin, Indiana; Ft. Myers, Florida; and Louisburg, North Carolina, in Jan. 2007, with several more at locations to be determined later in the year.

To learn more about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, visit www.bgclv.org.

AT&T will be testing a new directory assistance service in Bakersfield, California; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Columbus, Ohio. With this new service, consumers will have free access to business listings and advertisers will be able to reach buyers at a critical moment in their purchasing decisions.

Through the service, callers will be able to request a listing for a specific business or for listings for a type or category of business from a landline or wireless phone. Callers will hear short audio ads relevant to their listing request before receiving the number or, possibly, being connected directly to the business they select. Residents of the three selected cities can access free listings beginning today by dialing 1-800-YellowPages (1-800-935-5697).

"Increasingly, our customers are calling directory assistance when they don't have a phone book handy or can't jump online," said David Huntley, senior vice president of AT&T Diversified Businesses. "We're developing AT&T 1-800-YellowPages to be the consumer's audio Yellow Pages that gives them free access to local and nationwide business listing information from any phone, 24/7. At the same time, we want to help businesses reach consumers at a key moment — when consumers are in need of a service and are ready to make a purchasing decision. This trial period will allow us to later roll out a service that best meets our consumer and business customer needs."

EarthLink has teamed with PlumChoice, Inc., the nation's leader in remote PC services, to make EarthLink's Cyber Check, a remote PC virus and spyware removal service, easier and more convenient for consumers. As a result of the relationship, Cyber Check service will now offer new customer benefits, including 24/7 support, easy online scheduling and the ability to select a favorite technician for service.

"Cyber Check was launched to help consumers solve their spyware and virus problems over the phone in the comfort of their home," said Craig Forman, executive vice president of EarthLink and president of the ISP's value added services business unit. "Working with PlumChoice, we've made EarthLink Cyber Check even better with added convenience, reliability and choice."

EarthLink Cyber Check offers convenient, remote removal of dangerous and frustrating spyware and viruses from customers' PCs. Customers must first call 1-87RESCUE42 (877-372-8342) and give a certified online technician permission to access their computer via the Internet. Then, the remote removal of unwanted spyware and viruses begins.

"EarthLink is renowned for its commitment to outstanding customer service and we're proud to have been selected as their remote services provider," said Ted Werth, CEO of PlumChoice, Inc. "We look forward to working with EarthLink to raise consumers' expectations of quality PC services to a whole new level."

EarthLink's Cyber Check is available 24/7, regardless of a consumer's Internet service provider for a one-time fee of $99. Within five days of working with a Cyber Check representative, customers can call back to report any related issues at no additional charge (this service is extended to 30 days if the customer is using the EarthLink Protection Control Center). In addition, Cyber Check is guaranteed: customers have the ability to end a remote session at any time; and if EarthLink Cyber Check representatives fail to remedy the customer's problem, EarthLink will grant a refund.

To find out more about Cyber Check, you can read this EarthLink press release.

Holiday shoppers can depend on the power of Sprint's network, unique lineup of products and services, and value-added pricing for the ideal gift-giving opportunity. As part of its "Twelve Days of Power Shopping" campaign, Sprint has announced great deals on several mobile devices designed to match the lifestyle needs of friends and family members this holiday season.

Music Lovers
For those who can't get along without their tunes, Sprint offers the Sprint Power Vision FUSIC by LG - a trendsetting mobile phone with a progressive design and music and entertainment services delivered at broadband-like speeds via the Sprint Power Vision(SM) Network. This phone looks, feels, and plays like a portable music player with the convenience of instant access to the Sprint Music Store(SM) for downloading full songs over-the-air, an FM transmitter for playing music through a radio or car stereo, Bluetooth® Stereo support, and four changeable faceplates in blue, green, pink and black for personalization of the phone. The FUSIC is exclusive to Sprint and will be available for as low as $99.99 with a two-year subscription and $50 mail-in-rebate.

In addition to the capability to download songs over the air to their mobile phones, customers can now download songs and other content directly from their computer via the new Sprint Digital Lounge Web site www.sprint.com/digitallounge.

Mobile Professionals
Business people on the go can turn downtime into productive time using the Sprint Mobile Broadband USB Modem by Novatel Wireless Ovation U720 or one of Sprint's three mobile broadband cards: the Pantech PX-500, Sierra Wireless Aircard®595 and the Novatel Wireless S720. Used in conjunction with compatible notebooks and PCs, these devices will allow customers to connect to the Sprint Power Vision Network and wirelessly access audio, video and data applications at DSL-like speeds. These devices operate on the current Sprint Power Vision Network, the nation's largest mobile broadband network reaching over 180 million people, and also support faster average download and upload speeds (450-800 kbps and 300-400 kbps, respectively) of Sprint's upgraded network (EV-DO Revision A) where available.

The Novatel Wireless U720 is available for as low as $49.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement and $50 mail-in-rebate. The Sierra Wireless Aircard 595 and Novatel Wireless S720 are available for as low as $99.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement. The Pantech PX-500 is available for free with a two-year subscriber agreement and $49.99 mail-in-rebate.

Fashion Icons
Friends and family members committed to looking their best will appreciate the MOTOKRZR K1m by Motorola Featuring stunning good looks and a full suite of multimedia services, the MOTOKRZR K1m is the perfect balance of design and functionality. MOTOKRZR operates on Sprint's Power Vision(SM) Network enabling downloads of the latest news, music and entertainment content at broadband-like speeds.* Key features include access to the Sprint Music Store for quick over-the-air downloads*, Sprint TV with live programming*, 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth® wireless technology**, and a microSD??? card slot. The MOTOKRZR is available for as low as $199.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement.

Busy Professionals, Busy Parents
Ideal for those on your list who want to extend their workplace and stay connected for personal needs, the Sprint Power Vision(SM) Smart Device TreoTM 700P by Palm or Sprint Power Vision(SM) Smart Device Treo™ 700wx by Palm® offer life-simplifying capabilities and access to business and personal email, text messages, tasks, calendar, contacts, and the Web. Sprint enables both devices with flexible connectivity options like phone-as-modem that takes advantage of the device's capability to be used with a laptop to provide high-speed data access. The Treo 700p and Treo 700wx are now available for as low as $299.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement and $100 mail-in-rebate.

Socially Conscious Citizens
Support the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria with a purchase of a red MOTORAZR V3m from Sprint. A new wireless phones designed exclusively to support (PRODUCT) RED, the red MOTORAZR V3m is one of Motorola's thinnest multimedia phones for the CDMA network and features a refined metal housing and sculptured clamshell shape. Customers can enjoy innovative Power Vision applications like Sprint TV, Sprint Music Store, Sprint Movies, NFL Mobile and Sprint Power View. Packaged with a stylish headset, the red MOTORAZR costs $64.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement and $90 mail-in-rebate.

(RED) is an initiative founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver to raise awareness and money for the Global Fund, an innovative public-private partnership created to finance a dramatic turnaround in the fight against AIDS. The groundbreaking initiative engages the private sector to create (PRODUCT) RED-branded products from which a portion of profits are contributed directly to the Global Fund. Sprint and Motorola will contribute directly to The Global Fund with each red MOTORAZR sold at Sprint. See www.motorola.com/red or www.theglobalfund.org/en  for more details.

Consumers who love holiday classics, like "Christmas with the Kranks" or "I'll Be Home for Christmas," can now enjoy unlimited access to those and other yuletide favorites without having to brave mobs at the mall or the clinking of the cash register. In response to the growing demand for access to online video content, AT&T Inc. today announced that the company will offer unlimited access to a library of more than 2,200 movie and video selections and 24-hour access to live TV at no charge for one or more months.

Effective today, new residential AT&T Yahoo!^® High-Speed Internet customers can take advantage of a 30-day free trial of Vongo, the movie download service offering from Starz Entertainment, with more than 1,000 popular movies and 2,200 total video titles. Customers can also enjoy a 90-day free trial of AT&T Broadband TV, providing access to a wealth of live programming while at home, at work or on the go, using wired and wireless broadband technologies. Regular-service subscription charges apply at the end of the trial period. Current AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet customers can also participate in the free trials by upgrading their existing service speed to Express (up to 1.5 Mbps), Pro (up to 3.0 Mbps) or Elite (up to 6.0 Mbps) service.

"From movies to live TV, AT&T understands that today's consumers want unlimited access to enhanced content at their convenience- with video leading the charge," said Rick Welday, chief marketing officer, AT&T Consumer.

"By trialing today's offer of free movie downloads and real-time access to live TV content, our customers can better experience the benefits, value and advantages unique to AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet," said Welday.

The move to let consumers enjoy free trials of downloadable content for a period of time from Vongo and AT&T Broadband TV, in conjunction with MobiTV, comes on the heels of a series of related video announcements from AT&T. New AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet customers can redeem offers for both Vongo movie downloads and AT&T Broadband TV, as outlined in the directions that are provided in the AT&T Yahoo! service kit. Current customers can upgrade their existing service speed online and will then receive information regarding the offers in subsequent customer notification.

AT&T Broadband TV delivers 20 channels of live and made-for-broadband television content spanning national news, sports, entertainment and full-length music videos from top artists. Among the channels included in the initial channel lineup are Bloomberg Television, The Oxygen Network, Comedy Time, Toonworld TV Classics, MAXX Sports and The Weather Channel.

Vongo subscribers have unlimited access to more than 2,200 movie and video selections as well as a live streaming Starz TV channel. Members may download movies and video selections onto three eligible devices of their choice for each account, allowing for multiple-viewing options and family enjoyment.

You can read more about the offer in this AT&T press release.

Formed in 1997, Millennium Digital Media is a privately held company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Millennium Digital Media is organized into three geographic regions: Mid-Atlantic (Maryland), Central (Michigan), and Northwest (Washington and Oregon). Now you can get their cable TV and Internet service in all these areas through WhiteFence.

Have you gotten a new job in a new city? Not sure how to go about giving your two-weeks notice? This may be a tough time for you, especially  if you have been at a company for a long time. One of the most important steps in giving your notice is submitting a letter of resignation. To get some tips on writing your letter of resignation, you can go to this site. Not only does it give you important tips, it also provides samples of different types of letters.

BellSouth has entered into a non-exclusive agreement with ICI Services Corporation, otherwise known as IntelliCommunities®, to jointly market a community Web portal service in planned communities in BellSouth's service area. Under this sales teaming agreement, IntelliCommunities will offer the NetShare® community Web portal service as part of BellSouth's comprehensive communications portfolio for planned communities that includes voice, video, high-speed data, security and Wi-Fi hotspot solutions.

IntelliCommunities' interactive NetShare® Portal Service is designed to help residents easily integrate into their surroundings and to encourage social connections that create vibrant, attractive communities. Homeowners' associations and property managers can create operational and communication efficiencies by using the portal and developers can offer a unique service for residents.

"Developers are seeking differentiating communications solutions to set their communities apart in a competitive market," said Phil Jacobs, president - Community Technologies, BellSouth. "The NetShare service complements BellSouth's comprehensive technology portfolio and becomes another premium amenity for residents in progressive communities."

BellSouth and IntelliCommunities will jointly market the NetShare service and coordinate deployment of services with developers and property managers. IntelliCommunities will provide ongoing customer service and technical user support.

"A community with a strong social fabric is very attractive to new home buyers," said Chuck Matthews, founder and president of IntelliCommunities. "The user-friendly design of the NetShare community Web portal service facilitates personal relationships, builds a connected lifestyle and ultimately helps increase real estate value for residents."

To find out more about the community Web portal service,  you can read this BellSouth press release.

Danica Patrick is the latest racing superstar to join the on-air team at XM Satellite Radio, the nation's number-one satellite radio company with more than seven million subscribers. The IndyCar Series driver is now officially a member of the Andretti Green Racing (AGR) team, the winningest team in Indy Racing League (IRL) history. Patrick will co-host the exclusive XM Radio show "The Andretti Green Racing Hour" with AGR teammates Marco Andretti, Dario Franchitti, Bryan Herta and Tony Kanaan, as well as AGR co-owner and IndyCar racing legend Michael Andretti.

Winner of the Rookie of The Year trophy at her first Indianapolis 500 in 2005, Patrick has become an international sensation, appearing everywhere from the covers of Sports Illustrated and TV Guide to the new music video for Jay-Z's "Show Me What You Got," which features Patrick racing alongside Earnhardt and Jay-Z in Monaco.

"The Andretti Green Racing Hour", a weekly, one-hour show, debuts in spring 2007 on the sports talk radio channel XM Sports Nation (XM 144), after the channel moves from XM channel 143 to XM channel 144. XM is also the exclusive home for radio shows hosted by NASCAR 2006 Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and NASCAR megastar Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

"I am thrilled to become part of both the Andretti Green Racing and XM Satellite Radio teams," said Patrick. "The Andretti Green Racing Hour" promises to be much more than a racing show, featuring the team's experiences both on the track and off. My experiences as the newest member of AGR are guaranteed to be interesting."

MXenergy supplies natural gas and electricity to residential and commercial customers in deregulated energy markets. Since 1999, MXenergy has grown to serve over 500,000 customers. Deregulation means that in select areas customers can now choose MXenergy for natural gas service. Within Georgia, a completely unbundled market, consumers can choose their own gas supplier. The local distribution company continues to provide local transportation and distribution services. However, in partially unbundled markets such as Ohio, customers must first establish service with the incumbent gas provider before they can select the gas supplier of their choice. MXenergy is now available through WhiteFence to customers in both types of markets.

According to a recent press release by ComEd, their residential customers may soon have a wider selection of electricity suppliers. Several retail electric suppliers have expressed interest in serving Illinois consumers. Three new retail electric suppliers recently filed to seek certification from the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), and four additional suppliers have been certified to provide service over the last few months.

BlueStar Energy Services, WPS Energy Services and Direct Energy have said they are considering entering the Illinois residential electric market. BlueStar is already certified by the ICC to provide service to residential customers, but has not begun offering it yet.

Residential customers have had the ability to choose another electricity supplier other than ComEd since May 2002, as part of the Illinois restructuring law passed in 1997. However, ComEd says that other suppliers couldn't compete with its "artificially low rates" during  the decade-long, state-imposed freeze on electricity rates that is set to expire at the end of the year. As proof, the company points to a June 2006 report from the federal government's Electric Energy Market Competition Task Force that found the absence of market-based rates was the primary barrier to residential competition.

"Consumers want a choice of electricity suppliers. They know that the forces of competition drive prices down," said Guy Morgan, CEO of BlueStar, a retail electric supplier based in Chicago. "Once electric rates increase to reflect the going market price, it will create an environment where BlueStar can compete to serve Northern Illinois residents."

Those Illinois residents will soon find out if this is the case. A bid to freeze electricity rates for three additional years failed in the Illinois House last week, increasing the possibility that ComEd customers may see price hikes in their utility bills by January.

For more information, check out the ComEd press release or the Chicago Sun-Times article Lights out on ComEd rate freeze.

As part of its ongoing efforts to help military families and loved ones stay connected around the world, Verizon Business is helping to hold a holiday party at Camp Pendleton for U.S. Marines based in Iraq. At the Dec. 9 event - hosted by Southern California's commuter rail system, Metrolink - Verizon Business will team with the Freedom Calls Foundation to facilitate an international videoconference for Marines in Camp Fallujah, Iraq, and their families at Camp Pendleton. The military base is the headquarters of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, which has more than 20,000 Marines in Iraq.

During the videoconference, the Marines in Iraq will be able to watch and listen as their families and friends at Camp Pendleton meet Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and other costumed characters as a part of a stop by the Metrolink Holiday Toy Express™ train - the first ever at Camp Pendleton. Verizon Business is making the overseas communication possible by providing communications links, large screens and technical support for the event. The Freedom Calls Foundation is providing the site-to-site satellite link to the Freedom Calls Center at Camp Fallujah. The Freedom Calls Foundation has built a satellite network dedicated to helping troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to keep in touch with their families and loved ones at home, free of charge.

"This is a very special holiday event that touches the brave women and men and their families here at home," said Jerry Edgerton, group president for Verizon Federal, the sales organization within Verizon Business dedicated to serving federal government customers.   "For our troops stationed far away from home, seeing their loved ones celebrate the holidays can help lift the spirits. Verizon Business has made it a tradition to help the troops stay connected during the holiday season as a gesture of appreciation for the sacrifices they make daily."

As a leading communications provider to the federal government and the Department of Defense for more than a decade, Verizon Business leverages its leading-edge technology and global capabilities to support military personnel and their families around the world throughout the year.   The company has provided free telephone calls for Iraq-based U.S. Armed Forces personnel for major holidays including Mother's Day, Father's Day, U.S. Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Verizon Business provided the free phone calls from Nov. 22 through 28 and deployed to Iraq a state-of-the-art mobile communications facility outfitted with phones to allow military personnel to make calls.  More than 12,000 calls, totaling more than 120,000 minutes, were completed during the Thanksgiving calling promotion. In addition, Verizon Business will be providing free calling from Dec. 22 through Jan. 2.

Good news for those of you who are experiencing problems with your computer's performance! EarthLink recently released PC FineTune™, a new software tool that they say optimizes PC speed and functionality.

With a one-click interface, PC FineTune will scan your computer, fix problems and restore its speed and performance. Available to all Internet consumers—both EarthLink customers and non-EarthLink customers—PC FineTune works by de-fragmenting the computer's hard drive, eliminating unnecessary files and cookies, fixing registry errors, removing unused device drivers and disabling unneeded items that hog your PC's memory and result in slow computer performance.

"There are things in your life that absolutely need to work at their best—your car, your home heating, your air conditioner...and in today's world, your computer might be at the top of that list. That's why EarthLink has launched PC FineTune—to maximize your computer's performance," said Craig Forman, executive vice president of EarthLink and president of the ISP's value added services business unit. "It's as easy and painless as stopping for an oil change. After a quick scan of your computer, PC FineTune fixes problems and optimizes your PC for maximum efficiency and speed."

Developed in a partnership with Avanquest Software, EarthLink recommends that customers use PC FineTune for proper ongoing computer maintenance each time they remove spyware to assure that non-malicious, but corrupted and fragmented files are not left behind.

"EarthLink customers now have an affordable, one-stop solution for system maintenance and worry-free networked protection," said Scott Feldstein, Vice President, Avanquest Software Utility Products. "PC FineTune is the culmination of years of experience in helping PC users avoid system problems and maintain optimal performance. We're delighted to have collaborated with EarthLink to give all Internet consumers the highest level of PC protection at minimal expense."

For more information, check out the EarthLink press release.

The Qwest Foundation recently announced the Qwest Teachers and Technology grant program to provide teachers vital technology for their classrooms. Qwest is providing a $900,000 donation that will help fund innovative technology grants so that individual teachers across the country can greatly improve education in the classroom. The grants will be administered by Qwest partner organizations in 12 western states.

The grant program will recognize and reward public school teachers who use innovative technology in the classroom to improve the education experience for students.

"The advancement of technology in the classroom is key to continuously improving our local and national education system," said Teresa Taylor, Qwest's executive vice president and chief human resource officer. "The Qwest Teachers and Technology grant program is a unique opportunity for educators to find innovative ways to bring technology into the classroom and better prepare students to succeed."

The grants will be awarded to teachers through a competitive grant process. Educators will be able to submit applications for the Qwest Teachers and Technology grants beginning at: www.qwest.com/community. The site will provide specific instructions on the grant process, including a time line for application dates.

The Qwest Foundation's core principle is that investing in education provides lasting value for the future. The Qwest Foundation awards grants to community-based programs that generate high-impact and measurable results, focusing on pre K-12 education.

To read more about the program, check out the Qwest press release.

Some people need a little extra push to get into the habit of conserving energy. Since there is nothing better than a little challenge to get people motivated, I want to share this one with our readers.

The Alliance to Save Energy, the American Gas Association (AGA), The Dow Chemical Company Inc., and 29 additional Power is in Your Hands partners have launched the 6° of Energy Efficiency Challenge to promote energy-efficiency and encourage people to decrease wasteful energy use.

The Alliance says that average U.S. households will pay nearly $5,000 to power their homes and vehicles this year—32 percent greater than just two years ago.  The Energy Information Administration estimates that America's families will spend an average of $902 on heating their homes this winter.

"Natural gas utilities want households to know there are plenty of simple steps they can take to lower their home heating bills this winter, from adding weather-stripping, to checking the efficiency of their furnaces, or spreading out their winter bills by signing up with their local utility for a level-payment program. 'Six Degrees of Energy Efficiency' truly does put the power in the hands of the consumer," said David N. Parker, President and CEO of AGA. "Natural gas utilities are proud to be a part of this campaign."

"Every consumer has a part to play in energy efficiency," said Peter Molinaro, vice president of government affairs for Dow Chemical. "We are proud to support the 6?? of Energy Efficiency Challenge because it demonstrates that each person's energy use has a much wider impact. By linking us all together, we help turn small steps into big change."

Taking the challenge is easy to do. Just visit the interactive 6° Challenge Web site, www.sixdegreechallenge.org to get started.

Not only is it the season for holiday safety tips, it's also closing in on tax season. Jackson Hewitt® recently released a whole list of things you can do before the end of the year to have a better 2006 individual income tax return.

One tip in particular stuck out in my mind in regards to home energy. According to these tax preparation experts, making energy-saving home improvements can help you during tax season. They say you should consider undertaking home repair projects, especially those that improve a home's energy efficiency such as installing a new furnace or energy-efficient windows or doors, before Jan. 1, 2007. Apparently, there is a credit of up to $500 available for qualified energy-efficient home improvements, as well as other credits available for qualified solar water heating systems and solar panels.

For a full list of tax tips, check out the Jackson Hewitt press release or visit www.jacksonhewitt.com.

Cox Communications recently announced a new addition to its online premium content, CleverIsland.com, which is now included in the company's Premium Access Pass Best of the Web Zone at no additional charge. CleverIsland.com, an award-winning interactive broadband learning games service, is based on the adventures on an appealing set of characters for children ages 3-8 and is available via subscription service only.

CleverIsland.com was designed by educators and child development experts to develop 27 key skills sets in four main categories: Reading, Mathematics, Art & Creativity and The World Around Us. CleverIsland.com has won the Teacher's Choice Award and Education World's A+ Seal of Approval.

"Cox has high standards for our premium content and Clever Island is a natural fit for our Best of the Web Zone," said Scott Hightower, Cox's vice president of data development and support. "The addition is perfect for the preschooler or young reader in the home. The CleverIsland.com content has built-in parental controls and is advertising-free, giving children access to a safe and fun environment designed to develop valuable skills."

Parents can sign up to get monthly progress reports on their child's path through more than 95 online learning games and activities, which are updated monthly and designed to improve basic skills such as reading, writing, spelling, math, science and logic.

Cox's Premium Access Pass was first introduced to customers in November 2005 and includes two zones. This new addition rounds out Cox's Best of the Web Zone, which now appeals to all age groups. The Best of the Web Zone provides content to the most popular family-friendly content sites on the net today, including AmericanGreetings.com, Encyclopaedia Britannica Online®, Shockwave® UnlimitedT, The Weather Channel® and FOX Sports.

For more information on the latest addition to Cox's online premium content, visit CleverIsland.com for a free tour.

Netflix, together with Martin Scorsese's non-profit organization The Film Foundation, recently unveiled special holiday editions of the movie rental company's trademark red envelope featuring original artwork by various Hollywood filmmakers and actors, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Charlize Theron, Peter Jackson, Orlando Bloom, and Mr. Scorsese himself.

The special envelopes containing Netflix subscribers' DVD rentals will began mailing this week. As part of the partnership, Netflix has made a donation in support of The Film Foundation's efforts in film preservation and film education.

"The red mailer, which is one of the most visible expressions of our brand, was a natural way to showcase our partnership with The Film Foundation and express our holiday spirit," said Leslie Kilgore, chief marketing officer for Netflix. "It's gratifying for us to support the important work of The Film Foundation, which, like Netflix, is committed to preserving the heritage of film and helping it find new audiences."

"The Film Foundation's partnership with Netflix is an innovative way to create public awareness about the importance of film preservation. The mailers will communicate our message to a large national audience," said Jennifer Ahn, managing director of The Film Foundation.

The artists were encouraged to contribute their individual personalities and feelings about the holiday season in the artwork. Mr. Scorsese worked with his young daughter Francesca to create a snowflake-themed mailer, while Ms. Theron provided two pieces, one of a whimsical snowman and another of wrapped holiday presents. Mr. DiCaprio created a sturdy tree whose branches are decorated with a multi-cultural array of symbols and icons, while Mr. Jackson painted a classically-themed canvas centered on a holiday pheasant and two pugs in stocking caps. Mr. Bloom's canvas portrays two hands offering hearts in the spirit of the season.

Time Warner and Time Warner Cable recently announced they will host "Home to the Future," a three-week interactive home installation at Time Warner Center, Jan. 17 through Feb 6, 2007, curated by renown museum exhibit designer Edwin Schlossberg of ESI Design.

The exhibit will include two rooms on both the first floor and second floors of the Time Warner Center, each featuring innovative digital technologies from across the Time Warner Cable portfolio including, digital phone, vdeo On demand, DVR (digital video recorder), high-definition programming and RoadRunner High-Speed Online.

"Home to the Future" will also present videos on new Time Warner Cable digital entertainment functions Quick Clips and StartOver, as well as a sampling of other digital initiatives from across the Time Warner family of businesses—from Warner Bros. and New Line to Time Inc., Home Box Office, AOL and Turner Broadcasting. The exhibit will include a series of themed ancillary events—in cooperation with Time Warner partners in film, television and music.

Fore more information about the Home to the Future and associated events, check out www.hometothefuture.com.

XM Satellite Radio announced this week that it will be the exclusive satellite radio home of the 2007 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship Game, offering college football fans complete play-by- play coverage on XM Sports Nation (XM Channel 144)  when top-ranked Ohio State plays Florida on Jan. 8.

Under an agreement with FOX Sports, XM will be the sole satellite radio network for the BCS National Championship, Allstate Sugar Bowl, FedEx Orange Bowl, and Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

"For college football fans, the only place to hear the BCS National Championship game on satellite radio is XM," said Eric Logan, executive vice president, programming, XM Satellite Radio. "XM has all the play-by-play action, plus the pre- and post-game coverage, and you can see the score in real time on your XM radio display screen. Being the exclusive satellite radio home of these BCS games is one more example of why XM is the ultimate destination for college football fans. With more than 5,000 live sporting events a year, XM has the best sports package in satellite radio."

"FOX Sports is excited to reach this exclusive satellite radio agreement with XM Radio," said Larry Jones, FOX Sports COO. "This partnership insures that millions of XM subscribers across the country will have access to the most important games of the college football season."

The BCS broadcasts on the XM Sports Nation channel begin Jan. 1, the same day that the channel moves from XM Channel 143 to XM Channel 144.

As I promised last week in my post about ComEd holiday tips, I wanted to share their formula for calculating additional costs associated with decorating with electric lights:

1. Determine how many bulbs are on your strands of decorative indoor and outdoor lights.  For example:  1,000 total bulbs
2. Check the wattage per bulb - one watt per bulb is common.  For example:  1 watt
3. Multiply watts per bulb by number of bulbs.  For example: 1 x 1,000 =  1,000
4. Convert to kilowatts (kW) - 1,000 watts equals 1 kilowatt.  For example: 1 kW
5. Estimate the number of hours in a month the lights are on.  For example: 5 hours per day x 30 days = 150 hours
6. Multiply the total kilowatts by the total number of hours the lights will be on to get the total kilowatt-hours (kWh).  For example: 1 kW x 150 hours = 150 kWh
7. Multiply the total kilowatt-hours by the total cost of electricity.  ComEd says that for their typical customers, the total cost of energy supply,  transmission and distribution of their electricity will be 8.6 cents  per kilowatt-hour through the end of the year.  For example, 150 kWh x .86 = $12.90

Use this handy formula to help you decide how much of your holiday budget you want to put toward decorating this season.

Next up in money-saving electricity tips: Jackson Hewitt?? says you can improve your 2006 individual income tax return with a little work around the house.

DIRECTV recently announced that its international programming platform WorldDirect™ will now include new Polish-language programming packages PolishDirect™ and PolishDirect™ II.

These new packages will offer a lineup of Polish-language video and radio programming. PolishDirect will include TV Polonia, TVP3 and Polskie Radio 1 and 3. DIRECTV customers can also subscribe to PolishDirect II which will include TV Polonia, TVP3, Tele5 and Polskie Radio 1 and 3.

"We understand the important role that traditional Polish culture plays in the lives of the more than 650,000 Polish-speaking Americans living in the United States," said Aaron McNally, vice president, International, DIRECTV Inc. "We believe our new Polish-language programming packages will offer a unique and compelling lineup that will help customers maintain their Polish heritage and strengthen ties between family members of all ages. We look forward to bringing this valuable programming to our Polish-speaking customers across the country."

To learn more, check out the DIRECTV press release.

Bright House Networks announced this week that it has introduced two new features to its digital phone service. Digital phone customers will now be able to add a second phone line to their service. The company is also adding Spanish prompts to the digital phone voice mail service.

"These two new features offer many benefits for customers," said John Rigsby, president of Bright House Networks Florida Group. "With two digital phone lines, customers can talk on one line while the other is tied up by another family member or by a fax machine. And customers who prefer to communicate in Spanish may now access their voice mail in their preferred language."

Bright House says that since its launch in 2004, digital phone service has enjoyed tremendous popularity. In less than three years, more than 300,000 customers have switched to the company's digital phone service, and the service has gained national recognition. I posted about their success back in July when they were recognized in a J.D. Power and Associates study as having the highest-rated customer service for telephone service providers in the Southeast region.

If you are interested in Bright House Networks digital phone for your home, enter your address here to see if the service is available in your area.

Now that it's December and the holiday season is in full swing, there is a lot of advice out there on decorating for the season safely. I've already posted TXU's tips for safe holiday lighting. However, I think you can never get too much good advice, so I thought I would share some tips from ComEd as well.

Decorative Lighting:

• Only decorate with lights that have a NOEL or U/L testing agency label. Check wires, plugs and sockets for defects. Remember:  If in doubt—throw them out.
• Do not overload outlets and extension cords.
• Do not run electric cords under carpet, seat cushions or anywhere they may be crushed or broken.
• Keep electric cords and extension cords out of the reach of children.
• Turn off all decorative lights when going to bed or leaving the house.

Outdoor Lighting:

• Be sure decorative lights used outside are approved for outdoor use.
• Outdoor lights should be hung with insulated staples or hooks rather than nails or tacks.
• Do not run electric cords under carpet, seat cushions or anywhere they may be crushed or broken.
• Keep electric cords and extension cords out of the reach of children.
• When decorating outdoors, be aware of all power lines. Do not work near overhead power lines or anywhere there is a possibility of contacting an overhead power line, either directly or indirectly with a ladder or other piece of equipment. Do not string lights on outdoor trees that are growing into or near power lines—entire trees may become energized if lights come in contact with a power line.

Christmas Trees:

• Make sure natural grown trees are fresh.  Cut the trunk on a 45-degree angle, about one inch above the original cut, and place it in a sturdy stand. A large tree should be anchored to prevent it from toppling over and possibly catching fire.
• Be sure to place trees away from fireplaces, radiators, television sets, and other sources of heat that may prematurely dry out the tree and make it more susceptible to fire. Make sure the tree has a sufficient amount of water at all times
• When using an artificial tree, make sure it is made of a fire resistant material. Lights should be hung on plastic trees only, never place electric lights on a metallic tree.

Fireplace Safety:

• Do not burn wrapping paper or boxes in the fireplace. These types of materials ignite quickly and may burn uncontrollably. Wrapping paper also may not always burn completely and can become lodged in the chimney, creating a fire hazard.
• When cleaning out fireplaces, place ashes in a metal container and store outdoors away from combustibles. Ashes can remain hot for several hours, if not days. Discard ashes only when they have completely cooled.

Stay tuned for more tips. Next week, I'll share ComEd's formula for calculating the added energy costs associated with holiday decorating. Holiday cheer and kilowatt math go together well, don't you think?