Technology News Archives

It’s Time for the Annual International CES

Yes fellow gadget enthusiasts, it was that time of year again for the 2008 International CES conference that was held, January 7-10 in Las Vegas. Sin city was the place to have been to learn of the new innovations and technologies for consumer electronics.

Not all parties involved with the conference are announcing products that the regular layperson can’t afford. Telecommunications companies like Comcast, DISH and more, were on hand the first day to unveil some of their new digital video recording (DVR) devices that are newer and more sophisticated than last year’s models.

Visit the International CES site for more information.

Time Warner Cable will begin offering Look Back in the fall of 2007, a new feature that allows its customers to watch, record, rewind and fast forward their favorite shows at no cost.

Unlike DVR services, Look Back and its sister feature Start Over do not allow consumers to fast forward through commercials, and do not provide a library to store viewed content. But without the hassle of equipment set up, and the convenience and ease of recording a plethora of shows without the viewer having to set reminders, both of these features deliver unique interactive experiences. With Look Back, a Time Warner customer can view certain TV shows later in the day that they air, anytime prior to midnight.

"Many customers do fast-forward through commercials when given the choice, and that is an obvious and undeniable benefit of a digital video recorder," said Peter Stern, executive vice president for new product development at Time Warner Cable. "But the digital video recorder is principally about enabling customers to watch what they want, when they want. It returns control to customers over the television schedule."

Start Over delivers a similar user-friendly, free service to Time Warner customers, and began its test launch in South Carolina in 2005. Operating with more than 100 channels, Start Over automatically creates temporary recordings. If a customer switches to one of these stations in the middle of a show, he or she is able to view it from the beginning. A half-hour show, for instance, can be viewed anytime within 30 minutes of when it started.

Both features function as a basic DVR, but unlike Tivo and other similar technologies, Time Warner is offering both Look Back and Start Over without any monthly obligation or fee. In addition to South Carolina, Start Over is currently available in San Antonio, TX; Greensboro, NC and Rochester, NY, with plans for continued expansion in 2007 and 2008.

As more mobile users rely on text messages to communicate everyday, law enforcement professionals are trying to find ways to put the technology to good use in the fight against crime. In fact, the Boston Police Department recently announced the launch of a text message based tip line that they are saying is the first of it's kind. The new Crime Stoppers tip line, designed by Hill Holliday and powered by VeriSign, will enable Boston residents to anonymously provide information about crimes that may help police make their communities safer.

The new program allows the Boston Police Department to engage residents in a voluntary community-wide effort to reduce the number of violent crimes. Mobile users in North America currently send more than 650 million text messages each day, and according to M:Metrics, the most active texters are young adults (ages 18 - 24) with more than 70 percent sending text messages every month.

"The City of Boston is excited to introduce this new and innovative approach to the Boston Police Department's Crime Stoppers program. We are confident that the anonymity of the text function coupled with the sophisticated outreach program will inspire individuals to provide police with helpful, investigative tips," said Boston Police Commissioner, Edward Davis.

VeriSign powers the Boston Crime Stoppers text messaging platform, provisioned the C-R-I-M-E short code, and manages the system's user interface. While the technology behind it is complicated, concerned citizens can use it by simply texting the word "tip" to C-R-I-M-E (27463).

The text messages will be channeled to a police department interface, with the VeriSign system masking all personal identifiable information (e.g. mobile phone numbers) before sending any information to the police department. Through the interface, the Boston Police Department can immediately exchange messages with the tipster to obtain information about the crime and the details necessary to respond rapidly.

"The Boston Police Department has shown extraordinary vision by taking a rapidly growing communications trend and making it work for the benefit of their community," said Oliver Holle, Vice President of Mobile Applications, VeriSign. "Enabling secure communication is one of our core strengths at VeriSign. We are excited to be a part of such an innovative and relevant program, made possible by collaboration with Boston law enforcement and Hill Holliday."

For more information, check out the press release.

The average U.S. household owns 25 consumer electronics (CE) products and the average adult spends $1,200 annually on these products according to a study released today by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®). The 9th Annual Household and Teen CE Ownership and Market Potential Study also revealed the most owned CE products and tracks the growth rates of popular product categories.

The top five growth sectors were digital video recorders (DVRs), network routers or hubs, MP3 players, cable modems and digital cameras. DVR ownership and network/routers in U.S. households grew eight percentage points since 2006 to 25 and 30 percent respectively. Thirty-two percent of households now own an MP3 player, up seven percentage points since last year. Cable modem ownership grew six percentage points and digital camera ownership rose to 62 percent of all U.S. households.

"It's interesting to note here that two of the fastest movers and shakers in the CE industry are devices that enable home networking," said CEA Senior Research Analyst Elena Caudle. "The other three products enable consumers to create, shift or transport digital content. As consumers continue to embrace digital technology this new convergence will continue to change the way Americans live, work and play."

Other categories with significant growth include HDTV with penetration reaching a quarter of U.S. homes. More than three-quarters of U.S homes have at least one cell phone; CEA estimates 178.5 million wireless phones are in use. DVD players have reached 84 percent household penetration and have surpassed VCRs, partially because of the availability of portable DVD players.

In addition to identifying top growth categories, the study reveals the five most owned products beginning with the television (92 percent), DVD player or recorder, VCR (82 percent), cordless phone (82 percent) and the cellular phone (76 percent).

"Many of the top owned products have enjoyed mass market saturation for years and will likely see growth based on upgrade and replacement sales. Some of the more intriguing categories are those that still occupy niche markets, such as mobile CE devices like GPS systems and satellite radio, which have seen healthy growth in the past few years," said Caudle.

The study also sets out the spending habits of consumers by age demographics. While adults spend $1,200 annually on CE products, teens spend $350 each year which is about half of their total annual discretionary income. Adults with children and teens spend up to $500 more on CE purchases than the national average.

"This is excellent news for the industry as children and teens who currently influence household CE purchase decisions grow up to become the next generation's early adopters," said Caudle.

9th Annual Household and Teen CE Ownership and Market Potential Study (April 2007) was conducted in February 2007. It was designed and formulated by CEA Market Research, the most comprehensive source of sales data, forecasts, consumer research and historical trends for the consumer electronics industry.

For more information, check out the CEA press release.

Dell recently announced that Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) will become the first corporate partner of its 'Plant a Tree for Me' program through a $16,000 donation on behalf of the company's 16,000 worldwide employees.

"We applaud AMD for its extraordinary leadership and commitment to building on the enthusiasm of the program," said Tod Arbogast, director of Dell Sustainable Business. "The company's generous contribution is a clear example of industry's ability to join together, take proactive steps and make a difference for the environment."

Dell's non-profit partners, The Conservation Fund and Carbonfund.org, also reported that initial customer interest and donations have made possible the planting of more than 20,000 trees that over their lifetime will help sequester 38 million pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

"Addressing global climate change is one of the great challenges of the 21st century," said Larry Vertal, senior strategist, AMD Green. "AMD is committed to reducing impacts through leadership in energy-efficient computing, sustainable manufacturing, and industry and government partnerships like this one with Dell's innovative 'Plant a Tree for Me' program. We share Dell's commitment to partnering with businesses and consumers to protect the global environment for future generations."

When launched in January, the program enabled Dell customers to offset the carbon impact of their notebook computer use for $2 and desktop system use for $6. Last month, Dell expanded the program to include U.S.-based consumers and businesses with no product purchase required and for an extended portfolio of IT products. Dell also recently introduced 'Plant a Tree for Me' in the virtual world Second Life to help raise awareness of the importance of climate stewardship and provide a way for participants to link back to the program's Web site.

"Through 'Plant a Tree for Me,' Dell is harnessing and consolidating the enthusiasm of businesses and consumers who want to be a part of a solution-oriented process," said Eric Carlson, executive director of Carbonfund.org. "We are delighted to welcome AMD and its employees as partners in this process."

In addition to climate stewardship, Dell says it makes continual improvements to its design, manufacturing and administrative facilities around the globe, and partners with a number of stakeholders to help set environmental policies. The company remains the only computer manufacturer to offer consumers free and convenient product recycling around the world, irrespective of product purchase. Earlier this week, the company joined with the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Recycling Coalition to host a free recycling event for consumers in Washington, D.C.

The company hosts two Web sites, Dell IdeaStorm and StudioDell to provide customers the opportunity to share their own ideas and feedback. Dell also recently launched Dell Earth, a comprehensive online resource that provides in-depth information about the company's environmental programs and policies.

For more information, check out the Dell press release.

The AT&T; Foundation—the philanthropic arm of AT&T;—and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) recently unveiled 32 locations that will house new community technology centers in low-income Hispanic communities through LULAC's Empower Hispanic America with Technology initiative. The centers, which are planned to be operational by the end of May, are being supported by a $1.5 million grant that builds upon the success of the AT&T; Foundation's $1 million grant to LULAC in 2004.

"In addition to creating 32 new technology centers, the funds will also enable us to maintain 23 current locations established under the previous grant," said LULAC National President Rosa Rosales. "More than 55,000 Latinos received access and instruction on computer technology through AT&T;'s support in 2004, and we expect this new grant to more than double the number of people we can help."

The grant to LULAC is a part of AT&T; AccessAll, a three-year $100 million philanthropic initiative to provide technology access to underserved communities. It will provide each new facility with computer equipment, personnel support, high-speed Internet service and videoconferencing. Eight of the new centers will be housed in LULAC National Educational Service Centers (LNESC), and 24 will be implemented at non-LNESC locations.

Clients served by the community technology centers are low-income and/or first-generation Hispanic-American youth and adults. While a higher percentage of Hispanics are employed compared with any other ethnic group (64 percent employment rate versus 63 percent for the next highest, Current Population Survey, April 2006), Hispanics are far more likely than the average American to be among the working poor. In addition, according to a new study by Pew Hispanic Center, 53 percent of Hispanics who are not online say this is because they do not have access. Empower Hispanic America with Technology is aimed at combating these inequities by giving Hispanics the necessary skills, and access, to compete in today's technology-driven workplaces.

"In today's digital world, the impact of connecting underserved communities with technology resources is immeasurable as we look at economic mobility," said Sonya Medina, director of the AT&T; Foundation. "Our support for the Empower Hispanic America with Technology initiative reflects AT&T;'s commitment to strengthening education and community development opportunities through technology."

The LULAC-affiliated centers provide access to and instruction on modern computer technology in addition to assistance with resumes, college application preparation, GED preparation, financial aid research, and online citizenship services and job-search programs. Program participants use high-speed Internet access, computer equipment and basic office applications software to develop job skills, research career options, educational opportunities and other resources.

AT&T;'s signature AccessAll initiative is a landmark three-year $100 million philanthropic initiative that connects families and communities with technology tools that can improve lives. The program will provide technology access, tools and training to low-income families, underserved communities and the organizations that work to strengthen communities.

AT&T; and the AT&T; Foundation support efforts that enrich and strengthen diverse communities nationwide, particularly initiatives with an emphasis on education and technology and those that benefit underserved populations. Since 1996, the AT&T; Foundation has contributed more than $40 million in grants to organizations serving Hispanic communities across the country.

For a complete list of locations receiving assistance, check out the AT&T; press release.

TiVo is partnering with One True Media, a web-based service for creating and sharing video montages, to offer consumers the ability to easily share personal video content—incorporating their own digital videos and photos right to the TV.

You can now visit www.onetruemedia.com to create a digital video montage, complete with soundtrack, by uploading videos and photos and taking advantage of the site's simple editing tools. To share the montage, you create your own personal channel with TiVo, and then invite TiVo subscribers of your choosing to "subscribe" to the channel at no additional cost. TiVo users can then select a TiVo Season Pass™ recording that automatically adds the your latest videos to the their "Now Playing" list ??? the same location where they access all of their favorite television recordings.

TiVo says these easy-to-create-and-share video montages are ideally suited to all kinds of occasions: sharing a baby's first steps or child's birthday party; creating a tribute to Mom, Dad or grandparents; graduation; sharing post-game sports highlights with the team; or chronicling your summer vacation.

"TiVo continues to put convenience and control into the hands of consumers and we are pleased to offer our subscribers yet another easy-to-use, exclusive feature that brings a very personal touch to their TiVo experience," said Katie Ho, Vice President of Consumer Marketing at TiVo. "Rather than posting on public sites or huddling around a computer screen, people can now enjoy these special and personal moments on the best screen in the house???in the living room."

"One True Media has given people an exciting and fun way to make impressive video montages; now we're offering an ultra simple way for their friends and family to watch them on a big screen??? just like they would watch 24 or American Idol,'" said Mark Moore, CEO, One True Media. "We're thrilled that this relationship allows our users to benefit even more from this compelling new way to share life's greatest moments."

This new home movie sharing feature is accessible at no additional cost to the viewer. The ability to receive and view these videos is available free to 1.5 million broadband-ready TiVo Series2™ and TiVo Series3™ subscribers. For those publishing video, One True Media is providing a free trial on a limited basis, allowing you to send up to five creations at no cost through April 30, 2007. A standard subscription to One True Media offers memberships starting as low as $3.99/month or $39.99/year.

For more information, check out the TiVo press release TiVo and One True Media Offer Consumers Easy New Way to Share Home Movies with Friends and Family Across the Country, Right to their TiVo boxes.

TiVo and Verizon Wireless recently announced the availability of TiVo® Mobile scheduling, a downloadable application available only through Verizon Wireless. TiVo Mobile scheduling allows subscribers to purchase the mobile service through select Verizon Wireless handsets and schedule recordings on their Series2™ or Series3™ TiVo boxes.

TiVo and Verizon Wireless say they are bringing consumers the convenience of scheduling television recordings while away from the living room. Whether you are away from home or discussing TV at the water cooler, all that is needed is a select Verizon Wireless Get It Now®-enabled handset to schedule recordings on your TiVo box.

"TiVo continues to transform and revolutionize the way people control and watch television," said Jim Denney, vice president of product marketing at TiVo. "TiVo Mobile scheduling gives Verizon Wireless customers unprecedented control of their television experience and provides that control wherever they are."

Ryan Hughes, vice president of digital media for Verizon noted, "TiVo built its reputation by making television relevant to its customers, while Verizon Wireless built and maintains the nation's most reliable wireless network. This innovative service adds a new layer of relevance and immediacy, so even when they're thousands of miles away from their televisions, TiVo subscribers can program their favorite shows."

TiVo Mobile scheduling uses the award-winning TiVo interface to give subscribers the ability to easily search for and browse through listings to find shows that they want to record. Subscribers to the TiVo Mobile scheduling service will also have access to premium entertainment content that is updated daily, including a customizable channel lineup, the most popular and most recorded shows and a current list of recommendations from TiVo.

TiVo Mobile scheduling is available for $1.99 monthly access on select Get It Now-enabled phones, including the Samsung SCH-a950, Chocolate by LG and LG VX8300.

For more information, see the TiVo press release.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) formally approved AT&T; California's application for a state-issued authorization to provide video service in California as part of "The Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2006," which became law on January 1, 2007.

"The CPUC's approval of our application brings Californians one step closer to finally having a real choice to cable TV," said Ken McNeely, President, AT&T; California. "After more than 40
years of the status quo, Californians are now beginning to see the benefits of a competitive marketplace for both TV/video and other broadband services."

"At AT&T;, we're hard at work with cities across California as we upgrade our fiber-optic network to bring consumers the most advanced Internet Protocol (IP)-based TV/video services and faster Internet access speeds. Harnessing the power of IP, we're helping usher in a new era of innovative, next- generation services and new choices for Californians. We look forward to rolling out our TV/video service—AT&T; U-verse(SM)—in cities throughout [California] as soon as possible."

For more information, see the AT&T; press release.

Game developer Digital Leisure announced this week the release of Dragon's Lair, the first high definition-video game to be offered on Blu-ray disc.

An instant hit in its 1983 arcade debut, Dragon's Lair has now been digitally restored and enhanced with an all-new 5.1 surround sound mix. The video has been transferred directly from the original film and cleaned frame by frame by Digital Leisure and authoring studio Infinite HD. In addition, Dragon's Lair is the first release to be authored in the Blu-ray Java environment, or BD-J, an advanced format that allows users to enjoy a fully arcade-authentic experience.

"I've seen the newly restored footage and it just looks amazing" says Don Bluth, original creator of Dragon's Lair. "It looks even better than I can remember. The visuals, the 5.1 surround sound audio, all I can say is 'Wow!' Now a whole new generation can enjoy Dragon's Lair all over again."

All the special features on the disc are in full 1080p HD, including brand-new interviews with creators Don Bluth, Gary Goldman and Rick Dyer, and even a full-length visual commentary of the game.

Digital Leisure plans to follow up Dragon's Lair Blu-ray with the release of Space Ace and Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp in the Blu-ray format.

Dragon's Lair Blu-ray will be available April 9 at software and movie retailers as well as online.

For more information, check out the press release.

AT&T recently announced that Frost & Sullivan selected AT&T Homezone(SM) service as the 2007 North American Consumer Communication Services Product of the Year.

The Frost & Sullivan Award for Product of the Year recognizes the company that has demonstrated excellence in new products and technologies within its industry. In selecting AT&T for this award, Frost & Sullivan noted, "AT&T has incorporated a coherent product strategy to retain its competitive position in the consumer services space and to provide customers with an integrated home-entertainment experience."

"AT&T's Homezone services builds on the company's reputation as a reliable network provider and a consumer services innovator," said Jeff Weber, vice president, AT&T Product and Strategy. "This award from Frost & Sullivan recognizes the original thinking and careful planning that went into bringing this service to market and that our mission to connect with customers via the three screens they value most—the TV, the PC and the wireless phone—is working."

With AT&T Homezone services, the company became the first national telecommunications provider to offer seamlessly integrated video content and TV entertainment to the "digital living room," through both broadband and traditional satellite networks via a single set-top device.

AT&T Homezone integrates AT&T Yahoo!(R) High-Speed Internet, AT&T | DISH Network satellite television and AT&T Home Networking services. It features digital videorecording, movies on demand, photo and music sharing, storage for both, and remote Web-based access to the system. It will soon also include remote access to the system through wireless devices. The service is available across most of the company's traditional broadband footprint.

"With its Homezone service, AT&T has demonstrated a commitment to delivering consistent growth in the future as it has in the past," said Piyush Arora, Frost & Sullivan analyst. "This service builds on AT&T's existing infrastructure and video delivery strategy to combine satellite TV programming with new levels of integration and on-demand content via broadband. It's a real homerun for consumers and AT&T."

For more information, check out the AT&T press release.

XM recently announced that XM Radio Online will be included in Microsoft's new operating system, Windows Vista.

Released to the public at the end of January, Windows Vista will offer XM Radio Online as part of its digital music hub. XM Radio Online delivers more than 80 radio channels, including commercial-free music, the Oprah & Friends talk and lifestyle channel, "The Bob Edwards Show," "Opie & Anthony," stand-up comedy, and children's programming.

Web users can sign up for a free, three-day trial of XM Radio Online. Unlimited listening is available for $7.99 a month. Those who subscribe to XM Satellite Radio for the car, home, or portable listening can enjoy XM Radio Online for no additional charge.

"XM is pleased to be extending its strategic relationship with Microsoft with the inclusion of XM Radio Online in Windows Vista," said My-Chau Nguyen, XM senior vice president for marketing programs and operations. "By working with Microsoft, we are expanding the availability of XM Radio Online, which provides an extraordinary variety of music choices, talk radio options, and exclusive programming such as 'Oprah & Friends.' The integration of XM Radio Online further enhances the music and entertainment experience offered by Windows Vista."

"Microsoft is pleased to be working closely with XM," said Mike Sievert, corporate vice president, Windows at Microsoft Corp. "We are thrilled with XM's support and excitement for the launch of Windows Vista and the 2007 Office system."

For more information, check out the XM Satellite Radio press release.

Contemplating life without my TiVo is a scary prospect but the Yankee Group says that might just happen in the near future. The technology research and consulting firm recently announced that their research shows that the standalone DVR product category will cease to exist by 2010, and its dissolution will result in the end of TiVo as we know it.

According to the Yankee Group Report, Technology on Fast Forward: 2006 to 2011 US DVR Forecast, even as DVR growth accelerates, TiVo will struggle to remain relevant in the market. They conclude that TiVo will begin to shed subscribers during the forecast period while service providers will continue to capitalize on the emerging technology and no entry cost hardware to incrementally up-sell subscribers to new services.

"The five year outlook for the DVR in the home is one of unmitigated growth and opportunity. As new technology emerges, it is important that advertisers, service providers and broadcasters remember that taking away [consumer's] ability to skip commercials is not an option," said Joshua Martin, Yankee Group, Consumer analyst. "The answer lies in innovation and evolution to reach the mass and niche markets moving forward because the era of the 30-second spot is fading away for all age groups and demographics."

During the forecast period, DVRs will become commoditized, resulting in the end of TiVo. However, according to Martin, "TiVo has incredible brand value that resonates with customers and it will be an asset to any service provider, increasing the likelihood of an acquisition."

For more information, check out the press release.

According to a new Nickelodeon research study titled "The Digital Family," families today rely on modern technology to function more than ever before, rendering former household staples such as road maps and dictionaries obsolete, as well as reducing the importance of spelling skills. Key findings of the study also indicated that kids and parents place a higher premium on "downtime," and that TV has become their medium of choice to relax. And, contrary to popular belief, parents are embracing technologies just as much as kids, and view cell phones as essential part of managing their lives, while also providing kids more freedom.

"The Digital Family" research incorporates findings from Nickelodeon's "Living in a Digital World" research project (2006), which explores technologies including: the Internet, television, cell phones, mp3 players and more. "The Digital Family" offers insights from kids 8-14 and parents of kids 0-14, and references several findings from Nickelodeon commissioned studies (Multicultural Kids Study 2006 and Nickelodeon Wireless Study 2006).

"In today's modern family, parents and kids identify technology as a homework helper, virtual babysitter, time-keeper and a center piece of a lot of family time," said Cyma Zarghami, President of Nickelodeon and the MTVN Kids and Family Group. "We found that technology has brought the need for new skills while seemingly lessening the need for others. What is very apparent is the critical role technology is playing in helping modern families functions."

The survey found that tech devices like computers and the Internet have become essential tools in daily living, making kids and parents much more productive and self sufficient. In some instances, the Internet has almost become part of the family. More than half of parents (59 percent) strongly agree that it helps them get things done and 68 percent surveyed believe it makes them more efficient and self sufficient.  As one parent from the study said, "I just didn't realize how much the internet was part of my family."

The majority of kids said the Internet helps them do better in school (85 percent) and helped them learn things (93 percent). Kids also said they believed it helps them to be more creative and makes them feel like they've accomplished something.

Last week, CBS Research revealed new data showing that as the public at large becomes more connected to digital media, the more engaged they become in primetime television programming. Additionally, as more TV viewers become aware of the 2009 deadline for broadcasters to switch to full digital transmissions, the likelihood of them investing in new digital TV sets increases by 40 percent.

Those are just two of the major findings revealed today by a comprehensive study CBS Research has conducted examining consumers' attitudes towards digital media, and the role television will play in the near future. The project was led by David F. Poltrack, Chief Research Officer, CBS Corporation, President of CBS Vision.

Researchers found that 56 percent of those surveyed were aware that you could watch network television programs by streaming them over the Internet. Of those aware of this streaming option, 46 percent have already streamed at least one program. Of those not aware of this streaming option, when told which programs were available for streaming, 62 percent selected at least one of the 33 available programs that they probably would watch via streaming over the in the future. Analysts say it is clear that the potential for network program distribution over the Internet is just beginning to be tapped.

In addition, the research shows that people are gradually moving up to higher levels of connectivity. The segment of the population with both a broadband and a digital television connection at home has grown from 22 percent in the fall of 2005 to more than 30 percent in the fall of 2006. The same segment is most likely to watch the top broadcast network programs. In addition, this segment visits network television web sites and is increasingly likely to stream clips and full episodes of network television programs on the  Internet. Members of this upscale, better-educated "fully connected" segment are today the most engaged with the popular network programs.

"This data clearly show a correlation between connectivity and primetime television viewing," said Poltrack. "Consumers who embrace the new media are the heaviest viewers of the top network primetime programs, and this sector of the audience is growing. By offering them new ways to connect to their favorite shows- whether it's Web sites, podcasts, ringtones or other mobile features- we've been able to deepen the bond these fully connected viewers have with our programming. The research also illustrates that as viewers learn about the 2009 deadline for digital transmissions their attitudes towards investing in technology, like advanced home entertainment centers, to watch their favorite shows, changes radically. These findings really demonstrate the potential the broadcast networks have to further engage the public with our content as new technology expands our distribution options."

To read more about this new research, check out the CBS press release.

You may have noticed that some of the posts these last two weeks have mentioned the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). No, I didn't convince my bosses to send me to Las Vegas but I have been keeping up with all the great news coming out of the show.

If you aren't familiar with CES, here's a little background. It is the world's largest annual tradeshow for consumer technology and America's largest annual tradeshow of any kind. The first CES took place in New York City in June of 1967 with 200 exhibitors and 17,500 attendees. Since then, CES has grown tremendously. Nearly 2,700 exhibitors, filling 1.6 million net square feet of exhibit space, showcased their latest products and services to more than 140,000 attendees at the 2006 International CES.

Attendees and exhibitors come from the United States, Canada, Mexico and more than 130 other countries, including manufacturers, retailers, content providers and creators, broadband developers, wireless carriers, cable and satellite TV providers, installers, engineers, corporate buyers, government leaders, financial analysts and the media from around the world.

It's also the place where the most exciting consumer electronics get debuted every year. Some of the past product debuts include:

• Videocassette Recorder (VCR), 1970
• Compact Disc Player, 1981
• Digital Satellite System, 1994
• High Definition Television (HDTV), 1998
• Microsoft Xbox, 2001
• IP TV, 2005

As you can see, this show is pretty important when it comes to the technology we use daily. Trying to keep up with all the new products introduced this year has been a challenge but it's also very exciting. Who knows what will be the next big thing that will become something we all can't live without!

To read more about the show, check out the official site at cesweb.org. And don't forget to check back here for more CES news.

Delphi announced this week that it has just sold its 13-millionth satellite radio receiver, setting a new milestone. The company also says it plans to showcase its satellite radio products next week at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Delphi currently produces receivers for more than 10 new vehicle manufacturers. It also sells a variety a variety of models as add-on accessories for multiple uses at home and on the road. Delphi is familiar to most consumers of satellite radio because of its Delphi SKYFi, MyFi and ROADY family of portable satellite radio receivers. The company says that three out of four users listen to satellite radio on Delphi hardware.

"Satellite radio is changing the paradigm of radio in the U.S.," said Ken Erickson, Delphi Electronics & Safety general director of the Entertainment & Communications product business unit. "Satellite radio has not only taken a long-time analog medium and made it digital, but it has also opened a new world of offerings to customers by providing more than a 100 additional channels of programming."

Satellite radio is the radio medium that offers customers up to 170 channels of programming in addition to the traditional AM/FM radio offerings. Satellite radio programming is beamed from satellites and includes a very wide variety of music, talk, sports, news, traffic, weather and entertainment coast-to-coast in the U.S. without fading.

"Consumers now demand this level of flexibility and ownership, fueled even more today by their ability to personalize their listening experience through MP3 players," said Max Rogers, Delphi consumer electronics executive. "Satellite radio's 170 channels of individual programming offers the same type of tailored listening experience with no downloading hassles."

In addition to adding new programming to the vehicle, Delphi has developed a digital data decoder that works in conjunction with the Delphi satellite receiver to enable real-time traffic services in North America. Vehicles with a Delphi satellite receiver equipped with this data port and a navigation system can receive up-to-date traffic while playing satellite radio. The system is also capable of providing real-time weather, sports scores and stock updates.

Delphi's long history with satellite radio receivers includes celebrating sales milestones for 2.5 millionth in May 2004 and 5 million units in April 2005.

For more information on Delphi's current milestone, check out the press release.

D-Link, a networking solutions provider, recently announced it is shipping its latest MediaLounge Wireless Media Player "DSM-510" a compact media player capable of delivering video, digital photos, music and more to televisions and home entertainment centers from computers and storage devices over a home network via a wired or 802.11g/b wireless connection. The new media player also aids in the streaming of high-definition (HD) video through a wired network connection.

Building on the new product availability, D-Link also announced that its DSM-510 received Intel Viiv technology verification, which tests the compatibility of networked media devices with Intel Viiv technology-based PCs. Using the Intel Viiv technology verified DSM-510, consumers will get maximum enjoyment out of their digital home entertainment network, including access to the Intel?? Viiv??? Zone, which offers a growing selection of on-demand, Internet-delivered premium content, including movies, music videos, TV shows, and information services.

While performance is optimized for users with Intel Viiv technology-based PCs, the DSM-510 is compatible with computers running Windows XP or 2000.

"The DSM-510 is an extremely powerful, full-featured media player with an intuitive user interface that bridges together computers, storage devices and the Internet with the home entertainment center for a heightened multimedia experience," said Brian Larsen, associate vice president of product development for D-Link Systems Inc. "Passing Intel Viiv technology verification underscores our commitment to bring next-generation connectivity solutions to market for consumers for enjoying seamless sharing and instant access to digital media and entertainment from anywhere inside their home."

"Intel Viiv technology, based on the new Core 2 Duo processor, is the superior technology for today's media PCs. When used with verified devices like the new D-Link MediaLounge player, consumers will enjoy new levels of digital home entertainment' said Gerald Holzhammer, Vice President, Digital Home Group and General Manager of Intel's Consumer PC Platform Group. 'We are pleased that D-Link has completed the verification process for the MediaLounge DSM-510 which will carry the 'Enjoy with Intel Viiv technology' logo."

For best results, Larsen added, the D-Link MediaLounge DSM-510 Media Player would be connected to an existing home network via wired Ethernet, or through an 802.11g wireless standard-compliant router such as the Intel Viiv technology verified D-Link RangeBooster G Wireless Router (WBR-2310) or AirPremier AG Dual-Band Wireless Router (DI-784). Another alternative for Ethernet-wired performance is the D-Link PowerLine Network Kit (DHP-301) that enables consumers to tap into their existing electrical wiring to extend their home network.

The retail price for D-Link MediaLounge DSM-510 is around $240. The device is now available from most computer retail outlets and at www.dlinkshop.com. For more information, check out the D-Link press release.

The National Federation of the Blind has partnered with Tribune Media Services to add television listings to NFB-NEWSLINE, the nation's largest on-demand news service for the blind.  This new service will allow blind and visually impaired Americans to have independent access to their local TV listings.

By entering the zip code, source of TV reception, and time zone, blind users will have access to their local TV listings through Zap2it television. The listings are interactive, as the user can navigate and choose between date, time, and/or channel listings.

"The sheer volume of information that blind persons will now have access to is astonishing," said Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind. "Finally, blind television viewers can find out what's on any channel, at any time, and within seconds."

Over 50,000 NFB-NEWSLINE subscribers already use the free electronic newspaper service which carries 242 newspapers and magazines to 41 states and the District of Columbia.  The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and AARP The Magazine are among the many national and local newspapers offered.  Subscribers have access twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, through a local or toll-free telephone number.

Individuals who are unable to read print due to a physical disability are eligible for this free service.  You can register or request more information by calling the National Federation of the Blind at (866) 504-7300, or visit them online at www.nfbnewsline.org.

In this age of instant feedback online from consumers, smart companies are taking advantage of the situation by allowing their products to be reviewed by bloggers. While some companies have tried to outwit the public by creating fake personalities to tout the virtues of their products, the smarter ones are allowing bloggers to find their products at their own pace and to rate and review their offerings as they choose. One such provider is AT&T.

Alan Weinkrantz, a PR tech blogger, has taken it upon himself to chronicle his trial of the AT&T's new U-verse service. Because he lives in San Antonio, Alan was an early trial user of the AT&T U-verse service. Owner of his own PR firm and frequent blogger, he started documenting his experiences and observations on the service in May of this year. Things really heated up when he began to make daily posts at his blog, www.3screens.net, to document his experience of having AT&T's HD (High Definition) broadcast television service installed and deployed at his home.

Alan has not only writes about his experience as an AT&T trial user, but also makes suggestions and commentary about the company's strategy. He even spoke at the TelcoTV Conference in Dallas where he addressed his experiences and observations about being a U-verse customer.

"I can't recommend blogging and social media to clients unless I've done it and have been successful," he said in an interview with MidwestBusiness.com. "This is a fortuitous set of events because I'm in San Antonio and became a trial U-verse." Alan went on to say that "there are enough analysts and technical experts in the world. I don't think the world needs more "experts."

His commentary about the service is open and honest. No service is perfect and Alan isn't shy about noting drawbacks, including small things like no clock on the set-top box or overload of certain types of channels.

In addition, he makes it clear that he's only paying such close attention to one provider because he lives in the firm's service area. "If I lived in an area served by Verizon, I would be doing the same thing about them," he assured MidwestBusiness.com. "AT&T is really just my plumbing supplier."

Read more about Alan's experience with AT&T U-verse service at www.3screens.net. You can also check out his interview with MidwestBusiness.com.

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.

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.

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.

Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new ENERGY STAR specifications for computers and related equipment. Designed to save U.S. households and businesses more than $1.8 billion in energy costs over the next five years, these new modifications are also expected to prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual emissions of 2.7 million cars.

"As the driver of America's technology revolution, the innovative spirit of the computer industry is now powering our energy revolution," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "Through ENERGY STAR, President Bush and EPA are brightening our nation's future, and I applaud these leaders for developing energy efficient computers that are good for our environment and good our wallets."

Under the new specifications, only the most energy-efficient computer related equipment will earn the ENERGY STAR label, representing the top of their class. The new requirements include improved efficiency across all modes of a computer's operation, and require use of highly efficient internal and external power supplies. The new specifications go into effect on July 20, 2007.

If every computer purchased by businesses meets the new ENERGY STAR requirements in effect next year, businesses will save $1.2 billion over the lifetime of their new computers, equal to lighting 730 million square feet of U.S. commercial building space each year.

Government agencies buying ENERGY STAR will also garner big savings. If the government sector buys only computers that meet the new ENERGY STAR requirements, this sector will save nearly 1.4 billion kWh and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2 billion pounds each year.

On average, ENERGY STAR qualifying computer equipment will be 65 percent more efficient than conventional models.

Computers were the first product to qualify for EPA's ENERGY STAR in 1992. EPA and computer makers have worked together on improving computer energy efficiency ever since. The United States now has more 180 million computers in use; they consume nearly 58 billion kWh per year, or about 2 percent of annual U.S. electricity consumption.

For more information about the specifications, visit the ENERGY STAR Web site.

Verizon and Intel Corporation recently announced a collaboration that will enable consumers to play popular PC games on their television sets through Intel® Viiv™ technology-based PCs.

The Verizon Games on Demand service enables users to play popular PC games on their TVs through Intel Viiv technology-based PCs running Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. Using a wireless game controller and MCE remote control, consumers can play a variety of games from the comfort of their favorite couch or easy chair, also referred to as the "10-foot view" of the television set.

The companies will also market a version of PlayLinc, a new game messenger that they say provides a faster and more entertaining way to enjoy multiplayer games online. A free service, PlayLinc provides a variety of features, including free private servers, VoIP integration and the ability for players to track when their friends are online and ready to join a game.

"We're creating a graphics-rich, big-screen game-playing experience for the entire family," said Colson Hillier, director of new product development for Verizon. "The games that families now enjoy on their PCs will become larger than life, more fun to play and accessible in virtually every room of the house, through linkages between a family's PC and their TV. This is an extension of Verizon's commitment to provide customers with the content and service they want, whenever they want it, and however they want to receive it."

Read more in the press release Verizon and Intel Bring Online PC Gaming to TVs.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order near the end of October to make it easier for the state to build broadband networks. According to the official press release, the goal of the order is to ensure all government agencies are using the best technologies to serve the people and create a broadband task force that lets experts from government and business work together to identify and eliminate obstacles to making broadband Internet access available across the state.

"California is home to the greatest technology entrepreneurs. Let's show the world what we can do," said Gov. Schwarzenegger at the UC Davis Health System Pediatric Telehealth Colloquium in San Francisco, where a doctor examined an 11-year old leukemia patient by video about 100 miles away in Sacramento. "If we want to stay number one in technology, we need action. In countries like Japan and South Korea, the people have access to great technologies at lower costs than anywhere in America. We can do that. Michigan has one of the largest wireless broadband networks in the country. We can do that. That's why I'm signing an executive order to help make California a leader in the telecommunications revolution."

After his speech to the colloquium, the Governor joined Silicon Valley CEOs and executives to discuss the economic development that increased broadband adoption would spur. "Broadband will help build California so we can grow our economy by competing in the global marketplace," said Gov. Schwarzenegger. "California must remain competitive so we continue to attract the best, brightest and most creative workforce in the world."

Research conducted on the California "One Gigabyte or Bust" Broadband Initiative estimated that enabling broadband access for 50 percent of Californians would have enormous economic impacts on the state, adding over $365 billion annually to the state's economy within seven years and helping create or retain two million sustainable jobs. Similarly, the California Communications Association estimates that every dollar invested in broadband networks generates $3 in economic activity, and that every $1 billion in telecom capital spending equates to 7,000 new telecom jobs—including jobs in network construction, engineering, operations and the creation of new equipment and products.

A U.S. Commerce Department study released this year found that the availability of broadband is directly tied to business growth—especially among new technology-intensive firms. The Governor's office believes that greater broadband access will directly support California's world-leading technology industry—creating jobs both in the communications sector and for high-tech companies like Intel, Google, Yahoo!, and eBay, which rely on Internet usage to drive business. They also feel that increasing broadband deployment will also further support the California economy by making the state an attractive home for the nation's—and the world's—preeminent scientists and researchers.

To read the full text of the executive order, see the official press release Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Executive Order to Help Make California the Leader in Telecommunications Revolution.

With its recent launch of telephone service in Santa Barbara and Palos Verdes, California, Cox Communications has officially launched telephone service in all Cox markets. Cox will continue to expand its telephone service footprint in the communities it serves in early 2007.

According to Cox, more than 1.9 million households and 150,000 businesses rely on the company's Digital Telephone for quality and reliable telephone service. Cox says it does not transport phone calls through the public Internet. Rather, in some markets, the company uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to transport phone calls over a private, managed IP-based data network. With this architecture, a broadband connection is not required for Cox telephone service. Recognizing the characteristics of cable telephony and its commitment to reliability, ADT Security Services recently announced that it recognizes Cox Digital Telephone as a primary method of alarm transmission.

"Cox's number one commitment is to its customers," said David Pugliese, Cox's vice president of product marketing. "Our customers rely on us to deliver a reliable connection every day—for every type of residence or place of business. ADT's announcement today further validates our collective commitment to customer safety."

Cox says that, as the pioneer of cable telephony, its long-term strategy has been to deliver the convenience, quality and value of Cox Digital Telephone to all Cox markets. The company's 2006 telephone launches included Santa Barbara and Palos Verdes, California, Northwest Arkansas, Sun Valley, Idaho and Cleveland, Ohio.

To see if Cox Digital Telephone is available through WhiteFence in your area, enter your address now.

AT&T has launched a new home monitoring service that the company says will help customers stay more connected to their homes and families while they are away. Available nationwide, the new service enables customers to use both personal computers and Cingular wireless devices to access streaming digital video and other real-time data and information from their homes—at virtually any time and from anywhere.

AT&T considers this new service an example of the company's continuing commitment to innovation, and its strategy for delivering converged, IP-based services that enable customers to access content, critical applications and information virtually anytime, anywhere, and using any device.

The AT&T home monitor service combines live and recorded video (non-audio) capabilities with a range of environmental sensor options to provide customers with a toolkit to help them stay connected to the people and things they value most. For example, the service allows users to remotely control lighting in their homes, and it can provide a range of alerts and reports on home conditions, such as motion, door and window activity, water leakage, and temperature changes.

"Keeping track of home activities is increasingly challenging today, as we spend more time on the road and on the run," said Susan Johnson, senior vice president of Business Development at AT&T. "The new AT&T home monitoring service will provide an affordable, easy-to-use solution for a variety of challenges in managing a household. This service is ideal for a wide range of potential applications, from keeping an eye on children, elderly parents or pets to monitoring a second home or vacation home."

The service allows users to customize alerts and actions based on their specific needs. For example, a user can program the service to send a text message alert to a cell phone when motion is detected in an area of the home, while at the same time automatically turning on lighting and recording video of the same area.

The service is available via AT&T to customers of Cingular Wireless services, and can be accessed via virtually any Cingular wireless phone or PDA capable of supporting Internet access and Java, as well as nearly any broadband-enabled PC. The service is optimized for residential customers who subscribe to AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet as well as Cingular services.

The company says the new home monitoring service is an example of the new generation of converged, IP-based services that AT&T is working to deliver for residential and business customers. To maximize these extensive networks, AT&T and Cingular are developing and deploying advanced technology to enable seamless sharing of information between wireless and wireline networks and devices. Ultimately, AT&T will use this unified network to enable virtually seamless connectivity anywhere, anytime, and on almost any device, giving consumers what they want, when they want it, wherever they are. Increasingly, services will be accessible from any of the "three screens" that many consumers value most: the TV, PC and cell phone.

"Our home monitoring service is an early yet powerful example of the potential of converged services," Johnson said. "As AT&T works to blend the lines between communications applications, customers will no longer be tied to a specific device to access a specific service. Voice, data, and video services will be accessible from a range of devices, allowing customers to communicate and access information how they prefer, wherever they happen to be."

For more details, check out the AT&T press release.

ADT Security Services has announced that it is joining forces with cable and telecommunications providers to help ensure its security systems will continue to be able to communicate with its monitoring centers if a customer switches to an IP-based telephone service. ADT outlined a set of characteristics that this next generation of phone services providers must meet in order to be a primary method of transmitting alarm signals to ADT's 24-hour a day monitoring centers.

IP-based telephone providers Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Charter, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks have confirmed that their networks meet the characteristics required by ADT to be a primary method of alarm transmission. Cable IP-based phone services provider's calls travel over privately managed networks, rather than the public Internet used by many other IP-based phone services.

"ADT recognizes the customer benefits associated with alternative phone services including VoIP, digital phone and other IP-based phone services," said ADT's Chief Operating Officer John Koch. "We also recognize that not all of these services are created equal. The safety and security of our nearly six million monitored customers across the United States and Canada continues to be our chief focus as we review these new communication technologies and the potential differences in their ability to transmit alarm signals reliably to our customer monitoring center network."

Koch said over the past several months, ADT has brought together numerous parties from both the cable and telecommunications industries to better understand the differences among IP-based phone providers in how they set up and maintain their networks. The result is a set of phone network characteristics that ADT has taken into consideration in determining how to best serve the interests of its customers. Traditional telephone services already have acceptable characteristics in place and therefore are not affected by this change.

The characteristics outlined by ADT include whether the provider has a managed and maintained physical facilities network with major and minor disaster recovery plans in place that include specific network power restoration procedures, whether the provider makes available professional installation of its IP-based phone service that preserves primary line seizure for alarm signal transmission, and whether the provider's physical facilities network provides real-time transmission of voice signals, carrying alarm formats unchanged. If an IP-based phone services provider has not informed ADT that it meets these characteristics, ADT will continue to require its customers using such phone services to either keep their traditional phone line or to install a cellular transmission system.

Regardless of the type of phone service used, ADT always recommends that customers use an additional back-up method of communication to connect their alarm system to ADT's monitoring centers, Koch said.

"One of the key findings is that technology has moved extremely quickly regarding these phone services and how they operate with alarm systems," Koch said. "As the industry leader, we took the initiative to outline these phone network characteristics so that we can continue to provide our customers with high quality alarm monitoring services regardless of their phone service type."

BellSouth recently announced that it has entered into a non-exclusive agreement with Resident Interactive, Inc. to jointly market a community Web portal service in planned communities in BellSouth's service area.

Under this sales teaming agreement, BellSouth, together with Resident Interactive, will offer a community Web portal service, known as Digital Village 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.

Resident Interactive's Digital Village Service allows homeowners associations and property managers in single family home, apartment and condominium developments to create a more connected community. The Web portal service is a virtual representation of a neighborhood where residents can meet, form groups, make plans and link with local businesses.

"Developers are increasingly identifying community web portals as a differentiating amenity for their residents," said Phil Jacobs, president - Community Technologies, BellSouth. "The Digital Village Service is a logical complement to BellSouth's comprehensive technology portfolio and provides additional solutions to communities through a trusted source."

BellSouth and Resident Interactive will jointly market the Digital Village Service and coordinate deployment of services with community managers. Resident Interactive will provide ongoing customer service and technical user support.

"Our mission is to establish outstanding, long-term relationships with our customers and strategic partners, while delivering software with unmatched reliability and customer service that exceeds expectations in every respect," said Dennis Papalois, president and CEO of Resident Interactive, Inc. "The teaming agreement with BellSouth will greatly expand our capabilities to meet this objective in more communities across the Southeast. It is truly a winning proposition for developers and residents."

For more information, check out the press release BellSouth and Resident Interactive, Inc. Sign Teaming Agreement to Deploy Web Portal Service in Planned Communities.

Alcatel recently announced it has now surpassed 100 million DSL lines shipped, doubling its total shipments since October 2004.

Ten years after pioneering the broadband access market, Alcatel says it continues to set the pace for the industry with its ISAM product family, a purpose-built 100 percent triple play IP access solution, which 100 new customers have selected in the past two years. In addition, 16 of the top 20 DSL operators in the world are utilizing Alcatel's broadband access solutions. Moreover, 17 operators are also engaged with Alcatel in GPON projects in all regions.

"Alcatel, in surpassing the 100 million DSL line shipment milestone, has set a new benchmark for DSL access vendors, a feat which is especially impressive given the increasing competitive pressures in this market," said Erik M. Keith, Senior Analyst for Broadband Infrastructure at Current Analysis Moreover. "Alcatel's continuing ability to retain its global DSL market leadership, and set new quarterly and annual DSL port shipment records in the process, is a testament to Alcatel's corporate fortitude as well as its long-term commitment to the global broadband access market. This achievement also highlights Alcatel's success in the IP DSLAM sector, where the Company has garnered more than 100 ISAM customers to date."

Two months after the integration of Southern California's Adelphia and Comcast operations, Time Warner Cable announced a series of product and customer service improvements to its acquired systems. Starting next month, Time Warner Cable Los Angeles Region will roll out a regionwide standardized digital channel line-up, new genre-based programming blocks, additional high-definition channels and ethnic-language networks, 100 percent digital picture and sound, the launch of new High-Speed Online packages, the start of e-mail domain name changes, and the beginning of Digital Phone launches.

To assist customers during this major transition, Time Warner Cable has launched a comprehensive customer communication campaign consisting of television, radio, outdoor and print advertising. Customers also will receive direct mail, bill inserts and e-mail messages to ensure each customer is aware of the myriad changes.

"Today's announcement is a first step in Time Warner Cable's commitment to offer consumers the best in cable products and services," said Roger Keating, Executive Vice President, Time Warner Cable. "We know from customer feedback and proven successes in other parts of the county that customers want more quality programming that's value driven and rich with choice. These enhancements are designed to address these customer needs."

To see if service is available in your area, visit the Time Warner Cable information page.

In a recent keynote address at the annual conference sponsored by the Fiber to the Home (FTTH) Council, Verizon Telecom Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Bob Ingalls said their competiitors are coming up short on their "me-too" claims of offering a fiber-rich network for high-speed Internet and TV service.

"As the FTTH Council has already acknowledged, Verizon is the only major provider in the country that is building and offering service over an all-fiber network," Ingalls said.  "The claims by the competition — most notably the cable industry—that they offer a similar fiber-dense network fall a mile short—the last mile."

In September, the FTTH Council announced that Verizon has earned the council's first certification for a network that provides fiber all the way to customers' homes and offices.

In his presentation, Ingalls outlined Verizon's plans for building the nation's largest all-fiber network, including an $18 billion net investment over a seven-year period (2004-2010). Verizon told investors and analysts last week that it plans to pass 18 million premises with its fiber network by the end of 2010—more than half the approximately 33 million households in the company's 28-state wireline service area.  The company is on target to pass 6 million households by the end of this year.

Verizon is also seeing strong customer demand for FiOS TV, which was launched in its first market just over a year ago.  By the end of the third quarter of 2006, Verizon expects to have more than 100,000 FiOS TV customers, and the company estimates that about two-thirds of FiOS TV customers have discontinued their cable TV service.

Verizon has set a target of 175,000 FiOS TV customers by year-end 2006 and making the service available to 1.8 million households.  This would be a market penetration rate of approximately 10 percent.  More than 1 million households are already currently eligible to purchase FiOS TV services, due to Verizon's progress in obtaining state and local cable franchises.

Verizon's goal is for FiOS TV to have a market penetration rate that ranges from 20 percent to 25 percent by 2010—or from 3 million to 4 million FiOS TV customers—based on its estimate that approximately 15 million households will be video-ready by then.

Nearly 80 percent of FiOS TV customers have purchased three services—voice, data and video—from Verizon, with customer loyalty that has exceeded the company's initial expectations.

"Verizon's FiOS Internet services continue to gain market share with unmatched reliability and speeds that make applications like photo and video sharing, blogging, digital movie downloads, video chat and conferencing, and interactive multi-player games a part of everyday living," Ingalls said. "Meanwhile FiOS TV is setting the pace for signal clarity, HD channel lineup and video on demand, all at competitive prices."

For more information, check out the Verizon press release.

According to a recent Adweek article, Comcast is encouraging candidates in various state and local mid-term elections to take their speeches digital through Comcast Spotlight, a video-on-demand initiative that allows candidates to expand their campaign messaging beyond the 30-second spot. Candidates in approximately 70 Comcast markets can put together VOD spots up to two minutes in length, in the hopes of better informing constituents and would-be voters in the days leading up to the November elections.

"Getting our complete message to voters is critical in a political campaign," said Andrea Silbert, a businesswoman who was the first candidate from Massachusetts to craft a VOD spot. She was defeated in the September primary, but she still praised the initiative. "The on-demand platform allows us to provide greater detail in an unfiltered presentation not available through traditional media."

It is unclear what kind of effect the new platform could have on the election. However, Comcast said that in its mature markets, more than 75 percent of its digital cable subscribers have accessed VOD in the past 90 days. Of that number, 80 percent are registered to vote in their district, while 72 percent said they generally vote in statewide elections and 45.1 percent reported that they always cast ballots in statewide elections.

For more information, check out the Adweek article Comcast Offers Pols Digital Platform.

Kangaroo TV™ has reached agreements with the National Football League and DIRECTV to conduct a season-long test in which DIRECTV's exclusive NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ programming will be delivered to fans at select NFL stadiums using Kangaroo TV's specialized handheld device.  The service will be provided under the brand name "NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ In-Stadium By DIRECTV".

The Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins will participate in the trial, offering the service to fans on a season-long or per-game basis. The service debuted at the Dolphins home game on Sunday, Sept. 24, and will premier in Washington on Sunday Oct. 1. The season trial follows a successful one-game test of the technology at a game last season.

Kangaroo TV and DIRECTV have signed an agreement that grants Kangaroo TV the rights to rebroadcast NFL SUNDAY TICKET content at select stadiums using the same Kangaroo TV technology already popular with fans in motorsports.  The agreement also provides DIRECTV the primary sponsorship of the new service.

"With NFL SUNDAY TICKET In-Stadium, DIRECTV and Kangaroo TV have created the best seat in the NFL," said DIRECTV Entertainment President David Hill. "NFL SUNDAY TICKET has transformed the NFL viewing experience at home and we have no doubt it will do the same for fans in the stadium and at tailgate parties in the parking lot."

For more information, check out the Kangaroo TV press release.

The Georgia Tech Information Security Center recently announced it is creating a partnership with BellSouth and Internet Security Systems to explore security surrounding the emerging Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. As communication services migrate to Internet-based platforms, it is important that the security and dependability users expect in the current public switched networks be maintained with these new converged technologies. At the GTISC VoIP Security Summit held in April 2005, GTISC initiated a dialogue with security and telecommunications industry leaders, including ISS and BellSouth, to proactively address security associated with this emerging technology.

Internet Security Systems and BellSouth have committed to a two-year research program totaling $300,000. This funding will enable GTISC faculty and graduate students to work with ISS and BellSouth technologists to develop and evaluate solutions that address VoIP security. In return, BellSouth and ISS will have access to the resulting intellectual property.

"BellSouth is committed to ensuring security is an integral component in all our products and services and working with GTISC and ISS is one way to continue that focus with next generation products such as VoIP," said John Heveran, VP-Chief Information Security Officer, BellSouth.

Read more in the TelecomWeb article BellSouth, ISS Back VoIP Security Effort.

Intel and DIRECTV recently released details for what they are calling the world's first digital set-top box. With integrated digital media adapter (DMA) functionality verified to work with Intel® Viiv™ technology, the DIRECTV digital set-top box will allow customers to access and enjoy their pictures and music on their TVs directly from Intel Viiv technology-based PCs.

In a keynote at the Intel Developer Forum, Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini detailed plans for DIRECTV's new set-top box, the DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR, which marks the first time a major service provider has endorsed an integrated DMA deployment in the home through a set-top box, which could be deployed to customers virtually overnight via a software download starting in December. Otellini reinforced that the DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR is in the final stages of Intel Viiv technology testing and verification.

Delivering the ability to record and view 200 hours of standard definition content or 50 hours of MPEG 4 high-definition programming, the new DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR receiver verified with Intel Viiv technology will allow consumers to enjoy new experiences that combine the best of the TV with the best of the PC.

"With a simple software download, DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR customers nationwide can enjoy on their TV favorite photos and music albums that have been tucked away on their PCs," said Kevin Corbett, vice president of Intel's Digital Home Group and general manager of the company's Content Services Group. "Having the nation's leading satellite television service provider with a 15 million and growing customer base introduce the world's first Intel Viiv technology-verified set-top box is a significant milestone, accelerating the number of connected digital homes."

"Intel Viiv technology delivers the power, simplicity and functionality to connect these products in an easy and seamless fashion so DIRECTV customers can enjoy their favorite digital content in the living room," said Romulo Pontual, chief technology officer at DIRECTV. "Our strategic relationship with Intel, and joint commitment to an industry standards-based approach for securely delivering a premium TV experience on multiple devices, will ensure that DIRECTV customers have the flexibility to view content when, where and how they want it."

The two companies expect this capability to accelerate the adoption of connected digital homes by providing a substantial footprint of interoperable set-top boxes and PCs.

Read more in the Intel press release Home ???Intel, DIRECTV Poised to Connect PCs and TVs in U.S..

StarTek, a provider of Business Process Outsourcing and Optimization (BPO) services for outsourced customer interactions, recently announced that Comcast has selected them to support Comcast Digital Voice® IP-enabled phone service,  StarTek will provide provisioning services and additional back-office operations activities to support Comcast Digital Voice® service.

"Comcast has selected StarTek because of the company's demonstrated leadership in managing a variety of back-office solutions for voice service products," said Cathy Avgiris, SVP and GM, Voice Services, Comcast Cable. "Their proven provisioning expertise and national presence will help support the continued rollout of Comcast Digital Voice® service."

"StarTek is committed to supporting Comcast's voice services with the additional efficiencies that our StarTek Intelligent Enterprise suite of services delivers," said Steve Butler, CEO of StarTek. "Our process management solutions—which consist of telephony services and local number portability—will provide additional back-office support for Comcast's rapid rollout of Comcast Digital Voice®."

Check out the Comcast page for more information on Comcast Digital Voice®.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio has announced the availability of Stiletto 100, the company's first live portable radio, featuring WiFi, Yahoo!™ music purchasing software, and the ability to save music subscribers love for playback later.

Available this month, Stiletto 100 lets users listen to live SIRIUS programming almost anywhere in a small, stylish package, as well as store up to 100 hours of SIRIUS content. The device features WiFi capability for connection to SIRIUS' Internet radio services that allows for listening anywhere an accessible WiFi network is available.

User's own MP3/WMA files can also be stored on the Stiletto 100 and managed with the included My SIRIUS Studio™ software for Windows™ PCs. Stiletto 100 is compatible with most Windows-based Internet music providers' download and subscription services.

The Yahoo! Music Jukebox™ software will be included with the device, allowing users to bookmark individual songs into a favorites list, which can be accessed by a PC application when the unit is connected to user's computer. The application allows users to look up and purchase songs, full albums, or explore artists' other offerings through the Yahoo! Music Jukebox ™ software or other compatible online music download or subscription services. Once the song is purchased or rented, it can be transferred onto the Stiletto 100.

Measuring 4.7" x 2.0" x 1", Stiletto 100 stores up to 100 hours of live SIRIUS Satellite Radio programming (2 GB), has a large 2.2" bright display, Aurora graphic user interface and a six-way navigation control that provides easy one handed access to all features and content.

Other features include 30 channel presets; SIRIUS Replay™, which allows users to pause, rewind and replay 60 minutes of live radio; Game Alert™, which prompts the listener when favorite games are being broadcast and alerts when scores change; Game Zone™, listing all of the users favorite teams in one virtual category; and parental controls and channel lockout.

Read more about it in the press release SIRIUS Introduces the Stiletto 100, Its First Live Portable Satellite Radio. 

New insights into the performance of leading VoIP providers were recently released by Keynote Systems, a company that specializes in Internet and mobile test and measurement services. Keynote's third VoIP competitive intelligence study revealed that overall VoIP quality has improved across the board since Keynote's last study in December 2005 and that the leading VoIP providers have actually surpassed PSTN (traditional phone service) in overall audio quality, but still lag behind PSTN in audio delay.

Twelve leading VoIP providers were part of the benchmark study, including AT&T, Comcast Time Warner Cable, and Verizon. Keynote measured the relative performance of the leading VoIP providers in the New York and San Francisco markets, including digital cable, adapter-based VoIP (hard phone) and PC-based software (soft phone) services, as well as the performance of leading VoIP providers against PSTN service in those cities. Keynote then rated the leading VoIP service providers on critical performance factors that influence the end-user experience using Keynote Voice Perspective®, which is Keynote's VoIP quality test and measurement product.

The company found that overall reliability among the various competing VoIP providers had improved across the board and that the leading digital cable providers had in fact outperformed PSTN in overall reliability. Overall reliability is a computed index score based on performance measurements in three performance factors: service availability, average number of dial attempts and dropped calls.

Leading digital cable VoIP providers were also found to deliver better audio quality than the competition, with the leading cable providers achieving excellent audio responsiveness (a measure of audio delay) and audio clarity (measured by Mean Opinion Score, or MOS), two key contributors to overall audio quality.

Improved VoIP quality is more important than ever, as analysts estimate that residential adoption of VoIP service will grow to more than 26 million homes in 2008 in the United States, up from 6.5 Million in 2004. "As VoIP continues to move into the mainstream and challenge the incumbent carriers in major markets nationwide, consumers have started focusing on two important differentiators, audio quality and pricing," said Vik Chaudhary, vice president of marketing and product management at Keynote. "As the results of the Keynote study indicate, VoIP providers have overcome a major hurdle in the past seven months by addressing concerns about overall audio quality, but they still have work to do to improve the consistency of their service levels during peak versus non-peak hours and to decrease the variation in performance levels between the top performers and the rest of the pack."

Read more about the study in the press release Leading VoIP Providers Outperform Regular Phone Carriers in Overall Audio Quality, Keynote Reports.

Samsung Electronics recently introduced the future of versatile multimedia entertainment for the entire home with its FlipTop design, featuring an integrated 10.2-inch LCD screen. This latest addition to Samsung's award-winning family of LCD display panels is the first-of-its-kind: a DIRECTV receiver that features a unique swivel design with a backlit control panel. This allows the unit to be mounted under a cabinet or on a table-top with the TV image and control panel icons always illuminated right side up.

"Samsung is once again at the forefront of a rapidly-evolving market," said Frank Romeo, vice president of marketing, Digital Set Top Box Products. "DIRECTV's 15 million subscribers and new customers are seeking compact, versatile flat panel displays as additional sets for rooms outside the traditional home theater space. The FlipTop combines Samsung's tradition of design innovation and technical leadership to offer an advanced all-in-one entertainment solution for any room in the home."

The Samsung DIRECTV FlipTop offers a clear and bright LCD picture with a 16:9, aspect ratio. The folding configuration allows users to tilt or flip the screen for convenient positioning and viewing from any direction, while the front panel buttons are back-lit and can flip based on the TV's placement. "The FlipTop allows consumers to bring DIRECTV programming and XM Satellite radio anywhere in their home," said Richard Long, senior product marketing manager Digital Set Top Box Products, Samsung Electronics America.

With its space-saving 10.2-inch profile, built-in DIRECTV receiver and 10 watts of stereo audio, the FlipTop allows consumers to experience the full range of entertainment media without the need for a separate set top box. Subscribers can easily enjoy over 250 available channels of DIRECTV programming with digital picture quality and sound, as well as up to 72 channels of music, news, sports and entertainment through XM Satellite Radio.

Additional features include a built-in AV input that allows users to connect additional entertainment devices, bilingual user interface (English and Spanish), three device universal remote and three-day Advanced Program Guide.

For more information and to find a retailer that carries the Samsung FlipTop Powered by DIRECTV, visit Samsung.com.

A recent Investor's Business Daily article posted on Investors.com gives an in-depth profile of BellSouth's plans to upgrade its broadband service. According to the article, BellSouth plans to upgrade about 10 percent of the households it serves to 50 megabits per second Internet access, nearly 10 times faster than its current service, starting in the second half of 2007.

Targeting more than 1.3 million homes, the upgrade would effect subdivisions and house complexes where the company has already installed the fiber-optic wiring required for the service within 250 feet of homes. Focusing mostly on suburban areas of the Southwest, the upgrade will use a technology known as VDSL2, a faster version of the DSL technology used by phone companies.

The article also quotes a Bernstein Research report that shows BellSouth in fifth place among U.S. broadband Internet providers with 2.6 million subscribers, behind Comcast's industry-leading 9.34 million, as well as AT&T, Verizon and Time Warner Cable.

Read more about BellSouth's plans in the article BellSouth To Give A Boost To Its Broadband Services.

TiVo Inc. has announced the launch of their high end TiVo® Series3™ HD Digital Media Recorder. The first stand-alone TiVo product that is HD compatible, the new DVR will be available beginning mid-September. The TiVo Series3 HD box is the world's first THX®-certified, digital video recorder, delivering audio and video that maintains the fidelity of the original broadcast.

"TiVo continues to be the best way to watch television and we are very proud to extend the TiVo experience into the world of high definition with the release of the TiVo Series3 HD box," said Tom Rogers, CEO and President of TiVo.

The TiVo Series3 HD box allowis consumers to experience TiVo service features such as Season Pass™ recordings and WishList(c) searches in high-definition. The company says that extensive video analysis and performance testing by THX ensures content will always playback at the maximum quality and resolution.

Dual tuners gives subcribers the option to record two different shows in HD at the same time, while watching a third pre-recorded show. With the high quality OLED front-panel display, the TiVo Series3 HD box shows what is recording, even when the television is off. The box enables users to record up to 32 hours of HD programming, or up to 300 hours of standard definition recording.

The TiVo Series3 is designed to fit seamlessly into the most discerning home theater systems. It is compatible with digital cable, with the use of a CableCARD, analog cable and is the first TiVo to support over-the-air digital HD (ATSC). Later this year, the boxes will also support the TiVoCast service feature which allows users to access content directly through their broadband connection.

"Our subscribers have eagerly anticipated the day they can use our services in high definition," said Jim Denney, Vice President of Product Marketing at TiVo. "The TiVo Series3 HD DVR gives our customers the best way to experience HDTV in visual and audio performance, an easy, intuitive way to find and record HD programming and a broad set of multimedia and networking capabilities that greatly exceed other generic offerings available allowing subscribers the freedom to enjoy their favorite programming whenever they chose to do so."

The TiVo Series3 HD box will join the existing TiVo product line, and will soon be available for $799.99 at retail stores including select Best Buy, Circuit City, Ultimate Electronics, Fry's and online at www.tivo.com. For more information, check out the TiVo press release.

TiVo and CBS SportsLine recently announced that CBS SportsLine Fantasy Football Companion can be accessed from any television connected to a broadband-enabled TiVo® Series2™ DVR. As part of the new form of interactive sports programming for subscribers, registered users of CBS SportsLine Fantasy Football can manage their leagues, check stats and scores, and watch highlights with their TiVo remote control.

The servive will offer subscribers features to help them play and follow fantasy football, including:

• Fantasy Scoreboard - Check live player and team scores on all league matchups.
• GameCenter - Get up-to-the-minute details and statistics on the current week's matchup.
• Standings - Monitor weekly changes to league standings throughout the season .
• Lineup - View active and reserve players, injury status, and make late changes as needed.
• MyPlayerNews - Read breaking headlines and player news that impact a team's lineup .
• Video - Watch short-form CBS SportsLine videos, including pre-game analysis, player interviews and special fantasy football content.

"CBS SportsLine Fantasy Football Companion adds tremendous programming value to TiVo subscribers by delivering with an industry-leading service and specialized CBS SportsLine video—with our sponsor's support, this service will drive additional interest in TiVo content partners," said Tara Maitra, TiVo's Vice President and General Manager, Programming. "The partnership demonstrates TiVo's commitment to building an expansive set of valued online services and elevating the home entertainment experience."

"We continually evaluate innovative offerings that enhance the fantasy football experience and TiVo gives our users highly coveted access to televisions in the living room, giving us the ability to reach fantasy football fans where they actually watch the games," said Steve Snyder, General Manager of CBS SportsLine . "TiVo-based connectivity, along with our PC and mobile products, creates an unrivaled multi-screen experience for CBS SportsLine Fantasy Football users."

Read more about the service in the TiVo press release or register online for CBS SportsLine Fantasy Football.

The Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) recently announced that ComEd is joining IIT's Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Project in collaboration with Chicago-based All Cell Technologies, LLC, the City of Chicago and other industrial and government partners in an effort to double the fuel efficiency and reduce emissions from the city's fleet of hybrid Ford Escape SUVs. The PHEV Project will use Lithium-ion batteries developed by All Cell.

ComEd will provide expertise by sharing its best practices from operating its hybrid vehicles. The utility owns 64 hybrid Ford Escapes and its SUV fleet will expand to 114 hybrid vehicles by the end of 2007. ComEd also will provide expertise in technical and regulatory matters related to charging the plug-in hybrid vehicles' electric drive systems from the utility's electrical power distribution system.

"We are pleased to contribute to the efforts of IIT and Chicago to improve the environment and the fuel efficiency of hybrid vehicles," said Anne Pramaggiore, senior vice president of ComEd Regulatory and External Affairs. "ComEd's commitment to hybrid vehicles is one of the elements of our voluntary efforts to reduce greenhouse gas. There also is real potential for this initiative to advance the opportunities to create plug-in hybrid electric vehicles on a significant scale."

All Cell, which is sponsoring the IIT PHEV Project, is an IIT-based technology transfer company formed in 2001 by Professors Said Al-Hallaj and J. Robert Selman to commercialize Lithium-ion batteries in military, medical, portable and transportation applications. The project will use IIT's patented thermal management technology with phase change material (PCM).

"There are few better validations for an emerging technology enterprise than partnership with one of the largest utility providers in the nation," said Bob Anderson, president of All Cell. "ComEd's involvement promises significant capacity to realize our vision and provide relief to consumers for the high economic and environmental cost of gasoline."

Read more about the project in the press release ComEd Joins Illinois Institute of Technology's Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) Project.

Logitech recently announced the introduction the Logitech® EasyCall™ Desktop—the world's first combination of a mouse, keyboard, headset and speakerphone—to its family of Cordless Desktops®. The device includes advanced audio technology, integrated controls for placing and accepting calls, and easy-to-use software.

"For many years, Logitech has reduced the complexity of the PC by delivering controls on our peripherals that make the digital experience more intuitive and natural," said Denis Pavillard, Logitech's vice president of product marketing for keyboards and desktops. "The introduction of voice-over-IP services and the growth of broadband mark a revolutionary change in how people can communicate using the PC. Our new EasyCall Desktop combines the right features with advanced software that works invisibly to make the process of making, accepting and controlling Internet calls on the PC more like using a mobile or traditional phone."

Logitech is billing the EasyCall Desktop as a complete solution for Internet calling and navigating the PC. The device includes a full-duplex speakerphone with Logitech® RightSound™ Technology, said to eliminate echoes during headset-free Internet phone calls. The speakerphone acts as the control center, with volume up and down, mute, call pick-up, and call hang-up buttons. The product also comes with a stereo headset that can be plugged into a convenient port on the speakerphone for more privacy.

The cordless keyboard allows users to launch Internet communications applications, change their online status, and make and accept calls. The speed-dialing controls have one-touch calling buttons that can be used to store and dial either telephone numbers or IP addresses associated with user names.

Optimized for use with Internet calling applications, such as Yahoo!® Messenger with Voice and AOL's AIM® service in the U.S, the keyboard also offers one-touch access to applications such as e-mail and a Web browser. A media panel is included to control digital music in applications such as iTunes® and Windows Media® Player.

The Logitech EasyCall Desktop will be available in the United States and Europe beginning in mid-September, with a suggested $129.99 U.S. price tag.

For more information, see the Logitech press release On Call: New Logitech Desktop Makes Internet Calling Easy.

Verizon recently announced that its Verizon One high-tech phone, which integrates multiple functions, now has several new features at no additional cost to its users. These enhancements include e-mail access, enriched weather maps, the latest entertainment news, sneak peaks at upcoming movies, wireless home networking, the latest lottery results and the ability to transfer cell-phone photos to the Verizon One phone.

"These newest features enrich the Verizon One experience for our DSL customers," said Christopher Pizzirani, Verizon's vice president of broadband management and development, "and increase the value of this state-of-the-art information tool for the home."

The system is available to Verizon Online DSL customers nationwide and integrates a DSL modem, 802.11g wireless router, 5.8 Ghz cordless phone, wide color-touch screen, Verizon SuperPages features, family-event planner and reminder, and a one-touch access point for weather, news, sports, stocks and entertainment information. Up to four additional handsets can be added to each Verizon One phone at an additional cost. The device allows consumers to set up a wireless broadband network connecting computers within the home with straight-forward setup screens, and also features customized information services and a touch-screen display personalized with photos, including those downloaded from cell phones.

"Verizon One eliminates the need for multiple, costly devices," Pizzirani said, "including separate modems, phones and electronic organizers. The value of Verizon broadband is made even better with this communications command center."

Read more in the article Verizon to Sell Verizon One Wi-Fi Hotspot Phone Manufactured by Westell.

California's state assembly has passed a bill to require makers of Internet access gear to warn consumers of the risks of using unsecured wireless connections, its backers said on Tuesday.

Legislators in both houses of the state legislature voted overwhelmingly in favor or the "Wi-Fi User Protection Bill" to inform users how to secure networks against "piggybacking," or unauthorized sharing of wireless access, said a spokesman for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, who proposed the bill.

Every year millions more consumers in the United States and worldwide buy Wi-Fi routers in order to turn home broadband cable or telephone links into wireless links, providing Internet access to any computer in the nearby vicinity.

The California bill, which was introduced in April, calls for manufacturers to put warning labels on Wi-Fi network gear to advise consumers in one of four ways. These can include place stickers on the boxes, including them in the setup software, by taking some specific action when setting up the router or through another process that automatically secures the connection without consumer effort.

The bill now goes to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who must sign it before it goes into law.

Earlier this month, I posted about the FCC decision that required cable operators to distrubute CableCards, a technology that allows digital cable subscribers to receive cable without a cable set-top box. The device will be available for the majority of U.S. cable customers by July, 2007, according to the ruling.

Chris Kohler over at Wired News posted a good article this week that gives an overview of the CableCard technology and what it means for you. He answers some of the most common questions so you can decide if it's right for your home:

What advantages does using a CableCard offer me?
There's no giant, ugly box with associated wires taking up space in your entertainment center. Also, the costs to lease a tiny, inexpensive CableCard from your cable provider should be significantly less expensive than leasing the box -- usually around two bucks. They can also send it to you in the mail rather than having to arrange an installation appointment. Finally, electronics manufacturers can sell devices capable of tuning in to your full cable lineup directly, without kluges likes TiVo's IR blaster.

What are the disadvantages?
CableCard is a one-way system, so you won't get an interactive program guide—you'll just have to use the static, non-interactive onscreen listing. You also can't order pay-per-view or on-demand programming.

Check out the rest of article CableCard Swipes at Set-Top Boxes to learn more.

Vistula Communications Services, a VoIP supplier for major telecommunications carriers and Internet service providers, recently announced the selection of its V-Cube™ platform by DirecPath to run a pilot program for the delivery of DirecPath's consumer VoIP service offerings. DirecPath is a new partnership between The DIRECTV Group and Hicks Holdings LLC that was formed to provide bundled DIRECTV programming, broadband voice and data and security services to multiple dwelling unit (MDU) and gated-community owners across the United States.

Vistula will allow DirecPath to manage the communications needs of a diverse range of MDU and gated-community properties, and to add to its suite of bundled services the benefits of a secure, simplified, scalable and highly resilient VoIP infrastructure.

"We are committed to meeting the needs of owners and residents in MDU and gated communities nationwide and providing them with a unique and compelling value proposition," said Paul Savoldelli, chief executive officer of DirecPath. "Vistula's hosted VoIP service will be an important part of that value proposition, enhancing our ability to include VoIP as part of our seamless, cost-effective suite of bundled services."

Read more about this new venture in the CNET.com article DIRECTV test IP telephony.

AT&T Inc. recently announced a Letter of Intent with Vistana, Ltd. to build a fiber network to deliver the AT&T U-verse^SM suite of services, which includes Internet Protocol television, high-speed Internet access service and, eventually, voice services, to a new, mixed-use high-rise structure in historic downtown San Antonio.

To date, the AT&T Smart Moves program has signed more than 9,000 contracts with leased properties for AT&T communications and entertainment services, reaching 1.8 million units across the country for these types of bundled services. At The Vistana, AT&T will provide its first fiber deployment for U-verse to a multifamily and retail property.

AT&T will make Internet Protocol-based communications and entertainment services available to residents who will move in to The Vistana. Officials held unveiling ceremonies this week at nearby Milam Park in San Antonio. AT&T U-verse TV and high-speed Internet services are currently available in San Antonio, and the company plans to make U-verse services available in Houston and additional markets later this year.

"We know that the demand for the next generation of entertainment and communications services doesn't distinguish between suburban and urban living," said Brooks McCorcle, AT&T vice president and general manager for the San Antonio market area. "We look forward to working with The Vistana to serve the hundreds who will reside here, and we consider this new agreement a real turning point for our Smart Moves program. It's another strategic way that we are connecting customers with our next generation of services—while providing property owners with added value that helps differentiate their properties in a growing, fiercely competitive marketplace."

Construction on The Vistana will begin in late 2006 and will be complete in late spring 2008. The Vistana will be a 14-floor, 530,000-square-foot art deco building that will include a four-floor parking garage with more than 450 spaces and 246 market rate rental apartments above, including the top two floors of two-story penthouses. The sixth-floor amenity deck will include a theater, among other features. The building is expected to open in late spring 2008.

In addition to the millions of rental units served through the Smart Moves program, since 2005, the total number of single-family homes under AT&T Smart Moves contracts has increased from about 460,000 to more than 930,000—including those that are fiber-enabled and others that involve bundled services and other types of networking.

To learn more about this new development, check out the AT&T press release.

The cable industry suffered a blow on Friday when a federal appeals court upheld the Federal Communications Commission's mandate requiring cable operators to distribute a technology called CableCards, which will allow digital cable subscribers to get rid of their cable set-top boxes.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit unanimously supported the FCC's "integration ban," which requires cable operators to separate encryption functions from basic decoding capabilities in their set-top boxes.

Separating these functions allows cable customers to plug their cable line directly into a TV set without the need for a set-top box. The CableCard device is about the size of a thick credit card, and fits into a special slot built into digital TVs and a growing number of consumer electronic devices, such as TiVo's digital video recorder and most HDTV sets.

The court's decision should move cable operators a step closer to finally offering a service that allows consumers to simply plug a card into a device to get cable TV service. "Today's opinion sets the record straight: Consumers are entitled to a broad array of products that can connect to cable systems featuring innovative new features for competitive prices," Gary Shapiro, head of the Consumer Electronics Association, said in a statement. "In the wake of the court's decision, we are hopeful that cable will stop its foot-dragging and comply with the law for the benefit of consumers."

Read more about the ruling in the CNETnews.com article Cable companies lose round in CableCard battle

Verizon has been in the news a lot lately. The company announced this week that it is planning a DVR that allows its customers to watch programs recorded on mutliple TVs in any room in the house. Made by Motorola, Verizon's Home Media DVR allows customers to record programs on up to three televisions at once.  It also lets users watch one program while recording another.

Similar to TiVo's broadband services, the DVR includes software that allows Verizon customers to access collections of pictures and music stored on networked computers. The company said that the system doesn't currently support copy-protected, but would in the future.

The DVRs will be available with Verizon's new fiber-optic TV service, called Fios, that reaches directly to the side of a customer's home, bringing customers nearly limitless bandwidth capacity. As I posted about yesterday, Verizon's Fios TV service was created to draw in new customers and help the company compete with cable operators, which have added telephone service to their bundle of TV and broadband services.

"We've deployed the best platform in the industry, from the core of our fiber-to-the-premises network right through the home to every device on the network. Now we're adding cool new features that capitalize on the speed and interactivity that the FiOS platform makes possible," said Marilyn O'Connell, Verizon's video vice president.

Verizon's FiOS service is now offered in parts of seven states, according to the company: California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia and Texas. Verizon says the service also benefits cable subscribers, as rates for cable service have been shown to drop when FiOS enters the market.

The New York Times technology writer Ken Belson recently wrote an interesting article about what Verizon is doing with its fiber-optic network in New York City. Part of an extensive project to replace Verizon's older copper network with the more durable fiber lines, the company will spend about $20 million by the end of 2010 to reach millions of homes from Florida to California. However, New York is their primary focus because residents there are the biggest buyers of video, Internet and phone services. Verizon plans to spend about $3 billion dollars to reach that market of customers.

Ken writes, "With such a high concentration of potential customers, competition is fierce—and Verizon has been losing ground. Time Warner Cable, Cablevision and others are stealing about 1,000 Verizon phone customers a day, and their discounted services are making it hard for Verizon to win them back—another reason to get the fiber network up quickly."

The article goes into detail about the hurdles Verizon faces during the project and what it could mean to New York City residents in the future.  You can read more about the project in the full article Verizon Is Rewiring New York, Block by Block, in a Race for Survival.

The AT&T Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AT&T Inc., recently announced a $1 million grant to the Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet) to provide new technology resources for people with all types of disabilities, including learning disabilities. In collaboration with the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA), CTCNet will upgrade technology services and equipment to benefit people with disabilities at community technology centers nationwide.

As part of the three-year $100 million AT&T AccessAll initiative to provide technology access to underserved communities, the AT&T Foundation grant will fund training for community technology center staff on universal design and assistive technology to create stronger community learning environments that can accommodate multiple learning styles and abilities. Additionally, the grant will fund the purchase of assistive technology devices, which help users build skills and use technology to overcome challenges. CTCNet will make AT&T grant funds available to regional centers though a competitive application process.

The grant to CTCNet is part of the AT&T AccessAll signature philanthropic initiative, a landmark three-year $100 million program that connects families and communities with technology tools that can improve lives. The program builds on the AT&T Foundation's existing investment in technology for the underserved, which totals nearly $83 million.

Read more about this initiative in the AT&T press release.

According to The New York Times, cable and satellite television giants are planning to get into mobile phone and wireless data services. The newspaper reported that Time Warner, Comcast, Cox Communications, EchoStar Communications and DirecTV will be among the 168 bidders in the government's multibillion-dollar auction of radio spectrum. It appears that these companies are preparing to go head-to-head with AT&T, Verizon Communications and other companies that sell traditional phone lines, broadband connections and wireless services, and are now focusing on television as well.

An alliance that includes DirecTV and EchoStar put in the largest deposit for the bidding, more than $972 million. Another alliance, led by Comcast, Cox, Time Warner Cable and others, put down $638 million. T-Mobile, Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless have made separate deposits.

Cellphone companies are expected to counter the cable and satellite companies by adding to their stores of spectrum, particularly in cities where their networks get the most use. They may also bid up the price of some of the 1,122 licenses on sale to make it more expensive for their rivals to gain a foothold in an already intensely competitive market, said analysts who spoke to the newspaper.

Learn more about this issue in The New York Times article Cable and Satellite TV Set Their Sights on Airwaves.

According to a new study released by iSuppli, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is expected to attract 63 million subscribers by 2010—a more than 26-fold increase over last year. The largest jump in numbers is expected to come next year when subscriptions will hit 15 million, tripling 2006 totals.

Expected to differ from traditional TV network programming on several fronts, IPTV can offer interactivity, integration across multiple platforms and enhanced services. Interactive functions could include e-commerce, communication and electronic voting. Proponents of the technology envision some of the enhanced services to include on-demand gaming, music and home networking management.

Read more about iSuppli's study here.

The Federal Communications Commission believes that if broadband over power lines (BPL) takes off, more Americans in rural and underserved areas will be able to take advantage of high-speed Internet access, in addition to forcing companies who currently dominate the cable and DSL market to lower their prices to compete for consumer business.

The FCC unanimously adopted an order designed to reaffirm and build on a set of rules issued for the technology in 2004, which had drawn a number of reservations from both inside and outside the industry. The original guidelines focused on preventing the nascent Internet service from causing harmful interference with radio signals that rely on nearby frequencies, such as those commonly used in aviation and in zones near U.S. Coast Guard and radio astronomy stations.

Though interest in Internet access over the electrical grid began years ago, only about 50 such systems currently exist in the United States, and the vast majority remain in the developmental or experimental phase. That's in part because of resistance from amateur radio operators, who complain that BPL could disrupt their systems and those of public safety organizations if deployed without limits.

The push for commercializing the technology appears to be growing, however, with two companies announcing late last year that they plan to offer BPL to 2 million homes and businesses in northern Texas in the near future, and California regulators this spring gave the go-ahead to test the service in that state.

To learn more about broadband over power lines, check out the CNET news article FCC pushes for broadband over power lines.

BellSouth has launched two Web sites to provide consumers with innovative ways to relate new technologies to their everyday lives. BellSouth Home of the Future Today (www.bellsouth.com/homeofthefuture) and BellSouth Gear(TM) Store (www.bellsouth.com/gearstore) will incorporate interactive features to engage visitors and educate them about new and upcoming products.

BellSouth Home of the Future Today allows visitors to virtually tour a home that is fully-equipped with high-speed Internet service, home networking, broadband and wireless applications, as well as digital satellite television service through DIRECTV. Visitors can tour various rooms of the house, including the living room, kitchen and home and remote offices, where the featured products and services are most used.

BellSouth Gear(TM) Store helps consumers match their lifestyles with an array of available products and services from BellSouth, like cordless telephones, consumer electronics, broadband service and home networking.

"Many consumers who shop online are looking for some help with their technology purchase decisions," said Randy Roberts, vice president of wireless and consumer devices for BellSouth. "BellSouth Home of the Future Today and BellSouth Gear(TM) Store offer unique ways for consumers to explore and weigh the benefits of various BellSouth products as well as apply the usefulness of those products to their individual lifestyles."

Alltel Wireless, America's largest network, announced today that the innovative Fastap™ keypad, created by Digit Wireless, is now available exclusively for its customers on the LG AX490 phone. Available beginning Aug. 3, the LG AX490 is the only phone in the United States to feature this cutting-edge technology.

The Fastap keypad allows for dual levels of functionality by integrating the traditional 12-number keypad with raised buttons for each letter of the alphabet. The keyboard simplifies virtually every phone function and provides easier and faster access to mobile phone-based applications including text messaging, instant messaging, picture and Web browsing.

Fastap meets the growing needs of Alltel Wireless' customers by providing a groundbreaking technology that allows for quicker and easier data entry and retrieval, while keeping with the traditional phone design. For example, customers who download Alltel's Axcess Instant Messaging application to their LG AX490 now have an affordable, easy, seamless and always-on mobile messaging experience.

Read more about this new phone in Alltel's press release.

WildBlue Enterprise Solutions™ announced that it has added NomadISP as a Value Added Reseller (VAR) of its WildBlue Enterprise Solutions products and services. NomadISP is the largest wireless service provider for the camping and recreational industry, servicing hundreds of locations across the country. WildBlue provides high-speed Internet access via satellite to homes and small businesses in communities not currently served, or underserved, by other high-speed providers.

Under this agreement, public hotspot users at camp and recreational sites throughout the nation will be able to access the Internet using WildBlue high-speed Internet via satellite service and NomadISP's WiFi equipment. NomadISP will handle the sales, installation and service of NomadISP's proprietary public hotspot solution bundled with WildBlue Ka-band high-speed Internet access at the individual camp, recreational and other public sites. WildBlue Enterprise Solutions will provide per site wholesale bandwidth to Nomad ISP as their preferred satellite network provider.

Learn more about keeping connected on the road this summer in WildBlue's latest press release.

TiVo Inc., a creator of and leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), announced that it has been recognized by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a 2006 Emmy Award for outstanding achievement in enhanced television programming.

"TiVo is proud to receive an Emmy Award and recognition from the Academy and its peers for the innovative services that it provides in enhancing the viewing of television by bringing it to a whole new level," said Tom Rogers, President and CEO of TiVo.

This year's Interactive Television Emmy Awards recognize original interactive television programming content, applications and services that have been deployed in the United States between June 1, 2005 and May 31, 2006 and that have demonstrated creative excellence. Other finalists in this category include AOL Music on Demand, CNN Enhanced and DirecTV Interactive Sports. Awards will be presented at the Creative Arts Awards Ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, August 19.

According to new research, adults in households that have digital video recorders (DVRs) actually watch less TV than adults in the general population. The findings by Mediamark Research, an audience-measurement firm, seem to conflict with major broadcast network researchers who told advertisers in November that people in households with a DVR watched 12 percent more hours of TV a day than those without. David F. Poltrack, chief research officer for CBS, said the Mediamark numbers were unreliable, because they were derived from people's often-low reports of their own TV watching. The figures suggesting that adults who use a DVR watch more television come from Arbitron's 2,000-person machine-recorded survey in the spring of 2005, but it covered only the Houston market.

AOL announced that it is testing closed-captioning for the deaf and hearing-imparing on its online video. The captioned video will initially feature a variety of content from CNN, including breaking news and entertainment, with more captioned content to be introducted over the next few months. Available through AOL's paid service and the free AOL.com, the closed-captioned content can be activated by clicking on a "CC" button displayed on its media player. The video is made available as part of a partnership between AOL and WGBH's Media Access group, the Boston-based public broadcast company that invented TV captioning in the early 1970s.

The first Panasonic Blu-ray Disc Player, the DMP-BD10, has been announced by Panasonic. The player, along with a matching receiver (SA-XR700) and speaker system (SB-TP1000), will be available to buy in September. Blu-ray is the name of a next-generation optical disc format jointly developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association, a group of the world's leading consumer electronics and computer manufacturers, including Apple, Dell, Hitachi, HP, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TDK and Thomson.

You can read more about Panasonic's Blu-ray Disc Player in the article Panasonic Announces Blu-ray Disc HD Home Theater. Additionally, you can go to Panasonic's Web site on Blu-ray technology for more information.

Motorola and Yahoo! announced that they will sell new Motorola devices preloaded with Yahoo! services starting in 2007. The phones will come with Yahoo! Go for Mobile, a Web application that includes Yahoo's mail, search, address book and local information programs, and be available on millions of handsets in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Motorola and Yahoo! plan to jointly market the new handsets.

Read more about this new partnership in Motorola's press release.

For most people, home networking means connecting a digital video recorder (DVR) to more than one TV or making a broadband connection from anywhere in the house. While more complicated home entertainment networks that connect consumer electronics with each other or with PCs are still largely a novelty, research firm Parks Associates reports that these networks are set to become much more commonplace, increasing from the four million households currently networked to 30 million by 2010.

In a study released earlier this month, Parks analysts examined such factors as market demands, physical requirements, and the profiles of early adopters of connected entertainment networks. They found that consumers with broadband connections were most likely to have networked homes.

Learn more about this trend in the article Study: Home networking to hit home.

AT&T and Wi-Fi start-up MetroFi submitted a proposal to build and operate a wireless broadband network in Riverside, California. The proposed network would provide free Internet access throughout the city with download speeds of 500Kbps and upload speeds of 256Kbps. AT&T will include a persistent advertisement on every Web page in exchange for the free access and proposed offering a paid service to Riverside residents allowing them to subscribe to a 1Mbps download broadband service.

When cities began looking into building Wi-Fi networks, phone and cable companies like AT&T, Comcast and Time Warner lobbied against them. They feared that cities owning and operating Wi-Fi networks would allow them to unfairly control the market. But now that many cities are considering partnerships with private firms, those same companies are beginning to bid for the chance to build the networks.

Read more about the bid at CNETnews.com.

According to iDefense, a computer security group, more than one million users of MySpace.com and other Web sites may have been infected with adware spread by a banner advertisement for a site called deckoutyourdeck.com. The banner appeared in user profiles on MySpace and exploits a problem in the way Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser handles Windows Metafile (WMF) image files. MySpace has been targeted by hackers because of its popularity, but site officials contacted in London had no immediate comment.

Learn more about this threat in the article Ad Dishes Up Adware to More Than a Million PCs.

As more TV viewers use digital video recorders (DVRs) to watch their favorite shows, networks and advertisers are beginning to look for ways to keep them from skipping over advertisements. According Mike Shaw, ABC's President of Advertising Sales, the network has held discussion on the use of technology that would disable the fast-forward button on DVRs, with the primary goal to allow TV commercials to run as intended.

While some industry experts fear taking away the fast-forward button would lead to consumer backlash, Shaw disagrees. "We're just training a new generation of viewers to skip commercials because they can," he contends. "I'm not sure that the driving reason to get a DVR in the first place is just to skip commercials. I don't fundamentally believe that. People can understand in order to have convenience and on-demand (options), that you can't skip commercials."

Shaw said it's crucial for ABC and other networks to hold these discussions now while DVR penetration is still in its early stages. DVRs are currently in approximately 10 percent of U.S. TV households.

Read more about Shaw's comments in the article ABC hopes to halt fast forwarding.

Instant messaging officially entered the business world yesterday when AOL unveiled its new IM service AIM Pro. Featuring security and online meeting functions aimed at corporate users, the  service is currently free for anyone to use. AIM Pro integrates with Microsoft Outlook's calendar and corporate directory and offers one-click access to WebEx voice and video conferencing and collaboration services. Users will also have the option to use their business e-mail addresses as their AIM screen names.

Safety-conscience IT managers will be happy to note that AIM Pro includes business-grade security, SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption and automatic antivirus file scanning. The tabbed Buddy List features new modules for people searches, listening to news-related podcasts, and access to Wall Street Journal finance, technology and business stories as well as stock quotes and market data from AOL Finance.

"Over 14 million people already use the AIM service as a daily business tool. We designed AIM Pro to be a complete instant messaging and desktop collaboration solution tailored specifically to their needs," said John McKinley, president, AOL Digital Services.

To learn more, read AOL's press release or download AIM Pro free of charge at www.aol.com/aimpro.

Is your home theater system a bit cramped? Sony has a solution for you. Sony will be releasing two packaged home theater solutions that will integrate a 32 inch, high definition LCD TV with a Sony home theater system that features an audio unit with a single-disc DVD/CD/SA-CD player and a digital amplifier and can slide up or down to hide or show the LCD. Both space-saving systems will be available in the fall from the SonyStyle online store. To read more about the systems, you can read the article Sony Introduces Space-Saving Home Theater Systems.

BellSouth is featuring live Internet broadcasts of key speeches and other events from the 97th Annual NAACP Annual Convention, July 16-20. This year's convention marks BellSouth's ninth consecutive year bringing the convention to NAACP members and supporters worldwide. The Webcast features video and audio feeds, as well as a photo gallery of speakers and events surrounding the convention. Archived, on-demand video access of speeches and the photo gallery will be available following the broadcasts. To view the Webcast, visit www.naacpwebcast.com.

I know that I have written about LCD TVs quite a few times in the last couple of weeks - mostly because they are the up-and-coming standard for televisions along with Plasma televisions. I found this Web site that can help out with deciding what LCD TV is right for you - www.lcdtv.com.

This site has hoards of information on what LCD technology is, how it compares to plasma and how to choose the right television for you. In the upcoming weeks, I will highlight some of the better articles in the site.

Stas and I have written about home networking on multiple occasions, but not everyone is familiar with the subject. Home networking is when more than one computer in a home is connected to each other. The easiest and most popular way currently to network your PCs is using wireless networking.

Once your computers can talk to each other through a network, you can have multiple computers share one printer, use a single Internet connection between multiple computers, and access shared files between computers. To find out more about the subject, you can check out this article on How Home Networking Works.

Touch of a Button, a European design and installation company, says television at work is not just a good thing, it can actually inspire people to come to work. As the FIFA World Cup approaches, many companies in Europe are getting nervous about how many of their employees will skip work to watch the soccer games. Touch of a Button founder Will Levy suggests that companies not just allow their workers to watch the games, but employers should provide a state-of-the-art media room to watch the games in to ensure their workers will come to work.

According to the article Euro-Installation Company Offers Clever Solution, Touch of a Button created media rooms can offer "full cinema surround sound with low frequency effects from a 'room-shaking' subwoofer, high-def picture from a flat screen display and a professionally calibrated amplifier for optimal performance. Packages start from GBP4950 ($8,859), include professional installation and are adjustable to suit the customer's requirements."

I think Touch of a Button might have a good idea here. Why would anyone sit at home and watch the game on the small screen when they can go to work and experience the game like they were in the stadium? My question would be - how will the employers who install the media rooms get their workers to leave work?

Thinking about what TV to buy next, especially with the hard date for the switch to digital television fast approaching? According to research conducted by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), it appears several consumers are seeing a flat screen TV in their future. In the article Report: Half Say Next TV Will Be Flat, Sean Wargo, CEA's director of industry analysis, is quoted as saying, "The current TV market is in the midst of a massive upgrade cycle. Flat panel shipments now comprise 36 percent of total revenues and growth is assured reaching 63 percent of revenues by 2009."

So, when your old TV starts showing its age, you maybe should think about upgrading to a flat screen, as it truly seems to be the future of television.

Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, called on movie studios to release their upcoming films in both HD DVD and Blu-ray formats. Hastings is worried that a long battle between the two formats will only accomplish one thing - late adoption of either of the new formats by consumers.

According to the article Hastings urges end to high-def war, Hasting said in Netflix's first quarter conference call that "protracted competition will hurt the adoption of high-definition DVD." Hastings believes that "if all studios were to embrace both formats agnostically, consumers would be more comfortable making a format decision based on hardware pricing and features."

Hastings solution might help consumers feel more comfortable buying movies in the new formats; however, producing films in both formats will be costly for the movie studios. That said, Warner Home Video and Paramount Home Entertainment do plan to release their movies on both formats.

Can't find the information you need on C|Net? Want another opinion on that Sony BRAVIA that you are thinking about getting? Then you should check out Yahoo! Tech, the new technology advice site from Yahoo! The site will have both expert and user-created reviews, and will feature information on all types of consumer electronics, including televisions, MP3 players, laptops, cell phones, WI-FI and several more. You can read about the new site in the article Yahoo unveils new tech advice site or you can just go to Yahoo! Tech to check it out.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the preeminent consumer technology trade association, has developed a Web site to help consumers hook up their home theater systems: The CEA Connections Guide. The interactive guide lets you select which equipment you wish to hook up (e.g. DVR, Set-top box, TV, etc.). It then asks you to choose which components are available on all the equipment you had previously selected (e.g. S-Video, Component Video, etc.). At this point, you will be able to choose which equipment connection instructions you wish to view. Now that you have a detailed guide, hooking up your home theater system should be smooth sailing.

Continuing with the theme of Internet security, Mozilla users have a new update available to make their browsing more secure. Last week, Mozilla released a new version of Firefox, version 1.0.5.2. According to an article in CNET by Tom Espiner, Mozilla is urging its users to upgrade to the latest version of Firefox, as it fixes several security holes. In the article, the security firm Secunia warns that "hackers could exploit the security holes to gain control of computer systems, conduct phishing attacks and bypass security restrictions." Information about the Firefox release and a link to the download can be found on the Mozilla site.

Both Stas and I have mentioned the importance of wireless safety in the past (check out Stas' article Protect your wireless home network); I recently read an article in PC World that reinforces the need for wireless security. According to the article Got Wireless Security?, leaving your wireless home network unsecured is just as dangerous as leaving files of your most important personal documents on a street curb for all to see. Hackers can easily get into an unsecured wireless network and get financial information, business records or sensitive e-mail.

Symantec and the Internet Education Foundation (IEF) as well as other Internet industry corporations have joined together to educate consumers on the dangers of leaving their wireless networks unsecured through the Wireless Security Initiative (WSI). You can go to the GetNetWise site to find out more about the initiative and wireless Internet security.

As I mentioned in a post earlier today earlier today, the first HD DVD players were released recently. If you are really interested in a true review of one of the HD DVD players, the Toshiba HD-A1 that was released on April 15, you can check out this review of the HD DVD player.

This week, Toshiba released two of the first HD DVD players on the market, beating out Blu-ray to the market. As Blu-ray and HD DVD compete to be the format of the future, this is a big deal for the HD DVD format. Blu-ray players are not scheduled to be released for another two months. This article on CNET talks about the new HD DVD players and their impact on the market.

If you are looking to buy any type of consumer electronic device in the near future, you should check out MyCEknowhow.com. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) partnered with CNET to create the Web site. Currently, they have interactive guides on digital imaging and MP3 players, but have plans to expand the Web site to include guides on for digital television, audio and wireless products. As they add more guides to the site, it will become an invaluable resource to consumers looking for information on "the hottest gadgets, features and services before you buy."

Though Blu-ray disc players will not be available for sale until the end of this year, blank Blu-ray discs began shipping recently, says Michael Kanellos in the article Blank Blu-ray discs start shipping. Just in case you have not heard of this new format, Blu-ray discs are positioned to become the new standard format for media, that is, if they successfully beat out the other new format, HD DVD.

Amazingly, just one Blu-ray disc can hold up to 25 GB, and that is just a one-sided disc. A double-sided Blu-ray disc that will be manufactured by TDK later this year will be able to hold 50 GB. Though the price tags for this format are high now, prices will decline as more manufacturers produce the Blu-ray format.

The U.S. National Science Foundation recently gave the University of North Texas $600,000 to research VoIP security. The research will involve multiple universities, including Columbia University, Purdue University and the University of California-Davis. The research project will span three years, and will involve research into multiple security issues that are currently a problem with VoIP, including denials of service, 911 services, VoIP spam and quality of service. Research like this will hopefully end problems like the one I wrote about yesterday in the post VoIP Security Problems.

Did you get an error message when you were trying to hook up your HDTV? It might be because of antipiracy safeguards embedded in your high definition television set. Even technology savvy experts, like BusinessWeek's Technology and You columnist Stephen H. Wildstrom, are getting stymied by the antipiracy safeguards while trying to hook up their perfectly legal HDTV systems.

If you are getting the message that your cable has "failed HDCP authentication" when you attempt to plug your HDTV set into your cable box, then you are probably experiencing a problem caused by the antipiracy safeguards. To find out how Wildstrom fixed his problem with his HDTV set, you can check out the article HDTV's Digital Disconnect.

As more and more video download sites pop up, don't expect the videos to be in high definition any time soon. HD videos can require up to twice as much broadband space as traditional videos, meaning that there just isn't enough room in the Net's pipes just yet for HD video. So, until a solution is reached for the "clogged pipe" situation, videos you watch from sites like YouTube.com will retain the grainy quality of traditional video.

However, representatives from MLB.com are hopeful that the situation will be resolved soon. MLB.com has a vested interest in the situation, as the site currently has over 800,000 viewers that regularly watch baseball games over the Internet. You can read High-def TV not ready for Net's prime time to find out more about the possibility of HD over the Internet.

IOGEAR recently introduced a new product meant to enhance Skype: the USB Voice Skype Calling Kit. The kit includes a microphone, dial pad, headset and two audio ports, creating a landline calling environment.

The dial pad can be plugged into any USB port and it incorporates the functionality of a landline phone, including mute and volume control capability. According to an IOGEAR press release, the USB Voice Skype Calling Kit's "audio ports enable audio switching, allowing users to direct the sound that is coming from the computer to either the headphones or external speakers, creating a robust conference call environment."

Have you encountered a problem with your high speed Internet service? To resolve your issue with your high speed Internet, you can follow these steps:

Check your hardware:
Your first step should be to make sure that the problem you are having with your high speed Internet is not being caused by your computer or your modem. Many computers and modems have troubleshooting programs that can diagnose problems if any exist. If you determine that the problem is due to your hardware, you should call the manufacturer to find out the how to fix your problem.

Contact your provider:
If you determine that your hardware is not causing your problem, you should prepare to call your provider. Make sure to have your account number available as well as notes on exactly what is happening with your high speed Internet and what you've done to try to correct the issue. Having all this information available will help you to easily inform your high speed Internet provider's customer service representative about the problem. The representative will be able to understand your problem faster if you can communicate easily all the details of what is going on with your high speed Internet. After you have compiled all the details about your problem, call your provider's customer service number. The customer service representative may be able to fix the problem over the phone or they may need to send someone to your home to fix the problem.

Switch providers:
If you are still unhappy with your high speed Internet, you always have the option of switching your provider. If you have a contract with your high speed Internet provider, be sure to check with your provider to see if you will have to pay a fee for canceling your service early. If you choose to change your service, you can use WhiteFence to compare and connect to a new high speed Internet provider.

DSL is a form of high speed Internet that allows you to connect to the Internet through your normal phone line. A benefit of DSL is that although you may be using your phone line for the DSL high speed Internet, you can still make phone calls on your phone line.

But limitations with DSL do exist. DSL is not available nationwide and can only maintain a good signal if you are close to a provider's central office. As you get further away from a central office, your DSL service will slow down. If you find that DSL is not available in your area, your other options are cable high speed Internet or satellite high speed Internet. To find out if you can get DSL at your home, or look at alternatives to DSL high speed Internet, you can use WhiteFence to compare and connect high speed Internet providers.

If you read my post Is HDTV for me? and are still questioning whether you should upgrade to HDTV, I found a good site with lots of resources on the subject - HDTV Pub. On this site you can find local HDTV cable reports, available HDTV channels in your area, a high definition television database and much more.

During the Dell HDTV Challenge, Guideline Research, on behalf of Dell, found that consumers chose Dell's W5001C plasma HDTV over Panasonic's TH50PX500U model, when considering picture quality and price. The Dell HDTV Challenge was conducted at shopping malls in Baltimore, Chicago, New York and San Francisco was conducted from November 2005 through February 2006.

You may have heard that we are currently in a transition period from analog television to digital television (DTV). Analog television has been the standard since we began to use magnetic waves to transmit picture and sound. February 17, 2009, has been set as the end of the transition period to DTV as the national standard.

DTV is better than analog in several ways. DTV will give you access to a wide variety of different and new services. With DTV, the information is transferred in "data bits." The amount of space required to transmit these "data bits" is much smaller than what is required for analog television. Not only is the sound and picture quality improved with DTV, but due to the DTV's efficiency, DTV also frees up some of the broadcast spectrum, allowing space in the spectrum for other uses.

Although you will be able to watch TV on your analog TV once the transition is complete (through a set-up box that converts the signal), you will have to get a new digital television if you want the full quality of DTV.

To find out more about DTV, visit the FCC's Official DTV Web site.

Ars Technica has a great introduction to IPTV posted this week. IPTV is the latest alternative to traditional cable or satellite TV systems to emerge, brought to you by your local telephone provider. As the cable operators attempt to gain your phone business, AT&T, Verizon and other major phone companies are counter-punching by ramping up their infrastructure to offer "TV over IP". Check with your local providers to see what services they can bundle for you now - you can typically save 30 percent or more by choosing a single provider for phone, cable and Internet services.

Ever wonder exactly how you can talk on your phone while you're on the Internet with your DSL connection? Well, I found a good site that explains this and several other aspects of DSL high speed Internet. Check out this article How DSL Works.

In the earlier post Jump to the head of the line at Netflix, Stas suggested that you try out Netflix Freak to help organize your Netflix queue. According to Macworld, a new version of the software came out last week, Netflix v2.3, so now might be the time to check it out if your are needing help with your Netflix service.

The number of wireless home networks has skyrocketed in the last two years due to the popularity of cable modems and DSL service, which now offer bundles including wireless devices. Unfortunately, most out-of- the-box configurations are extremely easy to abuse. If your home wireless network isn't protected properly, chances are your personal documents, pictures and email are vulnerable.

To prevent anyone from being able to access your personal files, read this article to find out how to check your network configuration and ensure your data is safe. If nothing else, you should follow their instructions to change your router's access name and password, as it is simple to do and serves as your "first line of defense."

Looking for a cordless phone that has Internet access? Well look no further than the new LAN Cordless DUALphone from RTX. The phone was revealed at CeBIT, the world's largest telecommunications and digital information technology trade fair, which is currently underway in Hannover, Germany. This is how the press release from RTX describes the phone:

"The new LAN Cordless DUALphone is a session initiation protocol (SIP) device that combines a standard phone connection, Internet telephony and storage for Web content. The base station is connected both to the conventional telephone system and to the broadband Internet link, thereby allowing calls from both channels. The LAN Cordless DUALphone offers customers on-screen information such as the latest news, e-mail, stock market data, weather forecasts, traffic queues or sports results – all displayed in real time on a brilliant color display. Availability depends on the services provided by the carrier concerned."

Unfortunately, the phone will only be available in Europe, at least at first. To read the full press release about the RTX's LAN Cordless DUALphone, go here.

As cable TV providers continue to provide DVRs with cable service, TiVo is trying to develop a way to stay on top. One of these ways may be to give away TiVo set top boxes for free. TiVo's CEO Tom Rogers has revealed that TiVo may soon be making varying price plans available; one of these plans will include a free set top box.

According to CNET in their article TiVo may give away free set-top boxes, Wall Street is pressuring TiVo to expand their client base as competition for TiVo-like products and services from both cable and satellite companies heats up. The company is trying to decrease the upfront cost of the TiVo product to make the service more desirable to consumers. 

MTV Networks has begun its own high definition channel, MHD. MHD will carry programs in HD format with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. The channel's line-up will include both established programs, such as MTV Unplugged, VH1 Storytellers and CMT Crossroads, as well as new programs, such as UnCompressed and Music with Altitude. Read this article to find out more about Music: High Definition.

AT&T and Cingular announced AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile today, a phone service that integrates Yahoo! services with your cell phone. With the AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile service, users will be able to access their Yahoo! mail and other services, as well as save their numbers, pictures, etc. on the Internet rather than in their phone's memory. To find out more about this service or when you will be able to get it, read this article about the AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile service.

With VoIP, you can save big bucks. According to the FCC, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) simply is a "technology that allows you to make telephone calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line." Depending on your calling habits, you can save hundreds of dollars in phone bills just by switching to VoIP. When talking over phone lines, you are subject to several taxes, most of which you do not have to pay with VoIP. But not all VoIP providers are the same. You should look into what services they provide (like e911) to decide which VoIP provider is for you.

Soon, you will be able to have VoIP conversations through your Nintendo DS. According to a report by TNI securities, the new headset port for the Nintendo DS will allow gamers to make wireless calls with their DS through the built-in wireless 802.11b. To find out more about this new VoIP innovation, read Analyst note: Nintendo DS invites free voice-over-IP chat.

AT&T recently accused Apple Inc. and several other companies of patent infringement. AT&T owns several patents to elements AT&T representatives say are vital to MPEG-4 technology, which is used by products produced by these companies.

To correct the situation, AT&T is offering that the companies buy licenses from AT&T for the technology. In response, Apple representatives say that they believe they "have all necessary rights and licenses with respect to all of [their] products." For more information on this developing story, read AT&T Warns Apple, Others, of Patent Infringement.

Commercials that make us laugh are what we want - at least that is what TiVo has found. TiVo announced the top 10 most replayed Superbowl ads and said that most if not all of the most replayed commercials were designed to tickle our funny bone. But this isn't too surprising, as they found this to be true in past Superbowls. However, the funny ads did have some competition - the game itself. This year's analysis revealed that replays of the controversial referee calls during the game rivaled the replays of ads. Go here to see a list of TiVo's most replayed Superbowl ads.

Want to learn more about the viability of IPTV? I found a good discussion about this topic in the recent article IPTV: Boom or Bust. Go check it out if you are interested in the topic of IPTV.

If you have recently purchased a new LCD monitor, TV, PSP, PDA, iPod, laptop or any other device with an LCD, you may not have noticed a common problem with these displays known as dead pixels. The best way to check for dead pixels online is by visiting a Web site to test if your LCD has dead pixels. Once you have located your dead pixels, you might be able to save yourself some headaches and fix the LCD yourself. If your pixels are truly dead, you may be able to return it to the manufacturer. To do so, you'll have to check with the manufacturer to see if your LCD meets their criteria, which is typically based on the number of dead pixels and how they are clustered together.

Have you been wanting to get some concrete facts on VoIP customer satisfaction so that you can make your decision if VoIP is right for you? Consumer Reports conducted a survey and discovered that overall, customers are satisfied with their VoIP service; however, there were some common complaints. To find out more about the survey, you can read Consumer Reports: Is Internet Phone Service Right For You? You can also find out details about VoIP plans on the Consumer Reports Web site.

I remember the good ole days when Netflix was waiting on me to return my rentals so they could send out the next items in my queue. Now, after several years of double-digit subscriber growth, I often find  myself waiting several weeks or months to get my hands on new DVDs. For those thinking about jumping the fence to Blockbuster or other similar services, the wait times are no better, as you can see at this Netflix blog.

Shawn Morton appears to have found a way to jump to the head of the line at Netflix (by the time you read this, they might have fixed this loophole). I have tried this trick with mixed results, and have found that it's somewhat of a hassle to do using the Netflix website. If you are a serious Netflix user, it would probably be worthwhile to download Netflix Freak (OS X) or Netflixter (WIN) to make your DVD queue management easier.

The Communications Research Network (CRN) reported recently that it had found a weakness in VoIP, saying that the sheer amount of packets used by VoIP to transmit information provides perfect cover to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. As described by Jon Crowcroft, a principal investigator with CRN, DDoS attacks are when "large amounts of low-level traffic are targeted at a particular organization, rendering its servers unable to cope and shutting the company off from the Internet."

To lessen the severity of the danger, Crowcroft suggest that VoIP providers that use proprietary protocols should publish their specifications or switch to open standards, which would allow the tracking of DDoS attacks. For more information, see VoIP gives attackers perfect cover, written by Crowcroft.