The High-Tech Texan Blog

Updated Blog Location

2011-10-17T21:56:00.004-05:00

Can't believe I even remembered my user name/password for this blog account. I haven't updated this specific blog in quite a while as I have been busy building a new website with its own blogging location.

To keep up with my new blog, bookmark this site: http://hightechtexan.com/web-technology-blog

We now return you to regular programming.

A Face For Radio or TV?

2010-09-17T22:10:00.005-05:00

Don't answer that.

While I host 6 radio shows each week I actually began the whole technology schtick 10 years on Channel 2 (KPRC-NBC) in Houston. Clear Channel Radio came a-calling while I was doing my daily TV segments and lured me away to the sexiness of radio.

I still make quite a few TV appearances locally and nationally. Slap a little powder on my nose and sometimes I can be bearable on screen.

I pop up on "Great Day Houston" (KHOU-CBS) regularly as their technology expert. Just this past week they invited me to co-host the hour-long show with my friend, Deborah Duncan. Had a blast and it has been nice receiving emails and calls from peeps with kind words.

So far Oprah hasn't contacted me about being her technology stud but after meeting Dr. Oz today in my radio studio, he said he would put in a good word for me. He is a really nice guy but, alas, I'm not holding my breath.

Here are some links to the segments:

Show Open - Kiss My App!

Q&A With Garf

Save Money Online

Searching For A Soulmate

Get Out of Town

iPhone 4 Released. Oops!

2010-06-24T14:41:00.004-05:00

Did you wait in line this morning to get your fourth fix of Apple's iPhone? Millions of productive hours were wasted worldwide but if standing in line drooling for a few hours floats your boat then YOU GO FOR IT!

Anxious to hear your initial thoughts on the new hardware. I downloaded the new OS on my (gasp...OLDER!) 3Gs model last night. I like the new features. Some people are already reporting issues with the new hardware including yellow screen discoloration or white blotches.

I still like the Sprint HTC EVO (needs more batt power) and the Motorola Droid X from Verizon Wireless looks nice. I will be getting that in my hands within the next 24 hours to play with.

Talk to me!

DROID DROID DROID!

2009-11-07T09:32:00.001-06:00

Been playing with the new Motorola Droid from VZW a few days. Full review today on my show and interview with VZW Marketing Director.

VZW has no less than 14 more phones being released between now and the end of the year.

11a-2p on The 9-5-0.

The Ultimate Solar-Powered Battery Charger

2009-08-24T22:08:00.002-05:00

"If you don't have battery power, you got nuttin'." Quote me on that. Which is why extra batteries, cords, car chargers and sometimes generators can be invaluable especially during emergency situations.

Instead of buying all these accessories and schlepping them around with you (which can add a lot of weight to backpacks and briefcases), new types of universal battery chargers are popping up on the market. They are easier to carry but you never know if the chargers themselves have power.

That issue is now resolved with a simple device I found called powerBAR 3500. It is a multi-functional solar-powered battery charger and luckily we have no shortage of sun. Green is good nowadays which makes the powerBAR even better - renewable energy is the way to go.

Its design resembles an iPhone making it lightweight and able to tote most anywhere. To ensure it is never without power it comes packaged with a charging cable ready to plug in to a computer, AC adapter or car charger. One touch of a button lets you see the internal power with blue LED lights.

While this is a perfect device to keep in your car or office for extra power, this comes in most handy during electricity outages when power is needed to run cell phones, digital cameras, GPS devices, mp3 players or even Bluetooth headsets.

Many of these portable chargers I have seen run well over $100 so the price tag of $59.95 from Fommy.com makes this even sweeter. Never leave home without at least one powerBAR 3500.

Interviews Galore on Saturday, June 27 Show

2009-06-26T22:52:00.004-05:00

Don't miss The High-Tech Texan Show on The 9-5-0 this Saturday. In addition to Michael Jackson bump music, we welcome these guests:

11:40am Kevin Regan, CEO of Houston-based Exobox
12:20pm Shawn Goheen, Goheen Financial Group
1:05pm Patrick Vardeman, VP of Accudata Systems

Podcasts of the show will be posted by early next week.

New iPhone 3G S Coming June 19

2009-06-08T18:51:00.006-05:00

The S stands for Speed but some iPhone users will be Surprised to learn some of the new features will not be launched when it goes on sale.

Apple announced new hardware and an upgraded OS software (v 3.0) at the company's Worldwide Developer's Conference today.

[from wire reports]
It's got the same design and pricing as the current iPhone 3G model, but has a faster processor that Apple says will load most apps somewhere between 3 to 5 times faster. It also comes in improved capacities, all the way up to 32GB up from 16GB.

The 3G S has an updated 3-megapixel camera (up from 2 megapixels) that has autofocus and autoexposure. It can also shoot video that can be edited right on the device in a similar fashion to iMovie. The video it takes is 30 frames per second at 640x480 VGA resolution, bringing it to spec with most point-and-shoot digital cameras.

The 3G S hardware also gets a magnetometer, which will allow the device to tell what direction it's pointed in. To go along with this, there's a new compass app that will act just like a normal compass. Users with the 3G S will get additional features in the Google Maps application that show which direction they're facing.

Apple also added built-in voice control that can start calls, find songs, and other information on the phone. The iPhone has long been criticized for not having voice support.

This device will come in two flavors a 16GB model that will cost $199 with a two year contract and a 32GB model that will cost $299 with a two year contract. AT&T and Apple will also continue to sell the 8GB iPhone 3G announced last year for $99 with a two year contract. Older 16GB iPhone 3Gs will be available for $149 with a two year contract until stock of that device runs out.

Apple announced that iPhone OS 3.0 will be available worldwide June 17 as a free update to iPhone customers, and as a $9.95 update for iPod Touch owners.

Newly announced was data tethering over USB and Bluetooth is coming as part of the software update; however it will require carrier support, which means some carriers may not allow it. iPhone users across the U.S. were disappointed Monday to learn that AT&T, the only operator in the U.S. offering the iPhone, won't immediately support a couple of key new features in Apple's new 3.0 OS that will be available starting next week. But AT&T says these features are coming.

Users can now rent and purchase movies from the phone. This also works for TV shows. Previously you had to do this on iTunes proper, then sync.

There's a new feature called "Find My iPhone" that will be available only for MobileMe users. It tracks down where your phone is on a map and gives you the option display a message and even perform a remote wipe.

So, do you plan to go out and get a new iPhone?

Huge Story Monday Morning

2009-03-15T19:05:00.004-05:00

If you didn't hear this news over the weekend, it's time to WAKE UP PARENTS and keep an eye on EVERYTHING your kids are doing online. Not just on a computer...on video games, cell phones and anything else connected to a network or the Internet.

A Kentucky man was arrested late last week for solicting nude photos from an 11 year-old Humble girl. Via a Sony Playstation 3. Little did her parents realize that a PS3 -along with Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii - can connect to the Net and allow for communication with others. Chat, photo sharing and more.

I just spoke with Sgt. Gary Spurger of the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office who played an integral part in this case. This was the first case of its kind anywhere in the fact that he and his team had to contact Sony in Japan to track down the data stream between the Kentucky man and the 11 year-old girl.

Sgt. Spurger will join me in studio Monday morning at 9am to talk about this case including the intricate process of how the predator was tracked down and arrested. It is an incredible story from his position with the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children unit.

I am now tracking down the parents of the young girl to see if they would like to tell their story. I'm sure they want to prevent anything like this happening to other kids and parents.

Live from Cy Fair Home and Garden Show

2009-03-13T23:26:00.003-05:00

I'll be hosting my HTT Show this Saturday from the Cy Fair Home and Garden Show. Stop by and say "whattup" near the entrance to the Berry Center between 11a-2p. You'll get an official "Don' Mess With The High-Tech Texan" t-shirt while supplies last.

Topics include: new Netflix devices, how to delete accounts from any website, how far the web has come in 20 years, the new Shuffle, info about the upcoming iPhone OS and more.

Off to Las Vegas next week for some weekday shows and next Saturday's technology show. Props to Continental Airlines and Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino for hosting us. First class airline (and seat) and first class hotel. Now if they can only help me out at the craps table...

A Real Work Week

2009-03-02T21:48:00.002-06:00

This daily job thing can kill a person. Waking up early, dropping the kids at school, navigating traffic and then finding topics that people care about and talking about them for hours. I am beat!

But having a J-O-B is kind of C-O-O-L right now. I'll suck it up. ;)

Day 1 of The MG Show went OK. I was kind of all over the place with topics but I hit some nerves when talking about the traditional dying media. TV viewership is sliding and newspapers are cutting back and starting to charge for content.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the Business and City&State sections COMBINED in the Chron today. Things really must be tough. I got several calls and emails about that.

Scouring topics for tomorrow but the RyanAir possibly charging for in-flight toilets story is catching my eye.

My Brand Extension

2009-03-01T14:12:00.001-06:00

So I create this brand called "The High-Tech Texan" back in 2001. I research every bit of technology I can, test and review thousands of products, host a tech-oriented radio program on Houston's biggest talk radio station and provide sound bites and appearances to TV stations about the latest technology news and gadgets. Now what?

The geniuses at our station want me to talk even more! About other things. So starting Monday, March 2, at 9:00am CT, we invite you to tune in and WATCH "The Michael Garfield Show." Or as I like to call it, "The World According To Garf."

I actually tried this once before on our station a few years ago. Did the Mon-Fri thing for about 8-9 months before station management (one again those geniuses) brought in a syndicated morning show. I fell back to my technology schtick on Saturday afternoons and have been quite comfy with my 3 hour work week. Now I go the office 6 days a week for you.

While we continue to figure out exactly which direction to take the show, no doubt we will discuss local issues (upcoming mayoral and gubernatorial elections; T-Mac is a whiny baby), daily news (which company let go 10,000 employees today?; how far did your stocks fall today?), pop culture, entertainment, lifestyle and yes, maybe just a little tech. But we will be leaning on you to contribute.

We will lean on the web and email to get listener comments and feedback but also utilize my tried-and-true live videoconference. Using omNovia's web conferencing service, you can see what's going in our studio but also everyone else logging on with a webcam. But please keep your clothes on and brush your hair.

Online social networking is en fuego now and I will be all over Facebook and Twitter to start. Make sure to add me as your Facebook "friend" and join "The World According To Garf" group. Twitter users can follow me here. And you never know what you may WIN (I know, a cheesy way to get listeners and fans but so what).

And if the show is not enough, check out my brand new website here. The team at JDCommerce did an incredible job of building this new site with an updated look packed with features like videos, links, blog, downloads, email newsletter and a quick way to listen and watch my shows online. The site was created in just a matter of weeks to coincide with the new show. There is no reason why JDCommerce can't do the same for you.

So welcome to my new worlds, both real and virtual. Won't you be my neighbor (and "friend")?

Big Week, Bigger Weekend, Huge Upcoming Schedule

2009-02-20T23:03:00.004-06:00

The digital TV conversion did not happen as planned this week, Facebook went nuts on its Terms of Service and backed down to public backlash and my work schedule is about to get a lot busier.

First, here is the video from the on-air marriage proposal we did last week on my show. At last check, my cousin Daniel Schwartz and his fiance Perelle Solomon are still engaged. That's always good news.

We are debuting a new videoconferencing partner on my show this Saturday. omNovia will provide the interactive service that allows you to log on, watch and participate during my radio show. Fire up your webcam as you will be able to see us and we can see you for a unique perspective that brings people and content together. This Houston-based company does a great job of webinars and more. LOG ON HERE FOR THE LIVE VIDEOCONFERENCE DURING MY SHOW - SATURDAYS, 11a-2p CDT.

And speaking of my Saturday show, my 3-hour work week will soon be expanding to a whopping 13 hours. The 9-5-0 announced changes this week to its lineup and your boy will soon be hosting a weekday 9a-11a show.

It will be issue-driven like most daily talk shows - but oh so different. We start at 9am when most people arrive at their offices so business, economy and financial news will certainly be covered. "Local" will always lead so the current Stanford Financial Group news would be an example of Topic A. We'll also keep an eye on the stock market throughout the show (depending if the market is in positive numbers by our start date!).

I am not abandoning technology topics though the discussions will focus on larger stories like the recent Facebook flap. My Saturday show will still be the main outlet for technology Q&A.

Feel free to contribute your thoughts as we put together the show theme. We want you tuning in each morning from your office, car and/or home.

See you on the radio.

Continental Airlines Bringing Live TV To Your Seat

2009-02-17T23:09:00.002-06:00

It has been over one year since Continental Airlines released information about their plan for live in-flight TV service. I fly Continental regularly and have yet to be able to tune into a live sporting event or Wheel of Fortune.

But stand by (or actually sit down and lower your tray table)...I just received this photo of the first Continental plane fitted and being tested with the new DirecTV service.

No date announced yet for the rollout by OnePass frequent fliers are anxiously waiting.

Live from Reliant Center this Saturday

2009-02-13T17:28:00.002-06:00

It's VDay and there should be no better place to be than to roam the cavernous halls of the Reliant Center, right? If you don't have a life then come join me and The 9-5-0 broadcast team for a live one from the Texas Home and Garden Show.

We'll have giveaways - including the famous TrimmerGuard device. Also lots of interactive discussion about online dating sites - has it worked it for you or someone you know? Horror stories? We need to hear them.

Microsoft opening retail stores (bad idea). A new Kindle book reader from Amazon (still don't need it). A $250k bounty if you can find the Conficker virus author (it was my brother-in-law!).

And a verrrrry special way to end the show tomorrow. Tune in from 11a-2p but make sure you are around the dial for atleast the last few minutes. Radio history....

BREAKING NEWS: House Passes Bill To Delay Digital TV Switch

2009-02-04T15:53:00.003-06:00

The House voted today 264-158 to delay the analog TV shutdown until June 12. This comes one week after the Senate voted to delay the switch (see blog entry below) originally scheduled for February 17.

The bill now goes to President Obama for his approval which he should sign-off on quickly. Given the economic situation the Obama administration believes the digital TV transition should be the last thing on legislators' to-do lists.

Consumers who rely on traditional over-the-air broadcasts will need to upgrade to a pay TV service such as cable or satellite, use a TV with a digital tuner or buy a converter box for their older analog television sets.

Still be resolved is the funding needed for more coupons to help consumers offset the cost of converter boxes. That issue will likely be considered as part of the economic stimulus legislation.

This decision is not unexpected - atleast by me - as the signs of trouble were there: the coupon subsidy program was running out of money, waiting lists were growing, and not enough public education in general was being done about the transition, the coupon program or how to hook up the converter boxes, which some have found troublesome.

I began talking about this transition on my radio show for over a year. The buzz with my listeners did not pick up steam until late Fall 2008. Recent polls by Nielson Co. shows over 6.5 million households are not ready for the transition which apparently freaked out members of Congress.

My initial thoughts...

No matter when this switch takes place, 100% of the country will never be in ready
Just like people wait until April 14 to being their taxes, I believe people were procrastinating until the drop-dead date was upon them
The $40 coupon for converter boxes was a bad idea in the first place. The reason converter boxes retail for $40-$80 are because manufacturers knew there would be coupons offered. Had the government not issued coupons these boxes probably could have been priced around $15-$25.

Stay tuned (ha ha) for much more on this...

BREAKING NEWS: Senate Passes Bill To Delay Digital TV Switch

2009-01-26T18:48:00.004-06:00

No surprise here, really. As we debated last Saturday on my radio program it may be a good thing to push back the planned February 17 switch from analog to digital TV. And the Senate seemed to agree.

The Senate voted Monday to delay until June 12 the deadline for the changeover from analog to digital television broadcasting. People still getting their pictures through old-fashioned antennas otherwise would face a Feb. 17 cutoff.

Nothing is set in stone yet as the House needs to make a decision however comparable legislation is being readied. As previusly reported here the Obama administration has called for a delay as they fear to many Americans using over-the-air signals won't be ready.

Looking to launch your tech business?

2009-01-25T23:35:00.006-06:00

This Wednesday night at the Hyatt Regency is the time and place to be. The Houston Technology Center is hosting its annual TECH CONNECTION. If you want ideas and contacts of how to get your idea or business off the ground and - more importantly - where to find money to help your cause, get downtown to the Hyatt.

From the press release:

This unique event, co-sponsored by the Greater Houston Partnership, will offer emerging technology companies and local businesses a single point of access to Houston’s top technology leaders.

Featured guests will include representatives from BioHouston, the Houston Angel Network, the Greater Houston Partnership, MIT Enterprise Forum of Texas, University of Houston Small Business Development Center Network, the Houston Technology Center and HTC Americas, and Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship. HTC’s Emerging Technology Council Chair and Houston’s High Tech Texan®, Michael Garfield, will kick off the event. Both the expo and networking reception are included in the $25 price.

Oops, I better start working on my remarks.

Seriously, this is a great event for information, networking and schmoozing. Sign up NOW before registration is full. The price alone is worth it for the cocktails!

The High-TEXT Texan

2009-01-23T20:27:00.004-06:00

Imagine texting over 28,000 in ONE MONTH. Only a teenager, right? The New York Post recently profiled ten teen texters who hopefully had an unlimited plan.

Is this dangerous? Did they hurt their thumbs? What did their parents say? I will talk with one of their parents on my Saturday show to get his opinion and thoughts when that bill came in.

No doubt we will cover other pressing matters in the tech world like Microsoft laying off 5,000 employees, Google not making as much money as they are used to (sniff, sob...) and Sony reporting an operating loss for the first time in 14 years.

But have you gone out and bought your HDTV for the Super Bowl? Lots of sales so we will help guide you to the best deals and smartest ways to hook them up.

11am-2pm on The 9-5-0

Half Marathon Is Ovah and I Am Spent!

2009-01-19T23:00:00.007-06:00

The first few weeks of each new year usually are a blur to me. A few days after the ball drops I find myself cheering and celebrating a Longhorns bowl win. I then jet off to Las Vegas for the huge Consumer Electronics Show - a tiring 4 days of walking, talking, meeting, greeting and traveling.

If that doesn't take enough out of me I then have to do my final prepping (hydrating, carbo-loading) for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon the following weekend. That weekend has come and gone and now, just now, I can move forward with the new year.

We broadcasted our show on Saturday from the marathon Expo at the GRB. Aramco Services was kind enough to host our radio team and we met a lot of the 25,000 or so runners who planned to pound the pavement the next day.

Sunday morning came and 1:41:47 after the start gun fired I crossed the finish line. If you're keeping stats that's a whopping 7 minutes faster than my time in last year's race.

Back to regular programming next week...

Day 1 at CES is ovah

2009-01-09T00:52:00.007-06:00

Loooong day in Vegas. This show can kill ya. Miles and miles of aisles in the LV Convention Center. I spent almost 7 hours in that cavernous place and barely scratched the surface of seeing and meeting all the exhibiting companies.

A few trends I noticed:

The economy is cutting in to the attendance; both exhibitors and attendees. Traffic near the convention center was smoother than in years past. People traffic in the aisles seemed lighter. There was much less press releases and media folks in the press room.

Thin is in. LG, Sony, Panasonic and other companies rolled out some razor thin LCD TVs it was hard to take photos of them from the side. They are expensive but very sexy.

Wireless continues to cut those cords. Wireless power charging, wireless auto Internet, wireless home door locks. We don't like cables but these new wireless devices to come down in price before they take off.

Green is good. Companies are now touting their lower watt-usage on TVs and other appliances. Still not sure exactly how much one can save on watching a TV that consumes 125 watts vs. 185 but it could be a sharp marketing move.

I haven't seen anything that is absolutely a must-have or killer device. But I did have some awesome tortellini Thursday night that I will remember for quite a while.

If you are my FaceBook friend you should be seeing some of the photos I have been uploading from the show. If you aren't; come on...let's be BFF!

Viva CES!

2009-01-04T21:52:00.009-06:00

It's the first week of the year and you know what that means. Tax prep time! Just kidding (kind of). It's the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas!

Getting my checklist together which includes...comfy shoes, broadcast equipment, lists of companies I plan to meet with, list of parties and events, energy drinks, money, How to Beat The Casino at Craps book and my return plane ticket.

Thousands of companies will be exhibiting new gadgets, software, games, autos and other things we will "need" in 2009. It is my job to decipher the truth, dispel the rumors and get to the bottom of things we really want this coming year.

As usual I will be blogging, emailing, Facebooking, Twitting and doing live interviews on radio and TV back to my markets in the Southwest. Plus I will be broadcasting my radio show LIVE from the show floor on Saturday. I'm your one-stop CES Mr. Know It All so keep logging in and tuning in to your usual High-Tech Texan media outlet.

Looking for something in particular at this year's show? Email me or post it here and I'll do my best to report back. Viva Las Vegas!

FYI...We are in the process of transferring our domain to another server so our real website will be back online within a day or two.

New Year. Special 4 Hour Show.

2009-01-02T21:27:00.003-06:00

Happy freakin' New Year. Or should I say "Good Riddance 2008." We can only hope the economy stabilizes a bit in 2009 but I say hold on and tighten your seat belts.

I'll jump start the new year this Saturday with a special, extended 4 hour show on The 9-5-0. Due to some programming changes I will go one extra hour until 3pm CDT. Help me fill the time with calls and emails.

I'll be reviewing the technology landscape of 2008 (good and crappy gadgets, websites and more), making a few predictions what we will see in the next 365 days and listening to what you got for gifts this holiday season. Can't figure out how to work it? Call me and we'll try to help.

Next week we broadcast the show live from Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show - always a good one.

Holiday Countdown

2008-12-12T06:37:00.005-06:00

Just a few more weeks until Christmas and don't forget the first night of the Big H starts on December 21. Whatcha gonna get your kids? Yourself?

Lots of goodies and good deals are out there so we'll run down several categories on my show this Saturday. Digital cameras, HDTVs, remote controls, gaming systems, PDAs, cell phones, laptops, desktops, autos and more. We're also looking for the best deals you have found.

And did you pass the DTV test on Tuesday night? The digital TV transition and converter boxes should be a hot topic.

Also, check out this bit of web wizardry. A Houston-based web site called iCaughtSanta.com allows parents to prove to their kids that Santa exists. The site utilizes Adobe Flash technology to create the custom images. The process can be completed in three simple steps and has advanced settings for achieving the perfect picture. For example, anyone can easily tweak the size, color and brightness of Santa to match their digital picture. Each shot is $17.95 though it drops to $12.95 when you refer 5 friends via email.

Tune in at 11a-2p this Saturday and find a webcam.

Monday Sushi/Cocktail Launch Event at Kona Grill Sugar Land

2008-12-07T23:16:00.011-06:00

After a big weekend of rolling out a new show theme song, suffering through a Cowboys late-game loss and realizing the Longhorns officially got screwed by the BCS, I'm glad to welcome a new week.

So let's celebrate Monday night with the launch of a new menu item at Kona Grill in Sugar Land. They have named a dish after me - I like sushi a lot - and they are debuting it with a VIP cocktail party from 5p-7p.

The High-Tech Tuna Tartar will be sampled along with other appetizers and wine. Bring a few friends and show up on the awesome patio.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2008

2008-11-30T23:59:00.002-06:00

I've checked my list twice (actually more than a few times) and here it is! What you should be asking for, shopping for and getting this holiday season.

Along with world peace...

Saturday Shopping Show

2008-11-28T22:17:00.001-06:00

Black Friday is in full swing and Cyber Monday is a few days away. Time for hot deals but lots of questions, right? Tune in this Saturday at 11am as it will be one of our busiest days to answer questions about electronics and other products to make sure you are getting the best deals.

What is the best deal you found? Share it!

We'll talk with Leah Bird with AT&T Wireless about hot cell phones and PDAs. Also, Steve Janisse from GM will talk about the attributes of the new Saturn Vue - a great hybrid car with a nice price.One of my favorites companies, Energy Muse Jewelry, will also be spotlighted. Timmi Jandro and Heather Askinosie will talk about their special jewelry with healing properties. I've been wearing their stuff for years and their online business is growing rapidly.

TV Time Monday Morning

2008-11-23T23:42:00.004-06:00

I'll be on Great Day Houston this Monday morning sometime between 9a-10a on Channel 11. Debra Duncan is doing a "Debra's Favorite Things" show and giving a ton of products away to her audience. Hmmmm, wonder where she got that idea???

There will be 6-7 technology products I will be showing off and then throwing them out to the audiene. Some pretty good stuff in there.

I'll also be on the Friday show to talk Cyber Monday, online shopping tips, online safety, etc....

Verizon Brings On The Storm

2008-11-19T23:32:00.006-06:00

It was June 29, 2007. The day I put down my Blackberry Pearl and started my new life with the iPhone.

It wasn't easy at first. The Pearl must have been my sixth or seventh model of the Research In Motion (RIM) device. My first Blackberry was heavy, had a black-and-white screen, a clickable track wheel on the side. It was great. Wherever I went my email followed me. I lost count of the number of times I emailed contacts from the golf course, er, my office.

They got smaller, lighter and thinner over the years. Full color screens came along. A phone was added so I didn't have to carry two devices on my belt, though the Batman look did impress a few people. Gone went the track wheel in favor of a way cool track ball. What could be better?

The iPhone, for one. When the Apple device hit the market that fateful Friday in June, I was the first in line to get one (seriously, I had the first one that was sold in Houston). It was and continues to be a game changer in the world of smartphones. No keyboard, a gorgeous screen, accelerometer for automatic portrait-landscape viewing, real web pages. And, originally, an email service that "just OK" with no corporate server support.

The iPhone grew up this summer when the 3G version came out. More memory, supposedly faster wireless connection and those very cool third-party applications. Corporations started buying them as the new device finally worked with their servers. But still the email service was "just OK" - not immediate, a bit jerky and, thanks to the AT&T 3G network , sometimes slow to download.

It wasn't Blackberry email.

So while users continue to put the iPhone at the top of Mount Gadget, many neglect to include the all-important service issues, especially email usability, reliability and simplicity. I am a mobile guy and rely heavily on smartphones and I have tried most all of them. But I keep coming back to the Blackberry since email is the most important application to me.

I recently got my hands on the newest RIM family member, the Blackberry Storm, and it seems to feature the best of both worlds. The Certs of gadgets, if you will. It's two...two devices in one. The best wireless email delivery system in the world and a full-color, touchscreen that takes commands via a few swipes of your finger.

Yes, the Storm has taken some cues from the iPhone like other recent smartphones. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then Apple should be blushing red (note: if flattery = lawsuits then Apple will be seeing red).

The form factor is similar to the iPhone but I will try not to compare the two gadgets going forward as you probably know what the iPhone can do. While the Storm does have a touchscreen it also has four hard keys on the front. I find these buttons a quick way to power the device on and off, make a phone call, see the main menu and return to the previous screen.

No physical keyboard means typing letters and digits on a virtual keyboard; one that rotates from portrait to landscape modes as you turn the device. As you type a character, the 3.25" LCD screen is pressed down to assimilate the feeling of touching an actual key. RIM calls this technology SurePress. It took a few tries until I got used to the feeling but this feedback feels solid and provides assurance that a character was actually input.

When used in landscape (wide) mode a virtual QWERTY keyboard appears. As of now I favor this method as the Storm fit perfectly between my hands while my thumbs do the touching. Portrait (upright) mode finds a SureType predictive keyboard, not unlike the two-characters per button on the smaller, thinner Blackberry Pearl. This method works better for me when I want to bang out a quick email or SMS with one thumb.

The glass display is brilliant, showing 65,000 colors at a crisp 480x360-pixel resolution. You can adjust the backlighting, font size and type. This is a good point to mention the multimedia capabilities. Movies and video clips on the Storm will blow you away.

The Blackberry Storm's multimedia player can play various music and video formats, including MP3, WMA, AAC, MIDI music files, MPEG-4, WMV, and H.263 video clips. There's a search function, playlist creation, shuffle and repeat, and you get a full-screen mode for video playback. The included software CD also contains a copy of Roxio Easy Media Creator, so you can create MP3s from CDs and add audio tags.

Sound has been an issue with other smartphones as speakers tend to be small and low powered. The Storm has just one speaker in the back but believe me, it can crank. The microphone also picks up noise well from both the front and back of the device. Oh, did I not mention it takes full-motion video complete with a zoom feature?

Most every cell phone and smartphone has a built-in camera which makes it convenient to email your contacts some funny faces or your current location (check this out dude, I'm at the bar!). That's all good but these cameras have generally been grainy due to a low resolution sensor, usually 2 megapixels. The Storm is equipped with a 3.2 megapixel camera with a flash, auto focus, 2x zoom and image stabilization. With the built-in GPS you can even geotag photos.

Onto the GPS features. The wireless radios in the Storm are an integrated and assisted GPS, meaning it will use both satellites and cellular triangulation to get a fix on your position. You can use the Storm as a handheld navigator and if you subscribe to Verizon's VZ Navigator location-based service, you can get real-time turn-by-turn directions, traffic data and more.

Browsing the web has become commonplace on smartphones and surfing the Internet on the Blackberry Storm looks great thanks to the bright VGA screen. It has a full HTML browser that uses Internet Explorer or Firefox, your choice. You can navigate with your finger via pan mode or cursor mode. To select a hyperlink, just highlight the link and then click. And yes kids, there is support for streaming media, including YouTube's mobile site

The Storm also features the new BlackBerry Application Center where you can download more programs and utilities to your device. The full store is anticipated to launch next Spring but there are eight applications currently available, including Facebook, Flickr, and several IM clients.

The specs on the battery life seem impressive though I have yet to deplete my initial charge. It comes with a replaceable lithium ion battery (I repeat, REPLACEABLE) with a rated talk time of 5.5 hours and up to 15 days of standby time.

The Blackberry Storm is offered exclusively with Verizon Wireless service. The package includes a solid set of accessories, including a travel charger with various adapters, a USB cable, an 8GB microSD card, a SIM card, a wired headset, a software CD, and reference material.

And finally, the price. Verizon Wireless set the price at $199.99 with a $50 main-in rebate with a new two-year service agreement.

So what goes around, comes around. After almost a year and a half of a Blackberry-less life I am once again sending and receiving emails like a fiend on the new Storm. I suspect Crackberry addicts all over the world will clamor for the gadget and show off their new appendage with pride. But with all new technology products there comes a dilemma.

What do I do with my iPhone?

Blackberry Storm Hits U.S. Stores on November 21

2008-11-13T00:42:00.005-06:00

The secret is out. At least on this blog first.

The much-anticipated and highly teased Blackberry Storm will hit U.S. stores on Friday, November 21, according to a Verizon Wireless spokesperson I talked to yesterday.

Specs: touchscreen (no keyboard) with a tactile click response, music player, 3.2 megapixel camera, full HTML browser.

I didn't get a price point but Internet rumors place it around $225 with a two-year service plan from VZW. I'm expecting my sneak preview demo review unit any day now so keep checking back.

UPDATE: Confirmed. Just received an official press release.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – The BlackBerry® Storm™ (model 9530) from Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) – the first touch screen BlackBerry smartphone with the world’s first “clickable” touch screen – will be available beginning Nov. 21 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at http://www.verizonwireless.com/ for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.

More Fill-In For Joe Pags Thursday

2008-11-13T00:29:00.004-06:00

Joe Pags is taking another day off from his afternoon drive time show on The 9-5-0 this Thursday. And back by popular demand to kill, er fill, time from 3p-5p....MOI!

I sat in for Pags on Monday and my originally planned topic of new technology in the Obama administration didn't sit too well with the right-leaning, conservative, red blooded, Republicans who mostly listen to the station. Maybe this time I will just read the comics aloud.

Any local and topical suggestions are welcome. UTMB laying off so many people? Does anyone realize the Latin Grammy's are here in our town? Why is still so freakin' humid in November? TALK TO ME, PEOPLE!

And stand by for my annual High-Tech Texan Holiday Gift Guide. Just a few more days and I will publish my selections for the hottest (and coolest) gift this holiday season. Is there an iPhone killer? Will there be a laptop AND desktop computer in the list year? And what in the world would I suggest with a price tag of $24,000?

Send me any of your last-minute fave suggestions.

Monday Drive-time Radio

2008-11-10T08:42:00.002-06:00

Oh, I remember this blog thing. Anyone still out there reading this? That's cool, as long you are listening to me on The 9-5-0, KTRH, etc...

Since you're here...I'll be sitting in for Joe Pags today during his 3p-5p show on The 9-5-0. Pags, I believe, yaps a little about politics and other boring things so I'll try to spice your afternoon up a bit.

Feel free to send topic ideas.

Radio Show Late Today - Tune In!

2008-10-25T13:44:00.004-05:00

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are killin' me with their 11am gametime starts. The 9-5-0 airs their football games which means my normal 11a-2p show gets pushed back to a later start.

So tune in Saturday from 4p-6p as we go live with a slew of informative things. Fake iPods are being sold across Houston and the HPD have seized a few culprits. I commented on Channel 11's story (by Jeff McShan) Thursday night and will talk about spotting fake electronic gear.

T-Mobile launched the first Google-powered cell phone this week. It's an alternative to the iPhone and other smartphones. Call me if you have one so we can hear a p-by-p on the gadget.

Don't want to receive text messages from a certain person. Or would you like to monitor all the texts going to your kids' (or your spouse's/employee's) phones. TextGuard has a new software that lets you block or monitor text messages and it could be a bit controversial with the big brother-type thang.

And guess who is getting a new laptop this week? The HP Mini Note 2133 is coming my way. Tune in for a goodbye party and salute to my old Tablet PC.

Radio Show on late today - 4p-6p

2008-10-18T12:27:00.001-05:00

Tune in, if I still have a voice!

The 9-5-0. www.the950.com

A Breathalyzer For Your Email

2008-10-09T13:16:00.006-05:00

Yep, that's what I called the new Mail Goggles on KTRH this morning. It was an early live interview and I was trying to give an analogy of what this new Gmail feature does. I think people understood what I meant from the immediate texts and emails I received.

Comments like "I can be the Designated Mathematician" came in fast and furious. So fast, in fact, my guess is that these emailers were not alcohol impaired and didn't have to go through the extra steps of sending the emails using Mail Goggles.

No more drunk emailing, people. Here's the new trick: You're going have to answer a few math questions before you shoot your ex a "guess what I'm doing right now?" blast. Once you set it up in Gmail's Accounts tab, it will require you to answer a series of math problems before being able to send a message.

By default, the program activates on Friday and Saturday nights, though you can customize it for any day or time you might need a watchful eye. You can also set the difficulty level to control how hard the problems will be (1 = a wine cooler with dinner; 10 = eight tequila shots and several number of rum-based chasers).

The feature could prevent plenty of next morning regrets from random girls met in bars ("Who the hell is Joe, and why did he e-mail me at 3 a.m. saying, 'hey u want to hokup tonqiegt/?'").

Mail Goggles is nothing more than a gimmick, something fun you'll use three or four times before growing tired of it -- but for anybody who takes it halfway seriously, there are too many ways around it. Its biggest flaw is that the Goggles don't exist on mobile browsers. And when do we do the most drunk texting, e-mailing, and dialing? Coming home from the bar, that's when.

All that's left is for someone to invent the text messaging equivalent, and the modern day booty call will forever be silenced. Translation for the ladies: Prepare to start getting a lot more post-midnight voicemails.

Remember, a late-night "Reply All" is a dangerous thing. Nothing good ever happens if you hit Reply All after 11pm. And Mail Goggles is here for us now. Friends don't let friends email drunk. Thanks Google.

P.S. Note to genius Google guys. If we don't know the square root of 1369 all we need to do is GOOGLE the answer. Now go figure out how to get around that.

Media Helping Ike Survivors

2008-09-18T16:15:00.004-05:00

I don't want to toot the horn for all of the local media who have been working non-stop since last week covering Ike. It is our job to work, cover and report on things especially during times of crisis.

The KTRH newsroom has been in constant motion all week as have TV and print newsrooms, news trucks, satellites, printing presses, delivery drivers and more. I've seen and heard some great coverage from all media outlets that disect the power outage, PODs, insurance tips and on and on. Expect round-the-clock coverage through the weekend.

Here is one of the more interesting instances of the media helping people one-by-one. Channel 2 had its chief meterologist Frank Billingsley fly over the Galveston in a chopper as he took calls from residents wanting to see their homes (or what is left of their homes). Nice job, Frank.

Local Residents Tempering Ike's Aftermath

2008-09-16T12:49:00.004-05:00

I remember sitting in the KTRH and KPRC anchor chairs in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina and Rita. It was my job to talk with people on air and disperse information. I also got an earful of hate from listeners who were not happy with local and federal government response.

Fast forward three years later and my stint in the KTRH anchor chair last night was vastly different. The lines were full of callers but this time the attitudes seemed to be much better for the most part. Instead of spewing bile towards the mayor, president, FEMA, God and anyone else who could be blamed, the listeners I spoke with seemed to be thankful and realized that things would soon return to normal.

We reported that 69% of local residents were without power last night and still the callers let me know that they understood the mighty task that Centerpoint is going through. Many offered tips on boiling water, washing dishes and sharing generators and refrigerators with neighbors.

Maybe we can all get along.

I will be hosting NewsRadio 740 KTRH in-depth team coverage of Hurricane Ike tonight again from 10p-Midnight. Give me a call to share your stories or tips - (713)212-KTRH.

I will also appear and take calls on Great Day Houston tomorrow during their special live afternoon show from 3p-4p. KHOU-TV, Channel 11.

I should be in studio for my regular Saturday "High-Tech Texan Show" on The 9-5-0 from 11a-2p and then back in the KTRH anchor chair that evening from 7p-9p. Hang in there H-Town and stay classy (and cool).

Anchoring KTRH Monday and Tuesday Night

2008-09-15T20:37:00.004-05:00

Been monitoring the electricity situation (or lack thereof) and slowly but surely Houston is coming back online. We have been hosting family members at the Garfield Hilton since our power has been on since Sunday afternoon. Air conditioning, cold beer and Cowboys on MNF - doesn't get much better.

Sadly I have to leave home around halftime and head up to the Galleria area. Our program director at KTRH asked to me fill in from 10p-midnight tonight and Tuesday to help anchor more post-Ike coverage. Taking one for the team I made sure the TV was working in the studio so I can keep an eye on Tony Romo and company.

Log on and listen live and give me a call in studio to alk about your Ike experience, local and national government response or even to vent.

I'm hoping to dodge all the cops on the Southwest Freeway since I'll be breaking curfew.

I'm Still Standing

2008-09-13T09:14:00.004-05:00

As the morning light rises outside most all of Houston homes remain dark. The center of Ike is now near Huntsville but the outer bands are swirling across the southeast and central part of the state.

Our power in Ft. Bend went down at 1:50am and remains off. I have a a few small power converters and inverters that I can run small appliances on like laptops and a portable computer. Its times like these that will serve lessons to people to think about battery backup, wireless data cards and more in case of emergencies.

While the wind and rained howled for several straight hours all night we surprisingly came out well. No trees came down, no windows broken or water leakage but we still have a few hours to go before Ike totally leaves the area. If the worse thing that happens is a power outtage then we all can take a big, deep breath.

It's interesting to watch my kids figure out what to do with no electricity. No TV, computer, video games. I'm going to start calling them Gilligan, Skipper and Professor. I haven't yet told them I charged the portable DVD players - I'll wait until they are almost stir crazy.

One key concern that such emergencies will cause in the future...many people are now watching local TV on small, handheld TVs like I am. Come next February when the FCC shuts down over the air analog signals none of these TVs will work.

Radio continues to be king. ;)

Still Waiting For Rain In Ft. Bend County

2008-09-12T20:34:00.005-05:00

How cool would it be for a false alarm? I'll take it along with all of the jokes of media hype and no realization of a hurricane. But I know it is coming.

Power is still here so I've got Internet access at home. Powered down my computers and unplugged them along with all but one TV. Working on my laptop and WiFi now. Trying to find one of my 8 HBO channels that is showing "Entourage" so I can keep my mind off this Ike coverage.

Had a few rain drops around 3pm but nothing but wind in Sugar Land/Missouri City. The kids are surprisingly not stir carzy yet despite me unplugging the Xbox, Wii and PS3. Trying to teach them what a board game is. Helloooo?? Monopoly? Sorry? Life? Welcome to the 70's.

Getting a lot of updates and weather maps online right now. I can't tell you how impressed I am with FaceBook - I am such a fanboy now. I am updating that more frequently than blogs. Social networking is officially here and FACEBOOK is its name. Forget MySpace, Twitter and everything else. This is the here and now.

Late Afternoon Update

2008-09-12T17:42:00.003-05:00

I'd like to say we are bunkered down in Ft. Bend but it is more like liquored down. A small contingent of Garfield friends came over this afternoon to watch Ike coverage, play Rockband, Madden '09 and toast the day off.

Not much going out here weatherwise. Saw a few rain drops around 3pm but nothing big. I'd like to ask if something - ANYTHING - is coming but I know we are a few hours away from hell leashing its ugly face on us.

Tired of watching the local non-stop TV coverage I have to once again give a big shout out to Slingbox. This is the only way to keep sane if you are a TV fan. It's actually a device to allow you to tap in to your home TV set. You can view and control your local cable/sat box but if you have a friend who lives in another market who has a Slingbox....BAM! You can watch other TV shows in another market.

Thanks for my friend and former KPRC-TC weatherman Wes Hohenstein for letting me tap into his Slingbox in Raleigh, NC. I now am watching the national network newscasts (Ann Curry sitting in for Brian Willams on NBC). Even better news...if we have power and an Internet connection Saturday night I will be able to watch the USC-Ohio State game via Slingbox instead of ABC 13's local non-stop news coverage.

BTW, Charlie Gibson's interview with Sarah Polin was strong (sorry Houston viewers who could not see the ABC World News Tonight feed).

Back to the bar...

T-Minus 10 Hours Or So

2008-09-12T13:33:00.004-05:00

Ike continues to wreak havoc on Galveston Island. Woke up this morning to see streets already underwater. My home in Ft. Bend County is looking good for gulf coast property after this storm.

Media coverage continues everywhere you turn including the Web. As long as you have power and an Internet connection keep your eye on several websites. StormPulse seems to have the best graphics and no hype. But this site blew me away. Perfect for ADHD people but you literally have your eyes on TV coverage from KTRK, KHOU, KPRC, FOX 26 and two radar/satellite images.

Now that you have hopefully secured your home, pets, kids and stocked up on supplies you have a few hours to shore up a few more things including your technology equipment. I've been on NewsRadio 740 KTRH several times today making sure people and businesses heed these tips:

CHARGE, CHARGE, CHARGE your cell phones and laptop computers. If you have spare batteries for these gadgets charge them too. I am also charging our portable DVD players so the kids have something to watch in case the power is out for a while.
BACK UP your important computer files including photos, music, financial information, and passwords. If you don't have an external hard drive then burn the info onto CDs or DVDs or quickly transfer them onto a thumb drive.
If you do have a hard drive, power it down and unplug it from your machine. Keep the drive in a safe place with you. CPUs and monitors can always be replaced but that data is vital. You will be able to connect that drive to any computer and be able to use it.
If computers, servers, TVs or other heavy equipment are laying on floors or near windows, move them away. Wrap them up in plastic or blankets and put them on a higher floor or atleast on a raised table or bed.
Unplug every electronic appliance. Just because a device is not turned on does not mean it is safe from a power surge. If lighting strikes or the power jumps, many appliances can get fried. Surge protectors are good but be safer by unplugging them and moving the power cord away from the outlet.
If water does damage your gear make sure it dried out completely before plugging it back in. It could take several days for some things to dry out. If water rises above your electricity outlets make sure to have an electrician check out the system before plugging anything back in.

Also if you are having trouble connecting calls via cell phone, try texting. Texting uses less data to go through the network and you will know if a message was sent or had trouble going through.

Hunker down and stay dry!

BREAKING...Texans Now Play TWO Monday Night Games This Season

2008-09-11T18:02:00.004-05:00

The Texans were scheduled to play their first Monday night football game in their history on Dec. 1 vs. the Jaguars. That game will now be their SECOND Monday night game.

Due to Hurricane Ike the Texans just announced that this Sunday's game vs. the Baltimore Ravens has been moved to Monday at 7:30pm.

Y(IKE)S!!! The Sky Is Falling

2008-09-11T17:39:00.009-05:00

I must say my brethren in the local electronic media have been doing a bit better with Hurricane Ike coverage than with past storms. I didn't sense as much hype and hysteria - at least earlier this week - as they, er WE, have done in the past.

But as of yesterday afternoon, GAME IS ON! KPRC, KTRK and KHOU all scrapped the national morning show feeds today and I just noticed they shook off the nightly national news from their affiliate HQs. It's all local all the time now. Let's just hope this thing blows over (and we still have power) by Sunday so they don't pre-empt any NFL games.

If you've ever wondered what it's like for reporters to cover a major storm, take a look at some of these iPhone-snapped photos from this afternoon. I was at our Clear Channel radio offices on the West Loop as our folks prepped for round-the-clock coverage, at least on NewsRadio 740 KTRH. Though our studios are on the 5th floor there are no chances being taken.

Plywood was laying in the hallway ready to board up the double-paned windows in case of breakage. Mattresses, blankets and cots were folded up waiting for reporters, anchors and producers to use them for catnaps over the weekend.

And let's not forget food and drink. Charlie Pena, the longtime office manager, made a Sam's run early Thursday and came back with a truckload of supplies to satisfy even J.P. Pritchard. Chips, salsa, cookies, water, soda and almost every other carbohydrate you can imagine is piled high in the several kitchens throughout the office. And if you can't find any batteries in the city, that's because they are all here.

Programming changes have already come down from the Big Wigs. All regular Saturday programming on KPRC is cancelled for continuing weather coverage. That means my show will not be heard this weekend. Ironically, Mayor White was scheduled to be my first guest to talk about Monday's NSTA State of the City Technology Forum which I had planned to emcee. That event was just now rescheduled for Monday, Oct. 6. I got a call from the mayor's office this afternoon with an apology for him being a bit preoccupied this weekend. No prob, Bill. You go guy!

I am on standby to go in to the studio to help anchor coverage and listener response on KPRC and KTRH but we should return to our regular show next Saturday, September, 20.

Buckle up people and be safe.

New iPods, iTunes and Jobs...Thin Is In

2008-09-09T20:57:00.011-05:00

Steve Jobs unveiled "the thinnest nano we've ever made" while looking as thin as he's ever been. The Apple Chairman (shall we call him the Core?) recently battled pancreatic cancer and was rumored to have died recently.

Borrowing a line from Mark Twain, Jobs appeared on stage in San Francisco today with a message screen behind him reading "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

Jobs may be alive but Wall Street threw some dirt on Apple's stock price - down $6.13, or 3.9 percent, to $151.79 in afternoon trading.

The announcements (which many Internet sites correctly predicted):

Two new nanos - longer, sleeker, thinner than previous models with a bigger screen and almost oval-shaped. Like the iPhone and iPod Touch these come with an accelerometer allowing for portrait or landscape viewing with a twist of the wrist. An 8GB model (which holds approximately 2,000 songs) will retail for $149 and a 16GB (approximately 4,000 songs) will be priced at $199.

Three new models of the iPod Touch which is much like an iPhone except that it doesn't make calls. An 8GB version of the new model will sell for $229; a 16GB Touch will be $299 and a 32GB model will be $399. Interesting to note that the biggest capacity a current iPhone has is 16GB.

A new version of iTunes. Lucky number 8 can be downloaded now with a new look and a new feature or two. The most notable being a Musical Genius. No, they didn't squueze Stevie Wonder or David Byrne in there. Play a song, click the Genius button, and iTunes creates a playlist of other songs from your library that sound similar. In a classic upsell move the Genius also suggests similar songs you can download from iTunes. HD videos can now be had for $2.99. Those can be viewed on iPods and also streamed to TV sets. Apple also buried the hatchet with NBC so its network shows can be downloaded.

More new iPhone software and it better be good. It's no secret that I am not nearly in love with my 3G as I was with my 1st gen iPhone. Slow, buggy, too many resets. An update to the new iPhone software is coming within a few days that supposedly fixes dropped calls, long sync times and other glitches. It's free to iPhone and Touch owners who currently are using version 2.o.

Bottom line from today's announcements...thin is in. Just look at Jobs.

Listeners Weigh-In On Comcast Internet Capping

2008-09-07T15:48:00.013-05:00

I threw out a topic on my show that I figured would get some listener response but I didn't figure how hot it would be.

We're talking about the Comcast announcement to cap Internet downloads beginning on October 1. Though the 250GB monthly limit should not affect most users it is already causing unease and havoc with some current customers.

Local Comcast customers have not been officially notified of this new policy nor the penalties if they exceed the limit which had people calling in to my show to complain why one of the world's largest communication companies has yet to communicate this to them. (We now know the penalties including a one-year termination. See below.)

My big beef is not so much about the cap nor the lack of customer communication. I can only assume this announcement will be forthcoming in the next billing statement. My issue is that there is no metering tool to let customers know how much data they have downloaded and how far away they are from reaching the 250GB cap.

If Comcast wants to meter its customers then give them a tool to monitor where they stand. As I repeatedly said on my show, if cell phone providers can tell us how many minutes have been used each month and water and electric providers have meters to show usage, ISPs need to have real-time (or near real-time) meters to make users aware of their download data.

Tech blogger Om Malik rants on even more concerns:

If you’re going to meter, then please let us know how you are factoring in the overhead associated with TCP/IP. Will this be included or excluded in the cap? After all, overhead includes control messages (session control, packet headers) and this can be as high as 40 percent.

This is where FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has to step up and do something. If he is going to allow Comcast to put caps in place, then the FCC needs a firm bond from Comcast saying that they wouldn’t lower the caps to, say, 150 GB or 100 GB using the same lame excuse of 1 percent people degrading the network.

I received several emails after my show with suggestions like third-party download meters. I also got a call from a Time Warner Cable technician in Beaumont who knows about Internet capping first-hand. TWC began capping customer downloads a few months ago (with a max of "only" 40GB per month). He said he initially heard many customer complaints but things have quieted down a bit.

A local Comcast technician sent me an email complete with this internal memo circulating the company with Q&A on the subject:

This e-mail provides talking points to be used when addressing questions from customers regarding the recent decision by Comcast to establish a specific monthly data usage threshold of 250 GB per month per account. Please read the attachment for answers to FAQs or click this link, http://help.comcast.net/content/faq/Frequently-Asked-Questions-about-Excessive-Use.

Comcast Statement on Amended Acceptable Use Policy Source: Michael Bybee, Manager, Public Relations Thursday, September 04, 2008 "We have been considering establishing a monthly data usage threshold as part of our Acceptable Use Policy for quite some time. Last week, we announced that, beginning on October 1, 2008, we will amend our Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and establish a specific monthly data usage threshold of 250 GB/month per account for all residential customers.

The monthly data usage threshold will have absolutely no impact on 99% of our customers because their usage doesn't even come close to 250 GB in a month. The current median monthly data usage by our residential customers is approximately 2 - 3 GB." Comcast maintains an excessive use program to provide a high-quality online service for all of our customers because extremely high-data users can negatively impact the experience for our other customers.

Our inclusion of a 250 GB data usage threshold is something we have been considering for quite some time and it should not come as a surprise, as it had been widely covered by the press and on various blogs late last year and this past May. Comcast's overall policy on excessive use of our service remains the same-the only thing that will change is that we will provide a specific monthly threshold beginning in October of this year.

250 GB/month is a large amount of data, much more than a typical residential customer uses. Currently, the median monthly data usage by our residential customers is approximately 2 - 3 GB. For those that exceed the monthly data usage threshold, we may notify them that they have gone above 250 GB and ask that they modify their online behavior. If they hear from us that they have surpassed 250 GB-and they are among the heaviest of users for a second time within a six-month timeframe-their service will be subject to termination for one year.

We are taking a number of steps to notify our customers: We have posted a preview in PDF format of the amended AUP on our Network Management page as well as an overview and a link to updated FAQs(http://help.comcast.net/content/faq/Frequently-Asked-Questions-about-Excessive-Use.) We are also running banners on our Comcast.net portal as well as on our Security Channel Web page directing customers to the Network Management Web page. In addition, we will be sending customers a bill stuffer notification that the amended AUP will officially go into effect on October 1st.

No doubt this topic will continue to boil up as we approach the October 1 date. Feel free to weigh-in your own opinion below.

Google Fires A Shot Across The Browsers

2008-09-02T22:07:00.010-05:00

When Google launches a new product not only do computer users flock to the (generally) free and easy-to-use features, it keeps other companies on its toes to stay ahead or try to catch up. Google's latest release is a new foray into fierce competitive waters - the Internet browser.

If Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari weren't enough for you (apologies for not caring about Opera and a few other small ones), meet Google Chrome. It was introduced to the world today as a beta project but then again I think Google itself is still in beta.

The big claim from Google is that Chrome will be a faster browser than others. Why is fast important to the Big G? Faster surfing could equate to money, money and more money that Google seems to make so well. According to CNET.com:

Google benefits materially from fast performance. First, when it comes to search, Google discovered when its search page loads fractionally faster, users search more often, which of course leads to more opportunities for Google to place its highly lucrative text ads. Second, a faster Web application foundation means that Google's online applications for e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets, and calendars can become faster and fuller-featured.

As far as the product itself I had to wait a bit for the download most likely because half the world's population tried to download it simultaneously. Once installed I did notice a bit peppier website delivery but it still lacks several features I am used to with IE7. RSS would be nice but no doubt should be added in the next release. Give us a way to manage bookmarks and we'll find it more useful. While you're at it G, how about button for emailing links and pages directly from the browser and a progress bar to show how much of a Web page has loaded.

The fun stuff is definitely here, though. Chrome includes Gears, which means you can download desktop icons for several Google apps. Gmail, Reader, and Picasa were downloaded and launched from the desktop. As expected, if already signed in to Google with your account, they launched and started instantly.

One of the reasons Chrome is so speedy is inherent in the same way Google is the fastest and most widely used search engine..the sparsity of its interface (take a glance at Google and then at Yahoo!). There is not much clutter on the home page including the lack of a toolbar. The only toolbar button you can add is a Home button.

As I stated above, Google's new release means other companies are sweating a bit. The timing probably was not a coincidence as Microsoft just released the beta of its new browser, Internet Explorer 8. One thing they both have in common is that they don't work on Macs, at least yet for Chrome. Google is working on that version.

I'm still playing with all these browsers and my opinion will be different than yours. So tell us more about your fave and least liked browser.

Back from Belize

2008-09-02T12:54:00.006-05:00

We didn't want to leave but we had to. Our live radio broadcast from Journey's End and Las Terrazas resorts in Belize was a blast and we hope you tuned in to learn about this fun country and all the amazing things to do.

I'll have a full recap soon but take a look at some of our pics and feel free to relive the experience by downloading the podcast. Thanks also to Continental Airlines for the quickest two hour flight I've ever been on. The Tropic Air island hopper from Belize City was an experience in and of itself but if not for them we would not have made it to Ambergris Caye.

And if you want to take advantage of their special offer for The 9-5-0 listeners, here are the details:

Enjoy Journey's End Resort now through Dec. 18, 2008, for $125 a night. Reservations and information: 800-460-5665

Las Terrazas condos and villas now through Dec. 18, 2008, for just $175 a night: 800-447-1553

Saturday Show from Belize

2008-08-30T01:37:00.006-05:00

This place is unBelizable! Been here since Thursday and no sign of Gustav. We have met Captain Morgan, though. Jack Daniels and Jim Beam have taken a back seat to the locals here.

Me and a few guys (Turtle, E, Drama) are the guests of Journey's End and Las Terrazas resorts on the beautiful Ambergris Caye, an island just off the east coast of the Belize mainland. Thanks to technology including phone lines and the Internet, my show will air from here on Saturday at our usual time, 11a-2p CDT. We are one hour behind Houston time which means we can hit the water just after 1pm local.

This is truly a relaxing destination with white sand, a small town feel and crystal blue-green water being the major transportation up and down the caye. It was a short 2 hour flight on Continental Airlines - right on time, as usual. A 15 minute island hopper flight on Tropic Air put us in the heart of San Pedro on the caye. Then it was a water taxi to the resort.

You'll learn more about the country and the resorts during the show. Try to be near a computer to log on and watch our regular videoconference to see the sweet sights. I'll try to keep the microphone away from the infinity pool; that's lesson number one when broadcasting a radio show.

No worries about the tech aspect of the show. A rep from HP will call in to talk about several new lines of business and consumer notebooks including back-to-school gadgets. And we may have to touch on high-tech travel and leisure gear like SCUBA diving computers, how to stay connected internationally and GPS units to track your travels.

It's all gooooood down here, Belize it or not.

Saturday Show Topics

2008-08-22T22:43:00.006-05:00

Between Las Vegas last week and Belize next week, I plan to actually do my show from The 9-5-0 studio tomorrow for a change. Wonder if my producer JoAnne will recognize me?

It will be similar to a three-ring circus with in-studio and phone interviews. First up is Don Rabalais from CORESTAFF. I've got some qusetions about the current status and future of IT jobs in Houston; hopefully Don has answers.

Energizer just came out with a new battery called Advanced Lithium. Why do we care? It alledgedly last 20 hours longer than the Energizer MAX battery and weighs 33% less than standard alkaline batteries. That could good news for wireless gaming controllers like the Wiimote and the guitar from RockBand. An Energizer VP will call in around 12:40pm to discuss and we should have some of the batteries to give away over the coming weeks.

And for all you home media wanna-be's check in just after 1pm when the folks from Aveon come in. They recently installed a Control 4 system in my home media center which allows for single remote control access for several different functions including home security and thermostats.

Rumor has it that a local restaurant is bringing in some food to put some meat back on my bones. I'm sure it will be good but I worked hard at dropping nearly 30 pounds and am in no hurry to put it back on.

Make sure to hit our live videoconference to join in the fun.

iPhone Updates & Houston WiFi News

2008-08-20T18:05:00.003-05:00

While I was sweating it out in 107 degree weather in Las Vegas over the weekend (okay, I was in the pool and inside air-conditioned casinos most of the time), the national and local technology world continued to progress.

We knew last month that Discovery Green was lit up with a free WiFi signal and the City of Houston formally announced the service and launched a landing page earlier this week. It is being called a pilot program which could mean more free wireless spots may pop up around the city but we do know that a city-wide signal will not be coming soon.

The web site looks pretty clean and provides information about downtown hotspots. I would suggest using a laptop to find the locations as the cool-looking Flash map can't be viewed on the iPhone and other mobile devices.

Speaking of the iPhone, I continue to have issues with my 3G version. I am having many second thoughts about selling my original version as this 3G seems to be slow and sluggish. Apple released a new software update today (v2.0.2) and I now have to go in and reinstall my email settings.

Did I mention the battery life sucks? Who wants to buy my iPhone? The Blackberry is looking better all the time.

Selling Your Old iPhone

2008-08-12T22:06:00.009-05:00

The new iPhone 3G has been out for over one month and selling pretty well, I might add. Every time I pass an Apple store I see a line of about a dozen people waiting to get one and the regional AT&T stores have been sold out since the first weekend they went on sale.

A lot of the people buying the new devices were owners of the original (1st gen) model that was released in June 2007. Some of these owners are still baffled about what to do with their original device now that they have the new 3G model.

The folks at Newsradio 740 KTRH asked me to comment on ideas of what to do with your old iPhone. I'll speak with J.P. and Lana this Wednesday morning at 7:30am but here some quick tips and links:
Give it away (I'd rather have the cash)

Sell it (that's what I did with mine)

Jailbreak it (kind of tricky but it can be "unlocked" to use on another network)

Turn it into an iPod Touch (kill the cell/data service

A quick check of eBay found over 53,000 iPhone-related items. First gen iPhones range from about $250 up to $500 for unlocked versions. If you are not a fan of eBay there are other options to sell the device online. NF Technology Services will buy it from you (and other Apple products). Gazelle is another service that will buy your used iPhone and other gadgets

What did you do with your old iPhone?

Free ZoneAlarm Download Today Only

2008-08-12T11:42:00.002-05:00

Once a year the generous programmers and marketers at Checkpoint Software offer a free download of its ZoneAlarm program. And today's the day!

From 5am CDT today through 5am CDT tomorrow, you can download a copy of Zone Alarm ForceField. It's a virtual browser which means it creates a clone of your browser. According Zone Alarm, "every time you visit a website, open a new page, or download a file, everything that could attack you or your PC goes to that clone. That way, if any threats do penetrate your defenses, only the temporary clone is infected. Not your computer.
You and your PC remain protected, immune to attacks."

Browser threats have become prevalent recently with issues like keyloggers and phishers adding to the omnipresent spyware.

ForceField normally sells for $29.95 on the website so start downloading now. Each license is for 1 year in 1 PC.

Olympic Technology

2008-08-11T22:28:00.005-05:00

I was pretty impressed with the Opening Cermonies at the Beijing Olympics on Friday. Don't think there wasn't technology involved in making Li Ning "walk" across the Bird's Nest stadium to light the Olympic caldron. And how about that LED scroll that magically moved on the stadium floor? Cool and expensive stuff.

Technology seems to be a big topic at the XXIX Summer Olympics and no more so that a specific piece of equipment that can most certainly provide athletes an edge. And it is approved by all the sanctioning bodies. Any guesses?

The Speedo LZR Racer suit. According to Reuters, 22 of 2 swimmers who medaled in the games as of Monday morning wore a Speedo suit. Has any one company in modern times had so much dominance in a sport? I doubt it. At this pace, the Speedo brand is going to put some of its competitors out of business. Speedo commands about 60% of the swim apparel business with Tyr at about 20% and Nike with approxiomately 8%.

It's hard to explain the technology behind the suit but several swimmers were given permission by their swim apparel sponsors to wear the Speedo brand during the Olympics. It's tough to find a better endorsement than that.

And speaking of swimming, U.S. multi-gold medalist Michael Phelps now has eight gold medals to his name and three for this Olympiad. The bad news? He's not allowed to have any more friends.

On Friday, the day of the Opening Ceremony, Phelps reached the limit on his Facebook page of 5,000 friends. More than 1,600 come from the University of Michigan, where Phelps goes to school, almost 200 come from New York and about 170 friends come from Baltimore, his hometown.

But I'll still be your friend.

Busy Saturday, August 9

2008-08-08T21:48:00.008-05:00

Back in H-Town after a stint and live broadcast from the Left Coast. While playing Mr. Mom to the kids this weekend...

...busy radio show on Sat from 11a-2p CDT (12a-3a Sunday - China). Interviews with a rep from the Wi-Fi Alliance about new Internet access on airlines, live BarCamp 3 updates from the Houston Technology Center and a great local cause called Wreaths Across America, to name a few.

Plus plenty of suggestions and questions to be answered about back-to-school tech gear.

Next week we come live from Las Vegas and on August 30 we will be doing the show from beautiful Belize. Make sure to tune in and log on the videoconference as we broadcast from Las Terrazas and Journey's End resorts. Can't wait to hop that Continental Airlines flight about 2.5 hours south for scuba, sun and fun.

Later that night I'll be emceeing the Sugar Land Superstart finale from Sugar Land Town Square. Come out and watch me do my best (better) impersonation of Ryan Seacrest as we find the most talented singer in Ft. Bend County. Afterwards I'll be hanging out at Olive's Martini Bar and Grille for - and I'm not kidding - the new High-Techtini they just added to the menu.

And on Sunday he rested...

FOX 26 Website Goes High-Tech

2008-08-04T21:57:00.006-05:00

For a local TV station that had a horrible website for such a long time, I've got to give props to Fox 26 (KRIV) for pushing the envelope with new features on their website and newly launched beta site.

As southeast Texas prepares for Tropical Storm Edouard, the Fox 26 beta site is multitasking with live streaming video of its 9pm newscast, animated satellite images of the gulf, links to radar in 18 surrounding counties plus webcams from Galveston, Kemah, Corpus Christi and other locales.

An interesting feature is that the live newscast feed from the studio continues to roll during on-air commercial breaks. It's always fun to learn what goes on behind the cameras when anchors are not on but someone should tell Melissa Wilson not to brush her hair so much and watch the chatter on her personal life. But this is an experiment in progress.

I'm still trying to figure out the usefulness of the chat feature. Users can log on and type messages to each other. The chatter I noticed centered around the newscast and the doomsday forecast. A lot of mocking going on but what else do they have to do as they stock up on water and tuna? If you hang around the web page for a while make sure to mute the sound on the chat feature as each message posted has an accompanying noise. The messages were coming fast and furious and that noise drove me crazy.

Shakin' in CA

2008-07-29T21:53:00.006-05:00

Whilst on vacation in SoCal I had promised not to check in too often with blogs. But at 11:42am this morning the Earth kind of changed my mind.

EARTHQUAKE! My family and I are in the Newport Beach area. Orange County (The OC, as they say). About 35 miles south of the epicenter from today's 5.4 magnitude earthquake that rocked the Southern California area.

We've been coming out here almost every summer for the past 14 years and I've often wondered if we would ever get lucky (is that the word I'm looking for?) of getting rattled in a quake. At some point, I figured, the numbers would catch up and this morning they did.

I had been awake for several hours already, did my morning run of about 7 miles, had a bagel and was getting ready to hit the beach. Wanting to grab all the sun I could I decided to shave. As I was slowly dragging the razor across my face - and with all the luck and hilarity of an Airplane! II: The Sequel movie - the house started to sway to and fro.

At first I thought it was the young lady in the garage apartment above us moving some furniture but I quickly remembered she had gone to work earlier in the morning. I quickly realized it must be an earthquake. The floor started to move in the same direction and at that point I turned around and quickly walked out to the living room to check on the kids.

They were still watching Nickelodeon and didn't realize what was happening. I told them to come outside with me quickly as I noticed the lamp hanging over the dining room table swaying.

As quickly as we realized the earth was moving it had stopped. Several of the homeowners across the street peeked out their doors and windows to ask the same question we all wanted to know. Was that an earthquake?

It had only lasted about 10-15 seconds and contrary to what you normally hear it did not seem to last longer. It was quick and it was relatively calm. The motion did not seem to roll the ground in several different directions, just a smooth motion forward and backward. Nothing fell from the shelves in the house nor was there panic in the streets or dogs and cats living together. Only in the movies.

We went back in the house and I changed the channel from SpongeBob Squarepants to the local news. If you think we go crazy covering a hurricane in Houston then this was teh equivalent of a typhoon and tsunami hitting Galveston. There are many more local TV stations in the LA area and every one of them had choppers in the air, seismopgraphs popping up on screen and earthquake experts monitoring aftershocks.

The last tally I heard was 24 aftershocks within a few hours of the quake with two registering at least 3.0 in magnitude.

Within 25 minutes I received a cell phone text alert from KTRH about the earthquake. I called our newsroom and gave a quick report that aired shortly after. I plan to talk live with JP and Lana Wednesday morning at 8am CST.

Realizing this wasn't the Fred Sanford quake (the BIG ONE, Elizabeth!) I gathered up the fam and hit the beach. The lifeguards in Laguna said they felt their beach stand shake for a few seconds but saw no injuries.

It's kind of funny watching the news reports as the day progressed. While we in the Houston media seemingly enjoy warning (dire I say scaring) viewers and listeners with pre-Hurricane reports, it is the exact opposite with quakes in California. Reporters are busy telling us that while most everything was OK, California "dodged a bullet" but this was just an inkling of things to come over the next decade.

Maybe we'll be here again when Sanford goes to that big junkyard in the sky.

Week Off

2008-07-25T23:00:00.002-05:00

Not much news other than the iPhone having hiccups, Steve Jobs looking deathly ill, Gateway ending direct PC sales and the FCC approving the Sirius-XM merger. So I'm taking a little time off to hit the left coast.

Saturday's show will be what we call a "Best Of" show (an oxymoron if you've ever heard one) but I will be back live from SoCal on August 2.

I may try to blog but I don't want to get suntan oil on the keyboard.

When Will iPhones Arrive At A Store Near You?

2008-07-18T22:21:00.004-05:00

We've got a doozie of a show lined up on Saturday with a handful of guests to entertain and inform you. That's actually a little radio trick when you don't feel like preppin' and answering live questions.

I spent almost an entire week with hypermiling expert Dan Bryant so it is appropriate we begin with a recap of our Hybrid Tour of Texas. Dan was able to average 68.5 MPG during our 5-city jaunt between Houston, Corpus, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas. He's got lots of tips for you.

We took a lot of photos on the trip and an executive with RocketLife will join me to discuss ways of creating photo albums by uploading pictures and designing the look of a printable book. Perfect timing for your summer vacation memories.

I hung out Friday at the new AT&T Store in Town & Country Mall. No less than a dozen people stopped in to see if they had the new iPhone in stock. Nope. In fact every AT&T Store in southeast Texas is completely sold out of the new gadget. But here is a secret page on Apple's
website to learn when Apple stores will receive their next shipments.

890 Miles and Back; See You at AT&T Store on Friday - iPhones?

2008-07-17T23:25:00.003-05:00

Just got back from a 5 day, 5 city drive across this great state of ours. If you were not following along take a look back at how I and a hypermiler cruised almost 900 miles all to prove the point that driving a hybrid car and using hypermiling tips can save a ton of gas.

And, yes, Dan Bryant made it the entire way on ONE TANK of gas. Stay tuned for war stories we encountered on the road this Saturday on my radio show (11a-2p, The 9-5-0).

We'll be at Discovery Green on Friday at 11am to take some photos and officially finish the Hybrid Tour of Texas. Come on out if you want to see the Toyota Prius'.

After that I will get over to the new AT&T Store at Town & Country Mall - 790 West Sam Houston Pkwy North, #106. It's the grand opening and I'll be hosting a text contest from 12p-2p to see who has the fastest fingers in Houston. Bring the kids, they are eligible to win prizes like free Rollover minutes.

I tried to convince the nice people to hold back a few iPhones and sell them when I get there at 12p. They couldn't promise anything but I know they like surprising people. We shall see....

Hybrid Tour of Texas In Full Swing

2008-07-14T07:49:00.003-05:00

If you haven't been following our experiment on fuel economy, check out my daily blog as I drive around the state in a Toyota Prius.

We left Houston yesterday and drove 200 miles to Corpus. Final tally: 40.3 MPG. Not bad but my hypermiling buddy Dan Bryant got 61.8 MPG by using his unique driving skills.

You can follow our plight as we hit San Antonio, Austin and Dallas. Make sure to watch the video. It's going to be a long week but it's all in the name of technology, science, economy and efficiency.

What Did You Do With Your Old iPhone?

2008-07-12T00:06:00.003-05:00

Give it to your spouse? Let your kids have it? Use it as a paperweight? Here's my suggestion - find a Hollywood celebrity and sell it to him.

For the past few days I have been thinking of what to do with my iPhone version 1 when I got a new iPhone on Friday. I heard a few friends say they were going to sell their original iPhones to other friends for $100 or so. I checked eBay and saw several such devices for sale that sold for up to $350.

So not more than 2 hours after I bought a new iPhone 3G I went by my office at the Clear Channel Radio studios. I popped into the KTRH newsroom to show off my shiny new gadget and I glanced at this guy who looked very similar to actor/comedian Christopher Titus. I didn't think much of it as I poked my head into the 790 The Sports Animal control room.

Turns out that Christopher Titus was waiting to go on air with the morning guys to promote his weekend shows at Laff Stop. As I was showing the new iPhone to the producer, Titus and his entourage ran in to the room to see the device I was holding. While they were ooohing and aaahing, Titus said that his original iPhone was recently stolen out of the gym. He then jokingly asked how much I wanted for my old iPhone.

I told him what they were being sold for on eBay and said I will probably list it on there. Next thing I know he's whipping out his wallet and counting cash.

Congrats, Titus. You now own The HTT's iPhone. Use it well, my friend.

Deja 2.0

2008-07-11T15:56:00.006-05:00

It was just one year and 12 days ago when I hung out at the AT&T Experience Store on the Southwest Freeway with a few hundred people waiting in line for iPhone 1. Things were a bit more calm this morning as about 150 people lined up by 8am to get their hands on Part Deux.

One noticeable difference from last year...a lot less media and newspeople were in attendance. A Chronicle reporter and videographer, a photographer from Metro News, a Fox 26 live truck and me and my producer from KTRH got the "exclusive" stories of consumers plopping down $200+ for the new gadget.

The local sales director, Leah Bird, was on hand to provide the requisite sound bites. According to her, most all 50 local AT&T stores had lines outside the door before 8am. Some as large as 200 people.

The doors slid open just before 8am and unlike the mass throng of people filing in to grab iPhones, pay, run home and activate, AT&T only let a handful in the store at a time. There was approximately 14 sales reps taking care of customers which means the other hundred or so people had to stand outside in the morning heat (and it was very toasty) to wait to get in the store.

Juan Velasquez, a 20 year-old Rice student, was the first in line at 11pm Thursday night. He and his buddy took turns sleeping in his car but both were giddy as the doors opened. His transaction of a white 16GB model took just over 15 minutes and as the sales process and day progressed, he seemed to be the lucky one with that relatively speedy check out.

AT&T and Apple had previously announced that all new iPhones would be activated at the stores, a departure from last year's simple process where owners activated their iPhones at home via a computer connection. When I paid for my 8GB model about 8:20am the sales rep started to activate my phone by downloading a rudimentary version of iTunes. After 15 minutes he decided to pull the plug (literally) and told me to activate at home. Reports across the Internet have said the same thing and most all stores are telling customers to activate it online at home. So much for the upgraded process.

Though most people are having issues getting through to the Apple servers for activation I was able to connect after about five minutes. I just now fully synchronized my new iPhone and it appears to be up and running. Several of my friends just emailed me to say they gave up on activation today and will try again tomorrow.

I will post some reviews of the new smartphone on here soon and Leah Bird will join me as my guest Saturday at 12 noon on my radio program (The 9-5-0). Let me know of your iPhone thoughts, stories and issues.

High-Tech Sportsman

2008-07-07T00:00:00.002-05:00

July is usually a dead month for sports so that's why so many sports anchors, reporters and talk hosts take time off during the month. Their loss is your gain...

I am sitting in for Brad Davies on 790 The Sports Animal this Monday and Thursday morning. If you've absolutely got nothing else to do you need to tune to hear me and Craig Roberts debate why NASCAR wives and girlfriends are so hot and why race walking needs to be added as an Olympic sport.

6am - 11am. Whew. I am TRIPLING my work week by sitting in. Don't let it go to waste.

It's The Month of The New iPhone

2008-07-01T17:29:00.004-05:00

July is here so the world is less than 11 days away from another media blitz, more long queus and pontifications about the new iPhone (dubbed iPhone 3G). Details were released today and I spoke with Leah Bird, head of Houston area AT&T Wireless. Leah will apepar on my radio show this Saturday at 11am with other inside info about the new phone.

She first quelled the rumor that the phone will initially be sold unlocked with no contract. The company did announce that the new iPhone will indeed be sold without the standard two-year service agreement at a later date. Get prepped to shell out $599 (8GB) or $699 (16GB) when that time comes.

Unlike the customer and media frenzy on the original iPhone launch date last year, the phone will go on sale when the AT&T Wireless store doors open at 8am on July 11. Last year the stores temporarily closed the doors late in the afternoon and reopened at 6pm.

Activating the iPhone 3G will be done in stores this time around. I particularly liked the self-activation process we had to go through last year but this way AT&T can control the upgrades, contracts and upsell opportunities.

Leah pointed out that the company wants to make sure new and current customers go over a checklist so they can be more prepared at the point of purchase. There are detailed lists for new AT&T customers porting their numbers, current AT&T users and current iPhone users. Oh, and there is an $18 upgrade fee on top of the hardware price of $199 (8GB black) or $299 (16GB black or white).

It's interesting to see Apple and AT&T opening up a bit more this time around by providing details, photos and even videos of the new phone. Everything was so hush-hush last year but that only added to the publicity and sales frenzy. It was one of the biggest product launches in history partly due to the lack of information beforehand.

Leah expects customers to line-up the night before the launch and ground zero, at least locally, will be at the flagship Experience store on the Southwest Freeway.

Hancock - Don't Waste Your Money

2008-07-01T17:12:00.004-05:00

A little tip from me to you...don't waste your time or money on the new Will Smith flick opening tonight, Hancock. Saw the media premier last week and it was pretty darn baaaaaaad.

I like Will Smith, seen many of this movies, have most of his albums, can sing the opening theme song to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. But this movie seemed thrown together and should have been released in the dead cinema months of February or March. Not the key Fourth of July slot that several of Smith's flicks have opened on.

You've probably seen the trailers or Best Buy TV commercial tie-ins. Smith plays a strung out superhero who tosses whales back into the ocean and kids high up in the air. After sitting through the 90 minute screening (yes, it's only 90 minutes) I am still wondering HOW he became the superhero. Probably something the screenwriters should have included.

Too many instances were "too convenient" though there is one big twist to carry past plot point 3. Nothing funny. Special effects were whatever.

This Fourth of July opening should be listed next to Smith's Wild Wild West bomb of 1999. It shouldn't be on the same page as the sci-fi Independence Day (1996) and the funny Men in Black (1997).

Just my thoughts...

XP is 1 Year Old (In Dog Years)

2008-06-30T21:31:00.004-05:00

Seven years is a mighty long for an operating system to hang around. But PC users still clamour for Windows XP even a year after the upgraded - and initially buggy - Vista OS was released. But Microsoft says enough is enough...kind of.

Today is the last day that Windows XP will be available for widespread sale. Retailers will have only until their current supply is exhausted to sell boxed copies of the operating system.

Although XP will disappear as an option for most computer buyers, the operating system will live on in several key ways:

• XP will be available on PCs from smaller computer makers known as "system builders" until January 31, 2009.

• XP will be available for so-called ultra-low-cost-PCs until June 30, 2010.

• The low-end Windows XP Starter Edition will continue to be available in emerging markets until June 30, 2010.

• Windows Vista Ultimate and Windows Vista Business come with downgrade rights. Some computer makers are using this option to offer machines that appear as Windows XP products but are "factory downgraded" to XP. The downside is that only pricier versions of Vista qualify, but the benefit is that the machines come with the option to eventually move to Vista for no added fee. Microsoft says it will continue to make XP discs available to computer makers to enable downgrade rights through at least January 31, 2009.

• Microsoft is not ending support for Windows XP. Mainstream support continues until 2009, while extended support is not due to end until April 2014.

Meanwhile, Apple has released Mac OS X 10.5.4, the fourth update to Leopard since it was released last October.

The new version contains the usual mix of bug fixes and security updates, with iCal getting the most attention. iCal won't delete events without telling you as a result of the latest update, for example, and Apple said the update "improves overall iCal reliability." Airport and Spaces & Expose also received some updates.

AT&T Calling Dallas New Home

2008-06-27T21:49:00.006-05:00

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." So wrote Charles Dickens but AT&T honcho Randall Stephenson has authored the updated version of "A Tale of Two Cities."

The San Antonio-based telecom giant will no longer carry that city's name on press release datelines nor house its top executives. Its corporate headquarters are moving north on I-35 to Dallas in a transition that will begin in a few weeks and be complete by year's end.

It's interesting to read and watch the news coming out of each city regarding this big change. As imagined, San Antonio seems to have been knocked a huge punch to the gut both economically and in esteem. It's nice to have worldwide corporations based in your town. AT&T has been a generous community partner since Southwestern Bell moved there in 1992. The Spurs play in AT&T Center.

That leaves San Antonio with only a few major company headquarters...USAA, H-E-B and Valero, to name the only ones I can quickly think of.

The last thing Dallas needs is another massive company to call the city its home. But downtown Big D is booming with tenants and AT&T will be added to the list.

According to the AT&T press release (still dated from San Antonio) one of the main reasons the company is relocating to Dallas is:

With customers and operations in all 50 U.S. states and 160 countries, air travel to and from Dallas will be more convenient, time efficient and cost effective. The DFW airport is the 3 rd largest in the U.S. and one of the top 6 in the world, offering daily nonstop service to 35 international and 133 U.S. destinations. Additionally, Dallas enjoys a second major airport; Love Field – the 50 th largest U.S. airport offers more than 160 nonstop flights daily.
Being headquartered near leading air transportation facilities is critical to global companies like AT&T as the airline industry continues to consolidate and reduce hubs and flights amid higher fuel prices and industry economic pressures.

Hmmm...IAH, Hobby. Where the hell was Houston during this relo visit? Did we not offer enough tax incentives for AT&T to scoot a bit east down I-10? Bellaire houses a giant AT&T facility on the West Loop South and many more offices around town. Office space is cheap here also plus this is where the Pappas restaurants are headquartered. That's not enough?

Mark my words as you'll read it here first...AT&T will grab (and pay for) the naming rights to the new Dallas Cowboys stadium.

High-TEXT Texan

2008-06-26T22:11:00.003-05:00

Who's got fast fingers? Get up to the new AT&T Experience Store near The Woodlands on Friday and we'll see who can out-text whom.

I'll be at the store (303 Sawdust Rd, just west of I-45N) from 12p-2p hosting a texting contest and playing with some of the new gadgets (in preparation for the July 11 iPhone v2 launch). Lots of prizes including AT&T Wireless Rollover minutes for the winner.

Back in the studio LIVE this Saturday. We've got an interview with the CEO of Carbonite to learn more about this new onlnie backup service. Plus lots of other things to catch each other up on.

Light & Slight Blogging

2008-06-07T23:53:00.003-05:00

Strong show on Saturday; thanks to everyone who called in. Guests included Dan Bryant of www.106mpg.com. Yes, he really did average that much from a gallon of gas and he averages about 80mpg. Check out some hypermiling tips on his website.

Carbonite.com is the online backup service I mentioned. Put in the offer code RADIO to get two free weeks and two free months after you sign up. I just initiated the service a few days ago and already feel a sense of relief.

A caller had an issue with defragging his computer. The Windows defrag still left about 11GB worth of data scattered on his drive and he couldn't get it any lower. A suggestion from another caller led us to discover JK Defrag, a free solution. I just received an email from the initial caller with the problem and it worked brilliantly.

Blogging here will be light over the next few weeks. I'll be in-and-out of town with projects and trips so stay coooool.

Summer is here

2008-06-05T16:41:00.003-05:00

I don't care what the calendar says. June 20 is weeks away but it is hot. Africa hot.

Summer means graduation (congrats to all my high school and college followers who are done) and Father's Day (June 15, if you are counting down, Dads). These two occasions are big gift giving events so let's plan to talk about ideas and suggestions this weekend.

I did just receive a press release from a website called Excitations that offers a "wide variety of experiences starting at $50 and up." Check these out:

Indoor Rock Climbing – from $50
Ultimate Stock Car Ride-Along – from $95
Hot Lather Shave – from $70
Indoor Skydiving – from $95

If my kids are reading this I would like to suggest a private trapeze party " from $310.

We have a nice slew of guests on Saturday's show. Dan Bryant is a guru when it comes to getting the most mileage from a tank of gas. He currently averages near 100mpg in his Prius using some interesting tips and tricks.

Carbonite is an online backup service to protect your important data, photo and video files. CEO David Friend will chat with me in the 1pm hour along with giving away free trial subscriptions. Hint: use the code word "RADIO".

And congrats to our title sponsor, Aramco Services Company, on the 75th anniversary of its parent company, Saudi Aramco. They had a big bash earlier this week and despite my lack of receiving an invitation I'm sure a good time was had by all.

Free bourbon samples

2008-05-28T23:39:00.007-05:00

If that headline didn't get your attention I think you need another shot...

Summer is almost here so it's time for us all to get together for another one of our (in)famous Sip 'n Surf events! It's been a while since I hosted one of these babies so bring your friends and coworkers to blow it out.

The usual drill...

Date: Wednesday, June 4

Time: 5pm- 8pm (or whenever the "juice" runs out)

Location: Downing Street Pub (2549 Kirby Dr @ Westheimer, next to Taco Milagro)

Deal: Samples of Woodford Reserve Small Batch Bourbon, Drink specials featuring Woodford

Fine Print: Must be 21 years of age

You know how to sip. The surf part comes from the free WiFi at Downing Street Pub. Several companies will be displaying its high-tech wares like new cell phones, HDTVs, Blu-ray payers and more. Come check out the stuff and hang with friends.

Building New Media Room...Need to Sell Things

2008-05-10T15:09:00.005-05:00

Next Saturday's radio broadcast should be interesting as Home Media Professionals will build out a new home media room in my house during our 3 hour show. Tune in and log on to our videoconference to listen and watch. We'll have manufacturer reps and experts to talk about products, design and installation so you can upgrade or redo your home.

Before I let this team into my house I need to clear some space. I joke that I live in a Dave & Buster's with all of the games we have. Apparently my kids don't have enough things to occupy their time besides Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii so we also have a pool table, air hockey table, full-size original Galaga and Ms. PacMan game cabinets and more. But it's time to clean house.

Before I put this on craiglist this week, let me know if you are anyone you know is interested in an authentic, working Galaga arcade game and cabinet. It stands 5 1/2" feet tall and takes up about a 6 sq. ft footprint (2' x 3'). It works and sounds great plus doesn't need any quarters. Send me an email for more details and a price. Let's make a dealio.

Saturday Triumph and Tragedy

2008-05-03T18:35:00.010-05:00

I just spent a very long day working from the very north of town to way down south.

Before I began broadcasting my weekly radio program from Seabrook at 11am, I woke up in The Woodlands early this morning to emcee the 5th annual CB&I Triathlon. This is an extremely well-organized event and the weather this morning at the 7am gun was perfect - water temp was 76 degrees and the air temperature was no more than that.

It has been my job to start the many "waves" of the race (age divisions), keep the athletes excited as they enter and leave the transition area, and provide a "play-by-play" and running commentary at the finish line. I run marathons but don't have the stamina for triathlons and have the utmost respect for the participants.

I watched as kids as young as 12 crossed the finish line and grandparents finishing the swim-bike-run event with big smiles of accomplishment. But tragedy would mar the normal euphoric feelings expected by all the finishers.

A 51 year-old man died shortly after being pulled from the water, the first leg of the race. I've participated in many races and have acted as the emcee/host for many others; this was the first time something like this has occurred in the events I have been at and it is hearbreaking.

While the 900+ participants were entering and leaving the transition area, race officials were running to the water's edge asking spectators to clear space for emergency vehicles. As I was roaming near the near water with a handheld microphone one race official ran up to me asking me to calmy alert the family of the runner. He gave me the gentleman's race number which I quickly cross-referenced to find his name on the official entry list.

Because of the always cautious conditions of a triathlon with runners, bikers and swimmers crossing paths, I wanted to make sure the race continued as normal but had to make sure spectators were not running or gathering around the stricken runner near the shore. I kept a safe distance from the lifeguards and on-site emergency personnel though I could see a crowd of about 15 people circling the athlete while someone performed CPR.

Two ambulances were quickly brought in and about 30 minutes later the gentleman was put in one of the vehicles and taken away. An employee of the Community Associations of The Woodlands went to the hospital with the man. About an hour later I found out the gentleman passed away.

Life is fragile. My prayers are with his family.

Saturday Show Topics

2008-04-18T23:03:00.003-05:00

Free Nationwide WiFi?
Sign the "Save Windows XP" petition
Greatest invention EVAH...Pizza Beer
Microsoft DigiGirlz event

Saturday Show

2008-04-11T23:00:00.002-05:00

Got very little sleep Thursday night as I was studying every single Masters stat I could find. Woke up at 4:45am to hit the 790 Sports Animal studio for a 4 hour co-hosting stint. Apparently Houstonians aren't too vocal about the first major championship of the year - or the Rockets, the Astros or any other sport. At least they didn't seem to chime in on the phone lines.

No big. I interviewed several sports "insiders" from across the country and predicted that Tiger would be leading the tournament by the time my show is off the air Saturday afternoon.

Was in a zombie-like trance from sleep deprivation most of the day but not until I prepped a strong Saturday show on The 9-5-0. Tune in at 11am for hot news, listener calls and giveaways!
Log in to WATCH all the hijinks on the videoconference.

Greatest Day Of My Life

2008-04-10T23:43:00.003-05:00

While we are talking sports - and while I am talking sports Friday morning on 790 The Sports Animal - here are some photos of the greatest day EVAH.

Texas 41 USC 38

Any questions? Hook 'em Horns!

The Sports World Gets Turned On Its Ear Tomorrow

2008-04-10T13:58:00.002-05:00

I knew this tech thing would lead to bigger and better things for me. Tomorrow morning I get called up to the Bigs as I fill-in for Brad Davies on 790 The Sports Animal. You want comedy and sports? Ain't nothin' better than me and Craig Roberts together from 6a-10a (or we shall see).

Get prepped for 4 hours of UT talk. But if the producer steps in and forces me to talk about other things, I have hours of b.s. about the NHL, WNBA and cricket. It's gonna be groundbreaking.

Live from the Shell Houston Open

2008-04-04T23:22:00.007-05:00

Fore! I'm back live for the first time in a few weeks. We don't need a studio to broadcast so we continue the 4 year old tradition of doing our show live from the Shell Houston Open. It's not really a stretch...I'm a golf fan, the organizers asked us to go out there plus I can hang up the mic and quickly head over to the Redstone Villa on the 18th green.

The three hours should fly by with topics like:

West University cell phone ban (I can't wait to here your thoughts on this one)
Money lost on Net scams hit an all time high
iTunes is #1 in music sales but MySpace launches a challenge
XP hanging around a few more years

Plus we'll hunting for pro golfers coming off the course and a strong interview with a representative of Disc Inc. Ths is the company to call if your hard drive freezes up.

Also, to log on to our video conference use this link.

West U Banning Cell Phones?

2008-04-03T23:30:00.001-05:00

What's all this crap about blogging? More important things to talk about...

West University Place City Council is making news with its recent vote to ban cell phones in its school zone (note the singular). As reported in the West U Examiner...(note how I give credit!)

The council unanimously approved an ordinance March 24 that would prohibit the use of cell phones or other mobile communications devices — including hands-free attachments — in the three-block area around West U Elementary when school zones are in effect. The council’s final vote on the ordinance is expected April 14.

After the council’s first vote, [Mayor Bob] Kelly pronounced that West U had “made history,” by becoming the first Texas city to ban “hands-free” cell phone use.

Nice to see they are so proud of this.

Now I am all about safety especially when driving while yapping on a phone but c'mon people. Technology has caught up to the driving generation as cars have built-in Bluetooth and most all cell phones come up with a wired earpiece. There really is no reason that drivers should hold a phone up to their ear but one-handed driving is the the norm nowaday.

I'd like to think that people obey all street signs including school zone warnings. But is banning cell phones the answer? My 13 year-old son has a cell phone and if I see him calling me right after school I'm damn well going to pick it up.

And how are they are going to enforce this law? I use to think enforcing the seat belt law was tough but this one is next to impossible. Even West U Police Chief Ken Walker said it would be difficult to enforce a hands-free ban.

A few other cities in Texas have made hands-free talking mandatory when in school zones but nothing as stringent as West U. San Antonio is thinking of jumping on the BANdwagon too.

AT&T has already stepped up to oppose the West U ban by asking residents to send letters to the mayor and city council. Other wireless companies probably won't be far behind.

What say you on this matter? No doubt this will be a hot topic with my callers this Saturday. Just make sure you don't call me on your cell from West U while in your car.

Apple Sued For Failing To Deliver "Millions of Colors"

2008-04-02T22:31:00.003-05:00

Apple's getting sued because the marketing material for its new iMac desktop monitor promises people "millions of colours." In actuality, the 20in version only displays 262,144. Those bastards! (The iMac 24in screen does display millions of colours -- 16.7 million, to be exact, 9.7 million of which human beings apparently can't even see.)

Brian Kabateck of LA-based Kabateck Brown Kellner, the firm seeking class action status for the suit, said that "beneath Apple's good-guy image is a corporation that takes advantage of its customers. Our goal is to help those customers who were deceived and make sure Apple tells the truth."

The moral of the story: don't say "millions" when what you really mean is "hundreds of thousands." Don't you just love lawyers.

Sorry Ags, That Was A Foul

2008-04-01T11:13:00.003-05:00

I shouldn't be shoveling too much b.s. around since the Longhorns were handed their britches by Memphis on Sunday, but this video is just too good.

The UCLA fans finally got fed up at all the justified whining from Texas A&M fans about the no-call in Round 2 and made an entertaining video response. This was really well-done. I especially like the fact they gave up about 2 minutes in and admitted, "You're right, that guy got hacked." Which he did.

Don't Let Google Fool Ya

2008-04-01T10:42:00.004-05:00

Set your clocks. When April 1 rolls around each year you can bet those wacky kids at Google have a few things up their sleeve.

Last year Google turned your love life into an algorithmically solvable search problem. This year it's teamed up with Virgin to give us Virgle: the adventure of not one, but many lifetimes.

Apply to become a Virgle pioneer and you could win a coveted slot on a ship to Mars. It will be dangerous. It will be uncomfortable. It will be unnecessarily expensive. "But your enriched descendants will appreciate your sacrifice, which should render worthwhile your choice to spend the rest of your (perhaps radically foreshortened) life in deprivation and uncertainty," Virgle assures you.

Save scoffs for tomorrow. Google released Gmail on April Fool's Day, and it's changed the way we email. Think about that.

TV Converter Box Coupons Are Here!

2008-03-11T22:10:00.005-05:00

Now I can't wait to go buy a box so I can watch the 4" TV in my garage. That's really the only analog TV I own but is it really worth the money to buy a box instead of buying a small new TV that receives digital signals?

Probably so considering a converter box from Wal-Mart is only $9.87 after I use my coupon. Yep, I requested them online in early January and they arrived in the mail today.

Got to love the government. They could have simply printed the coupons on paper but they probably spent $40 bucks alone on pressing two plastic gift cards per request. C'mon, people! Only thing I can guess is that it stops fraud by not being able to duplicate them.

To recap the dealio with the TV Converter Box Coupon Program, on February 17, 2009, all TV stations will cease broadcasts of analog signals and go completely digital. This means that analog TVs will be obsolete, so anyone with antennae or rabbit ears would no longer receive TV signals.

People with satellite and most with cable boxes (and yes, U-verse boxes) should be unaffected. Instead of forcing everyone in the US to buy new TVs that don’t already have digital signal capable equipment, a $40 coupon for a converter box is being offered here: http://dtv2009.com/

The coupons and accompanying letter are pretty straight forward. It lists several stores within your nearby ZIP code to redeem them. It also lists about 35 different boxes the coupon is eligible for.

The only thing I don't like is the coupon expiration date. They expire 90 days after they are mailed. By the time I got mine my window was down to about 2 1/2 months. I like taking time to shop and may decided later this year to chunk my analog TV for a digital model. If I have to buy the box soon I may not need it come February 2009.

But I'll go get one to test it out. Most all local Houston stations are already broacasting in digital so the converter box won't go to waste. Are you going to request and redeem a coupon? Comment below....

Coog-verse

2008-03-11T12:06:00.006-05:00

I've been hot on AT&T's advanced TV service since they rolled it out here last year. Fiber to the home or to the neigborhood is pretty darn fast plus their channel line-up is very strong. As I've been saying on my show, if you can get it...get it.

Local U-verse subscriptions will soon increase by 1,000 in one fell swoop with this announcement about the University of Houston's Master Plan:

The University of Houston and AT&T Inc. today announced the nation's first planned deployment of AT&T U-verse services into student housing on a college campus. The cutting-edge TV and high speed Internet services will be included in every room of a 547,000-square-foot residence hall under construction for graduate and professional students.

The Calhoun Lofts, next to the University of Houston's C.T. Bauer College of Business, will contain more than 700 one- and two-bedroom apartments with 1,000 AT&T U-verse connections, along with 10,000 square feet of retail space. School officials chose Internet Protocol-based television (IPTV) as the next-generation video service best suited for the university's next-generation living space.

The university's new $108 million residence hall broke ground in fall 2007 and is scheduled for completion in 2009.

I work with AT&T on several projects so I have been fortunate to speak with local executives often for the inside scoop. They are furiously hiring new installers to keep up with the demand. Now there's a nice problem to have.

In an email to me this morning from VP/GM Ed Cholerton, he responded to my questions on how they went about securing this deal and if more similar deals are in the works.

We have a great partnership with them on a wide variety of fronts...from services we provide them to funding their telecommunications technology lab. That partnership, coupled with their desire to foster a leading edge image for prospective students, led to their decision.

Obviously we're happy about it. Although its the first one we've done, we expect that we'll have lots of future opportunities as well.

Good News for Business iPhoners

2008-03-06T16:40:00.003-06:00

For all you business emailers who have yet to by an iPhone because it can not send email through a Micorsoft Exchange server, this news is for you.

Apple Inc. announced on Thursday that it has licensed protocols from rival Microsoft Corp. to add Exchange support to its iPhone.

"We're building Exchange support so you get push e-mail, push calendaring, push contacts, global address lists and the ability to remote wipe [the iPhone]," said Phil Schiller, Apple marketing head.

No new applications need to be added to the iPhone, Schiller said, because messages, appointments and contacts transferred from a company's Exchange mail server will end up in the iPhone's existing e-mail, calendar and address book applications. "The same e-mail app, calendar app and contact apps that customers really love will get information directly from the Exchange server," said Schiller.

Why in the world couldn't Apple have done this last June when they released the iPhone? They would have sold a lot more units and made a dent into Blackberry sales which is currently the leading device for business users looking for seamless email delivery. Now we wait until this June when the ActiveSync update comes out.

You know this is big news when your IT Manager sends an email out to the company's iPhone users. Richard Gerlovich, the key gearhead at our Clear Channel Radio office here, sounded like he built his first computer or programmed his first BASIC instructions. Even the Director of AM Operations, the former Honorable Michael Berry (you know what I mean), sent a note out stating this news is so big that KTRH needs to be doing a live story.

Tune in tomorrow just after 8am where I will discuss with JP and Lana.

Philly WiFi "All Sizzle, No Cheesesteak"

2008-03-03T17:24:00.003-06:00

This is a great headline from a story by Sonina Matteo on the NetworkWorld web site today. And very timely considering Houston is apparently getting back into the muni wireless game.

A year after Philadelphia gave EarthLink the green light to build a citywide Wi-Fi network, the grand plan to deliver ubiquitous broadband to tourists, residents, businesses, government workers and low-income households is in shambles.

The story continues with similarities and assumptions similar to Earthlink's deal with Houston...

Under the deal with the city, EarthLink made all of the investment into the network. The city has no financial skin in the game. EarthLink's revenue comes from selling short-term Internet access to tourists and visiting business people, plus service plans for consumers at $21 a month.

The contract that Earthlink signed has some other wrinkles that make the business plan look exceedingly shaky. EarthLink is actually paying the city $2 a month per access point (the company has installed more than 5,000). The company coughed up $1 million to help get the Wireless Philadelphia non-profit up and running. And it agreed to provide service to 25,000 low-income households at half-price.

Analysts are convinced that this business model simply can't work. "Whether city officials of Philadelphia would agree or not, the reality is that EarthLink's public access business model has pretty much died," says Peter Jarish, an analyst at Current Analysis. "What has to be understood is that this isn't an indictment of municipal wireless in general. It is an indictment of going in and trying to justify public access alone."

An interesting note to the Philly and Houston deals. Both agreements were helped along by consultant Brian Anderson. I met him last year during a meeting with Earthlink and City of Houston IT folks. He still lives in Philly and commutes to Houston. My recent attempts to reach Brian have yet to be returned.

Say It Ain't So. Houston Getting Back in City WiFi business?

2008-02-29T15:11:00.006-06:00

Just when we thought the City of Houston learned its lesson from trying to unwire the city from the tangled cables of the Internet, it looks as if they are giving it another try.

Less than six months removed from the unraveling of the Earthlink deal, the City's Digital Houston Initiative has released a Request for Information/Interest to prepare for a competitive solicitation to expand the current municipal wireless network. This RFI was released without the fanfare of the original muni-wireless RFP back in February 2006.

Earthlink was ultimately selected to build out a 600+ square mile area of ubiquitous wireless Internet access. Before one router was installed, the company decided spending $40 million+ on a service that very few people would use that they would kill the Houston project and get out of the muni-wireless business altogether.

Earthlink paid the City over $5 million due to a smartly written agreement by Mayor White's consultants. It is my understanding the City spent some of this money to build-out and beef-up its downtown wireless presence being used for public safety and public service.

So here we go again. Buried in the City's Bids & RFP's Formal Documents web page is an RFI that was sent to "vendors in the US network managed services, Internet service provider, and Wi-Fi Hotspot services market." See the full document PDF.

Here is the meat of the RFI:

6.0 Service Offerings

The City of Houston seeks Information from suitable providers for:
1. Network Operations Services - approaches for providing network operational support for the a “mixed use” municipal wireless broadband network. The objective is to identify options for providing back-office network operations for municipal broadband public safety, public service, digital inclusion, and ISP wholesale customers.

2. Hotspot
Network Services - This RFI seeks options to extend Hotspot amenity services to venues and business establishments in designated high traffic areas across the city. The City intends to consider the opportunity of extending free WiFi access to Houstonians and visitors, provide venues and business with competitive services, and monetize excess network capacity using ad-based hot spot business models.

Today, the Houston downtown business district has ubiquitous WiFi network coverage that was primarily implemented to support the electronic parking meter payment system. This network has significant excess capacity that could be extended to the public through downtown venues and business establishment Hotspots.

3. ISP and Open Access Wholesale Management
Services - to provide undeserved Houston communities with competitive broadband services by extending excess capacity in the municipal broadband network through a wholesale open access services to multiple retail service providers.

Internet applications and services such as VoIP, video, music and e-learning are raising the bar on the minimum symmetrical speed and QoS required to access popular applications. Most under served communities do not have affordable broadband service options that sufficiently support a wide range of applications, including video.

Do we really need a citywide network with more Hotspots popping up at affordable costs or even free access (i.e. AT&T/Starbucks)? Are consumers and businesses willing to pay for not-so-speedy access?

I doubt the City will put up any of its funds to build and operate such a project since they initially found a third-party company in Earthliuk to put up the money. Though that process slowed down the Digital Houston Initiative by a few years it seems Mayor White still wants to leave a legacy of wireless Internet and bridging that digital divide.

Breaking News...Sheila Jackson Lee Available For Radio Interviews!

2008-02-27T11:41:00.004-06:00

I received this email today from Hillary Clinton's campaign staff. Apparently Hill is so busy she has her husband stumping for her in Houston at a Fiesta parking lot and Sheila Jackson Lee ready and waiting for any radio outlet to interview her.

Since when does SJL need to send a press release to the media letting us know she is available to do interviews? And how can listeners see her red dress?

Note to Clinton campaign: spend less than time on redundant emails and find two more capable people to speak on your candidate's behalf.

Apples In Abilene

2008-02-26T22:01:00.005-06:00

This may be the only reason my kids would go to another college than UT. At least they would still be in Texas.

Schools and universities are often big fans of Apple products, which usually translates to labs and laptop carts full of Macs....and now Abilene Christian University in Texas is getting into the act as well. But rather than handing out MacBooks, the university will be distributing iPhones and iPod touches to all incoming freshmen.

Here is the full article from Ars Technia. Hmmmm, wonder who pays the AT&T bill on those iPhones?

I Got An HD-DVD Player!

2008-02-25T20:39:00.003-06:00

So Toshiba announced last week it is discontinuing its production, support and everything else it put into the HD-DVD format. What did I just do? Me gots me a Toshiba HD-DVD player.

No, I did not graduate from Texas A&M.

As I was preaching on my radio program last weekend, HD-DVD players and discs will now be discounted as retailers want to move them off their shelves to make room for the "winning" format -- Blu-ray. And if you see a really good deal on a HD-DVD player that once cost upwards of $500, then it may be worth getting one. Here's why:

These players can play your current collection of DVDs. And if connected to a TV/monitor in the proper way, the video quality will be enhanced than your current DVD player.

Players can also play audio CDs, CD-R/-RW, DVD-R/-RW and a few other formats.

There are currently around 350 movie titles on HD-DVD with more still to be released over the next few months due to studio contractual obligations. Retailers will be having fire sales on these discs and you can probably pick them up for a very cheap price.

So I'm wasting time at Circuit City this afternoon and sure enough they have all of their HD-DVD players on sale. I got there at the right time and picked up a Toshiba HD-A30 for $59.99. It was also a bonus deal that came with two HD-DVD discs (The Bourne Identity and 300). Plus I got a rebate coupon for 5 more titles.

To recap...a new HD-DVD player, 7 HD-DVD flicks, 60 bones plus tax.

The manager of the Galleria-area Circuit City said that all HD-DVD players will continue to be discounted at all CC stores. The Blu-ray player prices were standing pat. Lemme know if you find a good deal so we can share with others.

BBQ, Blu-ray, Cell Phones, WiFi and LOST

2008-02-22T23:27:00.003-06:00

A potpourri of topics for your mid-February listening pleasure. Saturday's radio program begins right on time at 11am and we kick it off with a little BBQ. And why not? The world's biggest and greatest BBQ cookoff is next week here in the Reliant parking lot. If you see a big cloud hovering over the Dome late next week you now know why.

No doubt the biggest tech topic of the week is HD-DVD's white flag. But now be the best time to go buy one of these son-to-be-obsolete machines; we'll discuss why.

Lots of confusion is in the air about the digital TV conversion next February. According to a report, Houston will be one of the biggest cities that will be freaking out about receiving analog signals due to the number of people, TVs and lack of knowledge. I will do my best to help with the latter.

Expect an interesting conversation with the local heads of AT&T's home and wireless divisions. I'll get their thoughts on the DTV conversion (no worries with their U-verse service), their new WiFi service at Starbucks and the new $99 all-you-can-talk per month rate on their cell service.

And who's jaw didn't drop during the last scene on Thursday's LOST?

Tune in on The 9-5-0. Log on to watch and be seen. Call in at 713-212-5950.

HD-DVD is OVAH!

2008-02-19T06:26:00.006-06:00

Nothing like being woken up in the middle of the night by a phone call telling you that Toshiba officially announced the end of HD-DVD. Thanks KTRH. Now throw away my phone number.

But I did do an interview early this morning with thoughts on why Sony's Blu-ray format outlasted Toshiba's HD-DVD. The Japan electronics maker will end its HD-DVD business by the end of the month.

Not that I preferred either format but it good news for consumers. Instead of waiting to see which format emerged as the last one standing, now everyone can go out and get a Blu-ray player, Blu-ray discs and watch movies until they are blue in the face.

Even Fidel Castro is excited. He up and resigned so he could spend time in his media room.

If you have an HD-DVD player watch out for fire sales on discs for your machine. Best Buy, Amazon.com and other stores will almost be giving them away.

UPDATE: Several readers have asked for more details. Here is the press release from Toshiba. Don't count them out of the industry just yet as they look to be latching their energy and money onto movie downloads. That, as we have discussed before, may be the new and better way of getting movies rather than buying a Blu-ray player and discs.

[In related news, Universal Studios Home Entertainment just announced it will drop its support of HD-DVD. Really? Watch out for that iceberg we just hit, Captain!]

Speaking of downloads, Microsoft and Netflix seem to be snuggling up to each other as the rumors persist of a partnership. Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix, was put on Microsoft's Board of Directors last year so you knew something would happen. Look for an announcement at the Game Developers Conference later this week. Could be that movies from Netflix could be downloaded onto an Xbox via Xbox Live.

3 Hours of Radio Love Saturday

2008-02-15T22:57:00.003-06:00

No college bball games will interrupt my show this Saturday so tune in for a packed show...a lot of tech news happened this week and we'll yap about it all.

Wal-Mart just announced it will stop selling HD-DVDs this summer. Toshiba and its HD-DVD backers will soon sit shivah for this format which looks pretty much dead.

We are almost exactly one year away when the FCC shuts down the analog TV airwaves. Feb. 17, 2009, is not too far and some politicians say the switch to digital TV may be a cluster **** if more consumers and retailers aren't made aware of the change.

Speaking of analog, this Monday marks the date when AT&T Wireless and Verizon Wireless shut down their analog networks. If you have an old brick-type cell phone and can't make a call next week, you now know why.

Blackberry service went down for a few hours on Monday. Yahoo turned down $44 billion. WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO??!??!

I'll straighten everything out from 11a-2p on The 9-5-0. After that I will head over to Reliant Center for the Texas Home & Garden Show. Come by from 3p-4p when I'm on stage answering your questions and giving away goodies. AT&T will have a booth showing off their U-verse service. I'll probably hang around there after that.

Nothing Says VDay Like Free Software

2008-02-12T22:21:00.003-06:00

Here's an unlikely combination.

Right now if you buy flowers from FTD.com, you could get free software from Download.com. This is part of a Valentine's Day promotion to wise geeks up to the aphrodisiac merits of floral sharing.

Some of the titles you can get with the roses include Spyware Doctor 5.5, McAfee Virus Scan Plus and WinZip 11.1. Alas, no Victoria's Secret UnZip (I made that one up but me would likey!)

Go to Download.com's Valentine subsite to cash in on all the love.

HD-DVD stands for Hovering Death

2008-02-11T19:48:00.001-06:00

The referee is standing over HD-DVD and the count is 9. The Toshiba-backed format most likely won't last another round. The heavyweight champ of the high-def format war looks to be Blu-ray.

Lending an assist to this inevitable knockout...movie studios which backed the format and retailers who didn't see the need to stock both formats. Two large movie retailers announced today that they will start carrying only Blu-ray DVDs. And when Netflix and Best Buy make statements like this it maybe time for HD-DVD backers to throw in the towel.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each format but we all knew it was a matter of time until only one player was left standing. When Warner Bros. made the announcement last month - on the eve of the CES show in Las Vegas - that it was backing Blu-ray, all bets were off that HD-DVD would be the victor.

Netflix and Best Buy follow the lead that Blockbuster took last year when it decided to go Blu-ray only.

This isn't the final straw but it could be only a matter of time until HD-DVD players join the list of "wrong product, wrong place, wrong time" objects like the Betamax player, the Ford Edsel, the McDLT and grape-flavored Tang.

Blackberry Service Down

2008-02-11T17:46:00.001-06:00

Stop emailing me! Yes, I know Blackberry email service has been down for a few hours. It must have been hard finding an actual computer or laptop - and using that big keyboard - to send me emails. You're used to banging messages out on that little RIM device.

Research In Motion notified customers this afternoon of a "critical severity outage." In other words, back away from the windows and rooftop ledges people. This is just a technological blip that will soon get resolved.

This happened to RIM last April when several hundred thousand customers across North America experienced a Blackberry blackout.

I just got word from my contact at the company's Canadian headquarters that the issue has been resolved. It may take several hours for devices to be fully opertational due to the backload of undelivered messages.

Yahoo Poo Poos MS Offer, Starbucks Drinks In AT&T

2008-02-11T11:27:00.000-06:00

Classic negotiation tactic. Deal Making 101.

As expected Yahoo rejected Microsoft's offer of $31 per share. Not to worry that the offer was 62% above Yahoo's market value at the time, right?

What? You think Yahoo was going to take the first offer? Hells no. They are either buying more time to look for another suitor, er partner, like AOL or Jerry Yang & Co. want to right the online ship themselves.

Personally I would not want to play chicken with Steve Ballmer. Microsoft's next move may be to take the $44.6 billion offer directly to Yahoo shareholders.

Other news stealing headlines today from Amy Winehouse include an announcement from Starbucks that it is dropping T-Mobile as its in-store WiFi provider. Regional AT&T Chief Ed Cholerton gave me a heads up last week that they were going to be the coffee chain's new WiFi partner. I must have been too stoked up on caffeine to report it here.

The good news for consumers about this move is that AT&T will offer many users free service. Got U-verse or DSL? You'll be spending time at Starbucks with your laptop and free access. AT&T remote business access services members are also set as are Starbucks prepaid card holders.

Worse case scenario is that you can pay AT&T $19.99 a month for access and use the WiFi service not only at 7,000+ U.S. Starbucks but also at 17,000 more AT&T hot spots in the country. Between McDonald's, Barnes & Noble and now Starbucks, who needs citywide WiFi?

Sinatra's MySpace

2008-02-10T20:03:00.000-06:00

Here is the link to the Sinatra "My Way" parody I played during Saturday's show. Ol' Blue Eyes would be rolling over in his grave if wireless iPod speakers could penetrate six feet of dirt.

I'll be in Orlando mid-week to participate on a panel for GE's Ecomagination homebuilding program. This event coincides with the International Builders Show. Will try some remote blogging, Twittering and Uttering.

Because I just looooove convention centers I will giving a home technology seminar this Saturday, Feb. 16, at the Texas Home & Garden Show. 3-4pm at Reliant Center.

Other random ramblings this weekend:

I actually watched most all of the Pro Bowl game. Not sure why but the 3:30pm CT start time may have been better than the 7pm start times like they used to have. Nothing like NFL All-Stars banging into each other at 10:30am local Hawaii time.
Is anyone watching the Grammy's (an hour into it as I type this)?? Tina Turner's face has been frozen since 1984. My high-def TV tells me that Beyonce may have had a little work done herself. But as I've always said she needs to work on those thighs a bit. Seriously.
Amy Winehouse has already won like a dozen awards. Think she realizes she won?
TV highlight of the year so far...Morris Day and The Time playing together for the first time in 15 years. My son was watching this and ddn't understand how big a deal this was for me. Jimmy Jam has gained some weight since the mid-80's but he can still swing. Mirror-holding Jerome looks as young and fit as he was back in the day of stage sliding. But why did they have to bring out Rihanna during set? Someone please find this on YouTube for me.

Earthlink Selling Its Muni WiFi Division...

2008-02-08T21:24:00.000-06:00

...but thanks for the $5 million.

It seems like only last year we were reporting regularly on the city's deal with Earthlink to build the largest WiFi network in North America. We now know that Earthlink pulled out of its deal with the city after a new CEO took over the Atlanta-based ISP.

Not only does municipal WiFi seem so 90's now, Earthlink has finally realized that building $50 million+ networks for wireless Internet access is akin to offering dial-up Internet connections (wait, they still do that). 0-for-2, Earthlink. The company is selling its muni WiFi business. Any takers?

In a conference call Thursday evening Earthlink also said it is no longer investing in Helio, a cell phone service targeting tech-savvy kids. Kiss 300 or so million dollars goodbye. 0-for-3.

Hey, who wants to meet me at Downing Street Pub for a stogie and free WiFi. Imagine that.

More on this during Saturday's radio show, 11am on The 9-5-0.

Apple and Beer

2008-02-05T21:50:00.000-06:00

Apple kept itself relevant by releasing news about new products today. A 16GB iPhone (whoop-tee-doo. I haven't come close to filling up my 8GB) and a 32GB iTouch. That's a nice large capacity for a flash drive gadget. And a nice large price at $499.

I'm still detoxing from the Super Bowl and the post-hype. It was the most-watched Super Bowl with 97 million people tuning in. And here is another after-the-game "ad" that hilariously recaps the in-game TV spots. Score one for Miller Beer: