Big Week, Bigger Weekend, Huge Upcoming Schedule

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.

BREAKING NEWS: House Passes Bill To Delay Digital TV Switch

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

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.

Holiday Countdown

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.

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

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.

3 Hours of Radio Love Saturday

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.

Happy New Year!

1/1/08. Did ya get what you wanted for the holidays? Have you returned anything (or everything)? Cashed in those gift cards?

I've been hearing from a lot of people and, for the most part, everyone seems happy with their gifts. I'm still sending suggestions on what to buy with those gift cards. Slingbox anyone? Other options I like...

In other news, T-minus 413 days until the end of analog TV broadcasts. The Department of Congress finally launched a site with information about digital converter boxes. If you have any type of cable, satellite, U-verse or digital system, there is not much need to sweat the February 17, 2009, cut off date. Even if you have an older TV set that is hooked up to one of these content delivery systems, you are good to go.

But for those Luddites who pull down their local TV signals via rabbit ears, I might suggest logging online (if they have a PC) or calling 1-888-DTV-2009 to request a $20 coupon for converter box. Coupons will be mailed by this March and be valid for 90 days. If not, then I guess the only electronic medium for you will be radio. And feel free to tune in to The 9-5-0.

I'm off to the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas this Sunday and will report back all the news that's fit to blog. Let me know if you are interested in a particular product or rumor and I will try to check it out.

Will This Push Back The Digital TV Conversion Date Again?

Feb. 18, 2009, is the day the analog TV signals are supposed to die in the U.S. Digital TV will take over the airwaves as the FCC mandates that over the air TV stations give back their analog frequenies.

That date has been pushed back several times over the years to allow broadcasters to upgrade their equipment, manufacturers to make more affordable digital TV and consumers to buy a new TV or at least get a soon-to-be-released converter box.

But here's a hiccup. The Bush administration official in charge of this transition is resigning. Oops. Wonder what's up other than he probably wants to "spend more time with his family."

Note to W: I haven't got much to do these next two years. I'll oversee the process. I await your call.