Monthly Archives: December 2008

LUS Fiber Pricing Announced

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Well it looks like Huval and Durel tried to sneak some announcements in regarding the LUS fiber pricing at tonights council meeting.  I suppose this short notice was an attempt to keep the incumbents from being on hand.  I also believe the only reason they announced the pricing tonight was because of the recent questions and concerns by the citizens over recent articles where Huval was very vague and basically hiding info and not being up front to the citizens of this city.  They “Durel and Huval” took a lot of flak in the comments for these various articles by the citizens who feel that both Durel and Huval seem to forget they work for the citizens of this city and that they are public servants.  These guys run things like a business (which can sometimes be a good thing) but they are very secretive and keep things from the public too often.

Anyway, I got wind of that they were making this pricing announcement tonight and so I tuned in and documented everything I could.  I posted everything as quickly as I could to LFT411.com and Twitter to reach as many people as possible.  It was nice to scoop The Advertiser and provide more details then what they did on their website.  Simple pleasures I know.

Here are the basics:

VIP (Video, Internet and Phone) – This is what LUS is calling things.  Personally I do kinda like this better than the “Triple Play” or “Bundle” that everyone else calls it.

Basic VIP –  Total $84.85  (Does not include taxes and fees)
80 Channels – $39.95
10 Mbps (up/down) – $28.95
Phone $15.95 and .05 min LD (Basic Features)

VIP Silver – $137.21 (Does not include taxes and fees)
250 Channels – $63.31
30 Mbps (up/down) – $44.95
Phone w/ extra features – $28.95

VIP Gold – $199.99 (Does not include taxes and fees)
250 Channels and Includes HD and Premium Movie Channels (Suites) 45+ HD? – $98.09
50 Mbps (up/down) – $57.95
Phone with Unlimited LD – $43.95

 

They also announced some business fiber internet plans:

Business Internet Plans:

10 Mbps – $64.95

 50 Mbps – $119.95

 100Mbps – $199.95


They rushed through things pretty quickly, I did record it (video) and could provide that but its not very good quality and hard to read the power point presentation.

Many people commented else where that they were more interested in the “A La Carte” pricing for TV services.  Well what they don’t know is that LUS stated (Huval) at the CampFiber event that they will not be able to offer “A La Carte” the content providers make this impossible with how they negotiate contracts, same thing the incumbents have been saying for some time but no one believes them because they are just after money, at least now that LUS is saying this people will finally understand that most of the incumbents have their hands tied in what they can and cant do by the content providers

Personal Security and the Social Web

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There is no doubt that I am not your avg. person nor am I a ‘social’ person.  I don’t get all the hoopla around this whole social web thing like MySpace, Facebook and so on.

**Some History and Personal Rant**

I have been using BBS’s and the internet longer then the avg. person has.  I made telecommunications my job because I become fascinated with it from the first time I heard that sweet sound of my 1200 baud modem whistle its way onto my first BBS and get introduced to a whole new world.

This world for me was one of anonymity.  All these years I have operated under this idea that this world which eventually morphed into the internet of today was one where no one in their right mind would purposely divulge their personal identity.  We always were and always would be just ghosts passing in the night as we made our way around searching for whatever it was we felt we needed.

Sure I am an old soul if you will.  I miss and yern for the days of old in my digital world.  The internet is not what it once was (good or bad) and it never will be.  It has become polluted with all this social media and personal websites and so on.  Everyone and their dog and even plants it seems are online these days.  

**End Rant**

OK so I might have digressed a little bit.  This was not the path I meant to take in writting this.

My concern these days is with the shear amount of personal information that people are divulging on things like Twitter and Facebook.  

Back in the day I wasn’t always the most upstanding person.  I have a mind that is CONSTANTLY in need of information and being fed.  I did my share of snooping, dumpster diving, social engineering in an attempt to harvest personal information to gain access to more and more things to feed my brains insatiable appetite.

My escapades were minor and lame compared to most.

My concern today is not as much about how people can use the personal information they mine from these social sites to gain access to systems or identity theft, although it is a concern.  Nope, but what does bother me is that as a father I find it really alarming with all the stuff they have about their KIDS!

People are posting pictures of their kids with names, ages, birthdays, schools.  They share info about when spouses are around or out of town, when they go to the park or where and when the playgroup meets and so on.

They do all of this in an innocent attempt at socializing and connecting with those around them.  

As a father though it shocks me to see this sort of info.  Growing up weren’t we all taught the whole stranger danger thing and how bad people will try to say and use things like “Hey I work with your Daddy and he asked me to pick you up since he couldn’t make it…” blah blah something like that anyway.  We were taught that even if they used personal information (which was unlikely in those days) that if we didn’t know them ourselves we should stay away and be cautious right?

Ok, well now a days it is VERY easy for people to harvest the personal information from these social sites that might be just the edge they need to do harm to our children.

I have avoided all this ‘social media’ stuff for some time now but decided to join a couple recently out of my own curiousity and experimentation regarding these concerns of mine.  I enjoy sitting back and watching just how much people talk and share.  It’s quite staggering and alarming!

If anyone reads this and takes anything away from it I hope it would simply be to take a closer look at what all you have posted, especially from the perspective of someone who might wish to cause harm to you or your family and how the information you have shared or thought about sharing might be used to facilitate them in their actions.

If you dont care enough about yourself to censor your information sharing, then at the least consider what your actions could mean regarding your loved ones.

LUS FTTH – Possible Equipment and Service Info

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I happen to be reading the latest “Independent” today and came across an article about the whole LUS fiber project.  LUS is still being very silent about the whole architecture and service offerings and what not.  I have to admit this is a bit upsetting to me as a geek and a citizen.  I hate when government hides stuff from the people and isn’t transparent about things.  Apparently they get to do this some how because of some stupid law that excludes them for some reason.

Anyway, the article sums it all up and is a decent read if you have any interest in this project at all.  I warn you though its going to leave you wanting more and so I started looking for more based on the little bit we know about the project.

First here is the link to the article - http://www.theind.com/content/view/3592/1/

Ok, so we know LUS is using an Alcatel-Lucent solution.  I have already posted a few things about that and what I suspect they will be using.  We also know they plan to have the “triple play” as every service provider wants to call it these days.  We also know that the box that will be in the subscribers home will have the ability to surf the internet on the TV, and that caller ID will be able to show up on the TV.

So, I started googling and checking out the Alcatel-Lucent site to see what I could find.  It’s important to note that this is purely done in my own interest to better understand what LUS has cookin.  I am fascinated with all things related to networking and particularly this project since its happening in my backyard and affects me as does everyone else in Lafayette.  Also, I do not know with any certainty any actual specifics other than what I have previously mentioned in this post.

Ok, first stop is this page about the Alcatel-Lucent Triple Play Service Delievery Architecture.  Good info but not what I am really looking for.

Well what are you looking for?  I think for me the most intriguing part of the whole LUS project has to be the set top box that they will be using?  This is to me is going to be the most significant part of the whole thing.  I know I know.. everyone else is talking about the bandwidth and especially the peer to peer aspect but really for me I am a bit underwhelmed with all that.  I know that I simply have no need for it.  I rarely download movies or music to be honest.  And there just isn’t an application “yet” that would push me to really need it.  I am quite content with what I have strangely enough.

Back to this set top box.  Why I think this box will be important is that its going to have an integrated web browser.  My understanding is that subscribers who simply sign up for TV service would still be able to surf the internet on this thing for free.  Sure it will be pretty limited in what it can do for an integrated appliance browser.  But this can be a huge deal in that it may introduce people to the internet who have never before had the opportunity or the need to justify paying for a computer and internet access.

This would go a long way towards bridging that digital divide and would be a significant advantage over the various competitors.

There are so many set top manufactures that one cannot really even begin to guess what has been selected.

I started out by googling “alcatel ftth set top web browser” and well I guickly realized that it does not appear that Alcatel currently makes a set top box.  There was some info though about a company “ANT Software Limited” that they seem to partner with on this vary topic.  Seems this ANT Software makes a browser for set top boxes that utilize the Alcatel-Lucent solution.

http://www.antlimited.com/ant_galio_browser.asp?menu=153

http://www.antlimited.com/pr_061005.asp

As I kept digging I also came across something that was simply interesting and new to me.  I was looking at various Motorola set top boxes for IPTV solutions and learned about this “Microsoft Mediaroom”  http://www.microsoftmediaroom.com  which until now I hadn’t heard about.

Apparently the Microsoft Mediaroom is what is driving the AT&T U-verse boxes.  It’s pretty cool to say the least but nothing in the demos show anything about a web browser which I found to be absurd for Microsoft.   They again they did miss the boat early on when it came to the internet so it figures they would miss it on this too.  I kid I kid

The ironic part about the Microsoft Mediaroom and it lacking a web browser it seems is when you read a whitepaper MS put out back in 2004 about IP Set Top boxes.  In that paper they even talk about “superior browsing capabilities” on a set top box back in 2004!  They never cease to surprise me.

So with all this I still am no where closer to knowing anything about the set top box in question.  Maybe I should go stake out the LUS headend and possibly do some dumpster diving!  They did mention in the article about boxes in dumpster, seems the Independent was almost asking someone to do this very thing.  If the dumpster is within a caged area might have to wait for the dump truck to come empty it and follow the dump truck. 

Who am I kidding, I am to old and tired to do that anymore.  :-)

Free Million Dollar Idea

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Ok so I think I have a million dollar idea that someone with the know how, connections or resources should consider.

Lets start with some basics.  I think everyone can agree that in the future there will be a proliferation of high speed internet / bandwidth.  We may all disagree on what technology will accomplish this but its inevitable that we will continue to see higher and higher speeds and bandwidth.

I think we can also agree that we are at the dawn of new age when it comes to media.  For years we have fostered this need for instant gratification.  From the first fast food joints, cell phones, internet, wireless and even todays DVR.  All of these things foster the desire to have what you want, when you want it and where ever you are.

So, I propose the following device for the future.

We need a “box”, think Xbox or your cable box to start with?  However this box is going to be based on some industry standard.  Something like SIP if you will.   And rather then this box being proprietary or only works with a specific vendor it will have a place for you to fill out your providers info, kind of like todays email client where you input in the SMTP/POP address, username and password and presto your connected to your email.  Instead with this you will be putting in your content providers info.

Your content provider in this case is not just your regular IPTV provider or cable company.  It really and truly is your CONTENT.  All your digital media.  Photos, videos, music and even your local TV channels.  I say local TV channels based on the idea that eventually every TV channel will be available online in some way.

Ok, now for where this idea gets really fun and cool I think.  Imagine you go to a hotel, get up to your room, and one of these universal generic media devices are there.  You are to able to simply input your info into the device and presto… you have all your content and LOCAL channels and so on available to you.    

Of course I have to take this one step further and you now have to imagine that these devices will be equipped with some sort of RFID or Bluetooth type of device, as well as your mobile phone device will have RFID or Bluetooth embedded as well.

So now all of your service provider info can be stored on your mobile device so that when you get to your hotel room you initiate a “sync or pairing” with this media device so that all the user has to do is input a PIN and voila the media device is now configured and it can begin populating all your content.  This takes out the step of having the user go through a complicated configuration each time.

Your welcome for this great idea.  Please ensure to cut me in on the profits.  I will be happy to accept any percentage or stake in the business.

**********More Thoughts About This************

We are seeing more and more talk of the “cloud”, and we already have a mix of content providers or hosts if you will. For instance,  some are already acting as IPTV service providers where you sign up for a membership and you can stream your TV just about anywhere.  And we have had hosting providers since the internet was born pretty much who host any content you want.

This idea is a marriage of all these things basically.  Which in many ways resembles “the cloud” when it comes to the service provider aspect.

The key to this would have to be some sort of industry standard around these boxes and configuring them and how the content is delievered.  To be practical you have to make it as easy to configure as possible, you have to ensure that a box is a box and will work with any of these service/content providers without discrimination.

************Even more thoughts*************

Security.  You have to ensure a secure method for wiping content.  As well as maybe a way for one to decide what content can be stored / cached locally and what can only be streamed.  If the process for propagating the content was quick enough then maybe you can build in security based on the proximity of the device that configured it?  For instance, in my example using someones phone and RFID to configure the device then maybe the same can hold true for wiping the device.  If the phone in this case leaves the proximity of the box then it automatically wipes after a certain period of time or something?  As well as a way to manually wipe of course.

**************And more**********

Also imagine that this media device / box is the center piece of the AV equipment.  So TV connects to the box, as well as maybe digital photo frames and a phone.  You walk in, device is configured and is able to push your video content to TV, photos to digital frames and your phone is configured for you (again think VoIP and SIP).

 

Businesses Baffle Me

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Its obvious to me there is a reason I am still a simple worker bee when it comes to the business world.  I simply can’t comprehend some of the decisions that are made by many businesses and their leaders.

For instance, how does a company in these economic times do layoffs one week and the next take all the employees to Disney Land for a holiday retreat?  Mahalo is only one example, I see this sort of thing happen all over though.  Some take it even further than that and some less.  But regardless how do you operate a business and in one breath talk about how you need to implement cost cutting initiatives and in the next waste money on such trivial things?

Also baffled why it takes an ‘economic’ crisis before they decide  to cut back on expenses and try to be more efficient.  Shouldn’t you operate a business where you always try to be as efficient as possible?

For instance most businesses tend to reward managers not for cost cutting and efficiency but quite the opposite in fact.  Many managers are rewarded based on how many employees they manage.  So of course most managers want more employees since they are rewarded based on headcount so there is no need to be efficient or have efficient employees. 

Then of course you have the way companies use ‘budgets’ to manage money.  What a joke that is.  Again managers are typically judged by the size of their budget.  The bigger the budget the bigger the manager.  So of course managers want budgets to be as big as possible so they have no reason to be efficient in how they spend money.  In fact many want to go over budget because that must mean they need a bigger budget.  If a manager is prudient and runs an efficient department and is able to save money and come in under budget then they run the risk of having their budget cut next year. 

It seems to me you would want to reward the ones who run a tight ship if you will and not the opposite way around?  But as I said I guess thats why I am but lowly little worker bee and not one to buy into this madness.

And God Said… Let there be a desk!

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Looks like God is back at work creating these days.  We all know the story about creating life, earth and the universe.  But what you may not know is that he recently came out of retirement and created something new.

I would like to introduce you to the most glorious desk ever made.  It has to be a creation from none other then God himself.

 

Han Solo Desk

Han Solo Desk

 

Ok, so maybe God didn’t make it but still is it not the most glorious thing you have laid eyes on?  Please do not write me telling me I am going to hell for using God’s name in this manner.  Trust me if I am going to hell there are plenty of other reasons for that journey than this post I assure you.

More info on this work of art may be found here:

http://gizmodo.com/361035/exclusive-han-solo-carbonite-desk-info-and-gallery

The Gift of Giving

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I read a post today by Chris Pirillo titled “Receiving the Gift of Giving“.  Chris had the opportunity to do something that I wish everyone could do and that is give to those less fortunate.  I hate the words “less fortunate” to be honest because often these individuals are much more fortunate than most in my opinion.  Most of us measure fortune by the amount of money one has or their possessions.  However if you spent some real time with those deemed “less fortunate” in our society you will likely find their treasures and fortune are abundant in other ways.

They tend to be less stressed and happier on any given day.  While many of us are racing around in this rat race and trying to keep up with the Jones’s, they are able to take comfort in some of the simplier things in life.

Chris is now offering up the opportunity for others to do good and share in his experience but many seem to be missing this opportunity as that and are stuck on what they can get from him.  I really hope others see this as the opportunity it is and not as just a means to make themselves happy.  Chris didn’t specify this as a catch to winning the giveaways but I am sure he is hoping that winners will help carry on this gift of giving.

I know we all tend to idolize our fathers and put them on pedastels, and no my father is no saint thats for sure.  But he has done a good job I think of making me realize just how fortunate I am in life and the importance of sharing and giving.  He has done this through a simple gesture.  Throughout the year their are various opportunities to give someone gifts.  Anytime someone asks what they could buy him, he simply requests for others to only give him new stuffed animals and toys. He then takes these around Christmas time to the local children’s hospital for the kids to ensure that as many as possible get something this time of the year and aren’t forgotten. I know this simple act has led many others in the family and outside to start doing the same. His motivation is simple and I never questioned it knowing his past and growing up in an orphanage and boys home.

Chris please consider this post as my formal request to be entered into the Star Wars Smiles give away. If selected I plan to turn the gift over to my father to help with his tradition and to extend your gift of giving a little further.

Don’t Buy iPhone Recorder by DreamCatcher

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OK so call me a sucker for paying for some darn iphone app for a jailbroken iphone.  I finally broke down and jailbroke my iphone 3g.  Shortly after doing that I installed a video recorder application and really liked it.  I went to the site to pay and supporter the developer of this application and discovered they made an audio recorder app as well.  I decided that since the video recorder was pretty nice and I like being able to support those that invest their time and energy creating good apps that I would buy the audio application as well through their special offer.  Well… big mistake it turns out.  Cannot get the audio recorder app to install.  And all my attempts to communicate with the developer has been ignored.

So take it from me, don’t make the same mistake I did and waste your money.

Avoid – Do Not Buy any DreamCatcher software:

http://www.iphone-recorder.com

http://www.iphonevideorecorder.com

Mophie iPhone 3G Juice Pack

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Anyone who knows me knows just how much I have come to love the iPhone.  I patiently waited for the 3G version to come out and did not buy the first gen despite desperately wanting too.  Yes the iPhone 3G is the greatest piece of consumer electronics ever made to date but its not without its share of problems.

What problems you ask?  Well battery is the number one.  Actually the battery isn’t too bad considering all it does but if you have push email enabled your gonna burn through battery in no time.  With 3G on, and push enabled you will be luckily to have the phone make it through the day.

Thats where the Mophie iPhone 3G Juice Pack comes in.  This is the first battery accessory that is certified by Apple for the iPhone 3G.  It effectively doubles the battery life of the iPhone 3G.

The form factor is pretty nice, little thick pretty much doubles the iphones thickness but still fits nicely in ones pocket.  One of the nicest things about it in my opinion is the fact that it uses miniUSB and you can charge and sync your iPhone using miniUSB with this thing.  I like this alot because now I am not as dependent on keeping the Apple sync cable with me all the time.  It’s easier to find a miniUSB cable lying around some where then it is to find the Apple cable.

So far I am very pleased with this thing.  Next to the iPhone its one of my best purchases to date.  I highly recommend this device to anyone with an iPhone 3G who travels or uses the iPhone as a blackberry replacement with push email enabled.

Lafayette Technology Google Group

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For those that might be interested there is a Google Group up now regarding Lafayette Technology.  I think the purpose is to get various individuals in the community talking about technology and what it can do for our community.

Let’s see if this one has some staying power.

http://groups.google.com/group/lafayettetech