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Cable TV’s Nightmare
KONK REACTOR column
[Published in the KONK Life newspaper on February 14, 2013.]
Cable TV’s Nightmare
You hear a lot about the Xfinity vs U-verse war, and DirectTV and Dish skirmishes. But Big Cable’s real enemy is IPTV (“internet protocol television”). TV that doesn’t NEED cable (other than to carry internet). Last year 1.5 million more people cut their cable & satellite than signed up, and this is growing. Recently my household joined those ranks.
I was already getting antsy about the rising cable bill even as I got more of my entertainment through other, uhhh, channels. Then this year’s annual price boost added new monthly charges for the two little “free” boxes Comcast had given us when they’d taken away direct access by other TVs in the house. It was the last straw: Bye-bye, Xfinity!
Now we’re loving the $90+ reduction in our monthly Comcast bill, (more…)
Return of the Geek
KONK REACTOR column
[Published in the KONK Life newspaper on June 21, 2012.]
Return of the Geek
A couple of years ago I wrote a column called Geek Speak in a local paper. It focused on various techie topics, where I’d introduce or update new and changing technologies we deal with. Topics that can be confusing when you don’t keep up with them. The river of Science and Engineering flows swiftly, so I’m again going to put on my Geek hat, and attempt to pilot you through one of those eddies. This time: Portable Music.
Just a few years ago “state of the art” was (more…)
I Need A Job
KONK REACTOR column
[Published in the KONK Life newspaper on May 10, 2012.]
I Need A Job
Two years ago I got the wake-up call:
“Dude, it doesn’t matter that your work garners awards from the CEO, that you have an impressive project resume, that you consistently do high quality work 40% more than you’re being paid for, or that you’ve shown 30 years of loyalty in the face of other opportunities. Our bean counters think we’ll show 0.00001% more profit if we send your project overseas and force you to `retire’ now instead of letting you move over to another needy project.”
Well, the call didn’t use exactly those words, but that was effectively the message.
I documented this (more…)
Travel Tech
Geek Speak column
[Published in the Key West Citizen Locals Guide on September 24, 2010.]
Travel Tech
In Key West, October involves a lot of travel. Multitudes of Fantasy Festers are coming and going, some of the seasonal population is on the move, and there are locals who try to get out of town to make room for the revelry. Whether travelling by plane, boat or car, new technology can smooth the ride and help make for an enjoyable and safe trip. Here are a few travel techno-tips and gadgets…
Personal Entertainment. Let’s start with an update on what’s available these days to keep you entertained while on a long ride or flight. On-board DVD players are now a fairly common option in cars, and the average laptop nowadays can be your own personal entertainment center on the road. However there are a few new developments you may not be aware of. For example, did you know that the long-promised “TV glasses” have finally become a practical reality? (more…)