Which 6x9 speaker is reliable?

I bought a set of Klipsch RF-3's Towers and a Klipsch Center Channel RC-3 a few years ago. I just bought a new 65"Mitsubishi Laser TV, Yamaha receiver, to upgrade system to HDMI and the salesman threw in a Pioneer BD 120 Blu Ray. Now due to the center channels large size and my new TV stands limited space I had to get a different Center Channel speaker, a Smaller one and the one that the salesman gave me a deal on was an Energy CC-5, they don't sell Klipsch! Now tone wise will this match up with my Klipsch? Im using it and Im just wondering If I would have been better off buying a Klipsch smaller center channel? Whats your thoughts? Will this Center Channel work with the Klipsch or should I try and sell the big Klipsch and get a smaller one or live with the Energy? Anyone want a cheap Klipsch set up? Thanks Bill

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Videos are a great way to market a product or service. The problem is though is that you do not want to clutter your website with to many videos. Your social networking profiles also should not be cluttered with to many videos. While you can change your videos out to showcase different products you cannot or should I say do not want to leave them all on your social networking site or your business website. To be able to have every video you created viewable to the public you will want to utilize a social video submission site such as YouTube.

A great point with video submission sites is that users are allowed to post comments on the videos that are on the site. These comments are a great way to find out how the public is viewing your videos. You get a free trial and error marketing testing by just using the site to air your videos. Remove the videos that do not seem to appeal to the public and replace it with a different video. Watch your comment section to see again how this new video is fairing with the users.

YouTube and other such video submission sites allow users to create a profile and start uploading videos for other users to watch. With virtual millions of internet users watching the user submitted videos on these sites you are sure to see a turn around with your website traffic. There are however keys to creating a successful video because if your video bombs out then your traffic and sales are sure to bomb out as well.

First you need to decide upon the direction of the video and have a clear outline for your video. You do not want to start shooting your video and winging it as you go along. This type of performance is sure to not make for a clear video. Take the time to put together a clear outline to use during the shooting of your video.

Remember that internet users do not want to spend forever in one spot, so keep your video short. A web video should be no longer than 5 minutes. So realize that you only have 5 minutes to get your point across.

The previous point leads to the next point I am going to make. You need to make sure that by the end of your video that the viewer knows just what you are trying to convey. They should not be left at the end wondering what your video was about.

Make sure to place your website link at the end of your video. You can also place a text over the video of your web address as well throughout the video. For those that have a company phone number make sure to place that on your video as well. Make mention of your company name or your product during the video will help to drive home name recognition.

You need to make sure that the video that you created is not seen as annoying. We have almost all of us seen the annoying used car salesperson commercials. Avoid using these types of promotional tactics in your videos. After all if your video is annoying the viewer will move on to someone else’s videos.

Now that I have given you some of the outlines making a good video, let us talk about equipment. You do not need a high tech, high dollar video recorder; in fact you can make your videos using an average web cam. You will see a lot of decent videos on YouTube and other video submission sites that are created using just a simple web cam. A web cam and a microphone will allow you to create your videos without spending a lot on more expensive equipment when you are on a budget.

Another great thing with videos is that you really do not even have to have a video recorder or even a camcorder. You can create your videos using still pictures. Windows Movie Maker allows you to use still pictures to create videos with voice over. Therefore, you will need a microphone for the voice over. Alternatively, find the free to use music and use it over the still pictures and add some decent text throughout your video.

Windows Movie Maker is great for creating videos with still pictures to the point that even a beginner can create some great videos. I used it when I was first starting with stills as videos and was able to turn out some great marketing videos. I had seen other users on YouTube featuring videos that were comprised of still pictures and decided to give it a shot. I found that they did work fairly well at driving some traffic to my sites.

The pictures that you use can be obtained on the internet from free stock picture sites. All you need to do is grab some relevant pictures and put them in the order that you wish them to run through the video and use the Movie Maker to add some text and incorporate your voice over or the music that you choose.

Just remember that you should be working toward name recognition, your video should

be short and to the point and that your web address is located at least at the end of the video. You want the viewer to know what it is that you are talking about and who you are, as well as how to purchase your product or service. Therefore make sure this is all covered in your brief video.

You will be able to add keyword tags to your video so that it is easy for others to find. Make sure that your keywords are relevant and concise with your video. Use as many keywords that you can, so singular and plural forms of a word work as well as variations of the word. These are just as important as your video itself so make sure to take the time to give your videos adequate keywords.

Click this link to “Learn How To Build A Huge List!”

Subscribe in a reader

6x9 speakers

The best 6x9 speaker grills review

Brookstone unveils its new iDesign Flip speaker dock for iPod and iPhone products. The iDesign Flip can dock your iPhone or iPod in two different ways, vertically for music and horizontally for widescreen video. The Flip speaker dock will also charge your iPod or iPhone and is powered by an AC power adapter or 4 AAA batteries.

The Brookstone iDesign Flip works with the latest iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 3G, iPod nano 4G and other iPhone/iPod products. It is priced at $79.95.

Thor Pedersen

Just in time for the Copenhagen Climate Summit, the liberal Speaker of Denmark’s Parliament has given an interview to the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) expressing some very refreshing skepticism.

Politiken.DK:

The Speaker of the Danish Parliament has issued a damning criticism of the climate debate, saying politicians gullibly turn theories into facts.

As the world prepares to converge on Copenhagen for the COP15 Climate Summit, Denmark’s Speaker of Parliament has expressed serious doubts as to the way in which the climate debate has developed.

“The problem is that lots of people go around saying that the climate change we see is a result of human activity. That is a very dangerous claim,” Parliamentary Speaker and former Finance Minister Thor Pedersen (Lib) tells DR.

“Unfortunately I seem to experience that scientists say: ‘We have a theory’ – then that crosses the road to the politicians who say: ‘We know’. Who can be bothered to hear a scientist who says ‘I have a theory’ when politicians go around saying ‘I know’” Thor Pedersen says.

Speaker Thor Pedersen (Lib) “Scientists say: ‘We have a theory’ – then that crosses the road to the politicians who say: ‘We know’”

Thor Pedersen adds that the temperature has not risen in the past decade.

“I’m not saying that in the decade that the temperature has fallen or stagnated is enough to evaluate developments. But one should only say what one knows,” the Speaker adds.

“You should say that although we believed in our models, that the temperature would rise from 1998 to 2008, we have to admit that it has not risen. We cannot explain why it has not risen, but we believe we still have a problem. I’m just asking that people say what they actually know.”

4 way 6x9 speakers

This is my site

A lot of people have talked to me over the last week about Wi-Fi (open and closed, i.e. password-protected) and the Digital Economy bill. The more I try to find answers, the more ludicrous it becomes. For instance, last week it turned out that a pub owner was allegedly fined £8,000 because someone downloaded copyright material over their open Wi-Fi system. Would that get worse or better if the Digital Economy bill passes in its present form?

To illustrate, I'm going to pick my favourite example of a potentially worried wireless network provider: my mum.

She doesn't understand or like the internet, refuses to even think about securing her Wi-Fi network. What is her legal status? What will she say if/when she receives warnings under the Digital Economy bill because someone has used her open Wi-Fi to download infringing files?
Well, the bill contemplates that warnings can be sent only to "subscribers". These include alleged infringers, and those who have "allowed" others to use their access to the internet to allegedly infringe. That sounds a lot like it covers those who operate Wi-Fi networks (and is meant to). Later in the bill, however, a "subscriber" is defined as any person who "(a) receives the service under an agreement between the person and the provider of the service; and (b) does not receive it as a communications provider".

This leaves two avenues of defence for my mum. One: she might say she was a "communications provider" and thus not a subscriber. This is at least arguable under the Communications Act 2003 definition of such, and might get her out of the bill (hurrah). But if my mum is not a poacher, is she a gamekeeper? If not a "subscriber", is she an "internet access provider"? The definition in the bill is that an ISP is someone who provides an "internet access service", itself defined as :
"an electronic communications service that (a) is provided to a subscriber; (b) consists entirely or mainly of the provision of access to the internet; (c) includes the allocation of an IP address or IP addresses to the subscriber to enable that access".

My mum may fit these conditions. (Does she "allocate" an IP address? Who knows? Certainly not my mum.) But is there an "agreement" between her and an unknown Wi-Fi piggybacker? My mum's Wi-Fi has no "I accept" box. "Agreement" is defined nowhere in the bill. But suppose my mum leaves her network unsecured due to ignorance – and the "subscriber"s laptop logs on to the nearest open Wi-Fi network automatically as he sits on the bench outside? In such circumstances, can there truly be "agreement"?

Maybe not, which is good for my mum, but not so good for the government, because it drives a coach and horses through the intention of the bill, which is to ban open Wi-Fi so that it cannot be used as an excuse when (whenever that is) the opportunity comes to repel the unfounded allegations of infringement which generate the warnings. (How my mum could even start to know how to do this without legal aid – which will clearly not be available – is beyond me – but let's leave that for now too.)

A hardened contract lawyer will already be muttering that in English law formation of contract is an objective not subjective matter. If my mum appears to extend a service of internet access, and a downloader appears to accept it, does it matter what they actually think? Isn't this objectively an "agreement"? The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (DBIS), which is pushing the Digital Economy bill through, would probably like this argument, at least on first thoughts, because it plugs the gaps in the enforcement scheme. But it has big problems of its own. My mum would not be a subscriber, but she would be deemed an "ISP", which would mean she would be bound to comply with sending out of warnings to those users of her service whose IP addresses were passed to her by rightsholders, or else, er, face up to a £250,000 fine for non cooperation.

Even DBIS may grind to a halt at this point. Not only is fining grannies a quarter of a million pounds for not being hip with the internet not going to go down well in Daily Mail land, but it would be impossible for my mum to pass the warnings on: although she may have unknowingly "allocated" her IP address to the "subscriber", she has no way of identifying those who have used her Wi-Fi, and no way to pass those warnings – and the legal responsibility - on.

Let's try a different example. My mum is a dinosaur, let us say. She will be re-educated and her consciousness raised in the great Mandelson Digital Britain future. But the DEB is meant to be a business-friendly piece of legislation so presumably it will work fine for businesses – or will it? Let's think about a big solid business, like McDonalds. McDonalds have a nice well run, password protected Wi-Fi network.

So do many public institutions, like the venerable British Library, which likes to assist scholars and patrons by providing such facilities. In both cases, the Wi-Fi supplier will probably be regarded as a communications provider and hence not a subscriber. In both cases, it is very easy to see this time that an "agreement" is explicitly made between the Wi-Fi service and the recipient.

What happens this time if a passing user logs on, downloads infringing material and a warning is dispatched? McDonalds may cope because its Wi-Fi is provided by The Cloud, which can possibly cope with identifying which user is to get which warnings. It will be fiddly and expensive though and the cost of Wi-Fi to McDonalds would probably go up so much it would be uneconomic to supply. Bang goes a free service which has proved a public boon and a remarkably popular enticement to customers in the ongoing recession.

But if we turn to the British Library, it really bites. The BL is not set up to be a forensic investigator; obliging it to act as one will be a fantastically resource intensive exercise for a public body providing a free service. There is also an issue of privacy and anonymity, something academic researchers are often touchy about. And again, if the BL refuse to comply – or more likely, simply says it can't – it is, at least in theory, subject to a fine up to £250,000.

So we are back again to the death of public Wi-Fi, closed as well as open. Can anyone disprove this train of logic? Because really, I may be a lawyer, but I don't like it any more than you do.

Lilian Edwards is professor of internet law at Sheffield University

Update: corrected - British Library is not open (caption); pub being fined is "alleged" as it would have been civil damages; corrected © to (c) [error introduced by autocorrecting word processor]; minor grammar.

Three articles I want to point out to you that should get you thinking about the future of Wi-Fi:

(1) Andy Abramson’s long and thoughtful piece about sponsored Wi-Fi, sending party pays and the future of media in which he argues:

“Public Wireless” really takes hold, not from the telcos, or even the cable companies, but from the likes of Google, who understand how to monetize “free” better than anyone, and who also have the delivery billing system in place to bill back to a “sender” the same way they can bill back a click to an advertiser. Google, will then work with their “partners” in Clearwire, not to promote 4G WiMax as the pipe, but to use real WiMax in consort with companies like Comcast, Covad and TowerStream to deliver super fast Gigabit wireless to a series of access points around the country, where it then is distributed using WiFi. This is more than a likely scenario as Google has been a pioneer in Public Sponsored WiFi access for sometime, with their Mountain View WiFi network which has been up and running for a few years, surviving the failed Earthlink, MetroFi and other third party operator networks. By blending the “sponsored” public access model as Google has done with “sending party pays” the end user sees little or no cost.

(2) Network World’s eight ways 802.11n changes Wi-Fi

According to Network World, the approval of the 802.11n standard means improved security, higher data rates, better RF and interference management, use of Wi-Fi by devices never before associated with Wi-Fi, connecting to non-WiFi networks, personal area Wi-Fi (e.g. Wi-Fi Direct, which allows a Wi-Fi device such as the iPod Touch to connect directly to another Wi-Fi device such as a printer).

This is nothing new to those of you who have read Ken Biba’s articles on MuniWireless. If you have not read Ken’s articles, click on the links below:

The King is Dead, Long Live the King: 802.11n dramatically improves Wi-Fi outdoors

Real world measurements show muni Wi-Fi networks outperform WiMAX and cellular

(3) What Wi-Fi Direct means for Mac users: Glenn Fleishman has written a very informative article about how the Wi-Fi Alliance’s new Wi-Fi Direct standard greatly improves ad hoc Wi-Fi networking, that is, Wi-Fi connections between two devices (without the need of going through a base station).

* * * * * * * * * *

Special offer: Get free Telecom and Wireless magazines.

* * * * * * * * *

Buy these Research Reports now:

(1) Guide to the WiMAX Band (2.5 GHz): the technology, license holders and future prospects

(2) The U.S. Mobile Web Market: Taking Advantage of the iPhone Phenomenon

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Twinkler Software has just released a new BlackBerry application that will prove to be very useful if you’re constantly on the move and are a heavy WiFi user (like me).

WiFi Hero is an application that, once installed, controls when WiFi connections are on/off allowing you to conserve battery life based on where you are or what your BlackBerry is doing. Here’s how it works:

• Location Based. In this mode, WiFi Hero will automatically learn the location of the WiFi Hotspot you are currently connected to, and when WiFi is not connected (you are out of range of this Hotspot), WiFi Hero will automatically turn off WiFi – and when you come back to the same Hotspot location, it will automatically turn on WiFi.


• Screen Status. In this mode, WiFi Hero will automatically turn on WiFi when the screen is on and automatically turn off WiFi when the screen is off – making this very useful when you use your Blackberry to browse the web.


• Charging Status. In this mode, WiFi Hero will automatically turn on WiFi when the device is on charge, and automatically turn off WiFi when device is not charging and on battery power.


• This application is very small (about 12K) and is optimized for battery life.

WiFi Hero will work on all WiFi-enabled BlackBerry devices running OS 4.5 and higher and is available in the store for $4.99 with a free trial available.

Twinkler Software let us know about their latest application called WiFi Hero. This app automatically controls your WiFi Status and helps save your battery. The app works on all OS 4.5+ devices but obviously requires a WiFi enabled device. The cool part is that the app is only 12K so it also saves your memory. I am not sure how the app knows your location but it looks like it remembers your cell tower location… Still waiting for Twinkler to confirm.

The application has three working modes:

• Location Based. In this mode, WiFi Hero will automatically learn the location of the WiFi Hotspot you are currently connected to, and when WiFi is not connected (you are out of range of this Hotspot), WiFi Hero will automatically turn off WiFi – and when you come back to the same Hotspot location, it will automatically turn on WiFi.


• Screen Status. In this mode, WiFi Hero will automatically turn on WiFi when the screen is on and automatically turn off WiFi when the screen is off – making this very useful when you use your Blackberry to browse the web.


• Charging Status. In this mode, WiFi Hero will automatically turn on WiFi when the device is on charge, and automatically turn off WiFi when device is not charging and on battery power.

Check it out for $4.99 at this link in the store. The options for the app are under the main BlackBerry options menu.

This is my wifi booster site

style="text-align: justify;">The HTC HD2 is, without any doubt, one of the hottest and most powerful Windows Phones on the market today. MobilityMinded has been very fortunate to conduct a very extensive and indepth review of the HTC HD2, which is published in the article “HTC HD2 review – A new era in Windows Phones’ history“.

style="text-align: justify;">However I would like to highlight one specific application on the HTC HD2, which is a helpful addition for every mobile professional:  Wi-Fi Router, which turns the HTC HD2 in a true Access Point that shares your cellular data connection.

style="text-align: center;">    

style="text-align: justify;">The screenshots above show two ways of launching the Wi-Fi Router application on the HTC HD2. The first way is simply to tap on the Wi-Fi Router icon in the improved Windows Mobile 6.5 start menu. The second way is via changing the switch for Wi-Fi Router in the Comm Manager on the HTC HD2, which is shown in the right screenshot above.

style="text-align: center;">    

style="text-align: justify;">Both ways of launching the Wi-Fi Router application result in the same first step of “transforming” the Windows Phone into a Wi-Fi Router / Access Point. The mainscreen of the application is shown in the left screenshot above.

style="text-align: justify;">There you can see the Wi-Fi Router status and you can configure Network name and WEP key as the Wi-Fi Router parameters. Furthermore you need to select the Cellular Data Connection that you want to share, in the example this is called “Vodafone Live!”

style="text-align: justify;">The right screenshot above shows the status change “Connecting Vodafone Live!” when you hit start on the right softkey.

style="text-align: center;">    

style="text-align: justify;">After this status change or in the case when you hit “Help” on the left softkey a screen with (help) instructions is shown on the massive screen of the HTC HD2. As you can see in the left screenshot the (help) instructions consist of four simple steps, while the right screenshot above shows the Wi-Fi Router status: “Wi-Fi Router running, ready to accept connections“.

style="text-align: center;">

style="text-align: justify;">One of the best improvements of Windows 7 on my Lenovo X60 tablet is the improved way of managing the wireless networks, which I described in the acrticle “Windows 7 RC reviewed on HP Mini 1000” as:

style="text-align: justify;">“Windows 7 makes viewing and connecting to all of your networks simple and consistent. You’ll always have one-click access to available networks, regardless of whether those networks are based on Wi-Fi, mobile broadband, dial-up, or your corporate VPN.”

style="text-align: center;">      

style="text-align: center;">

style="text-align: justify;">In the left screenshot you can see that I’m connected with the Linksys WRT54GS Router of the Home network, while you can see the the Wi-Fi Router is in the list of available wireless networks.

style="text-align: justify;">Connecting to the Wi-Fi Router Wireless Network is simple. At first you click on the Wireless Network, and you click on the connect button. From the previous device screenshots above you probably remember that the WEP key is 1234567890, which I need to enter in order to get connected with the Wi-Fi Router Wireless Network.

style="text-align: justify;">In the right screenshot above you can see that I’m connected to the Wi-Fi Router Wireless Network. The left screenshot below shows the status of the Wi-Fi Router application on the HTC HD2 as: “Wi-Fi Router running, Connection established” so on both devices you can clearly see that connected status !!

style="text-align: center;">    

style="text-align: justify;">If you want to stop the Wi-Fi Router application you simply hit “Stop” on the right softkey, while as a result the Wi-Fi Router status directly changes to “Stopping Wi-Fi Router“. All connections are disconnected and the Wi-Fi Router application returns to its main screen.

Concluding thoughts on the Wi-Fi Router application

style="text-align: justify;">At first I would like to compliment HTC for developing this great application and pre-loading the Wi-Fi Router application on the HTC HD2. In the review I concluded that the HTC HD2 addresses also business needs or the needs of power users and mobile professionals:

style="text-align: justify;">“The HTC HD2 is a very well balanced Windows Phone for various usage scenarios, and with a bulk load of added value not only in terms of technology and hardware but also in terms of software innovations. HTC has done an amazing job and set the bars significantly higher.”

Wi-Fi Router vs. Internet Sharing

style="text-align: justify;">Jaap van Ekris, Windows Mobile MVP and Editor in Chief of ModernNomads.info, has written excellent articles related to the internet sharing functionality in Windows Mobile:  “Bluetooth Internet Connection sharing” and “Use your Windows Mobile device as modem for your laptop“ 

style="text-align: justify;">Internet Sharing on Windows Phones can substitute devices like the Option GlobeTrotter GT MAX HSUPA modem card or a Huawei E160 USB modem. But it is not possible to share the cellular data connection with more devices or people. This is the biggest advantage of the Wi-Fi Router application on the HTC HD2, while it furthermore is extremely simple to use.

style="text-align: justify;"> 

style="text-align: justify;">However I would also like to address a few points for improvement in future itterations of the Wi-Fi Router application.

1. The security of the Wireless Connection is just a 10 digit WEP key, while I use the more secure WPA security on my Linksys WRT54GS Router. In the extreme case that you work with a project group on location, and have your Wi-Fi Router application up and running for the whole day, you simply want the corporate project data to be secure.
   
   
   

   Twinkler Software has just released a new BlackBerry application that will prove to be very useful if you’re constantly on the move and are a heavy WiFi user (like me).

   
   

   WiFi Hero is an application that, once installed, controls when WiFi connections are on/off allowing you to conserve battery life based on where you are or what your BlackBerry is doing. Here’s how it works:

   
   
   
   
   • Location Based. In this mode, WiFi Hero will automatically learn the location of the WiFi Hotspot you are currently connected to, and when WiFi is not connected (you are out of range of this Hotspot), WiFi Hero will automatically turn off WiFi – and when you come back to the same Hotspot location, it will automatically turn on WiFi.
   
   
   • Screen Status. In this mode, WiFi Hero will automatically turn on WiFi when the screen is on and automatically turn off WiFi when the screen is off – making this very useful when you use your Blackberry to browse the web.
   
   
   • Charging Status. In this mode, WiFi Hero will automatically turn on WiFi when the device is on charge, and automatically turn off WiFi when device is not charging and on battery power.
   
   
   • This application is very small (about 12K) and is optimized for battery life.
   
   
   
   

   WiFi Hero will work on all WiFi-enabled BlackBerry devices running OS 4.5 and higher and is available in the store for $4.99 with a free trial available.

   
   
   
   

   3G dongles are nice, but the problem with them is that they're very specific, and tend to come with their own software, which may or may not spray all sorts of little extras around your computer, rendering the experience of getting online while mobile seriously vexing. (Yes, BT, I'm thinking of you and your intrusive software.)

   Why can't we just have free Wi-Fi everywhere? You know the answer to that: companies don't feel like offering it (and even Swindon is going to limit it). But here's a smart combination: a 3G dongle that's incorporated into a portable Wi-Fi generator. No troublesome software, just the warm glow of a Wi-Fi signal that your computer – and indeed your smartphone or other Wi-Fi device – can hook into. Private, simple, mobile. That's what the latest offerings from 3 and (generically) from Mi-Fi offer: a pocketable device that picks up a 3G data signal and broadcasts a secure Wi-Fi signal.

   
   
   
   

   The device from 3 is neat, little, bright and white, about the size of a credit card but fatter. There are four buttons and five lights, where each light can glow more than one colour (to indicate, for example, that it's negotiating to join the 3G network, the quality of the 3G signal, and whether it's broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal). This could easily lead to interface overload, but actually, once you get it working – because it truly is a click-to-start experience once 3 has configured it – then it's a delight. The offer of pay-as-you-go products also means that you aren't locked into an 18-month contract that offers a fair rate for the first three months and a lousy one for the next 15; the latest evidence suggests that PAYG mobile broadband is becoming more and more popular. Though you can't choose which sim goes into the 3 Wi-Fi dongle, you can with the Novatel MiFi. It also lets you store and share files from an SD card, unlike the 3 version.

   That should make up for the hassles that I did have with the Novatel, which requires you to enter the 3G account details (which I didn't have to hand). Given those, it's a breeze, but it is slightly more complicated than the 3 proposition.

   The other aspect of the 3G Wi-Fi dongles as a class that makes them very much more useful than those you plug into your computer is that you can move it about for the best signal. On a train, having a plug-in dongle down by your lap, with a big chunk of steel – the train body – between you and the signal is never going to be ideal; with the MiFi you can simply lodge it by the window (or more sensibly, put it in your pocket, though I expect a smart company will add a sucker to let you stick it to train or car windows soon enough).

   Mobile broadband? Great. Wi-Fi? Brilliant. The combination? Unbeatable.

   Pros: portable, simple, connects to more than one device, no extra software, choice of payment plans (Novatel)
   Cons: may need some setup, may be limited to certain payment plans (3)
   three.co.uk
   novatelwireless.com

   
   
   
   

   Three articles I want to point out to you that should get you thinking about the future of Wi-Fi:

   
   

   (1) Andy Abramson’s long and thoughtful piece about sponsored Wi-Fi, sending party pays and the future of media in which he argues:

   
   

   “Public Wireless” really takes hold, not from the telcos, or even the cable companies, but from the likes of Google, who understand how to monetize “free” better than anyone, and who also have the delivery billing system in place to bill back to a “sender” the same way they can bill back a click to an advertiser. Google, will then work with their “partners” in Clearwire, not to promote 4G WiMax as the pipe, but to use real WiMax in consort with companies like Comcast, Covad and TowerStream to deliver super fast Gigabit wireless to a series of access points around the country, where it then is distributed using WiFi. This is more than a likely scenario as Google has been a pioneer in Public Sponsored WiFi access for sometime, with their Mountain View WiFi network which has been up and running for a few years, surviving the failed Earthlink, MetroFi and other third party operator networks. By blending the “sponsored” public access model as Google has done with “sending party pays” the end user sees little or no cost.

   
   

   (2) Network World’s eight ways 802.11n changes Wi-Fi

   
   

   According to Network World, the approval of the 802.11n standard means improved security, higher data rates, better RF and interference management, use of Wi-Fi by devices never before associated with Wi-Fi, connecting to non-WiFi networks, personal area Wi-Fi (e.g. Wi-Fi Direct, which allows a Wi-Fi device such as the iPod Touch to connect directly to another Wi-Fi device such as a printer).

   
   

   This is nothing new to those of you who have read Ken Biba’s articles on MuniWireless. If you have not read Ken’s articles, click on the links below:

   
   

   The King is Dead, Long Live the King: 802.11n dramatically improves Wi-Fi outdoors

   
   

   Real world measurements show muni Wi-Fi networks outperform WiMAX and cellular

   
   

   (3) What Wi-Fi Direct means for Mac users: Glenn Fleishman has written a very informative article about how the Wi-Fi Alliance’s new Wi-Fi Direct standard greatly improves ad hoc Wi-Fi networking, that is, Wi-Fi connections between two devices (without the need of going through a base station).

   
   

   
   

   * * * * * * * * * *

   
   

   Special offer: Get free Telecom and Wireless magazines.

   
   

   * * * * * * * * *

   
   

   Buy these Research Reports now:

   
   

   (1) Guide to the WiMAX Band (2.5 GHz): the technology, license holders and future prospects

   
   

   (2) The U.S. Mobile Web Market: Taking Advantage of the iPhone Phenomenon

   
   

   * * * * * * * * * * * *

   
   

   
   

   
   

This is my wifi singal booster review

3G dongles are nice, but the problem with them is that they're very specific, and tend to come with their own software, which may or may not spray all sorts of little extras around your computer, rendering the experience of getting online while mobile seriously vexing. (Yes, BT, I'm thinking of you and your intrusive software.)

Why can't we just have free Wi-Fi everywhere? You know the answer to that: companies don't feel like offering it (and even Swindon is going to limit it). But here's a smart combination: a 3G dongle that's incorporated into a portable Wi-Fi generator. No troublesome software, just the warm glow of a Wi-Fi signal that your computer – and indeed your smartphone or other Wi-Fi device – can hook into. Private, simple, mobile. That's what the latest offerings from 3 and (generically) from Mi-Fi offer: a pocketable device that picks up a 3G data signal and broadcasts a secure Wi-Fi signal.

The device from 3 is neat, little, bright and white, about the size of a credit card but fatter. There are four buttons and five lights, where each light can glow more than one colour (to indicate, for example, that it's negotiating to join the 3G network, the quality of the 3G signal, and whether it's broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal). This could easily lead to interface overload, but actually, once you get it working – because it truly is a click-to-start experience once 3 has configured it – then it's a delight. The offer of pay-as-you-go products also means that you aren't locked into an 18-month contract that offers a fair rate for the first three months and a lousy one for the next 15; the latest evidence suggests that PAYG mobile broadband is becoming more and more popular. Though you can't choose which sim goes into the 3 Wi-Fi dongle, you can with the Novatel MiFi. It also lets you store and share files from an SD card, unlike the 3 version.

That should make up for the hassles that I did have with the Novatel, which requires you to enter the 3G account details (which I didn't have to hand). Given those, it's a breeze, but it is slightly more complicated than the 3 proposition.

The other aspect of the 3G Wi-Fi dongles as a class that makes them very much more useful than those you plug into your computer is that you can move it about for the best signal. On a train, having a plug-in dongle down by your lap, with a big chunk of steel – the train body – between you and the signal is never going to be ideal; with the MiFi you can simply lodge it by the window (or more sensibly, put it in your pocket, though I expect a smart company will add a sucker to let you stick it to train or car windows soon enough).

Mobile broadband? Great. Wi-Fi? Brilliant. The combination? Unbeatable.

Pros: portable, simple, connects to more than one device, no extra software, choice of payment plans (Novatel)
Cons: may need some setup, may be limited to certain payment plans (3)
three.co.uk
novatelwireless.com

Do most people use separate Wi-Fi software or the software provided in the operating system? I have a Dell Latitude E6500 running XP and the broadband connection only stays up for five minutes.
Rob Turrell

Up-to-date versions of Windows XP support Wi-Fi via the Wireless Zero Configuration Service, WZCSVC, and this generally works OK. Separate software is often provided with laptops and wireless cards, and may support extra buttons or offer other features. Independent Wi-Fi managers are also available. The alternatives will use a bit more memory, but I don't think people are bothered as long as they have something that works.

When it comes to disconnections, there's a tendency to blame the Wi-Fi router. Go through the set-up pages and look for something that tells it to "disconnect after X minutes". If you can try your laptop at a public hotspot and it doesn't drop the connection, that would point to there being a router or broadband problem.

It could also be the laptop's power-saving system that is turning the wireless card off after five minutes. Have a look at Ethernet Device Problem in Dell E6500.

Twinkler Software has just released a new BlackBerry application that will prove to be very useful if you’re constantly on the move and are a heavy WiFi user (like me).

WiFi Hero is an application that, once installed, controls when WiFi connections are on/off allowing you to conserve battery life based on where you are or what your BlackBerry is doing. Here’s how it works:

• Location Based. In this mode, WiFi Hero will automatically learn the location of the WiFi Hotspot you are currently connected to, and when WiFi is not connected (you are out of range of this Hotspot), WiFi Hero will automatically turn off WiFi – and when you come back to the same Hotspot location, it will automatically turn on WiFi.


• Screen Status. In this mode, WiFi Hero will automatically turn on WiFi when the screen is on and automatically turn off WiFi when the screen is off – making this very useful when you use your Blackberry to browse the web.


• Charging Status. In this mode, WiFi Hero will automatically turn on WiFi when the device is on charge, and automatically turn off WiFi when device is not charging and on battery power.


• This application is very small (about 12K) and is optimized for battery life.

WiFi Hero will work on all WiFi-enabled BlackBerry devices running OS 4.5 and higher and is available in the store for $4.99 with a free trial available.

FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Airlines, the first U.S. airline to launch Gogo Inflight Internet, is launching its new Wi-Fi Widget that enables customers to identify Wi-Fi equipped flights 24 hours prior to departure.

Customers can visit aa.com/wifiwidget to find and use the Wi-Fi Widget. The tool allows travelers to determine if their American Airlines flight will be scheduled with Wi-Fi enabled aircraft. Customers can also embed the Wi-Fi Widget in their own blogs, Web sites, and social network sites, which makes finding Wi-Fi on American Airlines flights even easier.

"We are pleased to have the Wi-Fi Widget tool available for our customers," said Doug Backelin, Manager - Inflight Communications and Technology. "We realize how important inflight connectivity is to travelers and believe the new widget will make identifying Wi-Fi equipped aircraft easy."

Simply enter your flight number or select your flight's departure airport from a drop down menu to find out in seconds if your flight is scheduled on a Wi-Fi equipped aircraft. For a quick video demonstration of how to use the Wi-Fi Widget, visit http://www.youtube.com/americanairlines.

Recently American completed the installation of Wi-Fi on 150 MD-80 aircraft. Combined with the 15 Boeing 767-200 aircraft that also have the service, American Airlines fleet now has 165 planes that are capable of providing customers with the ability to surf the Web, check e-mail, send instant messages, and more on a greater number of flights. In August 2008, American became the first U.S. airline to launch the Gogo service. Since then, thousands of customers traveling on American aircraft have enjoyed onboard Wi-Fi service while flying throughout the United States.

Coming soon, customers will also be able to determine if their flight has Wi-Fi by looking for the Wi-Fi symbol on the AA electronic gate information display screens at the airport.

Gogo service turns an American Airlines flight into a Wi-Fi hotspot. Once the aircraft has reached 10,000 feet, users can simply turn on their Wi-Fi enabled devices - such as laptops, smartphones and handheld PDAs - then open their browsers and be directed to the Gogo portal page where they sign up and begin surfing. Gogo also provides complimentary access to all that AA.com has to offer, including booking flights, hotel stays and rentals, checking AAdvantage accounts, and more.

Once connected, passengers can surf the Web, check e-mail, send instant messages, access a corporate VPN, and even start holiday shopping with SkyMall. By placing an online SkyMall order onboard, customers will receive a $12.95 discount on orders totaling more than $100 - covering the price of the Gogo session.

Each paid Gogo session includes full Internet, e-mail and VPN access. Cell phone and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service use are prohibited.

About American Airlines

American Airlines, American Eagle and American Connection® serve 250 cities in 40 countries with, on average, more than 3,400 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American's award-winning Web site, AA.com®, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld® Alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members serve nearly 700 destinations in more than 130 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. American Airlines, American Eagle, American Connection, AA.com, AAdvantage, AAnytime, MileSAAver and We know why you fly are registered trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. ( AMR)

About Aircell

Aircell is the world's leading provider of airborne communications. As winner of an exclusive FCC frequency license in 2006, Aircell has built a revolutionary mobile broadband network for commercial and business aviation. In 2008, the Aircell Network and its inflight portal, Gogo, revolutionized the commercial airline passenger flight experience by delivering a robust Internet experience at 35,000 feet. In addition, the Aircell Network provides airlines with connectivity to operations and a path to enhanced cabin services such as video, audio, television and more. A similar feature set is available to Business aircraft operators. Aircell has facilities in Broomfield, Colorado, and Itasca, Illinois. Aircell's vision is to give everyone the ability to stay in touch, in flight®. For more information about Aircell, please visit www.aircell.com.

About Gogo

Gogo, powered by Aircell, turns a commercial airplane into a Wi-Fi hotspot with true inflight Internet access. Passengers with Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs, can surf the Web, check e-mail, instant message, access a corporate VPN and more. For more information about Gogo, please visit www.gogoinflight.com.

© 2009 Aircell LLC. Aircell and Gogo are trademarks of Aircell or its affiliates. All rights reserved

AmericanAirlines® We know why you fly®

Current AMR Corp. releases can be accessed on the Internet.

The address is http://www.aa.com

SOURCE American Airlines

This is my Hd tv blog

Channel Five's Joseph Fiennes drama FlashForward finished the first part of its debut season run with just under 2 million viewers last night, Monday 30 November.

The US sci-fi series, which also stars fellow Brit actors Jack Davenport and Dominic Monaghan, pulled in 1.9 million viewers and an 8% share between 9pm and 10pm, according to unofficial overnight figures.

FlashForward, which airs close to its transmission date in the US, will now take a mid-season break after 10 of its 22 episodes, and will return to Five in the new year.

The drama began with 3.2 million viewers in September, and has gone on to maintain a typical weekly audience of more than 2 million viewers for its Monday night outing.

Last night the second part of BBC2's art competition, School of Saatchi, drew 700,000 viewers and a 3% share, also between 9pm and 10pm.

At the same time the second instalment of Channel 4's drama documentary The Queen picked up 2 million viewers and an 8% share, with another 162,000 viewers on Channel 4 +1.

BBC2's Miranda Hart sitcom, Miranda, enjoyed its biggest audience so far with 3 million viewers and a 12% share between 8.30pm and 9pm. Miranda's previous high was 2.6 million for its second episode two weeks ago.

The comedy, which also stars Patricia Hodge, was only 400,000 viewers behind BBC1's Panorama, about Tesco, which attracted 3.4 million viewers and a 14% share.

But the slot – and the heart of the prime-time schedule – was won by ITV1's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, which pulled in 8.8 million viewers and a 35% share between 8.30pm and 10pm.

I'm a Celebrity beat the eighth of BBC1's 10-part natural history series Life, which drew 4 million viewers and a 16% share between 9pm and 10pm.

Earlier, ITV1's Tonight recruited Chris Tarrant for its investigation into teaching, Chris Tarrant – Who Wants To Be A Teacher?, which attracted 3.5 million viewers and a 14% share between 8pm and 8.30pm.

BBC1's EastEnders pulled in 8.9 million viewers and a 37% share at the same time.

Five's Gadget Show winter special garnered 1.4 million viewers and a 6% share between 8pm and 9pm.

Also in the 8pm hour, Channel 4's Dispatches: Lords, Billionaires and the Russian Connection pulled in 700,000 viewers, a 3% share, and another 35,000 on Channel 4 +1.

ITV1's soap pairing of Emmerdale and Coronation Street took the ratings honours between 7pm and 8pm, with 7.2 million viewers and a 33% share, and 9.7 million and a 41%, respectively.

The two soaps beat BBC1's The One Show, with 5.2 million viewers and a 24% share, and regional programme Inside Out, which drew 3.7 million viewers and a 16% share.

• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000.

• If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".

NEW YORK, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon is delivering more international content to its FiOS TV subscribers with the launch of three new channels from World TV that feature Korean, Mandarin and Greek programming. With the additions, FiOS TV subscribers now have access to 35 international channels covering 20 languages - a collection that cable can't match. The three new channels will be available in all FiOS TV markets by the end of the week.

"International programming on FiOS TV offers a world of diverse channels in a growing variety of languages," said Terry Denson, vice president of content strategy and acquisition for Verizon. "We are introducing our first Greek channel, along with new Korean and Mandarin channels, and delivering an expanding international offering with the amazing picture-and-sound quality that only FiOS delivers."

Verizon FiOS TV's new international programming consists of:

• YTN (channel 1761), the CNN news channel of Korea, which joins a new Korean package that also includes MBC (channel 1760) for $24.99 per month.
• Phoenix North America (channel 1797), a Mandarin channel offering news and entertainment, including programs like "Phoenix North America News" and "Experience America"; the channel joins CCTV4 (channel 1795) and CTI (channel 1796) in a new Chinese Mandarin package for $15.99 per month.
• Antenna (channel 1789), FiOS TV's first Greek channel, featuring comedies, dramas, news, current affairs programs, game shows, entertainment programming and more for $14.99 per month.

The three new channels come from World TV, a division of content management and delivery company GlobeCast, which signed a distribution deal last year with Verizon for top-tier international channels, including Russian channel RTR Planeta, Romanian channels Pro TV and RSC1, Portuguese channel RTPi, and more.

Verizon is currently offering new customers who subscribe to Verizon's better or best bundled package of FiOS TV, FiOS Internet and phone service the option to add one International TV package free of charge for three months.* Customers can select a package in any one of the following languages: Chinese, Filipino, German, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish or Vietnamese. Total savings on the International TV package, if selected, range from $29.97 to $104.97, depending on the bundled packages selected.

FiOS TV offers a broad collection of programming, with more than 500 all-digital channels including more than 126 HD channels and more than 18,000 monthly VOD titles. FiOS provides next-generation interactive services including an advanced interactive media guide; news, entertainment and social TV widgets; remote DVR management; multi-room DVR; and more.

For more information on these new channels on FiOS TV call 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966). For customer service support in Chinese call 877-576-7015; and in Korean call 877-703-7015.

For the latest news, updates and information about FiOS TV, visit www.verizon.com/newscenter and http://www.verizon.com/athomeblog.

*Three-month credits will be given for the selected International TV package.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 89 million customers nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 230,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

SOURCE Verizon

At the beginning of Margot (BBC4), a cautionary caption read: "The following drama is based on real events, although some scenes are the invention of the writer. I didn't know much about the life of Dame Margot Fonteyn – not a thing, if I'm honest – so I was left wondering which bits were invented.

For instance: did she and Rudolf Nureyev actually have sex? This does not strike me as a mere detail; if you didn't include it, the drama would have been different to the point where you might not bother making it. Apparently he claimed they did, even though she always denied it, and I'm happy to accept that for the sake of argument it probably happened at least once – but it interrupts the flow of a drama when you keep hitting pause to check Wikipedia.

Like all the programmes in BBC4's Women We Loved series, this had a brilliant central performance. Anne-Marie Duff was utterly believable as Dame Margot, already in her mid-40s and on the verge of retirement when the Russian dancer came into her life. It was weird to see Nureyev playing second fiddle in someone else's biopic, swanning about and talking like Tarzan, but it was probably for the best that the actor playing him was not as compelling a presence as the real thing.

The dancing also had to take a back seat; it was sort of hinted at by cutting together the actors' faces and close-ups of dancing feet, and throwing in a few silhouettes. This worked pretty well, although the later sequences, which strained to illustrate some of Fonteyn's mental turmoil, were a bit overwrought.

Not knowing the real story, I was often a little confused, especially when vital information was conveyed by either Nureyev or Fonteyn's Panamanian diplomat husband Tito Arias; the former's accent was sometimes impenetrable, the latter's simply alarming. Its Latino tinge seemed to vary in strength even across a single sentence. I have no idea what he sounded like in real life, although Wikipedia says he went to high school in New Jersey.

The details of Arias's gun-running were only sketched in; perhaps we weren't meant to understand because Dame Margot herself never seemed to grasp the nature of her husband's politics or his philandering. I thought a tiny bit of clumsy exposition would have helped here, although I realise there's a fine line between insulting my intelligence and underestimating my ignorance. I checked Wikipedia again afterwards, and it all makes sense to me now. I'm beginning to wonder how I ever watched TV without it.

At the beginning of The Queen (Channel 4) there was a cautionary caption, too: "The documentary scenes are based on the best available sources. The drama is imagined." It was pretty clear here which bit was which: the real consisted of grainy footage and talking heads; the imagined was the part where the Queen and Harold Wilson chat while doing the washing up. I'm fairly certain this never happened, although Wikipedia cannot help me here.

Last night's instalment was much more successful than the first. This was probably because the first one made the monarchy seem like a bygone irrelev-ance, and this one was actually about the monarchy being a bygone irrelevance, at least in the eyes of certain cabinet members and several sections of the public. This was the early 1970s, when public opinion was turning against royal extravagance even as the Queen was asking for more money. Miners were on strike, and Prince Philip was on TV telling people he might have to give up polo. When the Queen went to engagements students jeered her: "obscene songs were sung, and a stinkbomb was thrown" said a contemporary report. It's strange to see how far the republican tide has receded since, although Dennis Skinner seems every bit as angry about the royal family's spending today as he was at the time.

In the end this was a far more sympathetic portrait, with Samantha Bond imbuing the imagined sections with a steely dignity. The dramatic reconstruction of the 1973 attempted kidnapping of Princess Anne was actually quite terrifying, although one was left with the impression that the Princess Royal fought off a deranged gunman by being extremely condescending to him. Real or imagined, I'm prepared to believe it.

Here are the comparative TV ratings of ABS-CBN, TV5, and GMA-7 programs from November 24 to 26, based on the overnight ratings of AGB Nielsen Philippines among Mega Manila households:

November 24, Tuesday

Morning: