Podcasts about Cable modem

Where does Robocop's data spike rank on our big list of connectors? What do you do with an old cable modem or cable box? What's the fastest discontinued product in tech history (and is it the Microsoft Kin)? Where do ISPs get their Internet? Is it time to stop ripping Blu-ray discs? Is Zachtronics actually gone? Just who listens to this podcast, anyway? All these questions and more, answered on this month's Q&A! Support the Pod! Contribute to the Tech Pod Patreon and get access to our booming Discord, a monthly bonus episode, your name in the credits, and other great benefits! You can support the show at: https://patreon.com/techpod

Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard, considered by many as the 'father of the cable modem,' was recently inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame. He joins the podcast to discuss the past, present and future of broadband. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people are renting their modems from the internet providers, but Dom, Jack, and Thomas explain how you can save a lot of money, by buying your own modem. Plus, they discuss AIs and personhood and more. The post Buy Your Own Cable Modem appeared first on SQPN.com.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear.   I’m Fred Fishkin.     Netgear was among the pioneers in creating mesh Wi-fi routers designed to let you cover homes or businesses of all sizes.  Now, the company is out with the Orbi WiFi 6 Tri band…system with a built in cable modem….that can save...

Staying connected while traveling the country. Troubleshooting a laptop unable to connect to the Internet, Chromebook options, why a caller has to boot up their PC twice, why Windows Defender the only anti-virus software you really need on your Windows machine, troubleshooting an eero router, Sam Abuelsamid and the OTA Ford F150, Chris Marquardt and PickOnePhoto, and more of your calls! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid and Chris Marquardt Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy. For detailed show notes, visit techguylabs.com.

Staying connected while traveling the country. Troubleshooting a laptop unable to connect to the Internet, Chromebook options, why a caller has to boot up their PC twice, why Windows Defender the only anti-virus software you really need on your Windows machine, troubleshooting an eero router, Sam Abuelsamid and the OTA Ford F150, Chris Marquardt and PickOnePhoto, and more of your calls! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid and Chris Marquardt Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy. For detailed show notes, visit techguylabs.com.

Staying connected while traveling the country. Troubleshooting a laptop unable to connect to the Internet, Chromebook options, why a caller has to boot up their PC twice, why Windows Defender the only anti-virus software you really need on your Windows machine, troubleshooting an eero router, Sam Abuelsamid and the OTA Ford F150, Chris Marquardt and PickOnePhoto, and more of your calls! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid and Chris Marquardt Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy. For detailed show notes, visit techguylabs.com.

Staying connected while traveling the country. Troubleshooting a laptop unable to connect to the Internet, Chromebook options, why a caller has to boot up their PC twice, why Windows Defender the only anti-virus software you really need on your Windows machine, troubleshooting an eero router, Sam Abuelsamid and the OTA Ford F150, Chris Marquardt and PickOnePhoto, and more of your calls! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid and Chris Marquardt Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy. For detailed show notes, visit techguylabs.com.

Staying connected while traveling the country. Troubleshooting a laptop unable to connect to the Internet, Chromebook options, why a caller has to boot up their PC twice, why Windows Defender the only anti-virus software you really need on your Windows machine, troubleshooting an eero router, Sam Abuelsamid and the OTA Ford F150, Chris Marquardt and PickOnePhoto, and more of your calls! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid and Chris Marquardt Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy. For detailed show notes, visit techguylabs.com.

Staying connected while traveling the country. Troubleshooting a laptop unable to connect to the Internet, Chromebook options, why a caller has to boot up their PC twice, why Windows Defender the only anti-virus software you really need on your Windows machine, troubleshooting an eero router, Sam Abuelsamid and the OTA Ford F150, Chris Marquardt and PickOnePhoto, and more of your calls! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid and Chris Marquardt Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy. For detailed show notes, visit techguylabs.com.

Staying connected while traveling the country. Troubleshooting a laptop unable to connect to the Internet, Chromebook options, why a caller has to boot up their PC twice, why Windows Defender the only anti-virus software you really need on your Windows machine, troubleshooting an eero router, Sam Abuelsamid and the OTA Ford F150, Chris Marquardt and PickOnePhoto, and more of your calls! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid and Chris Marquardt Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy. For detailed show notes, visit techguylabs.com.

Staying connected while traveling the country. Troubleshooting a laptop unable to connect to the Internet, Chromebook options, why a caller has to boot up their PC twice, why Windows Defender the only anti-virus software you really need on your Windows machine, troubleshooting an eero router, Sam Abuelsamid and the OTA Ford F150, Chris Marquardt and PickOnePhoto, and more of your calls! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid and Chris Marquardt Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy. For detailed show notes, visit techguylabs.com.

Staying connected while traveling the country. Troubleshooting a laptop unable to connect to the Internet, Chromebook options, why a caller has to boot up their PC twice, why Windows Defender the only anti-virus software you really need on your Windows machine, troubleshooting an eero router, Sam Abuelsamid and the OTA Ford F150, Chris Marquardt and PickOnePhoto, and more of your calls! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid and Chris Marquardt Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy. For detailed show notes, visit techguylabs.com.

Staying connected while traveling the country. Troubleshooting a laptop unable to connect to the Internet, Chromebook options, why a caller has to boot up their PC twice, why Windows Defender the only anti-virus software you really need on your Windows machine, troubleshooting an eero router, Sam Abuelsamid and the OTA Ford F150, Chris Marquardt and PickOnePhoto, and more of your calls! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid and Chris Marquardt Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy. For detailed show notes, visit techguylabs.com.

Staying connected while traveling the country. Troubleshooting a laptop unable to connect to the Internet, Chromebook options, why a caller has to boot up their PC twice, why Windows Defender the only anti-virus software you really need on your Windows machine, troubleshooting an eero router, Sam Abuelsamid and the OTA Ford F150, Chris Marquardt and PickOnePhoto, and more of your calls! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid and Chris Marquardt Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy. For detailed show notes, visit techguylabs.com.

Rob Pegoraro tells Jefferson Graham that paying to rent your cable modem is like throwing money away on Talking Tech

NOTES: In this second part, Keith continues discussing the best optimization of a home network. Be sure the DSL or Cable Modem pairs with the bandwith in your home. What’s the purpose or need for a firewall router, and why is throughput important? Triune Technology Consulting: www.triunetechaz.com Sonic Productions: www.SonicProductions.biz Shop for Merchandise! www.SonicProductions.biz/shop WE ARE LOOKING FOR SPONSORS! Contact Dan Young at dyoung@sonicproductions.biz --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/triunes-tech-talk/message

Good morning everybody! I was on with Ken and Matt. We talked about StarTrek and then we got into Tech and what is going on with our Cable Modems.  Then we discussed the big vulnerability with Firefox and why you must update it NOW! Also Smishing. So here we go with Ken and Matt. Microsoft is out with some Critical updates that must be applied.    These and more tech tips, news, and updates visit - CraigPeterson.com --- Automated Machine Generated Transcript: One of the most significant vulnerabilities in Windows ever was disposed at noon yesterday by the NSA. Craig Good morning, everybody. Craig Peterson, here. I had a great little chat this morning with Ken and Matt about some of the things that are affecting us right now security-wise, including your cable modem, it is probably vulnerable. I gave some tips on what to do as I always try to do. We had a little bit of fun teasing each other about William Shatner. So here we go. Ken All right, we're back at 738 on the WGAN morning news with Ken and Matt. Happy Wednesday to you and Wednesdays at 738 means Craig Peterson joins us now, Craig. Craig Peterson Hey, good morning. Why would you guys insult my favorite over actor this morning? Matt Vince Vaughn Ken Are you referring to are you must be referring to Shattner Craig Yeah, I call him Bill. Yeah. Matt I'm sorry, but I believe the mystic name took us here because I have, for one, complimented his acting in the Wrath of Khan. I did not, yes I did in Star Trek Five. Although I mean, I liked Return Home. That's the fourth one with a little nuclear Wessels. Craig I don't know if you guys know it, but in upstate New York, a guy who is an Elvis impersonator, I forget his name. He bought all of these old Desi-Lu sets, and he rebuilt all the original sets from Star Trek, the whole thing. They examined the footage to see what they looked like, as some of the sets were destroyed or lost. But the entire thing is there, and I went on a tour. I've been there twice. They have these guided tours of the sets, and they talk about things, but it is the entire set. They reuse Kirk's tricorders for this, that and the other thing. There is cork running up and down the hallways. Now when I look at that original series, I tend to notice things like they run some of the footage backward, and that is because the entire enterprise, you know, where he's running between decks and up and down is maybe 50-75 feet long. There's one core door. And so you'll see, the names on some of the doorways are backward because they reversed it to make it look like he was running in a circle around the deck. Ken That is a great deal of detail that you're paying attention to Craig. Craig It is Yeah. I did notice that I watched Star Trek six a little while ago, and they used the warp core from Star Trek The Next Generation. Matt Anyway. While this is quite interesting, you are here to talk about tech topics, not Star Trek topics. So well kind of Craig So well kind of a lot of techs. I mean, let's face it Star Trek introduced a lot of tech issues. For example, the Motorola flip phone, right Matt from Motorola. Exactly right. Directly inspired. Yes. Dave. That's how we got came from going to the moon. So let's talk about technology, shall we? Many people use Firefox today. Now be worried about using Firefox? Craig You know, we've got a few major government warnings out right now. The biggest one is Microsoft Windows. Huge, huge, huge, one of the most significant vulnerabilities in Windows ever was disclosed at noon yesterday by the NSA. And so trick number one, although there's no evidence it's being used in the wild right now. What Microsoft There is a specific type of encryption that you can use in Windows. If you present Windows as an application saying, here's a file encrypted for me or decrypted for me, there is no validation at all of the key involved, it is a huge security problem. Now, why not something massive here, the difference between the Trump administration and prior administrations, and that is that previously, the NSA would find out about this and use it against people. They would use it against foreign governments, etc., who are using Windows and they'd say, Isn't this great? We have a way into computers, or we have a way to break encryption or to do whatever we want to make significant differences. Now, the NSA is telling us about some of these substantial security vulnerabilities. So tip one this morning patch Windows early and often patch it right now. Number two, we've also got the government warning. And this is Homeland Security about Firefox. Firefox is one of my favorite browsers. It is one of these privacy browsers made by Mozilla. It's very, very good, mainly if you are a Facebook user, because it has some special lockdown features and when it comes to Facebook. Still, Firefox also has critical security warning out, so make sure that gets updated with Firefox. All you have to do is exit Firefox started up again. And it will go ahead and patch itself all automatically but a vast and critical security warning for Firefox. Matt All right, we're talking to Craig Peterson, our tech guru. He joins us for our tech update on what's happening in tech around the world. Now, Craig, I must admit, I've never heard of the word smishing. Could you educate me a little bit about it? Exactly what are some examples of this that people should understand? I guess as they continue to run around paranoid about all things in the world coming to get them. Craig It's like Australia, right? Everything's trying to kill you. Exactly. The Outback. Exactly. So here's what submission is you you've known what fishing is P-H-I-S-h-I-N-G where bad guys are trying to trick you into doing something. Some of the earliest examples of phishing is the Nigerian scams, where a poor Nigerian prince needed your help? Well, they have continued to evolve. And smishing is fishing on mobile devices when we're talking about texting messages. SMS messages, that's where it gets the name smishing. Right now, we're seeing an increase in messages being sent that looked like they are from a bank. In particular, right now, the US Bank is the biggest at a smishing message. I don't even know I should have looked this up if there is a bank called US Bank, but they're they come through is urgent messages. They pretend they are your bank or Amex or Visa or MasterCard. And they have a link that you can, and you can click on. So, for example, American Express dash message.com, which is not a legitimate domain. What will happen is once you get reported, and you can report almost anything to their email addresses. It is typically abuse at American Express, for instance, or abuse at the bank name. You can notify them once reported and the banks, etc. Find out about them. These sites like American Express dash message dot com get shut down. But be very careful nowadays, you unless the text is coming from me, click on mine, right. But unless a text is from someone you really know and trust, be careful, because they are sending out the text messages and you want to pry this is from your bank. And we're going to see a lot of this more and more. The new head of the FCC has been working very closely with the various telephone companies to try and put an end to this. However, because of the design of the systems, and that is without security in mind, it's going to take a while before they're ever going to be able to stop all of this. was speaking to Craig Pixar Ken We are speaking to Craig Peterson, our tech guru. He joins us every Wednesday, 738. You can also catch him on WGAN on Saturday at 1 pm. What is this thing about cable modems and the attacks on them? I would think not true. One would be right. I would think so. Matt You would, right because of those cable modems? Craig Yeah, that's what I was. Yeah, it's a cable company, you might have the phone company depending on where you live providing your internet. And what's been happening historically, initially, we had cable modems, and we just hooked the cable modem up directly to a little switcher or a hub in our house right and used the internet from there. And then they got fancier, and the cable modem started having built into them little firewalls. They did this actually for the benefit of the cable companies because we're we are still running out of internet addresses. So they did a little trick called Nadeem gets kind of complicated, but right now, there are over 200 million affected modems over in Europe alone. There are estimated to be at least that many here in the United States. Here's the big problem. If you're using these cable modem firewalls in your homes, a lot of them are not up to date. Some of the ones that you bought yourself and those supplied by cable companies with names like Sagemcom, Netgear, Technicolor, and Compal models shipping to broadband subscribers, those are just some of the infected ones. We've got to be careful with all our equipment, just like we mentioned this morning, right already, we've got the NSA warning us about Windows and Firefox. It has issues our cable modems do too. So if you own your end device there, make sure it stays patched up. It's up to date. Don't buy the $80 router firewalls, and you have to spend at least 200 nowadays, to get a router firewall cable modem for your home. That is going to auto-update. However, we have pay attention to this as they are gaining direct access to our security cameras, our computers, all of our Internet of Things devices, in our homes, in our small businesses. So my general advice is to go and buy a suitable cable modem yourself put it in. And when I say I didn't have a modem, my main one that is has a built-in firewall and is going to update it shelf automatically for at least a few years. So that means get them from some of the more prominent manufacturers that are out there. And if you're interested, you can just email me at Craig Peterson calm. I'll send you a little list of the current ones out there that I've been recommending people just drop an email to me at Craig Peterson calm. Be glad to let you know. Matt All right, ladies, gentlemen, that is Craig Peterson. He's our tech guru. He joins us at this time every single Wednesday, and this Wednesday is, of course. I appreciate it as always, Craig, and we'll talk again next week. Craig Gentlemen, take care. Bye. Thanks a lot. All right. Craig 12:05 Hey everybody, I'm going to be sending out an email because I am working on a fantastic course right now. I would love your input. I want to make sure I cover everything. It is going to be the definitive course, and I am sure of it when it comes to protecting your computers. So keep an eye out for the email that's going to bet coming. If you're an office manager, if you're someone who has the responsibility of securing computers in a small company, this is for you. So keep an eye out. I'm more excited about this than anything I've done before. I've done these DIY or Do It Yourself cybersecurity courses before and several other courses. However, this is the course of courses when it comes to securing your computer but also administering your computers. I'm going to get some bonuses because I'm working on it thinking, you know, what else can I do that's going to help them understand the depth of maybe how far they need to go. There's a couple of times where I was doing this saying, and you know what they need to understand this too. So putting all of that in, this is going to be amazing. But I do want to make sure I'm covering everything you guys want to have included. So I don't hear I'm rambling on, but keep an eye on your email, because I'm going to be sending something out probably early next week about this as we're finishing up these modules, and then we'll use your input to polish it up. So thanks again, everybody, and we'll be back this weekend. Bye-bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai --- More stories and tech updates at: www.craigpeterson.com Don't miss an episode from Craig. Subscribe and give us a rating: www.craigpeterson.com/itunes Follow me on Twitter for the latest in tech at: www.twitter.com/craigpeterson For questions, call or text: 855-385-5553

We get many calls about online banks. Last December Clark was talking about stock trading app Robinhood launching a 3% checking account. That was shut down in 2 days by regulators because it was non-compliant with insurance rules. Robinhood has just launched a savings account paying 2%+ with a debit MC - this time with FDIC insurance of 1.25M. They followed the playbook of Seedrs (?) - a private program that allows you spread money over multiple institutions. Robinhood has 5 banks that have joined them in offering FDIC insured saving/spending accounts. Credit Karma has launched their savings account to their 100M members. If you get internet from a cable monopoly, they make you rent your modem from them. That's a ripoff of $10- $12 a month on a modem you can buy for $40- $60. Go to the company to search what modems are compatible with their internet service - and buy your own. Check speed requirements. Docsis 3.0 is an example of what you'll need. Also know if you get TV from a cable monopoly, they my quote you a package price of $59, and not to mention additional $40 junk fees. Look into streaming to save money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Friday Everyone.  Today is July 12th and this is episode 49 of Get Your Tech On, our show on All Things DOCSIS.  I'm Brady Volpe, Founder of The Volpe Firm and Nimble This.  With us is, John Downey, who recently carried a CBR-8 on his back, up Mount Kilimanjaro to ensure  broadband service. John The post T3 & T4 Timeouts Cable Modem Registration – Back to Basics appeared first on Volpe Firm.

SMC Resets, Migration Assistant tricks, Auto-Upgrade solutions and Renting vs. Owning your Cable Modem are just the beginning for your two favorite geeks today. S/MIME is taken to a whole other level with guest Jeff Butts who helps us all understand how to make this work on both macOS and […]

Mike Elisa Melissa and Kevin talk cable modems, DVR, MacBook Pro, Monitors and more

Mike Elisa Melissa and Kevin talk cable modems, DVR, MacBook Pro, Monitors and more

Considering migrating to a new Mac? How about thinking of a new Cable Modem? What about managing Wi-Fi speeds with lots of Apple devices which share their Wi-Fi networks via iCloud? Your fellow MGG listeners had those questions until they asked here and your two favorite geeks answered! Listen to […]

DOCSIS 3.0 Full Band Capture and So Much More Episode 9 Hosted by Brady Volpe of the Volpe Firm and Nimble This with guest John Downey of Cisco.  Brady and John cover the benefits of the latest technology available (full band capture) in DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems such as: Full band capture offering spectrum analyzer functionality in The post Full Band Capture a Spectrum Analyzer in DOCSIS Cable Modem Episode 9 appeared first on Volpe Firm.

I've just solved a pesky problem with our Motorola cable modem (Surfboard SBG6580). For a month now, my Macbook Air's internet connection was giving me grief. The main symptom was the very slow loading of pages like Google. The browser kept telling me that it was still "Resolving hostname," which was puzzling because our internet provider actually uses Google DNS.The problem is an incompatibility between the firewall of the Motorola cable modem (DOCSIS 3.0 specifications) and the Macbook Air's built-in firewall. To solve it, you just turn off either firewall (that is, either turn off your Macbook's firewall or your cable modem's firewall).Caution though. Turning off the firewall on your cable modem may result to attacks from the internet. So you have to understand what's happening. Simply put, a firewall is a "shield" that makes it hard for external computers (ie., hackers) from getting inside your home network. You have two main options:Option A. Turn off your Macbook Air's firewall. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > click the lock icon (lower left corner) > enter your password > click Turn Off Firewall. (Read Caveat, below.)Option B. Turn off your Motorola cable modem's firewall. Login to your cable modem's admin page. You typically do this by opening your browser and typing the IP address of your cable modem (usually 192.168.0.1) at the URL box. Then type your admin username and password. Click Firewall on top of the page and choose "Off" in the dropdown labeled IPv4 Firewall Protection. Some also recommend unchecking IP Flood Detection, but it's up to you to do some tests whether this helps or not (I'm still testing mine as of this writing. So far my tests indicate that leaving it checked does not slow down my connection). Check the Motorola SB6580 User Guide here for more details. (Read Caveat, below.)Option A. Turn off your Macbook Air's firewall.Option B. Turn off your cable modem's firewall.CAVEATCaveat for Option A. Turning off your Macbook's firewall makes your files and system vulnerable when you connect to another network (eg, in an internet cafe).Caveat for Option B. Turning off the firewall on your cable modem will make all computers and devices vulnerable to external attackers.Until Motorola or the DOCSIS specifications solve the conflict, this solution will have to do for me. Hope this solved your problem, too.* * *Behind the scenes. I nearly gave up on solving this problem since the real solution (that obscure Apple forum entry) didn't turn up in the usual searches. The initial keywords I used ("problems with Motorola 6580) led me to the wrong track that led me to the wild goose chase of checking signal strength and fixing cable connections.What finally gave me a breakthrough was the realization that the other network users (mostly Macbooks and a Windows machine) weren't experiencing the slowdown. This led me to a new track and restarted by searching for "Problems with Macbook Air and Motorola 6580" that finally led me to the solution from an obscure entry in the Apple community forums.This just goes to show that I need to constantly reexamine my assumptions. And that perseverance pays off, eventually. After surfing the internet and reading bulletin boards, I thought the problem was a weak signal coming from the cable provider OR a problem with the cabling. A long process of elimination with some experimenting eventually led me to a solution hidden inThe MacSwitched Blog - Online Journal of a Mac Switcher http://macswitched.blogspot.com. Tips, tricks and other discoveries about Macs and iPods.

John and Dave are back in the TMO Towers East this week answering listener questions, sharing tips, and more. Topics include automounting disks, setting default apps for documents, starting to program on the Mac, repartitioning and more. One item of note is a discussion about cable modems, their signal strengths, […]

In this show we take a look at some previous blog postings. NCTT 10th Annual Summer Worskshop discussion. Thanks to all that attended and special thanks to our presenters and Juniper Networks and Apple as sponsors. Thursday, July 12, 2007 Blog Skype Everywhere There have been a couple of interesting Skype product upgrades/releases over the past few days. The first is SoonR Talk, an AJAX enabled application that allows Skype to run on the iPhone and other mobile devices. The second is the release of Skype on the Nokia N800 Internet tablet. The small hand-held device connects to available Wi-Fi networks that we're all finding just about everywhere these days. Here's a Yahoo News quote from Gartner analyst Elroy Jopling: "We will see more Skype and similar free Wi-Fi phone services moving into mobile devices in the U.S. and Europe, he said, although Europe could adopt it more quickly. However, he said he expects to see "mobile operators put up as many roadblocks as they can" in both places". Both of these products allow free Skype voice calls from anywhere to anywhere with Wi-Fi access. Saturday, July 14, 2007 Blog Some Interesting Skype Alternatives Network Computing recently published a piece evaluating 6 Skype Alternatives here. Each alternative adds enhanced features that Skype currelty does not offer. Here's the list: Grand Central - This product allows you to select one phone number and link up to six phone numbers you enter into your user profile. For example, you can set your Grand Central account to ring both your office phone and your cell phone. The one you pick up is the one that connects the call. Grand Central was acquired by Google a few days ago (Mike Q was the first to tip me off) and is currently taking number reservations on their website. TalkPlus - TalkPlus is sort of the opposite of Grand Central - it allows you to have several phone numbers that all ring to one phone. TalkPlus is inexpensive but not free. They currently offer number in 32 different countries and especially looks like a great product if someone has relatives in other parts of the world. Jajah - I've blogged on Jajah in the past - see link here. Jajah provides a paid service that allows calls to be routed to landline/cell to landline/cell in many parts of the world without long distance fees. Here's how it works: Let's say I'm a Jajah customer and I want to call my brother who is living in London. I log into my Jajah account at jajah.com, enter my brother's landline or cell number and my landline or cell number. Jajah makes the connection and rings my phone and then my brothers phone over connections that are local to each of us. Talkster - Talkster's paid service provides calls from phones to to voice-enabled instant-messaging services like GoogleTalk and Yahoo IM. One of the neat things about Talkster is that it allows you to see your friends presence (whether or not they are on IM) using you mobile phone browser. Jangl - Jangl is a currently free service (even for international calls) that works similar to Jajah - it connects phone network end-points. The difference is Jangl does not require that you know the number you want to call. Jangl uses semi-permanent phone numbers and allows people to call you that don't know your permanent number. Jaxtr - Jaxtr is similar to Jangl with a flashier user interface. It is also currently a free service for domestic and international calls. Both Jangl and Jaxtr's anonymity features cater to the "social networker" market. Each of these products offer features and functionality beyond current Skype offerings - it will be very interesting to see what Google does with Grand Central. Now Skype is not without competion, right? T-Mobile HotSpot @Home service   For $10 a month, on top of your regular plan, you can eliminate the problem of poor wireless coverage in your home and make unlimited calls without using voice-plan minutes. All it takes is a broadband connection, a Wi-Fi network, and one of two Wi-Fi-ready handsets sold by T-Mobile. T-Mobile's product is based on  Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) - we'll have to do a separate podcast on this technology. Thursday, July 19, 2007 Blog Goodbye Copper? There’s been some recent press about Verizon and their FIOS product installation. FIOS is a fiber optic network service that delivers voice, video and data services. You may also see it referred to as a Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) or Fiber to the Home (FTTH) service that Verizon is selling and installing in select markets in 16 different states. Most who have the service installed are extremely happy with the bandwidth and cost when compared to lower bandwidth DSL and Cable Modem services. The product has become so popular that it is even being used as a selling point by real estate agents when marketing homes. A few are complaining though. It appears Verizon, when installing the FIOS service, is cutting out the existing copper lines leaving the customer with only one option – fiber and FIOS. There are a couple of good reasons from a business perspective for Verizon to do this. The first is the existing copper wiring is old and requires a significant amount of maintenance – Verizon spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year just maintaining the existing “copper plant? and it makes sense to remove it when it is replaced. The second reason is the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which requires the telephone companies (like Verizon) share their existing copper lines with competitors. There is no current legal requirement for Verizon to share new fiber optic lines with anyone. In fairness to Verizon, there is a three step notification process for people who sign up for the FIOS service. According to the International Herald Tribune, customers are told by the Verizon sales person, it is indicated in the sales contract and the customer is told by the technician that the copper will be cut out. Currently, Verizon is publicly stating they will replace removed copper if a FIOS customer wished to revert back to copper service. Also according to the International Herald Tribune, Verizon has filed more than 100 notices with the Federal Communications Commission to retire portions of copper throughout its network. I can understand the customer concerns about lack of choice and some technical issues like battery back-up and also Verizon’s concerns about having to maintain two separate networks. Friday, July 20, 2007 Blog Casual Gaming = Big Business The Hollywood Reporter has reported that Nickelodeon will make an investment of $100 million in the development of casual games. Casual games are games that are typically played for a few minutes at a time - examples include puzzle and card games. This announcement was made by Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group President Cyma Zarghami at the Casual Connect Gaming Conference yesterday in Seattle. Zarghami is quoted: "Particularly in the kids' space, with more than 86% of kids 8 to 14 gaming online, we see great momentum for online casual gaming," Also, according to The Reporter: "Included in the Nickelodeon initiative is myNoggin, a preschool educational game in the form of a subscription service; an expansion of the Nicktropolis multiplayer games franchise; Nick Gaming Club, Nickelodeon's first subscription offering featuring multiplayer games with 3-D avatars; the-NGames.com, a casual gaming site geared toward female teens; and the transformation of the site Neopets.com to NeoStudios, a property centering on the creation of new online virtual world experiences". In addition, the Casual Game Association (CGA) has released some preliminary data from their Casual Games 2007 Report. Here's a few preliminary data highlights from a MCV press release: The number of games being submitted to major online portals has doubled over the past two years, suggesting an increase in new publishers developing more titles. In 2006 the most popular casual games were Mystery Case Files, Diner Dash, Cake Mania, Bejeweled and Slingo. Women still make up the majority (74%) of all paying players online with men now represent about half of the much-larger non-paying player universe. The number of games being submitted to major online portals has doubled over the past two years, suggesting an increase in new publishers developing more titles. The rapid growth of the casual games market has prompted companies to create games for more audiences and also for more platforms, including the Internet, PC and Macintosh computers, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo DS, Wii and even mobile phones and PDAs. The full CGA report will be released in the fall - if you are interested in receiving a copy watch the CGA website at http://www.casualgamesassociation.org or send an email to datastudy@casualgamesassociation.org

Dave Hamilton and John F. Braun dig deep into the world of cable modems and broadband connections, giving you exactly what you need to know to make yours work the right way for your network. Show notes for TMO To Go: Mac Geek Gab For March 13th, 2006 Direct Links: […]