Sanders Media

Greetings from Montauk, NY. My southern accent is definitely getting me some curious looks.

I finally caved. I can’t take my slow DSL uploads anymore (downloads aren’t that much better). Fortunately, I don’t have to change ISP’s.

For those that don’t know, U-verse is a product offered by AT&T. It provides telephone, television and internet service to it’s customers. The beauty of this is the use of Fiber Optics. I will be jumping from 1.5 mbps to 6.0 mbps. While cable can do that already, I’m not in love with our cable provider, Comcast. I know some have beefs with AT&T, but I’ve chosen the lesser of the evils.

For me, the most exciting thing about U-verse is the way the DVR will be used. We’ll have one DVR in the house. However, every other TV in the house will be able to access that DVR. This will allow my family to watch recordings on any TV in the house.

AT&T hasn’t rolled out service everywhere, but when they do, it might be worth your while to try it.

This may sound like a silly question, but bear with me. Since many of us use WiFi at home, the office or both, we are aware of it’s limitations. While convenient for moving around, WiFi is limited to the signal strength from the router. Also, it can’t compare to wired connection speeds even in the best circumstances. For those of us who move large amounts of data or stream lots of media online, this can be problematic. I certainly don’t think WiFi is going anywhere anytime soon, but with mobility becoming more important, you could see it’s use lessen.

In later posts, I’ll touch on new standards such as FIOS and WiMAX. These exciting technologies will open our eyes to the greater potential of the internet.

I am an avid gamer. I started out with the original Sega Master System, and I am currently using the XBOX 360. Years ago, I never could have imagined where gaming would be today. With broadband internet now the norm, the Internet has entered our lives outside of the computer. 

Microsoft recently updated the XBOX 360 operating system and it’s internet service, XBOX Live. With this update comes the ability to stream content from your Netflix account. My XBOX 360 is no longer merely a gaming device. While you could download content before, it’s never been as easy as it is now. I watched three straight episodes of The Office without leaving my living room.

The Internet is getting more powerful all the time. It is truly amazing to see how lives can be transformed by being connected. I am excited by existing technology, and I am enthusiastic about the innovation to come.