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Comcast VOD for TiVo Premieres expands to Boston, old Comcast TiVos shut off in August
Where we expected, although not precisely when, TiVo and Comcast have expanded their alliance to Boston starting today. That means TiVo Premieres in the area will be able to access the company's cable video on-demand, however it also marks an end to the old Motorola-built Comcast boxes that ran TiVo software. Confirming a note received by one of our commenters, the test units that started rolling out in a few areas back in '08 whill be shut off on or shortly after August 1st, and users are being encouraged to upgrade to a new Premiere unit. Whether you rep New England or are just waiting for an update on your neck of the woods, as usual TiVo's blog has more information or you can sign up at its Comcast portal to find out when Xfinity On Demand is coming your way.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner completes first Trans-Pacific passenger flight, lands in Boston as JAL 8
We've been fortunate enough to hitch a ride on Boeing's 787 within the Land of the Rising Sun, but now the Dreamliner has hopped the Pacific with passengers on board, departing Tokyo Narita and landing at Boston's Logan International Airport around noon on Sunday. The JAL service marks New England's first Asia route, enabled by the 787's efficient design which lets airlines fly to lower-demand cities without wasting fuel on empty seats. The 787 will be making the 6,869-mile journey four times a week through May 31st, at which point daily service will begin, with flight 7 departing Boston at 1:20PM and arriving in Tokyo at 4 the following afternoon. Passengers on flight 8 will leave Tokyo at 11:30AM and land in Boston at 11:20AM on the same day. This is likely to be your best opportunity to ride a US-bound Dreamliner until United begins service later this year, so hit up the source link to get your fix, priced upwards of $1,500 for dates throughout the summer.
5 Apps for leaf-peepers
It's autumn here in the northern hemisphere, and where I live, in New England (and elsewhere around the US too), that brings leaf-peepers. What's a leaf-peeper? It's a tourist, typically from New York or New Jersey, who visits rural New England to observe the beautiful autumn leaves. It's a big deal for us. Each year we New Englanders take a break from eating cranberries, disavowing the Red Sox and pahkig the cah in Harvard yahd to view nightly news reports on peak leaf-viewing projections, which states are changing first and at what rate, etc. Fortunately, there's an app for that. Five, in fact, and here they are. Rest Area If you're traveling from out-of-state, you could encounter unfamiliar highways ... not good when you got to go, if you know what I mean. Is the next rest area 5 miles away or 35? Rest Area [iTunes link] knows the answer. It displays the nearest pit stops as well as what facilities each one has, like bathrooms, vending machines, restaurants, etc. Rest Area costs $0.99US. %Gallery-74446%
DirecTV lights up 24/7 HD for CSN New England
Even DirecTV didn't have too much to say on this one, but as of today, its subscribers can catch the 24/7 high-definition version of CSN New England (also known as Comcast SportsNet New England) on channel number 630. The highlight of the add? More of those defending NBA champions in glorious HD.
Cox bringing handful of new HD channels to Rhode Island
Hot enough for you, New England? If you've been scrounging for any reason whatsoever to remain indoors, take a listen at this. The latest Cox New England newsletter has informed its recipients that USA HD, Bravo HD, SciFi HD and AMC HD are on the way (along with one other), and our tipster in Rhode Island was able to confirm. Additionally, CNBC HD was mentioned in the pamphlet, so we'd cautiously assume that it too will surface in the near future. Sadly, no launch dates were given for any of the stations.[Thanks, Allan]Update: RI can expect these on June 18th; CT / MA will have them June 25th. Thanks everyone!
DISH Network welcomes NESN HD to its national lineup
We know, the DISH Network news is coming in hot and heavy today, but regardless of whether your neck of the woods is getting HD locals, you can certainly look forward to seeing one more high-def channel in your EPG. Announced today, the sat provider is serving up New England Sports Network (NESN) in SD and HD on channel 434 (HD), and it should be noted that said network is the first regional sports channel in the nation to "originate every game and studio show in HD." See, Boston sports aren't all that far away after all.
Verizon's FiOS TV coming soon to Rowley, Massachusetts
As much of the country waits with bated breath, New England has claimed yet another FiOS TV hotspot -- well, almost. Reportedly, the Board of Selectmen in Rowley, Massachusetts granted a cable franchise to Verizon this past Monday, which essentially paves the way for some 1,800 more households in the Bay State to soon receive another option for television delivery. The agreement ensures that the number of Massachusetts communities in which the fiber-based service is available in will grow to 63, but unfortunately, there's no definitive word on when the inhabitants of Rowley will be able to take VZW up on its offers.
