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Sprint lights up WiMAX in NC, Chicago and Dallas, launches subsidized Mini 10
Don't you just love it when a plan comes together? Or better yet, when a leaked roadmap doesn't get delayed in the slightest? After months upon months of waiting, broadband-lovin' citizens in the North Carolina Triangle and Triad will be celebrating alongside DFW residents and Chicago natives as Sprint's 4G WiMAX service rolls into town. As of right now (that's today, junior), consumers in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point and Charlotte, NC; Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas and Chicago, Illinois can roll into a Sprint store and snag a U300 3G / 4G WWAN modem on a $69.99 monthly data plan. We're told that San Antonio and Austin will get lit up later this month, while Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii; Salem, Oregon and Seattle, Washington will join the fray before 2010. Oh, and did we mention that Palm's favorite carrier finally snagged itself a WWAN-equipped netbook? 'Cause the Dell Mini 10 is available starting today for $199.99 at select Sprint stores in the metropolitan Baltimore area. Update: Looks like Sprint changed "Baltimore" to "Bay Area." Odd. Read - Sprint WiMAX in the Triangle Read - Sprint WiMAX in the Triad Read - Sprint WiMAX in Charlotte, NC Read - Sprint WiMAX in Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX Read - Sprint WiMAX in Chicago, IL Read - Sprint's first netbook is Dell Mini 10
AT&T slinging HSPA 7.2 to six cities this year, adding backhaul capacity too
If there's one thing AT&T's network could use, it's more network. Particularly in major cities (we're looking at you and your dastardly street parking situation, San Francisco), AT&T's 3G network is perpetually overwhelmed, oftentimes forcing users to switch to EDGE just to tweet about how awful the coverage is. Thankfully, the operator is making good on its earlier promise to roll out HSPA 7.2Mbps to select cities, with Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami now destined to get lit this year. Potentially more interesting, however, is the deployment of "additional backhaul capacity to cell sites," which will also support LTE when the time comes. All told, around 2,000 new cell sites should be added before the year's end, and at least a half dozen 7.2Mbps-capable smartphones should be in AT&T's portfolio by the same deadline. Feel free to express your joy in comments below -- that is, if you can get comments to load on your existing 3G connection.
First playable Halo 3: ODST appearing at MLG Dallas
Sure, you could be heading to the Dallas MLG event to watch MTV True Life vet Tsquared play Halo 3, but we know why you're really going. It's for all that Halo 3: ODST Firefight Mode action that Bungie is publicly premiering at the event in late August, isn't it? The asking price is a bit steep at $20 if you weren't already heading over, but hardcore Halo fans (like ourselves) wouldn't want to miss any opportunity to play ODST three weeks before its release. That being said, we've already begun fashioning a cat helmet-based holder for our collector's edition controllers, so, you know, take our advice with a grain or two of salt on this one.
Time Warner Cable reselling WiMAX later this year in Charlotte, Dallas, and two mystery markets
It's not really that surprising given its investment in Clearwire, but Time Warner Cable is now ready to join in on the WiMAX fun. The company plans to resell the mobile broadband in four US cities by the end of the year, but so far it's only revealed two of them: Charlotte, North Carolina, and Dallas, Texas. Meanwhile, cable competitor Comcast has already opened up its WiMAX shop in Portland, Oregon, and plans to hit Atlanta, Chicago, and Philadelphia by the end of this year. No word on prices, but we don't expect it to stray far from the current $20 to $50 monthly fees. We're also a bit in the dark as to when we can expect the rollout this year, so if you're in one of those two markets and have a strong itch for 4G wireless, better start filling up that piggy bank now, just to be safe.
Mark Cuban promises the first 1080 NHL & NBA arena next season
It should be no wonder Mark Cuban (got some Jerry Jones envy?) is promising the first NHL & NBA arena with 1080-line digital scoreboards. While 1080p has been well entrenched in scoreboards for the outdoor sports (like the Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees) it appears the winter brethren has been slacking, but with the Mavericks and Stars not competing in tonight's finals action, plans to upgrade American Airlines Center ahead of the 2009-10 seasons are already underway, with four 18- by 30-foot video scoreboards coming to the center display and two 24- by 72-foot video walls at the north and south ends. If that's not enough, the sounds are getting a makeover too, with a "state-of-the-art concert quality sound system" bring a digital six speaker linear system to next years attendees, though we should all get a (3D?) look during the 2010 NBA All-Star Game next February.[Via Dallas Observer & Mark Cuban]
Sprint unveils WiMAX expansion cities, devices for 2009 and 2010
The XOHM label may be gone, but the potency of Sprint's WiMAX network is still kickin' in and around Baltimore. For those itching for wicked fast mobile broadband outside of The Charm City, Sprint has just unveiled a slew of expansion areas that'll get gifted in 2009 and 2010. As for the rest of this year, folks in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle can expect Sprint 4G rollouts, while residents of Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. can be on the lookout in 2010. In related news, the carrier is also taking this opportunity to reveal that it has "several new 4G devices planned for 2009 and 2010, including a single-mode 4G data card, embedded laptops, a small-office-home-office broadband modem and a tri-mode phone." Lovely.
Time Warner Cable adding 18 HD channels in North Texas
After being forced to wait months upon months to get the HD channels it was rightfully owed (okay, so we made that last bit up), the folks in North Texas are finally being treated properly this time around. According to a Time Warner Cable bulletin posted in the Dallas News, the entire North Texas metroplex -- included Arlington, Carrollton, Dallas, Irving, Garland, Plano, Richardson and Graham (just to name a few) -- is being gifted at once. There are 18 newcomers headed to town, and if all goes to plan, they'll be live just hours after you read this. Hit the read link (or just have a look above) to see what all is on deck. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Joe]
Sprint XOHM WiMAX networks reportedly active in other cities
Flying out of BWI to Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. or Northern Virginia? Make sure you pack in that SWC-E100, because we're hearing that Sprint's XOHM WiMAX networks are already live in each of those locales. According to a XOHM representative at a booth in Baltimore, the networks in each of those cities are already up, though they aren't officially supported as they're still "being tested." If any of you XOHM early adopters happen to head to any of the previously mentioned regions, bust out your ExpressCard and see if you get lucky (and then let us know how it goes).
AT&T gets official with Total Home DVR in Dallas / Fort Worth
No surprises here, but AT&T has done its duty by pumping out a press release to match up with information discovered late last week. As of now, the recently released Total Home DVR software is available to U-verse subscribers in the Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas area, and if you're curious as to what that adds, you can catch up right here. Hey AT&T, why not just present us with a nice, neat time table so the rest of your users aren't just in the dark? Thanks in advance.[Thanks, Anthony]
U-verse Total Home DVR comes to St. Louis and Dallas / Fort Worth
Considering that St. Louis, Missouri was one of the first locales to receive 2 HD / 2 SD from AT&T, we suppose it's no real shock to hear that some residents of that city are already sucking down the update. Announced earlier this month for the Bay Area, AT&T is apparently rolling its Total Home DVR software out to at least two more major metros: St. Louis and Dallas / Fort Worth. The carrier told us that the rest of its markets would get blessed soon, but we'll admit, we didn't figure "soon" to mean "next week." Any others out there getting notification of the update on their set-top-box?[Thanks, Anthony]Read - Total Home DVR to St. LouisRead - Total Home DVR to Dallas / Fort Worth
XOHM's next stops: Boston, Philly, Dallas
Sprint's XOHM WiMAX network is finally due out this month in the launch market of Baltimore, with Chicago and DC to follow, and the company is already working on the next phase of the rollout, which will bring the high-speed wireless service to Boston, Philadelphia, and Dallas-Fort Worth. Sprint says it's already started installing WiMAX equipment in those three cities and that it's a "month ahead of schedule," but given the delays getting XOHM up and running in Baltimore, we're not exactly certain the "schedule" really matters. Still, it's good to hear that XOHM is growing up -- now launch, already.
TWC spreads Dallas' 11 newest HD channels to Irving / Las Colinas
So Time Warner Cable promised outlying areas of Dallas / Fort Worth that they'd have access to these 11 high-def channels within nine months of 'em landing in DFW. It has been just under four months now, and we're hearing that residents of Irving, Las Colinas and other surrounding towns are finally seeing the likes of CNN HD, TBS HD, History HD, A&E HD, Discovery HD, National Geographic HD and a smattering of others. Still, we're hesitant to believe that everyone in the region is covered, so be sure and let your status be known below. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Chip]
AT&T moves HQ to Dallas from San Antonio
What's that, you didn't know AT&T was based in Texas? Yeah, ever since all those mergers (re-)created AT&T, its HQ has been in the former SBC offices in San Antonio, which is why certain services tend to roll out there first. It looks like the Alamo City isn't quite big enough for Ma Bell, though -- it's just announced that it's moving its corporate headquarters to Dallas in order to be closer to the airport. Yes, the airport. Dallas-Fort Worth Internation is country's third-largest airport, and AT&T wants travel to and from HQ to be more convenient and cost-effective. AT&T also has about 1,300 different suppliers and vendors in the Dallas area who employ some 45,000 people, so moving closer to them seems like a no-brainer. The company's Telecom Operations unit is staying put, however, so only about 700 of the 6,000 workers currently in San Antonio will be schlepping across the state. The transition should be completed within the year -- here's hoping some of those cost savings make their way down to us.
Thieves steal 7-year-old cancer patient's PSP the day before his birthday
If you're looking for a news story to restore your faith in mankind, this ain't it -- while en route to a monthly chemotherapy treatment for a brain tumor (the day before his birthday, no less), 7-year-old Kyle Springs and his family stopped in Dallas for a Denny's breakfast. As they left the building, with unassuming bellies full of Moons Over My Hammies, they discovered their car had been burglarized, and that thieves had absconded with Kyle's backpack, medical records, medication, and PSP.The only uplifting facet of this otherwise soul-shattering tale is the fact that the Dallas police department had raised over $1,000 for Kyle within two and a half hours, replacing the PSP and games that he had lost in the parking lot heist. Unfortunately, the nefarious gentlemen who made off with the young man's handheld have yet to be brought to justice -- what kind of sentence do they assign people who steal adolescent cancer patient's portable electronics the day before their birthdays, anyways? Does Texas allow "jettisoning from an airlock into the infinite twilight of space" as an acceptable punishment?
TWC adds 11 HD channels in Dallas, Texas region
Considering that Time Warner Cable has been beefing up the HD lineups in San Antonio, Austin, Waco and other areas of Central Texas, it's about time the slighted Dallas region got their due. As of today, TWC is dropping 11 high-def newcomers in Dallas, Plano, Richardson and Mesquite, and we're told that other local cities "should get the new feeds, and more, in the next nine months." According to company spokesman Gary Underwood, North Texas "should have around 50 HD channels, not counting HD video-on-demand, by the end of the year." These 11 bring the total in the area up to 31, which catapults it above FiOS TV but still situates it well below U-verse and the two sat providers. Still, you lucky North Texas folks are some of the few enjoying March Madness on Demand in high-def, so click on through for the list of newbies and hush that complaining for at least, oh, a week day or two. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Len]
Dallas considers shutting off red light cams, since they're working too well and harming revenue
There's just one, fairly ironic, flaw to the otherwise totally lovable red light cameras that adorn Dallas: they work too well. Turns out the cams have curtailed red light infractions by 50 percent, which in turn has put a budget crunch on City Hall. The city is now considering stopping its planned rollout of more cameras, or shutting down the cameras on a rotating basis -- upkeep when off is next to nothing, but the city pays $3,799 per month per online camera to its service provider. That sounds like quite a spendy broadband bill, but we're not the experts here. Just remember kids, your government wants what's best for you, and what's best for you is a well-funded government, alright? [Via Fark]
District attorney on trial for building monster gaming rig with state money
A district attorney in Rockwall County, Dallas, is under scrutiny from the FBI due to a PC he built as a backup server -- using office money. Ray Sumrow claims he was using the system for business, but the "server" actually seems to be a tricked out gaming rig, featuring two hard drives, seven fans, high end graphics and sound cards, WiFi, and cables which "glow under ultraviolet light." Rod Gregg, the FBI examiner on the case says, "I would not configure a backup computer in that way," and added, "When I saw that, I did not think of anything related to a government agency." Charges of forgery, theft, and records tampering have been made against Mr. Sumrow due to his use of the district attorney's "fee fund," which is meant to be used for office supplies or employee salaries. Testimony will take place through the week, and prosecutors expect to hear how it was imperative to Mr. Sumrow's legal work that he, "Frag the crap out of dudes."[Via Penny Arcade]
Dealey Plaza, JFK assassination site, recreated in Second Life
A press release on PRWeb informs us that Dealey Plaza, the scene of the crime for President John F. Kennedy's shooting, has been reconstructed as a virtual environment in Second Life. It was created by Jason Baird of Avatar Promotions in the hopes that people would visit and pose theories to each other as to the reasons for the former president's untimely death, and so that those who aren't able to go to the actual site in person will be able to experience it in some form.But it isn't just the environment itself that has been recreated -- on the anniversary of the shooting, there will be a re-enactment of the assassination. This sounds a bit like one of those interactive history-museum displays. Due to the population limits within the simulation, this event will be invite-only for around 40 people. If anything, it's a novel idea and worth checking out if you already play SL. You can get there by searching for Dealey Plaza Dallas within SL, or from a link on Avatar Promotions' JFK page.
Dallas & Fort Worth's CBS 11/TXA 21 switching to HD local news
We love high-def local news and it's always great to hear when another local station announces their intention to flip the switch. There simply isn't a better way to see the highs and lows of a particular city than through the lens of a HD cam. Dallas and Fort Worth's CBS 11/TXA 21 are planning to make their inaugural broadcast on September 24. No word on the cost involved, nor on the amount of local HD programming but honestly, who cares as long as they bring more local HD news to Texas.
WSVG coming to Dallas this week
The World Series of Video Games is making their stop in Dallas, Texas starting tomorrow, July 5th and ending on Sunday, July 8th. And as always, World of Warcraft 3v3 arena tournaments are on the agenda! I'm afraid registration for the event is closed (though if you show up you can register for a chance at a competition spot opening up), but if you're in the area, you can certainly attend and watch some skilled arena players at work (for the $10 cost of admission). The real question is whether the pros at Team Pandemic will win again: so far, they've won both of the WSVG's WoW arena tournaments. And remember -- one lucky arena team will be winning an all-expenses paid trip to BlizzCon 2007!
