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Tampa Bay Buccaneers to use iPads as playbooks, not PlayBooks
With the NFL season just a few days away, players and coaches have been busy lifting weights, doing interviews and counting their money. Sometimes, they even get the chance to study their playbooks -- or, in the case of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, their iPads. This year, the franchise has distributed a fresh batch of iPad 2's to all of its 90 players, as part of a new initiative from coach Raheem Morris. With the tablets, the Bucs can spend their free time reviewing their downloaded plays, while analyzing video footage from practices, games and opposing teams. In related tech news, the Detroit Lions just discovered fire.
HD channel expansion roundup
Once upon a time, a smattering of new HD channels in one major metropolitan area was a huge deal. Nowadays, it's almost expected that one area or another will experience some HD expansion each week. In order to keep things nice and tidy around here, we deliver high-def expansions, market expansions and anything else dealing with HD channel growth right here. If we missed an area that you're familiar with, drop us a line in comments so everyone can catch up. The more the merrier, we say! Read - Time Warner Cable launches Smithsonian Channel in high definition Read - Brighthouse Tampa Bay adds Fox News, MLB Network, SPEED, WGN America, CNBC, AMC, Bio, WZRA (Thanks, Kaylan) Read - Comcast adds Speed/FX/Fox News in New Jersey (Thanks, Sriram) Read - Massive Comcast additions coming to Ann Arbor "Soon" (Thanks, Jordan) Read - Verizon adds 8 new HD channels in Tampa Bay (Thanks, Mike)
Bright House Networks to host up MLB Network HD in Tampa Bay
We get the feeling that we'll see quite a few carriers proudly announcing carriage deals with MLB Network during the run-up to its launch (January 1, 2009), and Bright House Networks is getting us started by promising its Tampa Bay, Florida customers the channel come the new year. Starting in 2009, MLB Network will be available in SD on digital cable channel 159 and in HD on slot 744, and Joe Durkin, senior director corporate communications at the carrier, has confirmed that it will be added at no extra charge. For those unaware, the channel will carry "live games, original programming, highlights, classic games and coverage of baseball events," and its signature show -- MLB Tonight -- is obviously aiming to take viewers away from Karl Ravech, John Kruk and the rest of the gang at ESPN's 'Baseball Tonight.'
BHN brings four new HD stations to Tampa Bay, Florida
Well, what do you know? Two of the four HD newcomers that landed in Indy earlier today have appeared down in Tampa Bay, Florida. According to an ecstatic local, Golf HD (739), USA HD (740), Bravo HD (742) and SciFi HD (741) have all appeared in the Tampa / St. Petersburg area, keeping it somewhat in line with its Orlando-area lineup. Happy surfing![Thanks, Kaylan]
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: November 15, 2008
It's been a slow week for FiOS TV expansions, but we suppose the hard-working individuals responsible for 233,000 new net customers in Q3 deserve a little rest and relaxation before getting back to the grind. Up first we have the Tampa Bay, Florida area getting gifted with a new wave of interactive features on their DVRs. Next, we see three more Trump (yes, that Trump) Properties receiving FiOS TV and high-speed internet services, and if you're curious as to which ones we're referring to, they are: Trump Parc, Trump Parc East and 610 Park Avenue. Lastly, we're notified that Verizon and the City of Brotherly Love (or Philadelphia, if you prefer) are working together to grant the carrier a cable franchise; if passed, Verizon would work to deploy its fiber-based network throughout the region over seven years. That's it for this week, so we'll see you back again in seven days for (hopefully) even more.Read - Tampa BayRead - Trump PropertiesRead - Philadelphia
Bright House Networks adds Lifetime Movies HD / FX HD in Tampa
We'd be a little envious of Bright House Networks customers in Michigan, but we highly doubt you'll really be complaining about two newcomers -- even if you're not the biggest fan of either. Rather quietly, BHN has added Lifetime Movies HD (737) and FX HD (738) to the guide in Tampa, Florida, though we can't say this couple was the most highly anticipated. Ah well, at least you know someone down there is thinking of you (or your business, anyway).
Bright House launches 4 new HD channels in Tampa, Florida
Not like you didn't know three of the four were coming, but a tipster down in the Tampa Bay area just informed us that Bright House Networks has launched four new HD channels in Central Florida. As of now, MGM HD (710), Disney HD (735) and Family Channel HD (736) have been flipped on, and the elusive CNN HD has finally shown up on slot 728. Enjoy![Thanks, Jensen]
Verizon facing fines for poor phone service, FiOS TV expansion partly to blame
Ruh roh. Seems that perpetual gripes down in Tampa Bay, Florida have finally amounted to something substantial. Just months after hearing a chorus of complaints about Verizon's lackluster customer service, we're now seeing that the carrier could face upwards of $6.5 million in fines for "willful and repeated lapses in Verizon's telephone service." Interestingly, it's reported that Verizon actually has fessed up to some service lapses, and it made a point to explain that it has been "simply overwhelmed with demand for the FiOS service." More specifically, it "acknowledged hiccups in repair service amid strong demand for its FiOS services," but has promised to bring things back up to par hastily. Tap the read link for more on the mess.
73 year old grandmother shoved in PSP robbery
A 13 year old boy was robbed of his newly purchased PSP in the once-peaceful town of Largo, Florida. A teen came up behind him, took the system, and shoved the victim's 73 year old grandmother to the floor. "I said, 'Give me my PSP back!' and I ran and I was right behind him, but I didn't do anything. I didn't know if he had a gun or not."Tampa Bay's 10 reports that the police are still investigating the crime.
