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Amazon adds 60 more stations to its Fire TV local news app
Stations in Charleston, Wichita, Tuscon, Reno, Raleigh-Durham and Honolulu have joined the lineup.
Hyundai shifts focus from fuel cell cars to EVs
Fuel cell champion Hyundai is changing direction with its product strategy, announcing that it will now focus on electric vehicles. The shift comes after Tesla and other electric vehicle manufacturers have gained traction in the field, and following Chinese government backing for battery-powered cars. "We're strengthening our eco-friendly car strategy, centering on electric vehicles," executive vice president Lee Kwang-guk told a news conference, adding that the technology was "realistic". Hyundai now plans to have an electric sedan on the road by 2021, with a range of 500km. Also on the cards is an electric version of its 390km-range Kona SUV, due in the first half of 2018.
Cricket LTE goes live in Tucson, introduces the Huawei Boltz
Leap Wireless, the Cricket folks, told us we can expect to see LTE service go live in Tucson before the end of the year -- and by golly, they were bound and determined to do it. Sure 'nuff, the prepaid carrier is now ready to match wits against MetroPCS as it brings its first 4G market and device live with just ten days remaining in 2011. At least 90 percent of Tucson will be able to enjoy the faster speeds, with nearby Nogales, AZ receiving some expansion love sometime in 2012 and at least two-thirds of its countrywide network benefiting from the next-gen service within the next two to three years. Its first LTE device is the Huawei Boltz -- also known as the Huawei E397 in other parts of the world -- and can be bought for $150 with no contract. Eventually, Leap says, the lineup will be expanded to include smartphones and tablets. Now, let's talk pricing: two data plans of 5GB each are available, with $50 getting you download speeds of 3Mbps and $60 offering you 6Mbps. Granted, this is nothing compared to the ultra-fast speeds you see on Verizon and AT&T's LTE networks at the moment, but it's a start.
Addicted gamer shares his struggle to find balance between the real world and the virtual world
While Tucson's KVOA may not be so well-versed in MMOs as to distinguish between Gears of War and Dark Age of Camelot, the local news station put together an interesting little piece on online game addiction nevertheless. The brief report highlights the story of Elijah Oster, a father and husband who got so pulled into MMOs that he began to neglect his family and suffer from insomnia. He admits that he failed to "budget enough time" for his loved ones, and would grow irritable when his wife interrupted his play sessions. Behavioral health counselor Jeffrey Friedman was brought in to comment on game addiction, which he says is similar to most forms of addition in that people's actions are dictated by what will cause them the least emotional pain. In this case, it's becoming overly dependent on an online world instead of the real one. Friedman works at the Cottonwood Tucson center. The report concludes with Oster sharing what he realized after treatment: "I started understanding the concept of balance."
iPad launch: the view from Southern Arizona
Here in Arizona one thing you see is a lot of trucks in the Apple Store parking areas. A few gun racks too. Not really the ambiance of Silicon Valley or Chicago or New York. There was a lot of enthusiasm about the iPad, especially at our one local Apple Store at the La Encantada Mall. My first stop was at the Best Buy in Oro Valley. I drove by just before 8 A.M. and 7 people were outside. They explained to me that the Best Buy had 15 to sell, and the manager would be out with claim checks. Hmmm. Only 7 people. I wasn't planning on getting an iPad just yet. No camera, no printing. What the hell. It was easy to raise my hand. They gave my my claim check, and said they would call later today when UPS arrives with the iPads. Then it was off to the Apple Store. It's the only one in Tucson. As I expected, things were hopping about 30 minutes before the doors opened. The lines were longer than the 3GS iPhone rollout and that should be encouraging for Apple. Like everywhere else there were 2 lines. One for pre-orders, the others for the hopeful hoping to bag an iPad today. The Apple Store manager told me they had a lot in stock, but didn't think the stash would hold out for everyone who wanted one. I expect that's right, as the purchase line was growing visibly longer in just the few minutes I was there. There was a big round of applause when an iPad showed up in the store window. My informal survey of line denizens indicated the 32GB version would be the top seller. It will be interesting if that holds up around the country. All in all, a good iPad day. 63 degrees, sunny, and 20% humidity. Certainly those good looking iPad screens won't be fogging up. Were you at any of the Tucson Best Buys or Apple Store? What was your experience? Photos below: %Gallery-89692%
Arizona school bus gains WiFi, students suddenly chill out and get productive
Who woulda thunk it? Giving WiFi to fidgety students on a bus actually makes them more productive. Nearly three years after an Arkansas school launched a trial that delivered laptops, iPods and wireless internet to a bus, an Arizona school district is discovering the merits of such a system -- though with this one, there stands a good chance for it to go well beyond the "pilot" phase. Students in Vail, Arizona have been able to handle school assignments, engage in research and even update their Facebook status on the lengthy rides to and from school, and the suits responsible for hooking Bus No. 92 up have stated that mischief has all but subsided and the bus has magically morphed into something of a "rolling study hall." As you'd expect, Autonet Mobile is responsible for the technology (the same company equipping select GM vehicles with in-car WiFi), and it has already sold similar tech to schools or districts in Florida, Missouri and Washington, DC. We always dreamed of being whisked off to another lousy school day on the GamerBUS, but this ain't a half bad alternative. [Thanks, Nate]
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 - Verizon to Distribute the YES Network Nationally in High Definition to FiOS 'Extreme HD' Subscribers, Under Multiyear Agreement Read - NBA TV Scores Multiyear Distribution Deal With DirecTV Read - DIRECTV Delivers Local HD Programming To Customers in Bangor, Maine Read - Comcast project to increase available Internet speeds, add HDTV in Farmington, NM Read - Comcast To Begin Rollout Of 22 More High Def Channels - Chattannooga, TN Read - Comcast adds HD channels - Houston, TX DISH adds HD Locals in Tucson [Thanks, Adam] DISH adds KCAL9 in Los Angeles [Thanks, Ryan]
Comcast brings favorite trio to Southern Arizona
Months after Cox beefed up its own HD lineup in the fine state of Arizona, along comes Comcast in the southern section of the state to add a paltry threesome. Of course, we're not ones to complain about any new high-def material, but when everyone else in the nation is slowly but surely receiving the same trifecta, we can't image Oro Valley / Greater Tucson-area residents feeling extra special. We thought about giving you a few guesses as to which have arrived, but we'll just assume you already knew it was Disney HD, ABC Family HD and Science HD.[Thanks, Bill]
KVOA bringing HD news to Tucson, AZ
There isn't anything better then watching your towns highs and lows in spectacular high definition and so we are always happy to announce another market's high-def details. KVOA is going to be the first in southern-Arizona with HD news if their late-April launch plans go off without a hitch. We sure hope for our HD-starved peeps everywhere that at least one of their local network affiliates gets with the program and spends the cash necessary to get you local HD news. Yeah.
