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Samsung's Galaxy S10 5G is available for pre-order at Verizon
Verizon (Engadget's parent company) has opened pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. You'll need access to 5G connections to get the most out of the device of course, so the provider has also named 20 more cities in which it will turn on its mobile 5G network this year.
AT&T expands its 5G network to North Carolina and Oklahoma City (updated)
AT&T's mobile 5G network will expand to three new cities this year. Folks in two of North Carolina's biggest population centers -- Charlotte (above) and Raleigh -- and those in Oklahoma City will have access to the faster wireless signal. Previously, it announced Atlanta, and Dallas and Waco in Texas. "We're deliberately launching with a mix of big and mid-sized cities," AT&T said in a press release. "All Americans should have access to next-gen connectivity to avoid a new digital divide."
Sprint is bringing 5G to New York, Phoenix and Kansas City in 2019
As providers gear up for their 5G rollouts, they're announcing their first territories for their next-generation networks. Sprint had already named six cities it plans to bring 5G to early next year, and it's adding three more locales to the list: New York City, Phoenix and Kansas City.
Missouri wants to bring Hyperloop to the midwest
The state of Missouri has signed a deal with Virgin Hyperloop One to investigate if it's worth building a high-speed link between three of its biggest cities. A team of interested parties will examine the feasibility of constructing a route between Kansas City, Columbia and St Louis, parallel to I-70. That will include looking at the engineering challenges, as well as the potential economic benefits of such a route.
Mayor to review 1,000 Amazon products in bid for company's new HQ
It's been about a month since Amazon announced it was accepting bids from US cities to host its second major headquarters. A city that comes away with a new Amazon campus could potentially see a significant economy boost, so competition will certainly be fierce. And with the deadline for cities to submit their proposals exactly one week away, Kansas City, Missouri has emerged as perhaps the city with the most creative strategy. As noted by VentureBeat, Kansas City mayor Sly James purchased 1,000 products from Amazon for charity and is reviewing every single one -- and the reviews very quickly pivot into why his city would be a great place for the company's new HQ.
A hyperloop route may zip between Kansas City and St. Louis
The earliest hyperloop routes might not be limited to wealthy tech havens like California or the UAE. Missouri officials and Hyperloop One are seriously exploring the possibility of a hyperloop route that would run between Kansas City and St. Louis. In theory, the pod-based system would shuttle you between the cities in under half an hour, instead of the nearly 4 hours it takes by car -- you could commute from one end of the state to the other for work.
Google Fiber drops free basic service in its original city
Google Fiber's biggest hook has always been its $70 gigabit internet access, but there has usually been a far more frugal option: you could get free 5Mbps service if you were willing to pay a construction fee. However, that choice appears to be going away in at least one city. Google has quietly dropped that free tier in Kansas City, its first Fiber area, and has replaced it with a 100Mbps option that costs $50 per month. Anyone using the free tier has until May 19th to say they want to keep it. The company hasn't explained the move (we've asked Google for comment), but customers in Austin and Provo still have that choice; Atlanta never had it to start with. Also, this doesn't change Google's plan to offer free service in low-income areas.
Ford will launch an on-demand shuttle service in Kansas City
Ford's Transit vans, which are typically used to haul equipment and supplies, will soon be shuttling people around in Kansas City. The automaker's teaming up with ride provider Bridj and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to boost public transportation in KC as part of its Smart Mobility plan. When the project called "Ride KC: Bridj" launches in early March, residents will be able to hail on-demand shuttles using Bridj's mobile app. They'll then have to meet their rides at one of the pick-up locations, mostly bus stops and similar locations.
Google rolling out free gigabit internet in public housing
Google started its gigabit Fiber program in Kansas City and now some of the area's low-income residents will be first to get the service for free. The company is now hooking up homes in Fiber neighborhoods as part of its pledge to the White House's ConnectHome initiative. The program will help school-age kids study using the internet so they have the same opportunities as kids from more well-off families. "We've wired 100 homes with Fiber, and families can sign up today to access the Internet at up to 1,000 Mbps," said Google Fiber VP Dennis Kish in a blog post.
AT&T's gigabit internet service arrives in Google Fiber's original city
Need further proof that AT&T's GigaPower internet service is meant chiefly as a response to Google Fiber? You're looking at it. AT&T has launched its gigabit fiber option in the Kansas City area (both in Kansas state and Missouri), the original Google Fiber city. The monthly rate is the same as in other GigaPower regions (a Google-like $70 if you don't mind targeted ads, $99 if you do), but AT&T is counting on availability as its ace in the hole. It's using established networks and regulatory advantages to roll out in places that its competitor can't easily reach -- you can get GigaPower in Leawood, for example, while Google isn't allowed to hang its fiber on local poles. While AT&T doesn't shadow its rival all the time (it's offering access in cities Google hasn't even considered yet), it's clear that the telecom giant wants to avoid conceding ground. [Image credit: AP Photo/Orlin Wagner]
Google widens Fiber rollout in Kansas City, shows how signups will work in Austin
Did you move to the Kansas City area too late to register for Google Fiber? Don't fret -- Google has both reopened sign-ups in the region's 180 current fiber neighborhoods and detailed an upcoming expansion. Those in existing Fiber areas can sign up for service by December 22nd, with installations due by the spring. Meanwhile, those in outlying locations such as Gladstone, Grandview, Kansas City North, South Kansas City and Raytown will get a chance to sign up in March. The search giant has also provided a brief explanation of how Austin residents will sign up for Fiber service when it's available in their town. As in Kansas City, Austinites will be organized into fiberhoods that have to meet registration goals within a few weeks to qualify for a deployment. There's still no word on just when the process will begin, although the mid-2014 service target doesn't leave much time for Google to get the ball rolling.
Google selects five additional Kansas City markets for Fiber rollout
It's not just in Kansas City anymore -- it's in the surrounding neighborhoods. Google's rolling out its Fiber service to five more areas in the midwestern municipality starting in the new year. After putting the finishing touches on installations in the Dub's Dread area, households in Piper Schools, Delaware Ridge, Painted Hills, Open Door and Arrowhead will be next on deck to sign-up for Mountain View's nascent TV and internet services. Google's provided an updated chart with installation boundaries and respective deadlines for eligible homes, instructing denizens of these fiberhoods to select from among three available packages: Gigabit + TV plan, Gigabit Internet Plan or Free Internet Plan. And if hedging your bets on a untested service has you wary of signing on the dotted line, the search giant's also arranged for prospective subs to demo its fiber optic wares at the appropriately dubbed Fiber Space. Click on the source below for more details and an opportunity to be next in line for Google's great digital expansion.
Google Fiber installations begin, come with a larger TV channel choice in the bargain (video)
A lot of readers in the two Kansas Cities are about to see the above sign taped to their door, and they'll be forgiven if it triggers an irrational level of excitement: it's the confirmation that Google Fiber deployments are at last underway. Starting this week in the Hanover Heights district of Kansas state's city, Google is extending fiber drops to the homes of early adopters and arranging for in-home appointments to set up whatever internet and IPTV selections they've made. The fiber team is also widening its pick of TV channels as a last-minute incentive, offering a slew of Fox sports and movie channels as well as Fuel TV, FX, National Geographic and Speed, among others. While we don't know how long it will take before the first wave of 1Gbps deployments are wrapped up, it should finally be safe to add "internet service provider" to Google's increasingly lengthy resume.
Google Fiber announces 180 qualified fiberhoods, sets approximate rollout schedule
As promised, the complete list of 180 (no more, no less) fiberhoods which qualified for Google Fiber service has been announced. With it, the approximate construction schedule has also been posted online, confirming Hanover Heights in Kansas (October) and Crown Center in Missouri (Spring 2013) will lead off the deployment for their respective areas. If you live in a qualifying area and have not signed up yet, you will be able to sign up or change plans when installations actually begin, which will be October 2nd in Hanover Heights. All of the info about Google's gigabit internet service and how to get it is at the blog and if you're still waffling, remember -- it has ESPN now. Update: If that wasn't enough, Google has also expanded its channel lineup a bit more with Boomerang, Cartoon Network, CNN, CNN en Español, CNN International, HLN, hTV, infinito, MLB Strikezone (as part of an add-on package),TBS, TCM: Turner Classic Movies, TNT and truTV.
Google Fiber pre-registration program closes in the Kansas Cities
Gigabit internet speeds are nothing more than a dream for most of us, but for residents of the Kansas Cities, that reality is not far off. The six-week pre-registration program for Google's Fiber network closed yesterday, and at least 180 of the 202 "fiberhoods" earmarked for the upgrade have met their target. That number could rise when all the late entries have been counted, but we won't know until the complete list of areas drops later this week. If yours doesn't make the cut, it's not all bad news: Google's Jenna Wandres told us that although this initial rollout covers Kansas City, KS, and central Kansas City, MO, Fiber will be expanding north and south of the Missouri side in the future. When pre-registration opens for this second round, the 20-some-odd areas that failed to meet the initial criteria will get a second chance to, so start being extra nice to the neighbors if you want to get them on board. Unfortunately, we couldn't confirm even a ball park date for the expansion, but for the 180-plus hoods that qualify on this occasion, it's time to get excited. Any RTS gamer will know the value of getting your openers tight, and El Goog's currently compiling a "build order" so the areas that expressed the most interest in Fiber will have it first. According to Jenna, implementation is coming "very soon," so be ready to repress that hysterical scream when you see a Google truck casing your block.
NFL Network, a la carte NFL RedZone Channel are coming to Google Fiber subscribers
It isn't quite ESPN, but sports fans who also happen to love technology -- yes, they exist -- will be happy to know that choosing Google Fiber doesn't mean going without NFL Network and NFL RedZone. All Google Fiber subscribers will get NFL Network, while NFL RedZone will run you $10 a month, but for only four months of the year. Not exactly just in time, though, as you won't be able to subscribe to NFL RedZone until one day after the first Sunday of football on September 10th. Either way, this is huge news if you're a fan of the most popular sport in the US -- but not so much for Timer Warner Cable which is the single biggest cable provider who doesn't carry it, and happens to compete against Google for subscribers in Kansas City.
Google Fiber gets formal launch, adds Google Fiber TV (update: event video)
Google just kicked its Google Fiber efforts into overdrive. The company's Kansas City effort is getting a full launch and now includes Google Fiber TV -- a "real" TV service with recognizable channels and its own, fully searchable interface that mixes DVR results with Netflix and YouTube. As many as 500 shows can be stored in full 1080p HD, and several TVs within the home can tune in at the same time.. Not surprisingly, there's also a major mobile component taking advantage of that 1Gbps fiber link, as users will have the option of browsing, sharing and eventually watching live TV directly from tablet apps. The company is also promising an ever-evolving service that includes Google+ video hangouts. For hardware, Google has its own dedicated Network Box with a four-port gigabit Ethernet router and 802.11n WiFi, a TV Box with live viewing and a WiFi access point as well as a Storage Box DVR with 2TB of data and the ability to record eight shows at once. Your remote control? A free, bundled Nexus 7 tablet, naturally. The overall service will come with 1TB of Google Drive space, although it's expensive to get started: there's a $300 "construction fee" (currently being waived) to wire a home for the fiber optics. Three packages will be on offer, starting with a Gigabit + TV package that includes the essentials, all major channels and "hundreds" of fiber channels (plus on-demand content) for $120 a month. Skip traditional TV and it costs $70 a month -- and if you're a local resident willing to pony up the construction free, you can get 5Mbps internet access for free for "at least" seven years. Key institutions are getting the full gigabit access for free, as well. Only small slices of Kansas City in both Missouri and Kansas state should have access at first, but Google is conducting a six-week "rally" where the most people paying a $10 pre-registration fee dictate where Google Fiber goes next. Now if only other cities would go the same route. Update: The full event replay is available for your inspection after the break. %Gallery-161174%
Google Fiber is coming on July 26, Kansas readies to open its pipes
We're always being told we need more fiber in our lives. For most people, that might constitute a second bowl of cereal in the morning -- for the lucky Google Fiber-receiving residents of Kansas City (or Kansas City) however, it means big spoonfuls of super fast internet. While the project has been in the virtual pipes for a while, finally it looks like we're ready for the next step. July 26th, Google advises, is the date for diary. Better pencil that one in, and consider any last-minute hardware upgrades.
Sprint flips the switch on LTE in Kansas City, your Galaxy S III just got a whole lot better
A few weeks back, Sprint had said its fresh Long Term Evolution waves would be hitting a total of five markets by July 15th, but it looks like one lucky city is seeing the changes kick in a wee bit earlier than expected. According to S4GRU, the site's been hit with endless tips from folks like yourself, all claiming The Now Network's LTE signal is now live in Kansas City, while others are also noticing the speed boosts in places like St. Joseph, Manhattan and Missouri. How about you, though? Is your shiny new LTE-capable slab (read: Galaxy S III or EVO 4G LTE) now getting the "true 4G" treatment? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
Google Fiber GFHD100 'IP set-top box' breezes through the FCC, doesn't say where it's headed
The future of Google as a hardware manufacturer (beyond its purchase of Motorola) continues to be shrouded in rumor and mystery, but the GFHD100 box that just popped up in the FCC's database is very much a fact. As seen in the pictures, it's sporting a Google Fiber label which suggests it's a part of rolling out video services to the Kansas Cities, and also reveals it's being built for Google by Humax. The MAC address shown in the picture is registered to Google directly, while the test report calls it an IP-set top box, equipped with WiFi, IR, USB, Ethernet, HDMI input and output and an Ethernet / coax (we assume MoCA?) bridge, which sounds similar to the boxes favored by Verizon's FiOS. Unfortunately our only view of the device itself is from underneath so there's not much else to glean about its abilities or possible relation to the hardware Google has reportedly been testing around the country, but you can hit the source link below to dig through the documents yourself or check a close up of the label (we tried the QR code, it appears to be for registration but it didn't work) after the break.
