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TWC bringing Biography HD, Starz Suite to Brooklyn / Queens, NY
It has been a few months since the Brooklyn / Queens areas of New York had any high-def news pointed at 'em, but Time Warner Cable has quietly announced a few newcomers in the midst of shuffling its lineup around. Beginning on July 23rd, HD Theater will be shifting from slot 718 to 767 (so don't freak out), while Biography HD will launch on 763. Furthermore, Starz HD, Starz Comedy HD, Starz Edge HD and Starz Kids & Family HD will get lit on slots 676, 681, 677 and 678, respectively. For the latest list of local chances, tap the read link and input your zip code. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Vin]
TWC adds three more HD channels in Jamestown / Binghampton, NY
While Time Warner Cable has been boosting HD lineups in overcrowded areas of New York and New Jersey for a few months now, folks in the less traveled portions of NY have gone without. Granted, it's no onslaught of 50, but we have received word that Disney HD, ABC Family HD and Toon Disney HD have just landed on EPGs in Jamestown, Binghampton, Corning and Elmira, NY (along with surrounding areas). So, we can expect the other 47 soon, right TWC? [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Greg]
Cablevision to introduce 15 new HD channels
Let's face it: particularly in the Empire State, Cablevision simply has to elevate its game. With DirecTV and DISH Network offering a multitude of high-def options and Time Warner Cable dishing out a slew of its own, Cablevision has been properly left in the dust. Now, however, the carrier is deciding to do something about it by adding 15 new high-definition channels to its lineup. As of now, we know that Nickelodeon HD, AMC HD, Animal Planet HD, WEtv HD, Weather Channel HD, FX HD, Hallmark Movie Channel HD, FOX News HD and Travel Channel HD will be added, but the rest of the gang remains a mystery. Don't sweat it, though -- select subscribers will see the entire lot as early as July 28th, while the entire service area will be good to go by August 1st.[Thanks, Tom]
Reminder: TWC's Start Over going live in New York / New Jersey
Something actually launching on the very day it was supposed to? Say it ain't so! According to the New York Post, Time Warner Cable actually is rolling out its Start Over feature -- which gives users a chance to "restart a show they may have missed from the beginning with the press of a button" -- in areas of New York / New Jersey on July 1st. Reportedly, it'll hit HD subscribers first in Staten Island, with other systems to follow shortly. It should be noted, however, that the feature will only be offered "up to one minute before the program is over, and as part of an agreement between Time Warner and broadcasters, unlike a DVR, viewers cannot fast forward through commercials." Give it a go here in a few hours and let us know how it turns out. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: June 21, 2008
Verizon's simply expanding too quickly for us to dedicate an entire post to each and every new locale, so from here on out, we'll be rounding these up weekly for those who care to take a peek. This week, the operator stretched its fiber-based TV services to Amherst, Hamburg and Lawrence, New York, six more communities in New Jersey and two more towns (Ashland and Plymouth) in Massachusetts. Furthermore, service is finally available to order in North Andover, MA, and if you're looking for more detail on those Garden State areas, we're talking parts of Bayonne, Perth Amboy, Plainfield, Loch Arbour and Lakewood. For more dirt on each, dive into the read links below. We'll see you next week -- here's to hoping your neck of the woods gets covered within the next seven days.Read - New York expansionRead - New Jersey expansionRead - Massachusetts expansion
Walgreens to erect largest sign in Times Square, use just 12 million LEDs
You know that impossible-to-miss NASDAQ sign on Broadway at 43rd Street in New York City? Yeah, the one that's 11,000-square feet in size. The Walgreen Company has set out to make that look like child's play, as it aims to erect a 250,000-pound sign at a three-level emporium in Times Square. Said display will reportedly be used to "raise [the drugstore's] visibility in New York," while doubling as a "focal point for it nationally." This beast will be covered in 12 million LEDs -- 17,000 square feet of them, to be exact -- and you can only imagine the hardware that will be required behind the scenes to keep this thing up and running. If you just can't wait until next fall to peep this in person, head southward to the read link and dig in.[Thanks, Brock]
Verizon loops FiOS TV to three more New York communities
Residents of Babylon, Roslyn and Manorhaven can all thank their lucky stars, as Verizon has just selected you all to keep the FiOS TV expansion alive and cranking in New York. All three locales approved agreements giving the carrier the right to offer its fiber-based TV service, with just a final thumbs-up to be given by the New York State Public Service Commission. As is customary with these type announcements, Verizon isn't serving up an estimated launch time frame, but it ought not be too long now.
DISH Network brings HD locals to Buffalo, New York
Look out, DISH Network subscribers -- the summertime HD locals rollout is officially on. Precisely a week after we spotted the latest batch of locales on DISH's short list to receive ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in high-def, along comes word that Buffalo, New York has already been tapped. Per usual, there's no word on what markets will be selected next, but you can rest assured that you'll know just as soon as we do.
Verizon gets one step closer to stringing FiOS TV to New York City
After Windexing our spectacles and finding that Verizon actually was on a mission to bring FiOS TV to New York City, we still yearned for more proof that a formidable opponent was indeed looking to take on TWC / Cablevision in the Big Apple. Announced today, NYC's Franchise and Concession Review Committee (FCRC) has "voted unanimously to approve a proposal by Verizon to provide TV service to all five boroughs of the city." From here, the proposed agreement "must be confirmed by the Mayor's Office of the City of New York and the New York State Public Service Commission." Mmm, so close you can taste it, can't you Manhattan?
Verizon towing FiOS TV to Blasdell and Montebello, NY
Although the two towns are 379 miles apart by road (so says Google Maps, anyway), Montebello and Blasdell are about to have one more thing in common. Aside from both being located within the Empire State, the pair of locales are very close to seeing FiOS TV strung to residents. Both villages have approved agreements authorizing Verizon to offer its fiber-based TV services, though we aren't told when the respective go-live dates are scheduled. Feel free to stay on the horn though, as both launches should occur in the near future.
Telectroscope lets Londoners and New Yorkers gaze at one another in real-time
Don't get too excited -- that image you see to the right isn't actually a transatlantic telescope. Rather, it's a transatlantic broadband network "rounded off on each end with HD cameras." Still, the 11.2- x 3.3-meter Telectroscope is a real marvel to look at, and it actually does enable viewers in New York and London to peer at each other in real-time. The creation will be on display and open to the public around the clock in both cities until June 15th, so if you've been meaning to ask for that dame's hand in marriage but couldn't afford the JFK - LHR ticket, why not set up a surprise meeting at the 'scope?
Verizon bringing FiOS TV to more nooks in New York
Verizon's expanding its FiOS TV service once more, and once more it's the Empire State benefiting. Two more towns in Erie County will soon have access, as video franchises have just been approved in West Seneca and Tonawanda, while the Nassau County Village of Baxter Estates will too. Per usual, all three agreements must be given a final thumbs-up from the New York State Public Service Commission, but barring any unforeseen problems, FiOS TV should be available to the trio of locales in the near future.
FiOS TV headed to Wesley Hills, New York
New York, also known as Verizon's FiOS TV playground, is getting yet another connected town. The Wesley Hills Village Board granted a video franchise to the carrier, ratcheting the number of FiOS TV-enabled communities in NY to 110. It's not mentioned exactly how many domiciles in the Rockland County town will have access to service, but hopefully the vast majority of you living there will be within reach when it goes live in the near future.
TWC adds HD Movies on Demand in Staten Island, New York
Feelin' pretty good about all those new HD channels, are ya Staten Island? For those still not content, how's about a little HD Movie on Demand action? A friendly resident has just sent in a screenshot proving that the service has indeed launched on channel 700, even though he wasn't expecting it until June. Per usual, we've no idea how quickly slowly Time Warner Cable will spread the goods to other areas of New York, but with all of the systems transitioning to digital, we'd guess the wait shouldn't be too long. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, UnnDunn]
Planet Green HD headed to TWC's Brooklyn / Queens, NY lineup
Remember Discovery's latest HD channel, Planet Green? You know, that station formerly known as Discovery Home? Just a week after it goes live (in other words, tune in on June 11th with high hopes), Time Warner Cable is planning to launch it in the recently-stocked areas of Brooklyn and Queens, New York on slot 768. Per usual, the carrier's not saying when (of it) it'll filter out to other boroughs and / or the rest of the nation, but feel free to pop your NY zip code in the read link below to find out if any of the channel repositioning surrounding this addition will affect you. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Vin P.]
T-Mobile clears everything up: 3G rollout (with data) is on in NYC
Great news, T-Mobile USA fans -- the roller coaster ride is finally over. After we thought T-Mobile's 3G network was but moments away from launching, we soon found that data may be left out. Oddly enough, a few reports hailing from the Big Apple claimed that data actually was included. At long last, the carrier is coming clean and announcing its official 3G rollout in the States. Unfortunately, the UMTS / HSDPA network is initially launching in New York City alone, but the good news is that data will be included and the operator expects the high-speed data network to "be available in cities where a majority of its subscribers currently use data services" by the year's end. Yeah, it's safe to celebrate now, we promise it's not a(nother) false alarm. Full release posted after the jump.
Verizon expands FiOS TV coverage in New York (again)
It just wouldn't be a complete week without Verizon giving New York some more love, now would it? As of this month, Verizon has officially begun taking orders for its fiber-based FiOS TV in Roslyn Harbor and Wappingers Falls. In case that wasn't enough, it's announcing availability of service in the village of Plattekill and portions of the Village of Wallkill, both located within the Town of Newburgh. Go on New Yorkers, snicker away -- we know you all are Verizon's favorites anyway.
NYC reaches cable TV agreement on FiOS
While that 150 HD channel-future isn't yet guaranteed, Verizon's plans for expanding FiOS service throughout all of NYC took a big step forward, as the city has reached an agreement with the telco for a cable TV franchise contract. Pending approval by the city's Franchise and Concession Review Committee at a public hearing May 20, New York residents can expect full fiber coverage by 2014, with nearly a third of households receiving service by year end. Want some of that uncompressed HDTV? Head out and make your voice heard May 20.
New York's The CW 11 (WPIX) takes newscasts to HD
Just over three months after Albany's CBS affiliate took its news to high-def, New York's The CW 11 is joining the parade. As of Sunday, the station is now broadcasting its news in HD, though there's been no big announcement made from WPIX itself. Hey WNYW and WWOR -- feel like hopping on the bandwagon, or is SD treating you two okay?[Thanks, Uchendu]
School cellphone ban upheld by New York court
Ruh roh kiddos, looks like you'll still be asked to hand over your cellie before checking into first period in New York. Based on a recent decision handed down by a NY court, the controversial ban on cellphones on school property will continue to remain in effect, much to the chagrin of paranoid parents and text-happy students. The report made mention that the complaints over taking away kids' "lifelines" in school were not justifiable, and it restated just how many incidents had been reported where mobiles were used for harassment on school grounds. As expected, livid parents aren't likely to accept the results and get on with things, with the NY Daily News reporting that said folks may take the issue "to the state's highest court."[Via CNET, image courtesy of MSNBC]
