Tivo coming to RCN in all its Markets

Comcast has been testing Tivo boxes for years. RCN has announced it and is now rolling out Tivo boxes in its service area, complete with interactivity, DVR capability, and of course HD. I want one and wish my cable provider would offer me a Tivo box instead of the piece of junk DVR that is currently resident inside my cable box. "RCN now offers TiVo Premiere in all its markets. The operator debuted the DVR in Washington, D.C., in May followed by New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Lehigh Valley, Pa., and now Chicago. TiVo Premiere (code-named "Neutron") features an interface optimized for big-screen HDTVs and integrated search across linear, on-demand, recorded shows and broadband content." Can your current cable box do all that. Mine freezes. The search is rudimentary. The trick features like fast forward are limited. To me, Tivo remains the Bentley of DVR boxes. So easy to use, so easy to watch, so easy to enjoy.

For RCN, Tivo is a game changer device. I'm excited to see if its introduction does indeed help them gain more subscribers and grow their VOD service.

Plastic Out, Smartphones in

Who needs a wallet? Certainly not to carry business cards, pictures, or even credit cards. The smartphone can do it all. Exchange business card information, hold airline boarding info, and now to purchase goods and services. "AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless, the biggest U.S. mobile carriers, are planning a venture to displace credit and debit cards with smartphones, posing a new threat to Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc., three people with direct knowledge of the plan said." How easy is that.

So my biggest question is what to do when the battery runs dry. I heard recently that airline counters keep universal cords for smartphones if the need arises for extra power to get the boarding info of the phone. What happens when there is no power? I love that the smartphone is gaining even more usage making it an even more invaluable device to have. So now more work is needed to make the battery life last even longer. When your phone needs to be recharged nearly every night, it makes the need for alternatives a necessity. A piece of hard plastic may run out of money, but not out of power.