Having Internet connections while flying on a plane is way cool!    Makes me wonder if video chats would be possible?   Hope so, but this article did not say anything about video conference, though.  Talks about having access to Internet while flying. 

Article WIFI on Plane

Not free, though. 

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed

You have heard lot of media news that USA is lagging far behind rest of the world for fastest broadband speeds.  Well this article is sorta a reality check and assess the circumstances realistically.  Turns out that we’re not too bad after all.  

Broadband Speeds

Biggest reason why we’re "behind" is simply we’re big country.   Most of Europe countries are densly packed.  

Click to this and be proud of being an American after all…

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed

This is an old news according to a friend I video chatted with, but maybe the completion of the product is not so far in the future now?    

VRS industry now has four mobile VPs that I know of:  Purple’s MVP, two from CSDVRS’s Z-340 and PC-100, and Viable’s VPAD+.   This one is cell phone and it uses H.264 that uses an open source program.  

Of course, many of you probably already know that laptops with built-in web cameras can do VP and VRS as well.  

University Washington News

Video clip of a demo

Let me know what you think?  Would you purchase something like that?    Cell Phone/Pager with video conference capacity?  Should I put it to a vote?  

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed

All..

Interesting article which seems to re-affirm the trend we’re seeing in the VRS industry.  In the beginning, it was enough that deaf/hoh just get the "device"; that is, video phone.  Not any more.  Over the years, the trend is now we look at the quality of service and features of the Video Phone.   It seems that now most of the video phones, the video quality are all good – at least most of them so service (interpreting and support service) and features (video mail, call waiting, missing call list, etc) are now sought after and compared. 

Tech Svc vs Device

Also, in that article it mentioned 3-D as the next wave of future; Golly, can u imagine VRS using 3-D monitors and seeing Video Interpreters and friends or relatives in 3-D image?   3-D on a monitor will give the impression that the person is in the monitor instead at the studio.

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed

NYC Hot Lines accepting video or photos from Cell/Pager Users.  You can video shoot crime in action and then send it to Hot Line.

That’s simply GREAT!  I predict that rest of USA will follow suit.   Means better chances for law to catch nefarious folks or save lives.  

NYC Photo Video

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed

A quick one.  This is interesting link.  Scroll down and move the cursor over your states and see how fast broadband is down and up and then compare it to Massachusett.

I’m impressed with MA.  

State Speed Data

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed B

Basically, Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) wanted to pass a bill that will allow monitoring of our Internet system in the USA to better know our limitations and how to improve it.   He felt that without such data/knowledge, we would not be able to know the true situation in the USA.  

Looks like a regulation to me even though he says it is not; I am not against regulation and I heartily support the concept that Inoye is wanting to see happen.  Read and be informed. 

Inouye Bill

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed B

All..

Yuk!   This article is basically about Time Warner using a meter on customer to limit their "excessive" use of Internet network.

Meter for Internet Use Article

This is bit scary.   What about us deaf/hon who use video phones and VRS extensively?   Or for that matter those of VRS providers who employ deaf/hoh to make VRS calls to rack up VRS minutes?  Or those deaf/hoh organizations who sign up with VRS providers and then rack up VRS minutes to get their funds? 

ComCast Letter 

Read the article and the letter be concerned as it may impact us in a big way….

Will all this affect the traffic of Internet network and meters forced on us?   Let us know what you think?

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed B

Can u imagine seeing some features of a Star Trek: Next Generation becoming reality.  You know the one where you enter a room and hologram scene appears. Well..we’re closer to that than anyone realizes.   Right now it is inside a Cocoon.  Check out the link.

Cocoon Virtual Reality

I can imagine VRS being utilized in this.  hmmm

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed B

Basically this is about Internet being accessible by billions of people.   Done via 16 low orbiting satellites and local and national network having contract with O3b Network.  Said the pricing will be comparable to fiber optic service in developed countries (I’m not sure how much that would be).  

CNET News

3 Ob Network Press News

It said high speed Internet, so will that make it possible to use video phones in remote areas?  It seems the service is limited to other countries, though.   Maybe over time, the service will spread to worldwide and reach my house which is – frankly "remote" as my area does not have high speed Internet.

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed