Monday, January 09, 2006

Interesting CES tidbits

All from Engadget:

  • AuraGrid extends WiFi all over your house using existing coax (television) cabling.  Unfortunately homes with satellite tv cannot use satellite and AuraGrid on the same network, but it’s been my experience that lots of satellite installers put in a separate grid, so you may be able to make something work.  If I was Comcast, I’d bundle this if you signed up for a year of cable internet and cable television, but that’s just me.
  • When you “upgrade” your Verizon phone to use the new Verizon download service, you will no longer be able to listen to MP3s on your phone due to an agreement between Microsoft and Verizon that only allows the phone to play songs in the Microsoft media format.  If you don’t like your “upgraded” features, you can complain to Verizon and get an older version of the firmware.  This is just weird.

From Gizmodo:

  • DirecTV has partnered initially with FX to allow you to pay to watch shows before they actually air on the network channel for about $3 each.  In addition, you can pay $1 to watch shows 6–7 days after they aired nationally.  Future content will be coming from other major networks.  Of course, this only works with a DirecTV-brand PVR, which means that you will need a land-based phone line for $30–$40 per month.  I thought this was a great service until I read the part about the DirecTV PVR — I’m not paying for a phone line just to be able to use the service.

Link — AuraGrid

Link — Verizon Music Store

Link — DirecTV and FX deal

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