Contant Guard from Xfinity

Xfinity has rolled out a new product called Constant Guard.  According to their website it is a security dashboard  that will protect your passwords, credit card information and access to online accounts.   This is all offered at no cost with your xfinity subscription. 

Looking at this a little closer Constant Guard has four components:

1. Norton Security Suite - This has been offered to xfinity customers at no cost for the past couple years.
2. Secure Backup and Share - This is the online backup software that xfinity has offered to their customers for the past couple years.  The free version gives you 2 gigabytes of backup space which is pretty useless for most users.  The pay plans are $5 per month for 50 gigabytes or $10 per month for 200 gigabytes
3. Online Account Protection - This is the new component of Constant Guard.  It is basically a password safe that remembers and secures your online account passwords ans credit cards.  I have used this type of software in the past and I usually end up disabling it as it annoys me with constant pop-ups.  I have my own methodology for remembering passwords.  But I may give this a shot just to see how they implemented it.
4. Identity Guard - Provides lost wallet protection, ID recovery Services from the Identity Theft Assistance Center.  There are also options to upgrade you identity protection for $8 month which gives you periodic credit monitoring.  Or you can upgrade to the premier plan for $13 / month which gives you credit bureau scores  and ongoing credit monitoring.

Really except the Online account protection xfinity is just re bundling Norton Security Suite and Secure backup and share.  The Identity Protection isn't software but a service you sign up for that I assume you need to give your SSN to.  T think they are offering thsi to Xfinity custmers for free hoping they will sign up fo the pay plans.  I don't think I would sign up for the identity protection unless I had a problem but it is nice to know it is there just in case.

Comcast / Xfininy Provides Free Calls to Japan

Comcast announced today that they will be providing free calls to Japan from March 11 through April 10th for all Comcast Voice Customers.  Nice to see a big corporation like Comcast stepping up to help people keep in touch with their loved ones during a tragedy.  Kudos Comcast!!!!

Xfinity Signature Support

Xfinity / Comcast is in the process of rolling out a new service called Xfinity Signature Support.  This service will (for a fee) offer technical support and hardware protection for your home electrtonics.  The equipment protection would cover computers and or flat panel TVs.

They appear to have a couple Personal Technical Support Plans available.

Complete Home Support Plan - $19.95 / Month

Provides 24/7 phone support for up to 4 computers, your wireless neetwork, cameras, gaming systems and IPODS.

Wireless Networking Support - $5.95 / Month

Provides setup and 24/7 support for wireless networking questions

Computer Maintenance Plan - $4.95 / Month

Provides Services to Optimize, clean and secure all of the PCs in your home.

They are also offering various One Time Fix Services:

• Internet Security and Virus Removal - $129.95
• Compuer Tune Up - $49.95
• Wireless Networking Setup - $79.95
• General Help - $49.95
• Computer or Software Setup and Installation - $49.95 - $149.95

Being a fairly technical IT person I handle my support issues myself, so I do not see myself using these support services.  But I do find myself gettnig random calls from family and friends when they have issues,  so this may be something for them to try before calling me, hopefully.  I must assume that Xfinity is going directly at Geek Squad with these services.  Not sure how competetive they are price wise vs Geek Squad but for a customer Xfinity already has on the line with an issue they can just trannsfer them over to signature support rather than sending them away to another service for help with their PC issues.  My guess is the calls will be routed to a call center somewhere in India which may turn some customers off a bit.  Will be interested to see how these services get promoted in the upcoming months.

Verizon FIOS Media Manager

In the mail this week I got my bi-weekly advertisement from Verizon Fios tempting me to switch to their service.  I usually browse though to see if they are offering any compelling new features that Comcast does not offer. 

In this week's flyer they have a new feature called Verizon FIOS Media Manager that allows you to stream photos and videos from you PC to your TV.  I have in the past wondered why Comcast does not offer such a feature as it seems it has all of the necessary components in place.  Concast seems to be focusing a lot of recources lately toward the IPAD and movie streaming services there which makes sense as it is the hot new product.  But it is a product that is in less that 1% of US households.

I am pretty sure there is a much larger percentage of Concast customers that subscribe to both internet and cable service that would find a media streaming from PC to TV much more useful.

I recently purchaed a Sony PS3 game console that along with allowing me to wirelessly stream Netflix movies also allows me to stream music, video and pictures to my TV from my PC.  Sony's implementation of PC to TV  streaming is a bit buggy but is workable.   One big issue I have is that it does not allow me to stream wmv files from my flip campcorder which is 99% of the videos i would stream.  Must have something to do with their competition with Microsoft's Xbox console.

I would love to see Concast jump into the PC to TV streaming arena and see what they could do with it. At the very least to keep up with Verizon.

3D Movies available on HBO On Demand through Xfinity

I came across an article this morning about HBO making a few 3D movies available On Demand.  When I got home tonight I checked it out and low and behold there is a new menu selection in HBO section with three movies available



 The three movies they are making available are Coraline, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Monsters vs. Aliens.  All seem to be kids movies but it is interesting that HBO is jumping out there and making content available.  I am still not buying into 3D really catching on but content providers are definitely making an investment.  It will be interesting to monitor the movies they make available to see if the number of selection increase over time.

Showtime Free Preview

This coming weekend January, 7 2011 through January 10, 2011 Xfinity will be having a Showtime free preview.  Based on the Showtime website it looks like this free preview will include all Showtime channels as well as On Demand Content.  I used to subscribe to Showtime but switched to HBO a while back.  Based on the content on the Showtime website they seem ti have a much better movie selection than HBO.  Looking forward to checking it out this weekend.

Comcast 3D

Last month my old Rear Projection HDTV finally died.  I purchased this TV about 10 years ago when High Definition was just gaining buzz.  Comcast did not even offer HD at the time but I knew it was coming so invested in the new technology and was ready when it became mainstream.  I think they were making Plasma screens at the time but they were extremely expensive so I went with Rear Projection technology.  It was great TV for 5 or so years until prices started coming down on plasma and LCD and I started having flat screen envy.  But I just couldn't justify a new TV while the old one was still working.  So I was pretty excited when the old RPTV finally died.

I immediately went online and started reviewing the latest technologies and models.  For energy efficiency reasons I decided to go with  LED technology and since my old TV was a Sony (which I was very happy with) I decided that I wanted to stick with Sony.  I decided on the Sony Bravia KDL55HX800.  One of the features of this TV that really was of no interest to me is that it is 3D ready.   I like having the latest technology but 3D technology is of no interest to me because I am one of the estimated 5% - 10% of the the population that is not capable of seeing 3D.  But when I purchased this model Sony was having a special promotion where they would include a PS3, 3D Sync Transmitter and 2 pairs of 3D glasses for a dollar more.  Obviously they are really promoting their 3D technology.  Can't really say no to that promotion so I bit.  While the TV is great I never even really looked into all of the 3D stuff until this past weekend when I noticed while surfing through the Comcast HD channels that they offer a couple 3D channels.

Comcast has a section of their website dedicated to 3D but I will give you the basics below.  In order to view HD content you will need the following.  A HDTV capable of displaying 3D content, active shutter 3D glasses and one of the following 3D Compatible cable boxes:

• Motorola DCX3200, DCX3400 or DCX3416 (I have the DCH3416 which was not on the list on the Comcast website but works)
• Cisco (Scientific Atlanta) RNG150 or RNG200
• Pace RNG110 
• Samsung RNG150

You will also need to call Comcast Sales and Support and ask them to enable 3D access to your account in order to view the 3d channels.  At this point there is no additional charge for viewing the 3D channels but I assume as more channels become available in the future there will be an additional charge added.  Comcast currently has two 3D channels in my area, the first is channel 333 which broadcasts live special events like the Masters, screenshot of that channel's current splash screen below:

The other channel currently being broadcast is ESPN3D (channel 334 in my area).  Tonight during prime time they were broadcasting college basketball but there is still limited content so most of the time there is nothing being broadcast.  I also read a recent press release that Discovery is current developing a 3d Channel that should be launching in 2011 so there is a chance for more 3D channels at some point next year.

According to the Comcast 3D website there is no 3D OnDemand content but I think the website is a bit out of date as I did find some OnDemand 3d Content.  There were about a half-dozen pay movies that you can watch for $4.99.  Another half-dozen short free movies which basically seem to be showcasing the 3D technology.   There were also about a dozen sporting events that you can watch for free.

As I mentioned earlier, I am unable to see 3D content because of eye focus issues but I was curious to see if Comcast was in fact broadcasting 3D content.  So this week I finally called Comcast to enable my 3D access, hooked up my 3D transmitter for my TV and enlisted my 3 year old daughter and wife to demo the 3d content for me.  I had my daughter watch one of the short movies which had a water splashing screen and she thought she was actually getting splashed so I guess that is a thumbs up from her.  I had my wife also watch a couple of the free OnDemand titles, although she was a bit more critical.  While she though the technology was cool she couldn't see herself watching daily programming or even a whole movie with the bulky active shutter3D glasses on.

There has been a lot of press around 3D technology since the release and popularity of Avatar, but also a lot of critics saying that 3Dis just a fad that is going to come and go.  I may be bit biased since I can not see the technology but I don't see 3D ever becoming mainstream or even as popular as High Definition technology.  I think it may take off in certain segments like gaming but the mass population just will not adopt this technology.  The reasons I feel this way are:

• It is estimates that 5% of the population cannot view 3d technology (like me).  It is also reported that up to 25% of people claim headaches or nausea from viewing 3d content
• Lack of Content - There is currently very little 3D content so people are not going to shell out extra $$$ for 3d capable sets if there is little to nothing to watch. 
• 3D Glasses are bulky and expensive

Comcast doesn't seem to be promoting their 3D content very heavily at this point but at least it is taking the initiative/risk and putting some content out there.  Whether 3D actually catches on or not matters very little to me but it will be interesting to see where the technology goes as prices come down and more content becomes available over the next few years.