Showtime Free Preview on Xfinity

This coming weekend, January 6, 2012 through January 8, 2012 Xfinity will be having a Showtime Free Preview. Based on the Showtime website it looks like this free preview will include On Demand Content.

Xfinity Readable Voicemail

I got a service announcement email from Xfinity the other day that they added a new feature to their voice phone service called Readable Voicemail.  It basically takes a voicemail that has been left, converts it to text and sends it to you in an email message.

To enable this feature:

1. Sign in to XFINITY Connect
2. Click on the Email button
3. Click on the Preferences tab in the top navigation bar
4. Click 'Notifications' from the Preferences box on the left
5. Input your email address into the email notification box
6. Check 'Send transcripts via email'

The first time I tested it it sent me an email saying that the audio quality was to low to convert but it has been working pretty good since then.  You also can have the emails sent to multiple addresses.  Pretty cool.

 

Xfinity Internet Speed Increase

Got an email from Xfinity yesterday that they have increased my Internet speed by 25%.  Haven't really noticed that it is any faster but it is nice to see that they are still investing in their network to make things faster.  According to the fine print my new download speed is 15 mbps.

I did a quick test on speedtest.net and it registered 16.17 Mbps.  So even better than they claim.

Xfinity Mobile App for Blackberry

Xfinity announced today that they are releasing a version of their Mobile app for Blackberry devices.  To download the app and get additional information click the below link:

Xfinity Mobile App for Blackberry

Xfinity released their Mobile app for the iPhone and shortly after released a version for the Android.  Nice to see they are supporting the Blackberry (which I use).  Unfortunately the app will not run on my two year old Blackberry 8330 so I cannot review the app here.  I guess it is time for an upgrade.

In order to run the app you need to have Blackberry OS 4.6 or higher and the app will run on the following devices models:

• Curve 8900
• Curve 8520
• Curve 8530
• Curve 9300
• Curve 9330
• Bold 9000
• Bold 9650
• Bold 9700
• Storm
• Storm 2
• Tour
• Torch

The App seems to  include the same features on the Blackberry, iPhone and Android versions of the app.  These features include

• Access to your email inbox and voice mail messages
• Schedule DVR Recordings
• View and filter TV listings
• Synchronize your Xfinity address book with your Blackberry contacts

Now I just need to get on the phone with Sprint and see if I am eligible for an upgrade so I can actually check this app out.

Xfinity Connect

I got an email a couple weeks ago from Comcast that they would be upgrading the existing SmartZome Communication Software Email software to something called Xfinity Connect.  When I logged in to check my email this weekend I was connected to the new interface.  I was surprised that at first glance it looked very similar to the old interface.  This is good thinking on Xfinity's part as they won't get a lot of calls from customers wondering where their address book button has moved to.  There are some new features though that some will find useful.

• New Homepage with an inbox preview and calendar interface
• Homepage also has in interface for social networking which allows you to connect directly to Facebook and Twitter
• You can also view all of you external email accounts from the homepage
• As I  mentioned the email interface looks very similar to Smartzone.   A couple small changes; they changed the coloring of some of the buttons and fonts styles.  The major difference that I have noticed is that Xfinity Connect appears much faster.  Not just loading but when scrolling through, reading and deleting emails there is a huge improvement for me.

Most of the new features on Xfinity Connect like the calendar and social networking stuff I probably will noit use.  Bust I am happy to see the performance improvement on the new interface.

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!!!!