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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Gigabit Internet coming to Seattle for $80 per month

No Google Fiber? No problem. Residents in select neighborhoods in Seattle will have access to gigabit Internet speeds?beginning in 2014. Gigabit Squared on Monday announced pricing plans for its upcoming fiber network in Seattle. The company will offer a basic plan with download speeds of 5Mbps and upload speeds of 1Mbps for free for 60 months, after which time customers can convert to 10Mbps?service for just $10 per month. Other plans include download and upload speeds of 100Mbps for $45 per month, or speeds of 1Gbps for $80 per month. Customers will also be required to pay a $350 installation fee for 100Mbps plans or higher unless they sign a one-year contract. Gigabit Squared is the latest company to offer gigabit Internet speeds, following the successful launch of Google Fiber in Kansas City last year. Gigabit Squared will begin taking sign-ups sometime next month. The company?s press release follows below.

Gigabit Squared Unveils Residential Pricing for Local Ultra-High-Speed Fiber Network Service in Seattle

[More from BGR: Leaked photo shows iPhone 5S display on the assembly line]

Early neighborhoods announced: University West Campus District, First Hill, Capitol Hill and Central Area

SEATTLE, June 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ ? Gigabit Squared today unveiled residential pricing for the ultra-high-speed fiber-to-the-home broadband network it plans to launch locally in 2014. The Gigabit Squared fiber network will initially be made available to neighborhoods located within the West Campus District, First Hill, Capitol Hill and Central Area of Seattle as part of a program called Gigabit Seattle.

?We are excited about the limitless possibilities our network can bring to the residents located in these areas and are confident that the affordability and high speed performance of our fiber network will be well received,? said Mark Ansboury, president of Gigabit Squared. He added, ?We will be providing our customers with significantly greater speed and accessibility than what?s out there today for about the same price?a true value. This will be backed by a level of customer service that will surpass anything anyone has ever experienced before.?

Gigabit Squared?s fiber broadband services will be 50 to 1,000 times faster than typical cable modem or DSL Internet access services. Unlike most Internet access services, Gigabit Squared?s offerings will be symmetrical (equal upstream and downstream data rates) to enable interactive services that require two-way sharing of video, audio, images, and other large files in real time.

?We?re one step closer to bringing gigabit speed broadband to Seattle,? said Mayor Mike McGinn. ?We are leveraging our new public-private partnership with the University of Washington and Gigabit Squared to help Seattle compete in the global economy. I?m excited to see how our residents and businesses can innovate with this new infrastructure.?

Gigabit Squared?s simplified fiber network pricing plans for Seattle will be structured as follows:

1) Installation Charge: Installation charges will be waived for customers signing a one-year contract for 100 Mbps service or greater. Otherwise, a $350 installation fee is required.

2) Service Plan Options:

Plan A:
5 Mbps download/1 Mbps upload: No charge for 60 months
5/1 Mbps services are transferrable to new renters or owners
After 60 months renters or owners can convert to a 10 Mbps download/10 Mbps upload service plan for only $10 per month

Plan B:
100 Mbps download/100 Mbps upload for $45 per month
No installation charge with one- year contract

Plan C:
1000 download/1000 upload Mbps for $80 per month
No installation charge with one-year contract

Since the launch of the Gigabit Seattle website in December, thousands of Seattle residents have already expressed an interest in the service. Ansboury commented, ?We will be announcing a simple sign-up process next month that will make it easy for people to sign up for the service that best meets their individual needs. This will help us prioritize the neighborhood rollout schedule. We can?t wait to make this available to as many residents as possible and look forward to our initial program?s success so we can quickly expand into other areas of Seattle.?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gigabit-internet-coming-seattle-80-per-month-205526646.html

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Monday, June 24, 2013

Wimbledon spat: Williams, Sharapova trade volleys

In this photo taken on Sunday, June 23, 2013 and made available by The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club Wimbledon, defending women's champion Serena Williams of the United States speaks to the media during a press conference at Wimbledon. The Championships start Monday, with Serena Williams attempting to win the title for the sixth time. (AP Photo/Jon Buckle/AELTC)

Maria Sharapova of Russia is watched by a coach during a training session at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, June 23, 2013. The Championships start Monday, with Serena Williams attempting to win the title for the sixth time. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS, JUNE 22-23 - FILE - In this July 7, 2012 file photo, Serena Williams celebrates with the trophy after defeating Agnieszka Radwansk to win the women's final match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, England. When Wimbledon starts Monday, June 24, 2013, she will be on a 31-match winning streak and an overwhelming favorite to win her second consecutive title. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

In this photo taken on Sunday, June 23, 2013 and made available by The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club Wimbledon, defending men's champion Roger Federer of Switzerland, gestures during a press conference at Wimbledon. The Championships start Monday, with defending men's champion Roger Federer of Switzerland attempting to win the title for the eighth time. (AP Photo/Jon Buckle/AELTC)

LONDON (AP) ? As her agent nodded along approvingly from a front-row seat, Serena Williams sounded contrite and composed. Well-rehearsed, too.

Williams even managed to crack herself up with a couple of jokes during her news conference at Wimbledon as the defending champion, where the primary topic was hardly her 31-match winning streak or her bid for a sixth title at the All England Club or her injured sister Venus' absence from the field.

Instead, more than half the questions at Sunday's session revolved around themes generating the most buzz on the eve of tennis' oldest and most prestigious Grand Slam tournament: what Williams was quoted as saying in a recent magazine article ? and Maria Sharapova's surprisingly forceful verbal swipe in reaction to that story.

"It definitely hasn't been easy," the No. 1-ranked Williams said about the stir created by a Rolling Stone profile posted online Tuesday. "And I feel like I really wanted to say: I apologize for everything that was said in that article."

Williams already had issued a statement expressing regret for remarks about the 16-year-old victim in the Steubenville, Ohio, rape case.

On Sunday, Williams said she approached the No. 3-ranked Sharapova to try to smooth things over by extending an apology at a pre-tournament players' party Thursday. The back-and-forth between two of the sport's most popular and successful women can be traced to a passage where the story's author surmised that something critical Williams said during a telephone conversation with her sister referred to Sharapova.

But Thursday's interaction didn't end the matter because Sharapova delivered this broadside at her news conference Saturday: "If she wants to talk about something personal, maybe she should talk about her relationship and her boyfriend that was married and is getting a divorce and has kids."

Given a chance to react directly to that swipe 24 hours later, Williams declined, saying: "I definitely was told of (Sharapova's) comments. I definitely like to keep my personal life personal. I think it would be inappropriate for me to comment on it."

All in all, nothing tennis related has drawn nearly as much attention in the run-up to Wimbledon. That might change Monday, when play begins and four-time major champion Sharapova is among those scheduled to be on court, facing 37th-ranked Kristina Mladenovic of France. Also on the schedule: two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, 2011 Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, and a matchup between up-and-coming Americans Sloane Stephens and Jamie Hampton.

The honor of the year's first match on Centre Court goes to the defending men's champion, Roger Federer.

"You feel very unique, clearly, because you are the one opening the court," said Federer, who will be bidding for a record eighth Wimbledon championship. "I think it's a big deal for, also, the players I've played, who got the 'unluck' or luck of the draw to play me in that first round."

This time, the recipient of that "unluck" was Victor Hanescu of Romania, who's never made it past the third round in seven previous Wimbledon appearances.

Others playing Monday include No. 2 Andy Murray, the runner-up a year ago; and No. 5 Rafael Nadal, whose 12 Grand Slam titles include two at Wimbledon. Federer could face Nadal in the quarterfinals, with the winner possibly meeting Murray in the semifinals.

"I'd rather Rafa and Roger were on the other side of the draw," said Murray, aiming to give Britain its first male champion at Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936, "but they're not."

No. 1 Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, is expected to have an easier path through other half of the field and won't get started until Tuesday. That's also when Williams is scheduled to play.

By the sound of things Sunday, she might be pleased to be able to focus on tennis rather than talking.

"There's one thing I'm really good at," said the 31-year-old Williams, the oldest woman to top the WTA rankings, "and that's hitting the ball over a net, in a box. I'm excellent."

Certainly true. She won her 16th Grand Slam title by beating Sharapova two weeks ago at the French Open, and declared Sunday, "It's great for women's tennis when we play each other." (That might be because Williams has won their past 13 matches.)

Williams is 74-3 overall and has collected three of the past four major titles since the start of Wimbledon in 2012. That, perhaps not coincidentally, is when she began working with French tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou, to whom Williams has been linked romantically.

Neither has confirmed publicly whether they're a couple, but Sharapova's shot on Saturday was taken as a reference to Williams and Mouratoglou. Sharapova was responding to a question about the portion of the Rolling Stone story in which Williams spoke to her sister about what the reporter described as "a top-five player who is now in love."

Williams lamented Sunday that "a private conversation" was reported about, but she also broke into peals of laughter when saying: "I've been in the business for a little over 200 years, so I should definitely, definitely know better. I should know better to always have my guard up."

She is quoted in the article as saying: "She begins every interview with 'I'm so happy. I'm so lucky' ? it's so boring. She's still not going to be invited to the cool parties. And, hey, if she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it."

That is followed by these words in parentheses from the writer: "An educated guess is she's talking about Sharapova, who is now dating Grigor Dimitrov, one of Serena's rumored exes."

On Sunday, Williams said: "I made it a point to reach out to Maria. ... I said, 'Look, I want to personally apologize to you if you are offended by being brought into my situation. I want to take this moment to ... be open, say I'm very sorry.'"

Williams repeatedly used some version of the phrase "inadvertently brought into a situation" to describe the way Sharapova got involved.

"It's important what I've learned this week ? mostly that it's so important to know all the facts before you make a comment or before you make an assumption," Williams said. "That's something I'm still learning."

There were other subjects discussed Sunday, if only briefly.

Those included Williams' first-round opponent (92nd-ranked Mandy Minella of Luxembourg).

And how Williams feels when she's not the favorite to win a title ("Not so often," she noted).

And what it's like to be at Wimbledon without the 33-year-old Venus, who also is a five-time champion but is sidelined by a lower back injury and will sit out the tournament for the first time since 1996.

"I feel so lonely. I feel like something is missing. So I talk to her all the time ? more than usual," the younger Williams said.

"Before I left, she said, 'Snap out of it. It's time for you to pass me.' So that was really encouraging," Williams continued. "Hopefully I'll be able to do it."

___

Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-06-23-Wimbledon/id-d0ad9cd66bbc42649edbf82b97f80b0c

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Edward Snowden stops off in Moscow with US extradition request snapping at his heels

Even if he anticipated the risks involved in turning whisteblower, Edward Snowden can't have imagined the rushed, convoluted journey he'd have to take to avoid the full wrath of the US government. First to Hong Kong; most recently to Moscow, and perhaps soon to Ecuador (via Cuba and Venezuela) where he has apparently made a request for asylum. Strongly worded demands for his capture have followed every step of the way, with the White House National Security Council expressing "disappointment" that Hong Kong allowed Snowden to flee and now urging Russia (which has no formal extradition treaty with America) to "expel Mr. Snowden back to the US to face justice for the crimes with which he is charged." In an effort to help the fugitive navigate the maze of diplomatic fault lines, WikiLeaks has stepped up to say that its own legal advisors are "escorting" Snowden towards his final destination, likely making use of the knowledge they gained while protecting Julian Assange, and that it sees US efforts to arrest him as an "assault against the people."

Filed under: Internet

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Source: WikiLeaks, CBS News, @RicardoPatinoEC (Twitter)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/24/edward-snowden-stops-off-in-moscow/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Brazil leader breaks silence about protests

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) ? Demonstrators once again took to the streets in Brazil on Saturday, continuing a wave of protests that have shaken the nation and pushed the government to promise a crackdown on corruption and greater spending on social services.

Thousands gathered in the central square of Belo Horizonte and hundreds rallied in several other cities, largely to protest legislation that would limit the power of prosecutors to investigate crimes in a country where many are fed up with the high rate of robberies and killings.

President Dilma Rousseff broke days of silence on Friday with a broadcast address in which she vowed to battle corruption while improving government services, acknowledging the anger that has led to more than a week of vast, sometimes violent protests across Latin America's largest country.

She said she planned to soon meet with leaders of the protest movement, governors and the mayors of major cities. But it remained unclear who could represent the massive and decentralized groups of demonstrators taking to the streets with a range of grievances, including woeful public services despite a high tax burden.

Rousseff said that her government would create a national plan for public transportation in cities. Officials in many cities have already backed down from the hike in bus and subway fares that set off the protests. She also reiterated her backing for a plan before congress to invest all oil revenue royalties in education and a promise she made earlier to bring in foreign doctors to areas that lack physicians.

"I want institutions that are more transparent, more resistant to wrongdoing," Rousseff said in reference to complaints of deep corruption in Brazilian politics, which is emerging as a focal point of the protests. "It's citizenship and not economic power that must be heard first."

The leader is a former Marxist rebel who fought against Brazil's 1964-1985 military regime and was imprisoned for three years and tortured by the junta, and she pointedly referred to earlier sacrifices made to free the nation from dictatorship.

"My generation fought a lot so that the voice of the streets could be heard," Rousseff said. "Many were persecuted, tortured and many died for this. The voice of the street must be heard and respected and it can't be confused with the noise and truculence of some troublemakers."

Edvaldo Chaves, a 61-year-old doorman in Rio's upscale Flamengo neighborhood, said he found the speech convincing.

"I thought she seemed calm and cool. Plus, because she was a guerrilla and was in exile, she talks about the issue of protests convincingly," Chaves said. "I think things are going to calm down. We'll probably keep seeing people in the streets but probably small numbers now."

But Bruna Romao, an 18-year-old store clerk in Sao Paulo, said Rousseff's words probably wouldn't have an impact.

"Brazilians are passionate," she said. "We boil over quickly but also cool down fast. But this time it's different, people are in full revolt. I don't see things calming down anytime soon."

Some 1 million anti-government demonstrators took to the streets nationwide Thursday night to denounce everything from poor public services to the billions of dollars spent preparing for next year's World poor public services

The protests continued Friday, as about 1,000 people marched in western Rio de Janeiro city, with some looting stores and invading a $250 million arts center that remains empty after several years of construction. Police tried to disperse the crowd with tear gas as they were pelted with rocks. Police said some in the crowd were armed and firing at officers.

Other protests broke out in in the country's biggest city, Sao Paulo, where traffic was paralyzed but no violence was reported, and in Fortaleza in the country's northeast. Demonstrators were calling for more mobilizations in 10 cities on Saturday.

With Pope Francis scheduled to visit Brazil next month, the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops issued a statement expressing "solidarity and support for the demonstrations, as long as they remain peaceful."

"This is a phenomenon involving the Brazilian people and the awakening of a new consciousness," the Catholic leaders said in the statement. "The protests show all of us that we cannot live in a country with so much inequality."

Rousseff had never held elected office before she became president in 2011 and remains clearly uncomfortable in the spotlight. A career technocrat and economist, she was helped into the presidency by her mentor, the tremendously popular former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Marlise Matos, a political science professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, said before Rousseff spoke that officials need to take stronger action.

"The government has to respond, even if the agenda seems unclear and wide open," she said. "It should be the president herself who should come out and provide a response. But I think the government is still making strategic calculations to decide how to respond. What I'd like to see as a response is a call for a referendum on political reform. Let the people decide what kind of political and electoral system we have."

Social media and mass emails were buzzing with calls for a general strike next week. However, Brazil's two largest nationwide unions, the Central Workers Union and the Union Force, said they knew nothing about such an action, though they do support the protests.

A Thursday night march in Sao Paulo was the first with a strong union presence, as a drum corps led members wearing matching shirts down the city's main avenue. Many protesters have called for a movement with no ties to political parties or unions, which are widely considered corrupt here.

The unrest is hitting the nation as it hosts the Confederations Cup soccer tournament, with tens of thousands of foreign visitors in attendance.

Carlos Cardozo, a 62-year-old financial consultant who joined Friday's protest in Rio, said he thought the unrest could cost Rousseff next year's elections. Even as recently as last week, Rousseff had enjoyed a 74 percent approval rating in a poll by the business group the National Transport Confederation.

"Her paying lip service by saying she's in favor of the protests is not helping her cause," Cardozo said. "People want to see real action, real decisions, and it's not this government that's capable of delivering."

___

Barchfield reported from Rio de Janeiro and Brooks from Sao Paulo. Associated Press writers Stan Lehman in Sao Paulo and Jack Chang in Mexico City contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/brazil-leader-breaks-silence-protests-001503729.html

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Ask Engadget: best starter camera for an 11 year old?

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Diego, who wants to give his son the gateway drug into photography. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"I'm an amateur photographer, and my 10-year-old son has started to show an interest in what I do on weekends. I've shown him a thing or two on my DSLR and he wants to learn the basics, but I'd prefer it if he didn't do it on my $1,500 rig. His birthday's coming up, and I'd like to get him something that he can use for himself, that lets him customize ISO, white balance, aperture etc. Naturally, I was thinking of just a regular compact camera, but if you can suggest something else that won't break the bank, I'll gladly listen. Thanks!"

So, we turned this question over to one of our photo experts, who suggested that really, if you've got the budget for it, you might as well pick up a very old, very cheap DSLR. For instance, you can pick up an old Canon Rebel XT for around $200, and while it won't be shiny and new, will let them play with features and settings beyond the average compact camera. But what do we know, eh? This is the part of the weekend where we poll our community for their sage wisdom, so have at it, chums.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Mfd_tSIqWCI/

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United States urges Hong Kong to act soon on Snowden extradition

DEAR ABBY: I was taken away from my parents at 13 and placed into foster care, where I stayed until I aged out at 21. My biological mother is a drug addict who abandoned me to my father when I was 11. She never tried to contact me while I was in care.I am now 24 and she won't leave me alone. She sends Facebook messages that alternate between begging me to let her get to know me, and condemning me for being vindictive and not having forgiveness in my heart. Abby, this woman exposed me to drugs and all manner of seedy people and situations. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/united-states-urges-hong-kong-act-soon-snowden-191402653.html

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Saturday, June 22, 2013

Super full moon shines brightly this weekend

FILE - In this Saturday, May 5, 2012 file photo, a "supermoon" rises behind the Temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounion, Greece, southeast of Athens. The phenomenon occurs when the moon passes closer to Earth than usual. The event on Sunday, June 23, 2013 will make the moon appear 14 percent larger than normal, but the difference is so small that most skywatchers won?t notice. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? A "supermoon" rises this weekend.

The biggest and brightest full moon of the year graces the sky early Sunday as our celestial neighbor swings closer to Earth than usual.

While the moon will appear 14 percent larger normal, skywatchers won't be able to notice the difference with the naked eye. Still, astronomers say it's worth looking up and appreciating the cosmos.

"It gets people out there looking at the moon, and might make a few more people aware that there's interesting stuff going on in the night sky," Geoff Chester of the U.S. Naval Observatory said in an email.

Some viewers may think the supermoon looks more dazzling but it's actually an optical illusion. The moon looms larger on the horizon next to trees and buildings.

The moon will come within 222,000 miles of Earth and turn full around 7:30 a.m. EDT, making it the best time to view.

As in any supermoon event, high tides are forecast because of the moon's proximity, but the effect is expected to be small.

Forget about the myths that swirl every time a supermoon appears. There's no link to higher crime or bizarre behavior. Scientists say that's just lunacy.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2013-06-21-Supermoon/id-ebe39b7488744be1b58ef9646fa26153

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