Everyone looking into Verizon bundles is likely seeing a few news items mixed in with their results today.  There’s a more product oriented story floating around focused on Verizon FiOS.  However, there’s another story about Verizon’s beloved advertising symbol, “Test Man”.

First, Connected Planet reports Verizon FiOS is increasing the size of its On Demand library to “about 24,000″ titles.  Apparently, there will be 15,000 additional free titles and almost 4,000 will be available in HD.  Plans were also announced to try and sign several more content providers to the ever expanding On Demand library in the coming months.

Then, TV Week posted a story about what ever happened to “Test Man”.  For years, Verizon bundles and cell service were synonymous with, “Can you hear me now?”  Everyone immediately recognized the jacketed, bespectacled “network guy” as the symbol of Verizon’s sturdy, reliable service.   But, as the TV Week article points out, he seems to have been replaced by lightning bolts and radio wave towers.

Well, Verizon has come out and said he didn’t get the axe.  According to TV Week, “Test Man” is still under contract, but he’s all but served his purpose.  Verizon is thought to be reliable and “Can you hear me now?” was a big part of that campaign.  Now, Verizon is all about speed and the lightning does a good job capturing that image.

Suddenlink cable TV and high speed Internet has made a couple of big announcements over recent days.  While it certainly doesn’t affect a far reaching audience, it is good news to the local communities and a glimmer of hope for other rural areas.

First, according to Victor Godinez on the Dallas News Tech Blog, Suddenlink announced plans to roll out faster broadband Internet to a few rural communities outside Dallas, Texas.  The new areas could see speeds up to 50mbps in the next month or so with cheaper Internet plans in the 20, 10 and 15mbps range.  While the new speed doesn’t cover the nation, or even all of Texas, it is good to see a cable Internet provider reaching out to the more rural areas.  Perhaps we will see braodband Internet nationwide in the near future.

In other news, A post from Todd Spangler at Broadcast & Cable reports Suddenlink has also announced plans to offer HBO GO, the TV everywhere service from HBO, to all of its HBO subscribing customers.   Even better, the HBO GO service is free for current HBO subscribers on any high speed Internet connection.

After the switch to all digital broadcasts from your local cable TV providers, you are likely familiar with the small, black boxes known as digital transport adapters (DTAs).  Several cable TV providers were providing these adapters free of charge in order to get their customers ready for the big switch that started back in June, 2009.

As many of us found out, the DTAs were no frills utilitarian connection boxes.  There was an incoming connector for the cable cord coming from your wall and another leading out to your analog TV.  The whole idea was to allow you to keep using your analog TV, so you didn’t have to run out and buy a new digital ready TV.  It seems to have worked as planned.  Those of us with analog TVs were able to enjoy the new digital broadcasts without interruption (in most cases).  However, these DTA boxes were in no way comparable to the DVR or HD DVR boxes you could rent from the cable TV providers.  Well, that is slowly changing.

Comcast cable TV is beginning to offer a more appealing DTA box.  According to a story from Broadcasting & Cable, Comcast cable TV “plans to roll out an HD version of the DTAs and is even testing a way to deliver program-guide info to them.”  While HD DTAs would be nice in some households, I think we could all agree that the program-guide info is the most missed feature.  Finally being able to see what’s coming up later in the day is a cable TV essential and it will be a welcomed addition to any set top box.

Looking for ways to save on your average electric bill?  While Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) have definite advantages over standard incandescent bulbs when it comes to electricity usage, money savings and longevity, they pale in comparison to the new Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs.   That’s right.  The new CFL is the LED.

LED bulbs use less electricity than CFLs, and they last 25 times as long as a standard incandescent bulb.  They’re also great for outdoor use because they stand up to all types of weather.  The cold doesn’t even seem to bother them.

Of course, this sort of energy efficiency comes at a price.  Some LED bulbs sell for close to $80.00 online.  But, with a lifespan of about 50,000 hours, you’re looking at almost six years of constant light.  And, since the LED equivalent to a 60 watt incandescent bulb only uses six watts, you can see how that would save on your average electric bill over time.

Over 50,000 hours of usage, a series of 25,000 (assuming an average lifespan of 2000 hours) 60 watt incandescent bulbs will use 3,000,000 watts – 3,000 kilowatts – of electricity.  Let’s say you bought those bulbs in bulk, and only paid $0.50 each.  That’s $12,500 spent on light bulbs to equal a single LED bulb.  And, that’s not even taking into consideration that the LED bulb is only using one-tenth of the energy that the incandescent bulbs and doesn’t emit nearly the amount of heat.

The only problems with LED bulbs, other than the prohibitive cost, is that they shine light in one direction and the color temperature of the light is a bit stark and cold.  This does make them ideal for use in spotlights outside, since you are looking for light to be in a certain direction and color temperature isn’t really a concern.

LEDs are also great for lighting up the landscaping around your home.  Their directional light can produce some very dramatic effects, and they stay cool, so they won’t harm any delicate plants that they may be placed near.

Right now, based on cost and energy usage, CFLs are still the clear winner, but as technology advances and LEDs become cheaper to produce and can generate a warmer, more flattering light, look for them to take the lead.  And, get ready to go for years, maybe even decades, without changing a light bulb.  That’s where the real savings shine.

It looks like Dish Network satellite TV will be looking to the Supreme Court for a final ruling in the Tivo DVR patent case.

To recap, back in 2004 Tivo accused the satellite TV provider of infringing on its patented “Time Warp” technology in Dish DVRs.  The Time Warp technology allows users to record one show while watching another, a trait that seems standard just a few short years later.  Regardless, in October 2010 the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled in favor of TiVo’s Time Warp patent.  Dish Network is now looking to appeal the decision from the Court of Appeals that reaffirmed the USPTO’s original ruling.

Tivo would likely be looking for damages and/or some form of licensing agreement with Dish Network.  In the meantime,  Dish Network has been working to simply replace the older DVRs with newer models not covered in the patent skirmish.

The hot water heater usually doesn’t cross someone’s mind until something goes wrong.  According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating water – whether you use your local electricity provider or natural gas company – accounts for about 12 percent of the average utility bill.  The best way to save money on your average electric bill or use less natural gas when it comes to heating water is to simply use less hot water.

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to save on high energy bills is to install low flow faucets and shower heads.  By switching from a standard, 2.5 gallon per minute shower head, to an ultra low flow 1.5 gallon per minute model, you could save as much as 50 bucks a year just in the cost of electricity to heat the water.  That’s on top of the nearly 30 bucks you’ll save in water, and that’s just for one shower head over the course of a single year.

When it comes to appliances that use hot water, your washing machine is, by far, the biggest culprit.  It can use over 30 gallons of hot water per load.  One way to cut the amount of hot water it uses is to simply wash everything in cold water.  But, old habits die hard and many people still insist on washing in hot, or at least warm, water.  If that’s the case, when it comes time to replace your washing machine,  replace it with an Energy Star rated unit.

While your dishwasher doesn’t use as much hot water as your washing machine, only 12 gallons per use, it also doesn’t have the option of washing only in cold water.  If you run the dishwasher, it’s going to use hot water… period.  Again, your best option is replacing an old, inefficient model with a newer, efficient Energy Star rated unit.  Much like a low flow shower head, newer units use air pressure to reduce the amount of water they use.

A quick, easy and cheap way to save money on your average electric bill is to wrap your water heater in insulation.  Just a little insulation around the body can greatly reduce the amount of heat lost.  Just make sure you don’t cover the top, bottom, thermostat or the burner compartment if it uses natural gas. That’d be a fire hazard. Also, insulate the first six feet of pipes going in and out of the water heater.  This keeps the cold water coming into the unit from being too cold in the winter, reducing the amount of work it has to do, as well as reducing the amount of heat – and money – lost.

There’s been a couple of new features announced from DIRECTV satellite TV.

As of today, DIRECTV satellite TV customers will be able to access HBO GO and MAX GO, the mobile versions of the two premium channels.  Of course, only customers currently subscribed to the premium channels will have access, but that’s to be expected.  In a press release issued by DIRECTV, Derek Chang, EVP of Content Strategy and Development, said, “The addition of HBO GO and MAX GO is the next step in bringing quality video content to our customers anytime, anywhere.”  Chang went on to say, “Giving our customers the opportunity to experience their favorite programming, no matter where they are, truly enhances their overall viewing experience and helps them get the most out of the content they subscribe to.”

DIRECTV also made a few other changes recently.  In another statement, the satellite TV provider announced more local coverage plans with local HD channels available 16 more markets.  According to the statement, “By the end of 2011, DIRECTV will offer local-channel access to 99 percent of U.S. TV homes, covering 190 markets across the country, including local HD in 174 of those markets.”

DIRECTV satellite TV customers  can expect new local HD channels beginning this summer in parts of Arkansas, California, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montanna, New York, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Looking for an easy way to save money heating and cooling your home?  It won’t make you rich, but this easy step will have you running more efficiently and efficiency leads to savings.

Energy costs are on the rise causing inflated natural gas prices and higher average electric bills.  Heating and cooling can use as much as half of the total amount of energy used by your home.  Whether you heat your home with natural gas and cool it with electricity or simply use electricity to run everything, you can make your system run more efficiently.  Change your filters regularly!

A lot of fixes around the house that save you money can cost you money as well.  Changing the filters in your heating and cooling system is a welcomed exception.  A basic filter costs less than five bucks at Home Depot or Lowe’s.   If you want to spend more on filters that remove allergens from the air, you can spend four or five times that much.  Either way, fresh air filters mean optimum performance.

Most systems suggest quarterly filter changes.  However, changing your filters on a monthly basis will ensure that your heating and cooling systems run like a top.  The more efficient your system runs, the less power it uses.  By changing filters monthly, they won’t get choked with dust.  This means that air is able to flow through them almost unrestricted.  The cost of a new filter could be outweighed by saving on your average electric bill and cleaner air in your home.  Both allow you to breathe easier.

Have you ever tried to drink a milkshake through a straw that keeps collapsing?  It’s possible, but not very pleasant, and by the time you finish – if you finish – you’ll probably have a headache from all the straining.

Forcing your air conditioner, heat pump or furnace to try and suck air through filters that are caked with several months’ worth of dust and debris is kind of similar to your straw.  It makes the unit work a lot harder than it should have to, wasting electricity or natural gas, costing you money.

Since heating and cooling make up half of your energy bill, a little preventative maintenance could wind up saving you a good bit of money in the short term.  Long term, it could save you a lot of money.  Additional, needless strain on your heating and cooling systems can lead to expensive problems.  A few dollars every month could wind up saving you thousands of dollars in repairs if your unit’s compressor dies.

Don’t be penny-wise and pound-foolish when it comes to maintaining your heating and cooling systems.  Change your filters monthly and you will likely save more money than you spend.

We’ve all seen the fall of Blockbuster video in recent months.  There have been banners reading, “Still renting!” posted on sides of stores.  Then, only weeks later, a new banner goes up reading, “Store closing”.  It’s sad.  But there may be new life for the originator of the home movie rental.  Dish Network won a bankruptcy auction for the failing entertainer. The big question on everyone’s mind seems to be, “Why?”

Why would the Dish Network satellite TV provider buy a home movie rental chain as it falls into obscurity?  There certainly seems to be no lack of speculation.  Yahoo! News even claims that Dish Network will keep the 1700 remaining Blockbuster Video stores up and running.  But how do home rental stores equate to sales for satellite TV providers?  Right now it’s anyone’s guess.  What is clear is that Dish Network’s purchase of Blockbuster Video could be a game changing play for a section of the streaming video market currently run by Netflix.

Renewable sources of electricity are critical to reducing mankind’s impact on the planet.  Looking forward, Georgia Power is taking steps to determine whether the amount of sun the state receives would be enough to generate power using solar panels.

The project involves installing solar panels on top of power poles in seven cities – Augusta, Columbus, Conley, Macon, Rome, Savannah and Valdosta – to determine how much electricity the sun can generate.  Some Georgia Power customers are actually receiving some of the electricity being generated by this projects, but only tiny amounts; not enough to see a change in their average electric bill.

Each panel can produce up to 200 watts of electricity.  That’s only enough to power five forty watt light bulbs, but the company wants to determine how overcast days impact the system over time.   These seemingly small tests could pave the way for vast changes in how we consume power from our local electric company.

Part of the project is to test viable locations.  David Watwood, an engineering supervisor with Georgia Power, explained why the panels are being installed in cities across the state.  “It may work well in Augusta, but may not work well in Rome.”

One of the main obstacles to solar power is the cost involved.  Each panel costs about $5,000.  That’s a lot of money to produce 200 watts of electricity.  There are solar systems available that can completely power a home, but they can cost $100,000.  Right now, going “off the grid” is more of a personal statement than a way to save money on your average electric bill.

The eighteen month study is scheduled to end in the summer of 2012.  Managers at Georgia Power are hopeful that it will produce enough power to warrant a closer look at the long term economic feasibility of generating electricity with solar panels.  As the technology spreads, they are optimistic that the price of panels will drop, so that they can explore solar power on a much larger scale.

Solar rooftops, solar farms and wind farms – other possible sources of renewable power – are some of the ways to generate electricity that engineers at Georgia Power are hoping to explore in the near future.  Alternative energy sources are going to have to be in the long term plans of everyone, and Georgia Power is trying to stay ahead of the curve.

Who knows?  Someday, the entire grid may be “off the grid”, when it comes to power generation from fossil fuels.