The current state of technology is both confusing and frustrating. Let's start with cell phone service. I use the company that you see on television that has some nerdy looking guy being followed by a whole team of technicians and support personnel. We are led to believe these folks provide us with the greatest most reliable cell phone service on the planet. Completely untrue. Until I can drive on every interstate with uninterrupted service there is no such thing as nationwide coverage. I will be 35 miles from Birmingham and have no cell service. Right now I am in Ft. Chiswell VA and cannot send a photo message. Many times text messaging is unavailable. None of other services are any better. Yet at the same time, my Sirius radio is receiving a strong signal from a satellite somewhere out in space no matter where I am, other than in a tunnel. So I ask, when are the cell phone companies going to start providing satellite cell phone as well as text messaging and photo sending service? Seems to me that cell phone towers are dinosaur technology, but yet they are still be erected. Equally as puzzling is wi-fi service. My laptop was delivered to me with a "card" that receives a relatively low powered (FCC regulated) signal from Flying J, Linksys and others. I have never had any luck with anything Siricom does and I only use the Idle Aire internet service when only absolutely necessary. If I park in the wrong direction or too far away from the "main" building, the service is "spotty." It seems I have to pay for another card and pay a monthly fee for other wi-fi service to get complete coverage. But there is no guarantee that the places I go to will be able to receive such signals. Why should I have to pay for multi wi-fi service when one should provide me with what I need no matter where I am. Right? Well, back to the satellites. Why hasn't someone sent up a bunch of satellites to provide access nationwide (or worldwide) to the internet? Actually, they should combine phone, texting, photo and internet services from satellites. So let's move onto television. I refuse to drive around with some grey dish attached to some pole on the side of my truck. I will not stand out in the snow attaching wires and pointing the dish thing somewhere southward to pick up a signal. And pay another monthly fee for service. Receiving "regular" television with some cheap truck stop tv antenna is next to impossible. I only use my television to watch the VHS tapes my wife records for me. Yep, you guessed it, why isn't there satellite television - and I'm not referring to the kids tv service that Sirius offers. And no that dish network is not real satellite tv. Again, while I'm receiving perfect Sirius satellite radio service parked in a dark cloudy lightning storm, the (satellite) tv signals get screwed up and you lose reception. So much for that big game you were watching. Why not shoot up there a bunch of large mega satellites up that can provide uninterrupted service for the whole kit n' caboodle. That would certainly make my life easier. More to come...
Monday, December 10, 2007
Technology (?)
The current state of technology is both confusing and frustrating. Let's start with cell phone service. I use the company that you see on television that has some nerdy looking guy being followed by a whole team of technicians and support personnel. We are led to believe these folks provide us with the greatest most reliable cell phone service on the planet. Completely untrue. Until I can drive on every interstate with uninterrupted service there is no such thing as nationwide coverage. I will be 35 miles from Birmingham and have no cell service. Right now I am in Ft. Chiswell VA and cannot send a photo message. Many times text messaging is unavailable. None of other services are any better. Yet at the same time, my Sirius radio is receiving a strong signal from a satellite somewhere out in space no matter where I am, other than in a tunnel. So I ask, when are the cell phone companies going to start providing satellite cell phone as well as text messaging and photo sending service? Seems to me that cell phone towers are dinosaur technology, but yet they are still be erected. Equally as puzzling is wi-fi service. My laptop was delivered to me with a "card" that receives a relatively low powered (FCC regulated) signal from Flying J, Linksys and others. I have never had any luck with anything Siricom does and I only use the Idle Aire internet service when only absolutely necessary. If I park in the wrong direction or too far away from the "main" building, the service is "spotty." It seems I have to pay for another card and pay a monthly fee for other wi-fi service to get complete coverage. But there is no guarantee that the places I go to will be able to receive such signals. Why should I have to pay for multi wi-fi service when one should provide me with what I need no matter where I am. Right? Well, back to the satellites. Why hasn't someone sent up a bunch of satellites to provide access nationwide (or worldwide) to the internet? Actually, they should combine phone, texting, photo and internet services from satellites. So let's move onto television. I refuse to drive around with some grey dish attached to some pole on the side of my truck. I will not stand out in the snow attaching wires and pointing the dish thing somewhere southward to pick up a signal. And pay another monthly fee for service. Receiving "regular" television with some cheap truck stop tv antenna is next to impossible. I only use my television to watch the VHS tapes my wife records for me. Yep, you guessed it, why isn't there satellite television - and I'm not referring to the kids tv service that Sirius offers. And no that dish network is not real satellite tv. Again, while I'm receiving perfect Sirius satellite radio service parked in a dark cloudy lightning storm, the (satellite) tv signals get screwed up and you lose reception. So much for that big game you were watching. Why not shoot up there a bunch of large mega satellites up that can provide uninterrupted service for the whole kit n' caboodle. That would certainly make my life easier. More to come...
