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If you have an Android phone, you have no excuse for getting lost inside inside the five terminals at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby airport (HOU). That’s because The Houston Airport System announced a partnership with Google Maps that lets you see the airport layouts on your phone.

The indoor maps of IAH and HOU are seamlessly integrated into Google Maps - there is no separate app to download and no need to download each terminal or areas of the airport. As the user zooms in, the map will automatically display the indoor floor plan(s) of the airport with the labeled points of interest (gates, food court, restrooms, ATMs, etc).

Users will be able to browse floor plan(s) of each terminal, see where they are inside the airport via the familiar “blue dot” icon, and since the airport is multi-level, a tool will appear to show the user which floor they are currently looking at and automatically changes floors if the user goes up or down a level. READ THE REST

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Anytime I post news about Comcast, I get a reaction from readers. So here you go. Comcast just notified me it is offering the new Xfinity Internet speed tier, Extreme 105. Here’s more from the release:

The Extreme 105 Mbps service, which also offers up to 10 Mbps upload speeds, is available for new or existing customers at an introductory rate of $105 per month for 12 months as part of the Triple Play bundle. In addition, the service comes with a wireless home networking gateway that turns an entire house into its own WiFi hotspot.

Extreme 105 is made possible through the use of DOCSIS 3.0 technology. At a connection speed of up to 105 Mbps, Comcast customers can not only download a hi-def movie in about five minutes, but also play online interactive games, send and receive email attachments, shop and update social networking sites faster than ever before. Here are some examples that compare different on line customer experiences of a 105 Mbps connection to a 6 Mbps service:

Download Example                                |      Time at 105 Mbps      |        Time at 6 Mbps

High-definition movie (4 GB)                                 5 min                        1 hr and 30 min
Standard-definition movie (1.5 GB)                        2 min                             30 min
Standard-definition TV show (300 MB)                20 sec                             7 min
Music album (10 songs or 40 MB)                        3 sec                               50 sec
Note: Typical file sizes and actual download times may vary. Times are approximate.

As with Xfinity TV, the Houston area roll out starts right now in The Woodlands and expands from there.

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Considering their record so far, I know news about Minute Maid Park and the Houston Astros isn’t something you are jonsing for at this point, but stay with me. AT&T announced it has thrown a new Distributed Antenna System (DAS) and Wi-Fi network into the ballpark.

As a friend of mine recently said, the actual game is wallpaper to the food, friends and phones for most people. Have you ever noticed at a game or concert that it’s sometimes difficult to get online using your phone because everyone else is trying to do the same? Well, this deal will help those who have AT&T.

The press release on this says, “Inside the venue, there are 225 access points to cover 40,950 seats, concession stands and concourse areas. Minute Maid Park visitors with a Wi-Fi-enabled AT&T smartphone can easily connect to the AT&T Wi-Fi network without any setup or log in required, through an auto-authentication process.”

I am blogging about this because AT&T reached out to some Houston bloggers and took us out for coffee this week. One person I met there was Chris Penrose, South Texas vice president and general manager, AT&T.

From the things I talked with him about, here are a few items you might be interested in.

- In the last few years, AT&T has had an 8,000% increase in data use (not surprising, a few years ago, I could barely scan news feeds and my email…not much data usage there)
- The company is adding additional spectrum to its 3G and 4G networks
- AT&T has invested $825 million over the last three years into its network
- There is not a date in Houston for the AT&T 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) network upgrade but Penrose says we will be one of the first markets
- There are 12 new Android phones coming to AT&T this year
- The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands will also get the system going into Minute Maid Park I talked about above

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Several groups have warnings before you donate money to Japan’s earthquake relief:

As we learn more about the 8.9-magnitude earthquake that hit near the northeast coast of Japan on Friday, the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance warns that — as occurred following the tsunami in 2004, Katrina in 2005 and the earthquake in Haiti just last year — fraudulent charities will likely emerge to try and scam donations from well-meaning Americans. BBB WGA urges givers to make sure their donations will go to legitimate and reputable charities and relief efforts that have the capability to help those in need.

“Whenever there is a major natural disaster, be it home or abroad, there are two things you can count on. The first is the generosity of Americans to donate time and money to help victims, and the second is the appearance of poorly run and in some cases fraudulent charities,” said Art Taylor, President and CEO of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. “Not only do Americans need to be concerned about avoiding fraud, they also need to make sure their money goes to competent relief organizations that are equipped and experienced to handle the unique challenges of providing assistance.”

READ WARNING TIPS FROM BBB

The Federal Bureau of Investigation reminds the public to use caution when making donations in the aftermath of natural disasters. Unfortunately, criminals can exploit these tragedies for their own gain by sending fraudulent e-mails and creating phony websites designed to solicit contributions.

The FBI and the National Center for Disaster Fraud have an existing tip line to receive information from the public about suspected fraud associated with the earthquake and tsunami that affected Japan. Tips should be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud, (866) 720-5721. The line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, e-mails can be sent to disaster@leo.gov, and information can be faxed to (225) 334-4707.

CLICK HERE FOR FBI’S GIVING GUIDELINES

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The Texas rolling blackouts have been my guest bloggers today. As you can tell, they are not very reliable and show up when you least expect them.

It started for me at 6am and lasted through around noon. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) says the blackouts lasted 10 to 45 minutes for most and, “The locations and durations are determined by the local utilities. Critical need customers such as hospitals and nursing homes are generally not included.” In that case I’m curious if River Oaks was affected.

ERCOT has issued a notice that rotating outages are no longer needed at this time; however, there is a strong possibility that they will be required again Thursday, depending on how quickly the disabled generation units can be returned to service.

The Houston Fire Department emailed me that it responded to 30 elevator rescues Wednesday. Most are believed to have been caused by the power outages. Just to put it into perspective, HFD says it normally responds to two to three elevator rescue calls on an average day.

You caught a glimpse of her last week on the State of the Union broadcasts before President Obama took the stage, and now Congresswoman Sheila Jackson (D-Texas) is shocked over the rolling outages.

The Congresswoman’s press people sent me the following statement:

“The Electric Reliability Council of Texas should have thought of better procedures for instituting these blackouts, which have affected the lives of Texas families, their children, and the elderly. I call on the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to immediately implement a safer, reliable, and more efficient way of effectuating the outages throughout the state. At some point today, the Houston area had more than 300,000 households without electricity. This mistake by ERCOT is deplorable. In many cases, our school children in Houston have been dismissed from school for the lack of electrical power, forcing their parents to leave their jobs to care for their children. ERCOT failed to relay any information about the blackouts to the public, leaving school districts and parents without ample time to react.”

Next time this happens here is what ERCOT wants you to do:

- Limit electricity usage to only that consumption which is absolutely necessary. Turn off all unnecessary lights, appliances, and electronic equipment.
- Businesses should minimize the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment as much as possible.
- Large consumers of electricity should consider shutting down or reducing non-essential production processes.

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Chick-fil-A, which my young son calls Chicks-Fay, is giving out free food February 2 (this Wednesday for those who don’t believe in calendars) according to the Houston Business Journal:

All guests that morning get a free Spicy Chicken Biscuit, which was added to the menu on Jan. 10.
There’s no purchase necessary to receive the biscuit, which is usually priced at $2.25, and there’s a limit of one free item per customer. READ MORE FOR TIME OFFER

The article says this is to celebrate Groundhog Day. I could care less. It’s freakin’ free food, that’s all I care about. The chain could say Wednesday was Cow Day for all I care…just give us the free food!

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The FBI has released a report on bank robberies. According to the agency’s statistics, there were 1,310 robberies, 13 burglaries, two larcenies and six extortions of financial institutions reported between July 1, 2010 and Sept. 30, 2010.

* Loot was taken in 90 percent of the incidents, totaling more than $9.3 million.
* Of the loot taken, 20 percent, or nearly $1.4 million, was recovered and returned to financial institutions.
* Bank crimes most frequently occurred on Friday. Regardless of the day, the time frame when bank crimes occurred most frequently was between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
* Acts of violence were committed in 4 percent of the incidents, resulting in 21 injuries, four deaths, and nine people being taken hostage.3
* Demand notes were the most common modus operandi used, closely followed by oral demands.4
* Most violations occurred in the southern region of the U.S., with 482 reported incidents.

SEE FULL REPORT

The FBI notes: These statistics were recorded as of October. 27, 2010. Note that not all bank crimes are reported to the FBI, and therefore the report is not a complete statistical compilation of all bank crimes that occurred in the U.S.

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The following is a rundown of the “Top 10” makes of vehicles reported stolen to the Houston Police Department during the month of November 2010.

1. Chevrolet Trucks - 140
2. Ford Trucks - 139
3. Honda Cars - 93
4. Dodge Trucks - 80
5. Nissan Cars - 37
6. Ford Cars - 35
7. GMC Trucks - 34
8. Chevrolet Cars - 31
9. Toyota Cars - 29
10. Dodge Cars - 23

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Christmas is coming and now you can buy gifts right here on mikemcguff.com. Read about Texas media news, then buy an iPod or maybe Network on DVD.

I created an Amazon mall for the blog, click here to see it. The gifts I’ve put on there are either items I have, or am interested in getting to know better. Most of the electronics come from popular tech reviewer’s holiday gift idea articles.

 It’s not like I’m ever going to make a living from writing a blog about Texas media. If you buy from the mikemcguff.com holiday gift guide, I get a small percentage of the sale.

There are high end electronics down to CDs for less than $10. If there is a product you think I should add to the mall, give me a shout.

NOW GET SHOPPING

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> Surprise your kids with a photo of Santa in your living room

Tis the season to give right? But how do you know your money is going to a good cause? Or the charity you are donating to is actually putting that money to good use? There is no real charity watchdog. There is no state agency that makes sure charities are on the straight and narrow path. So it is up to you to know where your money is going, before you give.
HOUSTON CHARITIES CHECK: Which Houston charities are worth giving money to?

> Mike McGuff Blog
> Holiday gift list
> Surprise your kids with a photo of Santa in your living room