A a big new wireless carrier is coming to town, and it plans on giving rival carriers some serious competition. Comcast – yes the cable and internet service giant that so many love to hate – is going to launch a wireless service sometime in the middle of 2017. According to a report from Forbes, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts told a group at an investors conference this morning that the new service, which has been in development for nearly five years, is almost ready for prime time.
The new cell service will use a combination of wireless bandwidth leased to Comcast by Verizon and Comcast’s own network of some 15 million Wi-Fi hotspots. The play is intended to get Comcast customers, who tend to be bundlers, to have one more service to bundle into their package, presumably to save money and reduce bills. Whether the packages actually turn out to be good deals remains to be seen as Comcast hasn’t issued any further details.
One thing is for certain, though: Comcast is getting huge, and it’s got its fingers in more pies than ever before. Here’s hoping the company is prepping a top-notch customer service team because they are going to need it.
Google Pixel images leaked
If the new LG V20 and iPhone 7 aren’t enough to get you excited about getting a new phone, perhaps Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL will?
Today is definitely the day for Pixel leaks, as pricing details have emerged via Android Police, the site which also spotted the phone in a Nest thermostat ad. Now, there are non-blurry photos to enjoy. The Pixel, which will be manufactured by HTC, is expected to measure in at 5-inches and should be priced at $649, though financing options will be provided. The Pixel XL should be a 5.5-inch smartphone and will obviously cost more, though speculation on its price is absent.
We expect to get all the official details at Google’s October 4 event, where I personally hope to hear about a 4K Chromecast. Until then, you can enjoy reading all the rumors about Google’s new phone at our roundup right here.
Explosion in the pants
Finally today – and we take no pleasure in reporting this – but the Samsung Note 7 battery issue finally blew up where we all secretly feared it would: Inside someone’s pants.
The unlucky victim is 28-year old Jonathan Strobel of Boca Raton, Florida, who, as Reuters reports, had the phone explode while it was in his right front pants pocket.
Strobel has naturally filed a suit, claiming serious and permanent bodily injuries, permanent impairment, disability, and mental anguish, among many other issues. According to Strobel’s lawyer, the young man’s exploding phone caused deep second-degree burns to his right thigh — roughly the size of his phone — and to his left hand.
It would seem many Note 7 owners continue to ignore the recall, even though the danger is very real. Perhaps this latest issue will get more owners to confront the challenges of giving up their smartphone, and push Samsung toward a mandatory global recall.
