fiber

Well, folks, it's about that time again. That time when we head out into the world to get our hands on today's hottest gadgets and to explore the promising technologies of the future. And, of course, we'll keep an eye out for some clever ways to destroy those hottest gadgets, too. But, in the meantime, we've mustered up our favorite segments of Season 3 to make the wait for Season 4 less grueling.

First up, we head back to Mount Shasta Ski Park to watch Molly rev a snowmobile over the poor Kindle Fire, Nokia Lumia 920, … Read more

Just hours after Google announced that it was bringing its gigabit Google Fiber Internet and TV service to Austinites by mid 2014, AT&T said that it too will build a fast fiber-optic infrastructure for comparable high-speed access in the techie Texas city.

As an expansion to the company's Project VIP, AT&T will deliver Internet speeds of up to 1Gbps through the just-announced Austin infrastructure, the company said. AT&T did not reveal pricing or its rollout plans, which makes the reveal seem like an in-your-face move designed to … Read more

Google is taking its superfast Internet service Google Fiber to Austin, Texas, the company announced today.

The tech giant plans to start connecting homes with its Gigabit Internet service, which offers 1Gbps broadband Internet service, by the middle of 2014. It's letting citizens choose between having the Internet service or both the Internet and Google Fiber TV service. While pricing hasn't been set, the cost will be similar to the prices in Kansas City, Kan. -- the company's first Google Fiber city -- according to a blog post.

Google is also offering a free 5Mbps Internet connection … Read more

Google's zippy Fiber Internet service may have gotten ahead of even itself.

With a mysterious press conference on tap for next week from Chez Page and Brin -- along with the city of Austin, Texas -- word has been flying that Austin is next in line for Google Fiber, which offers Net access that's 100 times faster than what other services provide.

The only thing the press invite for the event says is: "the City of Austin and Google will make a very important announcement that will have a positive impact on Austinites and the future of … Read more

Google and Austin, Texas, have invited press and business leaders to a joint event in the city, which has some people speculating whether Austin might be the next place to get Google Fiber.

The event, which is to be held this Tuesday at 11 a.m., doesn't specify what will be announced. It simply says that "the City of Austin and Google will make a very important announcement that will have a positive impact on Austinites and the future of the city."

Austin city officials are mum on the news. And Google public relations representatives have declined … Read more

Google has gotten the green light for the first expansion of Google Fiber, the Internet and video service the Web giant offers to the twin cities of Kansas City.

Google announced today that the Kansas City suburb of Olathe, Kan., (population 125,000) would be getting access to the high-speed Internet service after the Olathe city council approved the company's service roll-out proposal. Google, which didn't offer any launch specifics, said it was also poised to launch service in other locations.

"We think that Fiber and widespread Internet access will help to create jobs, grow local businesses, … Read more

Is your Internet provider as fast as its rivals? A new Netflix page could provide the answer.

Launched today, the site's ISP Speed Index page displays the performance of certain ISPs in the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. As such, it doesn't cover the entire world but simply those countries where Netflix is available.

In the U.S., Google Fiber took the top spot with an average speed of 3.35 megabits per second. Cablevision's Optimum service was No. 2 with a speed of 2.35Mbps, followed by Suddenlink, Cox, … Read more

Subscribers of Google's Fiber TV service who own a 3D TV and glasses can now opt to watch a couple of new channels in 3D.

Announced yesterday, Google has launched 3net and ESPN3D.

Subscribers to the Google Fiber Gigabit + TV Plan will automatically receive 3net, which will offer documentaries, family entertainment, concerts, lifestyle and cooking shows, and scripted series, all in 3D.

Sports fans who want to catch their favorite teams in 3D can grab ESPN3D for an additional $5 per month with their Gigabit + TV plan. Subscribers can call Google Fiber to sign up for ESPN3D.

Launched last July, … Read more

If you've spent any time online, you've played the waiting game. Waiting for a site to load. Waiting for your photos to upload. Waiting for a video to download.

That's why so many of us salivated when we first heard about Google Fiber, the blazingly fast connection that promised Internet speeds 100 times faster than what most Americans have today.

It's been three months since the service launched in Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan. And, yes, it's fast. Street View images load almost instantly. You can open multiple browser windows and simultaneously play … Read more