Kaua‘i Leads The Way In Speed
I’ve been fortunate to have Road Runner Broadband Extreme hooked up in my house for awhile now, but it officially launched on Kaua’i and Oahu in July. It will be available on the Big Island later this month and on Maui next month.
“What makes Time Warner Cable Wideband and Road Runner Broadband Extreme different from other competing Internet products in Hawaii is the speed,” says Bob Barlow, president of Oceanic Time Warner Cable. “Road Runner Broadband Extreme is the area’s fastest residential service, and Oceanic Time Warner Cable continues to lead the way as the most popular broadband provider in Hawaii. Through our advanced fiber-optic network, we deliver innovative, cutting-edge products that speak to the growing needs of both the tech-savvy user and multimedia families who simply want the fastest speeds.”
Powered by DOCSIS 3.0 technology, Broadband Extreme features 30 Mbps for downloads and 5 Mbps upload. Of course, the fine print states the actual throughput speeds may vary, but after doing multiple speed tests, I can verify that I actually do see 30 Mbps for my downloads. It’s awesome! These are speeds that I normally see with direct fiber. In addition to Road Runner Broadband Extreme, the company is launching Time Warner Cable Wideband later this summer. This one features up to 50 Mbps down and 5 Mbps up.
“Our phones are ringing and hundreds have signed up and are enjoying their Road Runner Extreme service,” Barlow adds. “Although we have done minimal advertising, we are pleased with the response from our customers. We expect interest to continue with Road Runner Extreme and our soon to be launched wideband service. Our customers are looking for more speed, and we are delivering it. We offer the fastest speeds on the islands.”
If you’re already a Standard Road Runner customer, it will cost you $35.95 per month more. Call 643-2100 to subscribe.
Click Chick’s Mobile App of the Week: Skype
Skype is probably the most common name you’ll hear when referring to free Internet calling. The regular desktop version has been around for years, and the long-awaited iPad version is finally out. It’s nice to have a native Skype app for the iPad. I’ve had the iPhone version for a while, but it’s just not the same as viewing it on the bigger screen. The video quality is OK, but I still prefer using my iPad’s builtin FaceTime feature. I only use Skype to talk to my friends who cannot FaceTime.
On the down side, there is no homepage and the user interface isn’t the most userfriendly. Additionally, there is no ability to buy Skype credit from the app (can only view how many credits you have), the Tags are not customizable and the essential buttons are a bit too small to press in portrait orientation.
Download Skype for the iPad for free from the Apple iTunes Store. An Android version also was released recently and supports the HTC Desire S, Sony Ericsson Xperia neo, Sony Ericsson Xperia pro and the Google Nexus S.
