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AT&T U-verse TV good to go in Mission Viejo

August 19th, 2009, 9:02 am by

Where is AT&T's U-verse service? Readers: This is part of an ongoing series of updates on what happened to the AT&T U-verse rollout in Orange County. The company said in July 2009 that it was halting further expansion in seven O.C. cities.  This story, in particular, focuses on one city that is cooperating with AT&T.

For those wondering whether AT&T’s U-verse TV service is heading to Mission Viejo, the short answer is yes.

But when can a Mission Viejo resident order the service? Here’s the long answer.

More on the U-verse impasse

> More on U-verse Impasse<

The city of Mission Viejo approved the last of 35 permits from AT&T in January, according to Joe Ames, the city’s associate civil engineer. These give AT&T the right of way to install above-ground utility boxes near residents in order to pipe in TV service using new fiber-optic cables and existing copper wires.

But, apparently, there’s quite a bit of lag between getting a permit and offering service. There are bids to be made and awarded. Then there is construction to be done.

“To our knowledge, only three have been installed. And to my knowledge, none are functioning in the city limits,” Ames said, adding that some residents however may be able to get service from neighboring cities.

Ames does know that the 35 permits don’t come close to covering everyone in Mission Viejo. Originally, AT&T told the city it needed at least 107 new cabinets, according to May 2008 Orange County Register story.

“My understanding is that (AT&T) would be submitting more applications in the future,” he said.

You’d think that AT&T would step on it when it comes to Mission Viejo, a city the telecom company sued in March 2008 in order to make sure it would be able to offer TV service in the future. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • • | 9 Comments »

AT&T’s official list of Orange County cities getting U-verse TV

July 21st, 2009, 8:13 am by

Where is AT&T's U-verse service?

Readers, I’m heading to my second day of jury duty so posts will be on hold. But here’s something for Orange County readers who are hoping to get AT&T’s alternative TV service, U-verse, in their city.

To supplement an ongoing series of updates as to what happened to the AT&T U-verse rollout in Orange County, the company gave me this updated list of cities where it is building U-verse.

Keep in mind, service may not be available in all the cities yet, but AT&T is working on building the service there. 

Is your city listed? Or is it listed but you still can’t order TV service? Comment below or send me an e-mail and I will try to verify. If you have more information yourself, please share!

More on the U-verse impasse
  1. Aliso Viejo
  2. Anaheim
  3. Brea
  4. Buena Park
  5. Costa Mesa
  6. Fountain Valley
  7. Fullerton
  8. Garden Grove
  9. La Habra
  10. La Palma
  11. Laguna Hills
  12. Laguna Niguel
  13. Mission Viejo
  14. Orange 
  15. Placentia
  16. Rancho Santa Margarita
  17. San Juan Capistrano
  18. Santa Ana
  19. Stanton
  20. Villa Park
  21. Westminster
  22. Yorba Linda

Posted in: news • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • | 23 Comments »

O.C. iFans rewarded with early Apple store opening for iPhone 3GS (UPDATED)

June 19th, 2009, 7:23 am by

iPhone 3GS goes on sale in Orange CountyUPDATE: Slideshow posted so you too can see what it was like to be in line for an iPhone 3GS way before the rest of the county was awake. Also more updates posted on lines at other Orange County Apple stores.

* See latest line updates, as of 4:20 p.m., below…

* Best Buy stores, Wal-Marts and AT&T stores are also selling the new iPhone 3GS today.

* Just got a call from AT&T at 10:07 a.m. that AT&T stores have relatively short lines compared to Apple stores. Of course, you can order an iPhone online and get it mailed to you within 7 to 14 days. But that’s no fun!

LINE UPDATES:

iphone3gs-mark6

*As of 4:37 p.m., the Apple store at the Irvine Spectrum has a 10-15 minute line wait. All colors and sizes of 3GS phones are still available.

*As of 4:30  p.m., the Apple store at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa is sold out of iPhone 3GS,  unless you reserved one ahead of time.

* As of 4:25 p.m., the Apple store in Mission Viejo has a very short line and there are limited quantities of all the phones.

*As of 4:22 p.m., the Apple store at Fashion Island in Newport Beach is sold out.

*As of 4:20 p.m., the Apple store in Brea still has a line. The store only has 32 GB iPhone 3GS left in both white and black.

* As of 11:21 a.m., the Mission Viejo Apple store says the line is about 10-15 people and the store is almost sold out of every iPhone 3GS in stock.

* As of 11:14 a.m., the Irvine Spectrum Apple store reports a 2-hour wait in line. All phones are still in stock.

* As of 11:11 a.m., the Fashion Island Apple store says the line is about 2-hours long. The 16-GB white iPhone 3GS is sold out.

* As of 11:08 a.m., the Brea Apple store still has a line and is expected to be there most of the day.

* As of 9:49 a.m., the Apple store at South Coast Plaza HAS NO LINE. There are still plenty in stock, according to the store.

* As of 9:25 a.m., the Apple store at The Shops in Mission Viejo has about a 1-hour long line for folks who didn’t reserve a phone ahead of time. They’ve run out 16 GB white iPhone 3GS and is in short supply of other models. However, the online reservation system opens back up tomorrow so the store expects to recieve more units tomorrow. 

* As of 9:22 a.m., the Apple Store at Brea Mall has a “pretty long line.”

* As of 9:20 a.m., the Apple Store at Fashion Island has a 1.5-hour wait in line. The store is also sold out of the 16-GB iPhone 3GS in white. 

* As of 9:17 a.m. the Apple Store at the Irvine Spectrum says the line is 3-hours long, but it hopes to have phones available all day.

* At Orange County AT&T stores, which also opened at 7 a.m., AT&T reports there were lines at every store. For the greater Los Angeles area, there were, on average, 40-60 people in line as the stores opened, according to an AT&T spokesman. 

Lines were all over Orange County and by 7 a.m. phones were moving out of the Apple stores. Over at South Coast Plaza, doors opened 45 minutes early for the nearly 100 200 people in line.

Follow me on Twitter @gadgetressPeople continue to Twitter about waiting in line, including the first in line at South Coast Plaza (pictured on right), who our South Coast Plaza reporter Candice Shih interviewed below. Elsewhere in the county, Twitter user neilgreene said he was picking up an iPhone at the Mission Viejo store by 7 a.m. While carolynhimes said she was the 25th in line at the Apple store in Fashion Island just after 7 a.m.

Candice Shih, who blogs for the Register’s South Coast Plaza blog , arrived at the Apple Store at the Costa Mesa mall by 6:15 a.m., just in time to catch the first people in line before they headed inside the store. Here’s her report (or see her special SCP take “Apple store sees steady stream of iFans for launch of new iPhone“), which includes a couple of photos from Register photographer Mark Rightmire (the Gadgetress appreciates the hard and early-morning work!):

All Apple stores in Orange County were supposed to open at 7 a.m. to sell the new iPhone 3GS. But the store in South Coast Plaza opened at 6:15 a.m. I don’t know why they opened the store early but good thing I got there at 6:15 — just in time to talk to the first guy in line.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Apple mania • iPhone • • • • • • • • | 45 Comments »

iPhone 3GS lines start; Here’s where you can get one in O.C.

June 18th, 2009, 5:27 pm by

Boxes of iPhone 3GS on their way to stores for June 19 launch.Another summer, another iPhone. The new iPhone 3GS goes on sale as early as 7 a.m. Friday (June 19) and if you’re smart, you would have pre-ordered the phone online or from a store. But if you didn’t, you can still get your hands on one if you’re willing to get to a store early and wait in line.

According to Irvine Spectrum mall officials, customers are already in line in front of the Apple store as the long night begins. (It’s even been Tweeted, with pics of course. See who’s Twittering about lines at the Irvine store  HERE.)

Sonya “iGirl” Smith, the OC Register’s resident iPhone expert, won’t be in line tonight, as she has been for the past two years. She ordered her 3GS the day it was announced and now eagerly awaits its arrival via snail mail. She has already shared her initial thoughts with readers, which I appreciate since I’m not an iPhone user.

Candice Shih, who pens the South Coast Plaza blog (yes, we have a reporter covering just South Coast Plaza!), will be checking in on lines at 7 a.m. Friday, and reporting her findings right here. I’ll also be posting updates throughout the day on sell-outs, lines, etc.

For those who plan to get a phone Friday, please know that people who pre-ordered will have priority at AT&T stores and most everywhere else. It does look like some Apple stores in Orange County will let people in line buy a phone as early as 7 a.m. See details below.

Apple Stores

Orange County’s Apple stores open at 7 a.m. (though some stores say 8 a.m. on their phone message). Expect two lines, one for pre-orders, one for everyone else. See more details about individual stores below:

  • Brea Mall, 1065 Brea Mall, Space #1024A, Brea, CA 92821, 714-255-5610. Store opens at 7 a.m.
  • Fashion Island, 367 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660, 949-729-4433, Store opens at 7 a.m. Mall officials plan to let people line up starting at 7 a.m. but you might try getting their earlier.
  • Irvine Spectrum, 85 Fortune Dr. #311, Irvine, CA 92618, 949-255-1500. Store opens at 7 a.m. Your best bet if you want to line up all night. People are in line right now (Thursday afternoon), according to the mall.
  • South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, 714-424-6331. Store opens at 7 a.m. Mall officials plan to let people line up starting at 4 a.m.
  • The Shops at Mission Viejo, 936C The Shops at Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo, CA 92691, 949-365-0727. Store opens at 7 a.m.

Boxes of iPhone 3GS on their way to stores for June 19 launch.

AT&T Stores

For those heading to AT&T stores (you can search for O.C. locations HERE), the stores open at 7 a.m. but only to allow customers who pre-ordered and notified by e-mail to leave with a phone.

Doors open for everyone else at 8 a.m. If you pre-ordered and miss the 7 a.m. opening, AT&T will let you go to the front of the line until 9 a.m. However, if you pre-ordered a phone and got confirmation that the phone is available, then an iPhone 3GS with your name on it will be waiting at the store no matter what time. You just may not be able to cut in line though if you arrive after 9 a.m. Don’t forget: Bring your receipt!

If you pre-ordered online at AT&T, your phone should arrive beginning Friday. Others could come as late as 14 days from now.

Elsewhere Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Apple mania • Cell phones • iPhone • • • • • • • • • • | 2 Comments »

Verizon improves wireless coverage in Anaheim, Mission Viejo

June 15th, 2009, 3:24 pm by

Verizon WirelessVerizon Wireless turned on two more cell sites in Orange County, the company said today. 

One is in Mission Viejo, offering better coverage along Alicia Parkway and Trabuco Road. 

The other new site is in an industrial neighborhood near East Street and Vermont Avenue in Anaheim.

This should offer better reception not only for passing drivers, but residents and businesses in the area.

The upgrade is part of Verizon’s $90 million investment to add 3G service to existing cell sites in Southern California, as reported earlier (see “Verizon spends $90 million improving 3G, indoor coverage.”)

The company is adding the 850 Megahertz frequency, which penetrates through walls better. The new frequency also expands and adds capacity to its 3G broadband network.

All of Verizon’s cell sites in Orange County are now 3G friendly, says spokesman Ken Muche.

Past stories on Orange County cell reception:


Posted in: Cell phones • • • • • • | 4 Comments »

Free Best Buy gift cards at O.C. e-waste events

October 7th, 2008, 7:15 am by

Alt+Save time, money & the earth with the GadgetressAnother chance to score some free stuff while disposing of your old computers and other e-junk starts Friday. The “Pull the Plug on e-Waste” event will take place at three Best Buy stores in Orange County on Friday and Saturday.

The first 100 cars each day will get a $5 Best Buy gift card. Everyone will also be entered into a contest to win a Toshiba Portégé R500, the laptop that has received one of the highest green ranking from the Green Electronics Council. Plus Jeff Levy, host of radio show “Jeff Levy on Computers” on KRLA, will be at the east Orange Best Buy on Friday to answer questions about computers.

The event is sponsored by Toshiba’s Digital Products Division, which is based in Irvine.

**UPDATE 9:36 a.m. ** Based on the first comment below, I should remind readers that it’s against the law in California to toss an old PC, monitor or other electronic with a screen into the trash. That’s why there’s a $6 to $10 fee tacked on to any electronics purchase that contain displays. Since these are considered hazardous waste, you’ll need to take it to a hazardous waste center. In Orange County, there are 4 such facilities. More details at oclandfills.com or check out my Guide to recycling e-Waste. 

::details::

What? Pull the Plug on e-Waste, sponsored by Toshiba and Best Buy

Where?
East Orange Best Buy, 2375 N Tustin St, Orange
Fullerton Best Buy, 120 E Imperial Hwy, Fullerton
Mission Viejo Best Buy, 25422 El Paseo, Mission Viejo

When? 10 a.m. to 4 p.m on both Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10 and 11.

Items accepted: computers, computer monitors, printers, camcorders, fax machines, cell phones, TVs, VCRs, DVD players and audio equipment.

Related green-tech posts:

Posted in: Uncategorized • • • • • • • • | 8 Comments »

Toshiba’s PC recycling program now accepts all e-junk

October 3rd, 2008, 7:17 am by

How nice. Toshiba America has expanded its free notebook recycling program to include the old, unwanted e-junk of its competitors. 

The company’s Digital Products Division, based in Irvine,  will now accept most consumer electronics. It’s free and you don’t have to purchase a Toshiba product to dump your junk. 

Of course, only certain e-junk is allowed. Items accepted include laptops, Tablet PCs, monitors, projectors, cameras, camcorders, servers, home audio receivers, cell phones, car audio, home electronics, auto electronics, mobile phones, PDAs, MP3 players, game systems and GPS navigation systems. The items don’t even have to be in working condition.

If you do have a working product, you may be able to get some cash backand not just some sneaky discount on a future Toshiba product. Just run your old laptop or whatever through the Toshiba product value estimator at toshiba.com/recycle. 

[Holy eMachine! I just ran my 4-year-old eMachine desktop through the process and it says it'll qualify for $153 cashback plus a $25 Starbucks gift card and free shipping! Check it out!]

Heads up: Next Friday and Saturday, Toshiba is sponsoring a 2-day eWaste recycling event at three Best Buy stores in Orange County. The first 100 people each day will get a $5 Best Buy gift card and everyone will be entered into a contest to win a Toshiba Portégé R500 laptop computer, which are $2,000 and up machines. The recycling event will take place at the Best Buy stores in Mission Viejo, Fullerton and East Orange. I’ll post more details next week.

Related posts:

Posted in: Uncategorized • • • • • • • • • • • • • | 1 Comment »

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