Hedgehogging

Following the mass murders at Virginia Tech, we received a number of e-mails touting the benefits of emergency broadcast alerts of one kind or another. Whether any of those systems would have helped in this tragedy, the issue is likely to garner more attention in coming weeks. It only makes sense that wireless be included in ongoing changes to the nation’s emergency alert program simply because people usually carry their cellphones with them. The devil is in the details, however.
Coincidentally, the Association of Public Television Stations, working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said it is rolling out a new digital emergency alert system. By the end of the year, all public TV stations should be equipped to receive and retransmit the digital emergency signal.
“The new system’s use of datacasting allows Public Television transmitters to distribute data to wireless receivers that FEMA will install at specific locations throughout the nation. Unlike broadcast signals, datacast signals are addressable, meaning that a local station can send them to specific receivers, which, for instance, may be located in public-safety agencies or other broadcasters-as few or as many receivers as needed. The data packets can also be received and re-transmitted over other digital networks including cellular telephones and other mobile services,” according to APTS. We’ll see.
On a lighter note, the intense competition between Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile recently was unleashed in Hollywood as both carriers threw bashes celebrating the launch of new devices. Sprint Nextel was pimping the Samsung UpStage at a private residence in Beverly Hills, while T-Mobile was touting its Sidekick iD at an unnamed location “in the heart of Hollywood.”
These events are nothing new for wireless carriers. Helio threw a similar bash when it launched service, and T-Mobile has a history of throwing a party every time it launches a new version of the Sidekick, which seems to be weekly.
For these festivities, Sprint Nextel trotted out such celebrity attendees as Paris Hilton, New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush and Anthony Anderson.
T-Mobile countered with Ashlee Simpson, who we think is the Simpson sister who can’t sing (oh wait, they both can’t), Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson and Adam Brody. But at least T-Mobile had some reason to invite such acclaimed celebs as the Sidekick iD is a de-contented version of the Sidekick 3. See the connection?