Poll: On Demand or Premium Content?

Over the weekend, I began doing some research to see how I could expand on the already numerous features of my current TV package. Having never really sought for more channels, it was a brand new experience for me, and one that I wasn't aware of before. Through our DVR interface, I was able to see what other channel options I could add instantly, including sports (was very tempted by NFL RedZone) premium and on demand content.

I actually ended up ordering a premium channel, and was surprised at just how simple the whole thing was. Honestly, the thought never really occurred to me that it would be something I would be interested in, but this weekend proved me wrong. Since then, I've caught myself going through on demand content, just testing the waters to see if there are any movies or shows I'd like to catch instantly.

Even though this was new for me, I'm guessing it's a practice that's fairly common for many avid TV watchers out there. So I thought I'd do a poll to see where our readers stand. Do you guys watch premium, on demand content, or both? Feel free to vote and tell us in the comments!

Provider Highlight: Georgia Natural Gas

Surpsingly for us here in Texas, we've been hit with a pleasant cool front to relieve us of the normal day to day heat we tend to experience from April through late October. It's a nice little preview for the fall, and reminds us that the cold weather will eventually come, even though it always doesn't feel like it.

Unfortunately for other places where it gets even colder, there's not quite the same amount of warning. Before you know it, things can cool down rather drastically, and suddenly you're in the middle of light up season, looking for better natural gas rates. Since there are so many great options available with WhiteFence for switching natural gas, we thought we'd highlight one of our Georgia gas providers to give you the inside scoop.

Here are some things you may not have known about Georgia Natural Gas:

• Pre-Pay Plan. Georgia Natural Gas currently has an option for those who are establishing or reestablishing credit. The Pre-Pay Plan allows for shoppers to pay their expected gas usage in advance, with no deposits or contracts required!

• Bill Credits. In addition to the Pre-Pay Plan, Georgia Natural Gas is also rewarding natural gas switchers and savers with bill credits, depending on the type of plan you choose. Fixed rate plans reward consumers with $10 in bill credits for 4 months, while the Variable Intro plan rewards with $5 off for 8 months. The end result is still the same: saving $40 on natural gas service!

To start shopping and saving with Georgia Natural Gas, simply visit Georgia Natural Gas on WhiteFence and enter in your address to see what's available for you.

3DTV Without the Goofy Glasses?

Though the idea of watching 3D movies at home has left me cold, the idea of watching sports in 3D intrigued me. I remember when we made the leap to HDTV watching sports changed forever. I can see 3D doing the same thing for sports this time, but I just can't see myself wearing those goofy battery-powered 3D glasses at home. Plus, the glasses themselves are expensive, which is a problem if you don't plan on watching your 3DTV alone.

That's why I was so excited last when HDGuru reported that RealD, a 3D technology company, has announced a new type of 3DTV display that works with the lightweight and cheap glasses used in movie theaters. RealD actually makes a lot of those theater glasses, so they know what they're doing.

Their new ZScreen technology uses polarized passive glasses instead of the $200 battery-powered active shutter glasses. By cutting cost, weight and the need to charge new way of doing 3D at home glasses could totally change the 3DTV game and bring in a lot of skeptical consumers like yours truly.

The new screens should make their debut at CES in January and come to market shortly thereafter.

Landline vs. VoIP

We've talked before about the cell phone vs. home phone debate, but today I wanted to break down the home phone space a little and discuss the pros and cons of the two types of home phone plans available: landline service and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service.

First though, let's define each category. Landline service uses telephone wires and poles to send and receive call data and is marketed by traditional phone companies. VoIP service, on the other hand, uses the Internet to send and receive call data and is offered by cable companies, VoIP-only companies as well as some of the traditional phone companies.

So, which is best? Let's break it down:

• Call Quality – When VoIP first came out, there were a few glitches here and there, giving landlines a clear victory in call quality. However, as the VoIP products have evolved and Internet speeds have gotten faster and faster, call quality has improved to a level where there is no noticeable difference in call quality.
  Advantage: Draw
  

• Requirements – Home phone service can be ordered by itself, but VoIP requires a high-speed Internet plan. If you don't have broadband service at your house this make VoIP service a much more expensive proposition.
  Advantage: Landline

How To: Build Your Own Compost Pile

One of my wife's goals when we moved into our home was to start her own compost pile. As we lived in an apartment before, there are a number of obvious reasons why we couldn't leave our organic waste like eggshells and fruit skins lying around, so she couldn't wait to start once we had our own yard and our own space to experiment with. The question I always had for her before I understood the process was "why do you want to compost?"

There are actually a number of benefits to starting your own compost pile that I wasn't aware of. For one, starting and maintaining a compost heap in your backyard will actually help you come up with good, fertile soil for plants and gardens. Not only will you cut down on what you spend to fertilize your own plants, it also is scientifically proven to grow plants with less pests.

On top of all of that, there are actually a lot of green benefits to composting. With a growing problem of waste in landfills, cutting down on the amount we set out in trash bins is ultimately a green endeavor. Why throw it away when you can turn it into something useful and help out the environment?

So, if you've ever been interested in starting your own compost pile, here are a few tips for beginners.

Chattanooga, Tennessee to Get the Fastest Internet Service in the US

Looking for the ultimate in high-speed Internet? Move to Chattanooga. By the end of the year EPB, a local utility company in the city of 170,000 will be offering an Internet plan with a download speed of one gigabit per second.

To put that number is perspective, a broadband speed of 10 megabits per seconds considered pretty speedy today. This new plan is 100 times faster than that. It's fast enough that you could download an entire HD movie in a matter of a few minutes. You'd never have to deal with buffering ever again!

We told you earlier this year about Google's plan to bring 1 Gbps fiber Internet to reality, but it looks like a this small Chattanooga-owned utility company, could end up beating them to market. They're not expecting much demand any time soon for the plan, though. When asked why they were bringing to market anyway, EPB CEO Harold DePriest said "because we can." Which is a pretty awesome reason.

So, what's the catch? Well, speed never comes cheap and there's certainly no exception here. The one gigabit service will run you $350 per month. Hey, it's still cheaper than a Ferrari.

The Pros and Cons of CFL Lighting

Over the last few weeks, we've been trying to find new ways to save money around the household. For some reason, the spending has gradually gotten out of hand, so now we want to take a step back and make a better budget.

One of the areas that we want to cut back on in particular is our home energy bill, and perhaps one of the easiest starting steps is to switch over to using compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs. However, as much as I want to save money, I do have some concerns about the process of switching over.

While doing some research about the pros and cons of CFL lighting, I actually came across this video by the guys over at Microsoft Hohm, which talks about this very subject. It's got some great information, and will probably teach you a new thing or two about traditional lightbulbs versus CFLs.

So, who else out there has made this switch or is thinking about making the switch? Tell us in the comments!

Poll: DVR or No DVR?

Several years ago, I balked at my friends that swore up and down that I would not view TV the same once I got a DVR to go along with my TV service. Being able to record shows and movies was not a new concept. After all, that's what people had VCRs for. To me, the notion that a bigger box on my entertainment center would change my TV watching habits was absurd. If someone wants to watch a show, why not just be around when it airs? Once I experienced it, however, all bets were off. Years later, I can't imagine keeping up with my shows without it.

For one, having a DVR is simply convenient. Why plan your life around when TV shows air, when you can catch up with them later and at your own leisure? I've also found that using a DVR helps to focus the stuff I watch. When I didn't have a DVR, I would spend hours milling around on the couch just watching whatever happened to be on at the moment. With DVR, I always have something accessible that I want to watch. The end result is less time spent lazing about.

As hard as it is to believe, there are still numerous households out there that haven't taken the next step up to DVR, for a variety of reasons. Whether they simply haven't upgraded their TV plans, or they don't like the idea of paying more per month is anyone's guess. I thought I'd do a poll and figure out what our readers thought on the blog.

So what about you? Do you have a DVR? Feel free to vote and answer in the comments!

High-Speed Internet Showdown: DSL vs Cable vs Satellite vs Fiber Optic

Back in the day, you only had one option if you wanted to connect to the Internet: dial-up. It was slow, hogged your phone line and constantly dropped the connection. On the plus side, it had those cool modem noises as you connected. I miss those.

Anyway, thankfully things changed and broadband became the standard way to connect to the Internet. With the arrival of broadband came new choices. Consumers can now choose between DSL Internet, cable Internet, satellite Internet and fiber optic Internet services.

When you compare providers with WhiteFence, you'll find packages from each of these types of broadband. Here are the pros and cons of each:

• DSL Internet – DSL is a big step up from dial-up Internet and was the first type of broadband on the market. While it uses your phone line, it does not keep your phone from working while you surf like dial-up does. With DSL you have a dedicated circuit, so no matter how much your neighbors are using the Internet, your speeds will remain steady. The downsides are that speed tends to taper off the further you get from the provider's base and that it is typically a little slower than cable.

• Cable Internet – Cable debuted after DSL and brought even faster possible speeds to the table. Prices are similar to DSL and are even cheaper in many cases. It's a little bit more complicated to install than DSL and can suffer from slow speeds during peak times. You don't have a dedicated circuit with cable, so if a lot of people in your area are using the Internet, you can see some slowdowns.

• Satellite Internet – Many people in rural areas don't yet have access to traditional broadband channels. For these people, satellite Internet is the only option for high-speed Internet service. While download speeds are pretty close to DSL and cable, upload speeds are lacking. For basic surfing this isn't a problem, but for gamers and people who upload files it can be a problem.

• Fiber Optic Internet – Fiber optic service is the new kid on the block. It's chief benefit is the amazing speeds you can get. It's the fastest option out there, so if you feel the need for speed, this is the way to go. That speed comes at a price though, as you'll end up paying a little more. It's also so new that not that many people have access yet. Check WhiteFence and see if you're one of the lucky ones!

Ready to compare, connect and save on broadband service? Head over to out high-speed Internet center and enter your address to get started. You'll be comparing offers from the top broadband companies in your area in no time.

City Highlight: Moving to Los Angeles

We all know that Los Angeles, California is the City of Angels, so naturally, everyone wants to move there, right? I mean, who wouldn't want to be near the epicenter of America's entertainment industry? If you want sports, you can check out USC football games or the Los Angeles Lakers, or even the Dodgers. On top of that, it's located in sunny California, which is statistically proven to be awesome.

It's true, Los Angeles has everything a mover could want in a new destination. That's why we've taken the time to put together a list of some of the best deals you can find in Los Angeles, to see where you could save money on your monthly bills. If you're moving or just thinking about switching, here are some of the best deals available to you:

Bundles

• AT&T is bundling Internet and TV packages for as low as $49.94 per month for both services. This saves you as much as $528 over the course of 2 years.

High-Speed Internet

• Order blazing fast 7.0 Mbps Time Warner Cable high-speed for as low as $34.95 per month!

TV

• DIRECTV is offering their Premiere package for free for 5 months with the purchase of NFL Sunday Ticket for this season of America's favorite sport.
• DISH Network is running a special for the America Top 200 package, which has over 200 channels for only $39.99.

Phone

• Sage Telecom is letting you dial on the cheap with unlimited local and long distance phone plans starting at just $29.99!

Some of these prices and specials may vary by area, and may change at a future date. To find out what you can save, visit WhiteFence and enter your address to get started!