As the famous line from TV infomercials goes: But wait! There's more! Often, this column runs out of space before it runs out of words. Here's further information to round out some recent topics.
When it comes to internet connectivity, optical fiber always surpasses satellite and wireless. Not only is fiber faster and able to offer symmetrical down and up speeds, but it's more impervious to disruption. A solar storm or thunderstorm may interfere with satellite internet but not with buried fiber. T-Mobile and AT&T hawk 5G cellular internet, but when their systems become overloaded, they can limit speeds to a crawl. I will admit that a chipmunk once ate through my fiber, but some critters just cannot wait to get online.
A recent column highlighted local internet service provider (ISP) Volo, which is widely expanding. That was not meant to exclude i3 and Pavlov, both of which provide excellent fiber internet service. Champaign-Urbana and environs are blessed with several competitive high-speed broadband providers that keep pricing reasonable.
Until recently, only those with sufficient incomes benefited from the cornucopia of internet providers. In September, Volo Internet joined with the Housing Authority of Champaign County and the Champaign County Board and their Broadband Committee to unveil a new program to serve thousands of the most in need and at-risk residents. This ARPA-funded program, made possible by the county's Broadband Committee, is called VCHAP, and it will bring next-generation Wi-Fi to Housing Authority units across Champaign and Urbana and, in doing so, initially will allow close to 400 families to benefit from full, high-speed internet access.
Shortly after that announcement, Volo revealed a major rural fiber expansion to serve thousands of rural homes across Champaign County, made possible with as much as $11.8 million in grant awards. Volo will trench 124 miles of fiber backbone in the first phase, providing up to 2,086 existing and potential residences with gigabit internet service. This development is east of Illinois 47.
Interestingly, some areas won't be served, because existing fixed wireless coverage made those areas ineligible for public funding. Fixed wireless is far inferior to fiber.
This is not the first rural fiber. Pavlov ran fiber southwest of Mahomet along County Road 2000 North and into Piatt County. It serves White Heath and Monticello with fiber internet.
On Sept. 30, DirecTV announced it would buy competitor EchoStar's Dish Network and Sling TV, while private equity firm TPG will purchase AT&T's stake in DirecTV. At first, this won't make much difference to Dish subscribers, but ultimately, it will reduce competition. That means increased rates and abandoning some satellites. As fiber increases its coverage, the rationale for satellite TV steadily decreases.
In our last column, we surveyed laptop computers. An astute reader emailed: "You forgot my iPad Pro."
Tablet computers occupy a different branch of portable computing. Although Google, Samsung and a few others market Android-based tablets, and Microsoft sells Windows-based Surface tablets, Apple owns this market. Its iPads are thinner and lighter than the slimmest laptop. A tablet computer accomplishes about 75 percent of the abilities of a laptop, perhaps more if you add an optional keyboard. But if you add a keyboard, then you might as well buy a full laptop.
Tablet computers serve perfectly for viewing video, reading digital books from Kindle, Kobo or the public library, surfing the internet and casual email. All iPads incorporate great screens and reasonably fast processors. Depending upon model, all incorporate the latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Apple iPads range in screen size from 8.3 to 13 inches. Their dazzling screens with plenty of brightness even look great in sunlight.
Because Apple knows that iPads face minimal competition, it prices them accordingly. An iPad Pro costs as much as a good notebook computer. An iPad may not be ideal for large spreadsheets or writing the Great American Novel, but they admirably serve many purposes.