Comcast Bolsters INTERNET ESSENTIALS Program for Low-Income Michigan Families

Comcast is bolstering its Internet Essentials program for low-income Michigan families by doubling download speeds and providing routers for in-home Wi-Fi service at no additional cost to participants' existing monthly bills.  Internet Essentials provides low-cost high-speed Internet service for $9.95 per month plus tax, makes available multiple avenues to access free digital literacy training, and the option to purchase a low-cost Internet-ready computer for about $150 dollars.  To participate in Internet Essentials, a family must have at least one child residing in their household who is eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program, including public, parochial, private, charter, and homeschooled students.

Nearing its fifth year of availability, Internet Essentials has made the world wide web accessible to nearly 29,000 Michigan families.  The program was created to provide easier access to the Internet and close the digital divide that separates communities into information haves-and have-nots based on socio-economic conditions.  According to the Federal Communications Commission as many as 1 in 3 households do not subscribe to broadband service at any speed because of a lack of affordability and interest.  In Detroit, the numbers are even higher including seven out of 10 children not having access to the Internet at home, limiting their ability to take advantage of online resources for education, employment, and healthcare.

For more information or to apply for the program, visit www.InternetEssentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376, or, for Spanish, 1-855-765-6995. No credit check, no contract, no installation fee required. 

“The Digital Divide isn’t confined to certain buildings or neighborhoods in Detroit or in any other city or town,” said Comcast’s Heartland Regional Senior Vice President Tim Collins. “From day one, our goal has been to make Internet Essentials available wherever inequality exists, and to keep enhancing and expanding the program to serve the broadest number of families possible across entire communities, wherever they might be located.

Internet Essentials has been available in Michigan and across the United States in areas serviced by Comcast since 2011.   Since the program’s inception, Comcast has made 25 key enhancements to Internet Essentials, and this is the third time in four years Comcast has increased speeds for customers. The current speed is doubling to up to 10 Mbps downstream, which is enough to power multiple devices simultaneously. In addition, by offering Wi-Fi routers, customers will be able to connect any Internet-enabled device, including tablets and smartphones, which could help save money on monthly wireless bills.

To receive the faster Internet speed, customers simply need to reboot their cable modems. Existing customers who would like a Wi-Fi router just need to call the dedicated call center and either request to have one shipped to them for free, or they can schedule a professional installation, also for no additional cost. New customers will have the option to receive a Wi-Fi router when they sign up.

**Disclaimer** I have been provided a complimentary subscription to the Xfinity TV Go app and access to the Comcast cable programming lineup as part of the Xfinity blogger reviewer program.  #Xfinityreviewer

Enjoy Television Shows & Movies On Your Own Schedule With Xfinity TV Go App

**Disclaimer** I have been provided a complimentary subscription to the Xfinity TV Go app and access to the Comcast cable programming lineup as part of the Xfinity blogger reviewer program. Opinions expressed are my own. #Xfinityreviewer

The days of having to sit in front of your living room television at a dictated time to make sure you didn't miss your favorite TV show are long gone!  With the TV Go app customers of Comcast #Xfinity service can watch the television shows and movies available through their subscription package whenever and wherever they want via a mobile device.  I tested out the Xfinity TV Go app the last few months and it was so nice and convenient to be able to enjoy television shows and movies on my own schedule.

To get a parking space when picking up my kids from elementary school ( our district eliminated busing to balance its budget and our kids live more than 2 miles away from the building ) you really need to arrive a half hour early before classes are dismissed.  I often pulled out my iPhone while waiting for their class to get out during the school year to catch up on television shows I missed when they originally aired.  Streaming on T-Mobile worked great providing  a crystal clear picture without any data loading hiccups.  I have an unlimited data plan with my smart phone plan so I wasn't concerned about the cost of streaming; but I'd recommend you understand your own plan's limitations before using this app because data charges may apply for accessing Xfinity content through your mobile phone company depending on the service agreement you have with them.  Another nice feature about using this option in my car was that through bluetooth connectivity I was able to project shows' audio through my vehicle's speakers to enjoy a great sound experience while watching them.  I didn't mind hanging around in the parking lot waiting for my kids to get out of school so much thanks to the Xfinity TV Go app to help me pass the time.

When using the app around the house we used our home wi-fi which tended to work just as well as streaming through our phone service's data plan. We don't have a television in our master bedroom and my wife spent some time recently recovering from having her tonsils removed so she used the app quite a bit for awhile.  The TV Go app was really great in keeping her from going stir crazy while she was bed ridden for a few days.  I have to admit enjoying some shows and movies myself from the comfort of bed too when I was feeling too tuckered out to want to stay up and see them from our living room couch. After giving the kids a bath and putting them to bed did I really want to go back downstairs on a Sunday night to watch "Game of Thrones?" Thanks to TV Go that wasn't a decision I had to fumble around with during Season 5.

Convenience really is where this app comes in handy.  I've used it a lot as an outside television via my iPad on the backyard deck.  The kids and I have really enjoyed watching Detroit Tigers games on nice warm summer evenings.

I've also enjoyed coming home from work for lunch on a nice afternoon to eat on the back deck while watching an episode of one of my favorite shows American Pickers.

During March Madness, I had the basketball games on my iPad in the kitchen while helping my wife out with making family dinners and cleaning up so I wouldn't miss a minute of action.

You can select to watch shows LIVE that are available on your Xfinity channel package or anything that is viewable via On Demand whenever it is convenient for your own schedule.  Going on a summer family trip and want to have accessibility to your Xfinity programming to keep yourself or your kids amused on a rained out day or during a long car or plane ride? Another nice option is you can download TV episodes and movies through the app onto your phone or tablet so they can be viewed later without being dependent on wi-fi or a cell signal.  For those times when you are looking for a quick way to keep children occupied there is also a nifty feature that provides a tab in the menu options which provides a directory of some of the most popular Xfinity programming that is "family friendly" and suitable for viewing by young children.  For extra protection you can create a pass code and enable parental protections that block content you don't want your kids to get access to.

The TV Go app is available for Android and iOS devices and is a benefit of being a Comcast Xfinity subscriber.  This service gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval for its accessibility, convenience and dependability.  For more information on Comcast Xfinity's products and services please visit www.xfinity.com.

Xfinity Kids Sale Kicks Off Summer Movie & TV Viewing

 

Wow! Summer is going to be here before you know it and kids across the country are soon going to begin the annual extended break from school.  While hopefully a lot of that time will be spent having fun and playing outdoors, there will be those incredibly hot days, rained out times, and moments when mom and dad might just be tuckered out and want the kids to give them a little peace and quiet where a nice kids friendly movie would really come in handy.  Just in time for Memorial Day Weekend Comcast Xfinity subscribers can take advantage of a special sale on digital downloads featuring some great kid friendly selections that families can enjoy over the summer break.

From May 19-25, Comcast customers can browse the virtual aisles of the Xfinity Digital Store and stock up on a collection of the best and newest kids’ releases at discounted sale prices.  Headlining this sale will be a special SpongeBob Squarepants promotion.  Beginning Tuesday, May 19th, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, will be available to own through Xfinity On Demand two weeks before it is released on blu-ray & dvd plus during this Summer Kids Sale both this film and the original Spongebob Squarepants Movie can be purchased as a high definition HD digital download combo for the price of one at $19.99.

Additionally, the sale will feature a great collection of kids' titles including the new Annie movie, The Boxtrolls, Earth to Echo, the two Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies, and Lego DC Super Heroes that Xfinity customers can purchase for just $4.99 HD.  With Monster High Haunted, Barbie Princess Power, and Thomas the Train Dinos & Discoveries there is something to entertain almost every kid available to pick from in this $4.99 virtual bargain bin.  With Annie (2014) normally priced at $19.99 and Barbie Princess Power, Boxtrolls, Earth to Echo and Thomas the Train Dinos & Discoveries normally priced at $15.99 for example, this summer sale is definitely a great opportunity to build up your family's home video library.

Purchases made during the Kids Summer Sale can be viewed on your television at home and are also accessible to be downloaded or streamed to your personal computer, lap top, tablet, or smart phone.  So it's as easy as clicking the flick you want your kids to watch when accessing your purchase through #Xfinity.  Whether its being rained out on a camping trip and pulling out your tablet to watch your movie in the tent or enjoying a show from the air conditioned comfort of your living room on a one hundred degree day, your selections will be conveniently available to you on the go or at your home.

The one caveat to these purchases is that if you discontinue your Xfinity subscription you'll lose access to watching them via your television though you would still be able to watch them on your PC through the Xfinity TV Go website or on mobile devices through the Xfinity On Demand Purchases app.  Just something to keep in mind when making your purchasing decision.  If you are an Xfinity customer who will have young kids at home over the summer, this is an opportunity I wouldn't pass up as these are some quality selections at bargain prices.

Xfinity customers who have children watching television should also check out the Kids Zone. When in Kids Zone, children can browse all on their own, selecting live programming, free Xfinity On Demand content, movies and TV shows purchased through the Xfinity Digital Store, as well as any saved programming on your Comcast DVR — all of which has either been flagged by the network or studio as kids programming, or deemed age-appropriate for kids 12 and under by the great folks at Common Sense Media.  Additionally, while in Kids Zone, children can quickly find recently-watched programming, browse by their favorite network and even sort by their favorite theme such as "superheroes," "princesses" or "talking animals."

What is specifically nice about Kids Zone is that parents can lock the television down so that children can't leave this mode and flip through the rest of the Xfinity channel and OnDemand offerings without a parental control pin code being entered.  No more worrying about some unauthorized movie rentals or purchases showing up on your bill or your kids being too scared to go to bed because they caught a glimpse of The Walking Dead while flipping through the channels.  Parents can also filter the programming within Kids Zone to specific age ranges.  So if you don't want your child 4 year old watching episodes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Monsters High just yet you can just allow then to view just programming that has been tagged preschool appropriate.  Parents can set programming to specifically cater to the following age groups:  2-4, 5-7, 8-9 and 10-12 years old.  With my having 6 year old twins that 5-7 year old category fits in really nicely for our family.

**Disclaimer**  I have been provided a complimentary subscription to the Xfinity TV Go app and access to the Comcast cable programming lineup as part of the Xfinity blogger reviewer program.   Opinions expressed are my own. #Xfinityreviewer

Food Allergy Awareness Month Twitter Chat - Thursday May 14, 2015

 In recognition of National Food Allergy Awareness Month, A Geek Daddy Blog will be co-hosting with the Life of Dad Bloggers Network a special Twitter Chat to promote awareness and information on the topic of food allergies.  Join us on Thursday, May 14, 2015 from 9 to 10pm ET as we are joined by special guest Doctor Dave Stukus, pediatric allergy and asthma specialist at Nationwide Childen's Hospital in Columbus Ohio.

During this chat about food allergies and kids, A Geek Daddy Blog will randomly be giving out four $10 iTunes gift cards to participants who are actively participating in the conversation throughout the hour.  To eligible for winning one of the gift cards that we'll be giving out every 15 minutes during the chat, participants must be following the Twitter accounts of @LifeOfDadShow & @Geekdad248 , use the hashtag #LifeofDad in their tweets, and be a United States resident over 18 years old.  No RSVP for this event just show up and engage in the conversation.

In addition to the #LifeofDad Food Allergy Awareness Twitter Chat make sure to participate in A Geek Daddy Blog's Food Allergy Trivia Contest for a chance to win a great gift pack courtesy of Comcast #Xfinity.  Answer some trivia questions for a chance to win a backpack filled with a mobile recharging kit for smart phones and tablets, coffee mug, baseball cap, and a water bottle. Must be a US resident and over 18 years old to participate in the trivia contest. CLICK HERE to give it a shot.

You can become a food allergy action hero this month by taking a moment to educate yourself on this matter and pledging to make an effort to be considerate of those who suffer from this medical condition.  If you are up to the challenge CLICK HERE to download the template to create your very own food allergy action hero costume.  Print a teal mask and a hero emblem for your shirt then cut out and wear them to have fun as you show your food allergy spirit.  Take a picture of you in your action hero outfit and tag it with #FoodAllergyMonth on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. There are adult and children's sizes of the masks available to download.

Once you have your food allergy action hero gear, take a moment to read this one page handout that contains facts about food allergies that can be shared and used to help educate others about this growing public health issue.  Download Now.

 

For more information about food allergies visit FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) at www.foodallergy.org.

DISCLAIMER:  A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of these contests and delivery of the prizes. By participating in this contest, you waive any and all liability to A Geek Daddy Blog and its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification. No P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses.  A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our readers and as a public service to promote awareness on the topic of food allergies. Any opinions in this post are my own.

Food Allergy Action Month Trivia Contest

I grew up eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches almost every day at school. As a first time parent, I didn't think there was any cause for alarm in giving my children food that I ate myself as a kid. Having no friends, family or work colleagues with food allergies, the topic actually didn't even come to mind. Than one nice summer day, I took the afternoon off work to enjoy some time with my kids. I fed my daughter a banana slice with a very small amount of peanut butter rubbed on it. She was only a toddler and had never had peanut butter before; my wife had read something about food allergies a few days earlier and asked me to give our 18 month old twins a small sample so just in case a negative reaction occurred I was the one dealing with the situation and not a baby sitter or day care. I didn't think much of it...what was the worst that could happen? Maybe a rash or some itching? Twenty minutes later we were in the ER at a local hospital with my toddler's eyes, nose and throat swelled shut. She was going into something called "anaphylactic shock" and was surrounded by a half dozen or more doctors and nurses urgently rushing in efforts to save her life. It's an experience I'd like to help make sure hopefully others never have to go through.

Fortunately, my daughter survived the experience. Our lives have changed now though. My daughter has a severe food allergy to peanuts and we always have to be on guard to her coming into contact with them now. Her twin brother has a more moderate allergy to them, but we have been warned by our doctor that additional exposures could enhance the condition to a more dangerous level. So we screen all the food they eat now for its ingredients and potential contamination, wipe down surfaces that could have residue on them that could be absorbed into the skin, and try to avoid situations that could put our kids at risk. May is Food Allergy Action Month and since I know from personal experience both how the subject isn't a top of mind issue for most people and also how people without food allergies can expose those who do to risk, injury, and sometimes even death, A Geek Daddy Blog is sharing our story to promote awareness and provide information on this topic.

Our friends at Comcast Xfinity have generously donated a great gift bag as a prize for A Geek Daddy Blog's Food Allergy Action Month Trivia Contest. Answer the trivia question below for a chance to win a backpack filled with a mobile recharging kit for smart phones and tablets, coffee mug, baseball cap, and a water bottle. Must be a US resident and over 18 years old to participate in the trivia contest.

Unfortunately, the number of children with food allergies is an increasing trend with most school now averaging 2 kids per class room with a moderate to severe food allergy compared to that number being a fraction of a percent a generation ago. No one knows what is causing this escalation in food allergy cases and there is no cure. Watch this short informational video from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, to learn more about food allergies and to find the answer to our trivia contest question.

For a chance to win the Comcast #Xfinity prize pack submit one or both of the following entry methods to earn up to 3 entries prior to 11:59 pm EST on Sunday May 24, 2015:

Congrats to Kev from Maplewood, Minnesota on winning the Trivia Contest! Thank you to everyone who participated.

E-mail thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com your name and mailing address plus correctly answer this question: In what year did an expert panel issue "Guidelines for the Diagnosis & Management of Food Allergy in the United State"? Email subject line should be ALLERGY ACTION HERO. (1 Entry)

For additional entries, visit our Facebook Food Allergy Action Month Trivia Contest post and leave a comment mentioning one of the eight most common food allergies (2 Entries)

A special thank you to Comcast Cable Heartland Region for generously providing our trivia contest prize.

We've encountered many people over the last few years who don't think that our daughter's food allergy is "a big deal", don't want any restrictions placed on them to help protect children with food allergies, or just don't care and believe it is just our family's issue to deal with and if something bad happens it is my daughter or our family's own fault.  While we understand that our daughter's medical condition is our burden to deal with we also believe that when it comes to school and public spaces that there should be some level of safeguards in place to allow people with food allergies to be able to live healthy and productive lives without fear that someone else's actions could hurt them. We're not trying to rid the world of peanuts, our family is just asking people show some consideration and compassion for those people who are facing a life threatening medical condition.

You can become a food allergy action hero this month by taking a moment to educate yourself on this matter and pledging to make an effort to be considerate of those who suffer from this medical condition.  If you are up to the challenge CLICK HERE to download the template to create your very own food allergy action hero costume.  Print a teal mask and a hero emblem for your shirt then cut out and wear them to have fun as you show your food allergy spirit.  Take a picture of you in your action hero outfit and tag it with #FoodAllergyMonth on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. There are adult and children's sizes of the masks available to download.

Once you have your food allergy action hero gear, take a moment to read this one page handout that contains facts about food allergies that can be shared and used to help educate others about this growing public health issue.  Download Now.

 

For more information about food allergies visit FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) at www.foodallergy.org.

DISCLAIMER:  A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest and delivery of the prize. By participating in this contest, you waive any liability to the publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification. No P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses.  A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our readers. Any opinions in this post are my own.

April 6 - 13 is officially TV BINGE WATCHING WEEK thanks to Xfinity Watchathon

**Disclaimer**  I have been provided a complimentary subscription to the Xfinity TV Go app and access to the Comcast cable programming lineup as part of the Xfinity blogger reviewer program.   Opinions expressed are my own. #Xfinityreviewer

If you are a Comcast's Xfinity television customer you may want to get a doctor's note ready or reserve some vacation time so you can skip work the week of April 6th through the 13th for its 3rd annual Watchathon. During that week Xfinity TV customers will have an all-access pass to 215 of the hottest shows from premium, cable and broadcast networks for FREE on Xfinity On Demand.  Don't have HBO and missed Game of Thrones or STARZ and haven't seen Black Sails, which are two of my favorite shows,  now you can watch the entire recent season of shows you might have otherwise missed out on because you didn't include a premium channel in your cable television package.

"Watchathon Week continues to be one of the most anticipated events of the year as the number of really great, high-quality TV series has reached an all time high," notes Andy Hunter, Vice President of Programming for Comcast. Last year, Xfinity TV customers spent nearly 50 million hours catching up on or checking out new shows they had previously missed out during the recent television season.  "Watchathon enables us to unlock the biggest and best TV content of the year for the ultimate TV binge week," Hunter added.

So if there is a show that you've been wanting to watch that isn't included in your regular cable package of channels next week's Watchathon is your time to tune in on Xfinity On Demand.  Watchathon Week programming partners include premium networks: Cinemax, ENCORE, HBO, SHOWTIME, and STARZ; cable networks A&E, AMC, BBC America, Bravo, Comedy Central, Discovery, DIY Network, E!, Esquire Network, FX, FXX, HISTORY, Lifetime, MTV, National Geographic Channel, Spike, Syfy, TBS, TNT, VH1 and USA Network; and broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, The CW, FOX, NBC and PBS.

If you need a reason to stay home next week, Xfinity has you covered with a customized excuse generator to get out of school, work or to just check out for the week.  CLICK HERE to generate your excuse so you can focus on binge watching your favorite television shows during the Xfinity Watchathon.

I don't normally have access to BBC America so I foresee a DOCTOR WHO marathon next week.  Fortunately, I don't have to worry about an excuse myself to get out of work because I've blocked off that week already to watch my kids while they're off school for Spring Break.  So what shows would you binge on during the Xfinity Watchathon?

DISCLAIMER:  I have been provided a complimentary subscription to the Xfinity TV Go app and access to the Comcast cable programming lineup to allow this blog to review the service.  This blog post is associated with my participation as an Xfinity blogger reviewer.   Opinions expressed are my own #Xfinityreviewer