Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn is looking to Tacoma for Wi-Max inspiration. McGinn took office at the beginning of this month after winning the election in November. He is very interested in establishing a municipally owned telecommunications system similar to Click! Network, which the city of Tacoma initiated in 1997.
According to TacomaWeekly, before Tacoma mayor Bill Baarsma left office, he held a meeting at city hall with McGinn, new Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, Tacoma Power Superintendent Ted Coates and Diane Lachel from Click! Network, which is a division of Tacoma Power.
Baarsma said he followed McGinn’s campaign with much interest and was intrigued by McGinn’s desire for a telecommunications system. “I see it as being in our interest. As more cities enter into this competitive process, the better it is for us.”
McGinn wants to have fiber optic cable going directly to homes, something Baarsma said Tacoma may look into in the future.
The estimate for a first-phase buildout in Seattle is between $400 million and $500 million, while Tacoma spent $120 million to install Click! Baarsma noted the private sector has 400 miles of fiber optic lines in Seattle, which could make it difficult for the city to reach that mark. [24×7]
Amazon Girds Againt Apple E-Reader Onslaught
Amazon.com introduced a new version of its larger-screen Kindle e-book reader last Wednesday. The new product version, named the Kindle DX, adds Global Wireless capability in 100 countries through AT&T.
Amazon has said that the 9.7-inch display on the Kindle DX, first released last May, is more suited to reading newspapers, magazines and textbooks.
The move also makes AT&T the company’s global partner for 3G Kindle connectivity (replacing previous partner Sprint) in the U.S.
The $489 global Kindle DX is available for pre-order today, and will begin shipping on Jan. 19. [24×7]
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