Thanks to a recent deployment of Oceanic Time Warner Cable’s TWC WiFi service – the largest of its kind in Waikiki – Royal Hawaiian Center guests are now able to shop, dine, and relax with the added convenience of free WiFi access.
“Previously, free WiFi was available only in the Center’s Pā`ina Lāna`i Food Court”, according to Royal Hawaiian Center general manager Marleen `Ākau, “but now our mainland and international visitors as well as our local resident customers can surf the Internet at lightning-fast speeds on the upper levels within all three blocks of Royal Hawaiian Center, along Kalākaua Avenue”.
To celebrate, Oceanic Time Warner Cable, in association with Royal Hawaiian Center, held a WiFi launch event last week which included a dine around with local celebrities, members of the media, and Time Warner Cable executives. Below are some scenes from the night.
Reigning Miss Hawaii Crystal Lee, and OC16 TV Show Host Jenn Boneza (Photo Credit: Kiman Wong)
Mobile Product Management Senior Director Vijay Venkateswaran and Wireless Director Kiman Wong (Photo Credit: Kiman Wong)
Elvis with Senior Marketing Manager Shelley Thomas (Photo Credit: Anne Butac)
Cheesecake selection from Cheesecake Factory (Photo Credit: Stephen Claro)
Vijay Venkateswaran with Royal Hawaiian Center’s Marketing Director Sam Shenkus (Photo Credit: Kiman Wong)
One of the six groups enjoying the dine around: Social Media
At an event at the University of Hawaii’s Stan Sheriff Center last week, Oceanic Time Warner Cable officially announced that the company has begun deployment of TWC WiFi™, a statewide WiFi Hotspot network for its customers. Access to the TWC WiFi network is free to Oceanic Time Warner Cable customers with Standard Internet or above and to Oceanic Time Warner Cable Business Class Internet customers.
“Increasingly, our Hawaii customers want to take their high-speed Internet with them out of the home and on-the-go,” said Oceanic President Bob Barlow. “The TWC WiFi network we’re building for Hawaii will allow our customers to greatly maximize their TWC Internet subscription – at no additional charge.”
Oceanic Time Warner Cable’s President Bob Barlow
On Oahu, customers can access over 400 TWC WiFi Hotspots with hundreds more coming in 2013 as Oceanic Time Warner Cable builds out the network. TWC WiFi will be introduced at popular locations where residents eat, live and play. Recent additions are Sunset Beach, Kailua District Park and the Stan Sheriff Center. Below are some scenes from the night.
VIP access passes [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
Garrison Yuen, Todd Silva and Travis Santos from our sales team are ready to address any TWC WiFi related questions [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
Senior Director of Mobile Product Management Vijay Venkateswaran, University of Hawaii Associate Athletics Director John McNamara & VP of Wireless Engineering & Technology Ahmed Bencheikh [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
Senior Manager of Mobile Product Management Dave Hawkins, John McNamara, Ahmed Bencheikh & Project Manager Les Young [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
Ahmed Bencheikh, Bob Barlow & Vijay Venkateswaran hanging loose [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
Director of Outside Plant Engineering & Construction Mitch Miyoshi & Ruckus Wireless’ Edwin Menor [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
University of Hawaii Associate Athletics Director Marilyn Moniz-Kaho’ohanohano, Wireless Coordinator Gwen Kojima & VP of Marketing & Sales Clara Long [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
Executive Administrative Assistant Leatrice Galicinao, Business Class Support Manager Shannon Morgan-Peirce & Director of Sales (GM) Maryann Sacharski [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
Web Content Developer Cy Shinkawa, CyberCom, Inc.’s Peter Kay & Senior Marketing Manager Shelley Thomas [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
Former Olympian and Beach Volleyball star Kevin Wong & Executive Producer of Live Sports Candace Fujishima [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
Lt. Governor of the State of Hawaii Shan Tsutsui addresses the crowd. Read about the launch event on his blog here.
University of Hawaii Athletics Director Ben Jay
The crowd
John McNamara, Ahmed Bencheikh, Shan Tsutsui, Ben Jay, Interim University of Hawaii President David Lassner & Bob Barlow [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
Clearly M’s Rob Bertholf and Ann Boots & Director of Marketing Matt Mishina [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
Business Class Marketing Manager Yvonne Yanagihara, Director of Wireless Kiman Wong & Marketing Specialist Maribel Quemado [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
VP of Business Services Cyrus Driver & Vijay Venkateswaran [Photo Credit: Kiman Wong]
AT Marketing’s Toby Tamaye, Shelley Thomas, Wireless Manager Edward Sugimoto & Maribel Quemado
Oceanic Time Warner Cable Internet customers also have access to the nation’s largest free WiFi Hotspot network, with over 150,000 hotspots, through the Cable WiFi network name. The network enables Oceanic Time Warner Cable Internet customers to access the hotspots operated by TWC and other cable companies in major cities across the country including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Orlando, Tampa, Kansas City, Austin, Charlotte and more.
To connect to TWC WiFi, users should look for the TWCWiFi network name in their connection manager, open their browser and login. To easily locate and access TWC WiFi Hotspots, customers are encouraged to download the free TWC WiFi Finder app available in Google Play and the Apple App Store or visit coverage.twcwifi.com to view the hotspot coverage map. For more information about Time Warner Cable WiFi, visit www.twc.com/wifi.
Recently, dozens of employees from the Hawaii division volunteered their time to help Habitat for Humanity build homes for two families in need.
Set out in Kapolei on the southwest side of Oahu, employees from Care, Marketing, Installation, Construction, Converter Repair, Engineering, NetOps, Business Class, Finance, Direct Sales, HR, IT, Video Production & Wireless teamed up to nail hurricane support frames, reinforce stairs, and perform other homebuilding tasks throughout the day. Here are some sights from the day.
Working on the side of the house
Working on the stairs
Hammer time!
Group shot (Installation)
Group shot (Engineering, Marketing, Finance)
Group shot (Care, Tech/Field, IT)
Group shot (Admin, Field, NetOps)
Group shot (HR, NetOps, Care, Field, Direct Sales)
Group shot
Group shot
In addition to physical support that day, Oceanic Time Warner Cable also pitched in monetarily, generously donating $1,500 to the Habitat for Humanity Leeward Oahu cause. Here’s Marketing Director Matt Mishina and Marketing VP Clara Long with the check presentation.
Marketing Director Matt Mishina and Marketing VP Clara Long
Sorry for not posting last week Wednesday y’all. In addition to getting owned at work with all kine corp visitors coming in and out, I went out of commission with a stomach flu. 😦 And even though I’m coughing with shmall kine congestion now, my fingers can still move so this post will not be denied! Haha!
Is everybody’s March going a-ok so far? I hope so! I got one month left in my body fat loss competition with friends. This sickness probably didn’t help (I haven’t been able to work out for more than a week now), but hopefully, I can get back to it soon. Anyway, here are this week’s pics! Hopefully, none are repeats. LOL! Good luck!
Out of thousands of entries, two of Hawaii’s brightest developers (Ryan Kanno and Austen Ito) were selected to be a part of this year’s StartupBus tour. Their mission? To develop a cool new startup during their bus ride that will debuted at SxSW in Austin Texas! Now that they’ve arrived and are in waiting mode before their projects (readin.gs & jobber.io) are judged, they’re looking to make the biggest social media impact while there. If you could help me support them by going to this link: http://americas.startupbus.com/2013/hawaii-represented-at-startupbus-look-out-for-readingsftw-and-jobberio/ and leaving a comment, they may have a chance to win that award too!
This week’s “Spotted” shot features Bruddah Bryan from the Skinny Hawaiians. He is wearing a Blue/Green VH07V Logo colorway during the Skinny Hawaiians’ visit with Jana Park at Kakaako Kool to learn more about the art of shaving ice.
Shave Ice in Hawaii – Learning How to Make Shave Ice at Kakaako Kool
* Other than hats (currently running low on some of them), I think I finally have a decent stock of inventory. Whew! Let’s see how long that lasts. 🙂
* Although the sales have been going pretty good for the new stuff like the moisture wicking polo) and the “Shaka” designs, I’ll probably start looking into releasing a few new style/designs, including the ballot-winning one below, in the coming months.
* Super stoked to announce that VH07V has been selected as one of only 10 crafters to get into this year’s SPAM Jam festival in Waikiki taking place next month (Saturday, April 27 @ 4pm-10pm). Come on down and visit us at the booth k?
Here’s a remixed video Hawaii Self Storage recently released featuring former UH standout and CFL world champion Chad Owens, whom they interviewed prior to him going OFF last season! Which reminds me… I’m supposed to try and line up an interview with him too. Start thinking of questions to ask him if ya got um. 🙂
“Chad Owens (Grey Cup Champion Version)” – Hawaii Self Storage
You’ve probably already heard about Time Warner Cable’s #ProBowlCatch campaign which encouraged fans to vote for Victor Cruz to get onto the 2013 Pro Bowl roster. The campaign was a huge, viral sensation garnering over 1.33 million views through three videos.
Earlier this week, prior to the game, Hawaii’s Oceanic Team had the honor of catching up with Victor in an exclusive interview as he relaxed at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort with his family on Friday.
Oceanic Time Warner Cable’s Production staff filming Coach Darren Hernandez’s interview with Victor Cruz
Victor Cruz sporting his Time Warner Cable branded “Enjoy Football Better” hat
Victor Cruz video interview
The following day, Oceanic Time Warner Cable, along with the NFL Network, sponsored the Pro Bowl VIP Party at Wolfgang’s Steakhouse at the Royal Hawaiian Center, which was all part of the Pro Bowl All-Star Block Party held in Waikiki that evening. Here are some scenes from the night.
Miss Hawaii USA 2013 Brianna Acosta poses with the Pro Bowl trophy
Oceanic Time Warner Cable employees in front of the media backdrop outside Wolfgang’s Steakhouse
Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson seems delighted to pose with our ladies of Customer Care
On Sunday it was game time, where Victor showed off his hands, catching 10 receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown en route to a lopsided 62-35 NFC win over his AFC rivals. What a fun Pro Bowl weekend here in Hawaii. Victor Cruz and Time Warner Cable… helping all of us Enjoy Football Better.
I posted something similar yesterday, but in case you missed it, here are all the details for the Common Grains 3rd Annual Rice Fest, taking place TODAY from 11am-7pm at Ward Warehouse. Hope to see y’all there!
Common Grains & JRE 3rd Annual Hawaii Rice Festival
Ward Warehouse TODAY from @ 11am-7pm
12:45pm-1:15pm – “Riceipe” Cooking Contest with returning champ Chef Hideaki “Santa” Miyoshi from Tokkuri Tei, Chef Eric Goodhew from Kincaid’s Restaurant, Chef Jonathan Mack from Caribbean Spice, and Chef Andy Dalan from YogurStory).
1:15pm-1:45pm – “Riceipe” Cooking Contest Judging – Food experts Nadine Kam from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and Melissa Chang & Mari Taketa from Nonstop Honolulu, and Katie Ka’anapu from Ward Centers
6:30pm-7pm – Contest Winner Announcements and closing remarks
7pm – 2012 Rice Fest concludes
All Day (11am-7pm)
* Brown Rice Donation Center – Brown Rice and monetary donations accepted for Lanakila Meals on Wheels at the Lanakila Pacific / Info booth, Oceanic Time Warner Cable booth, Channel808 booth, and VH07V booth
* Guinness World Record™ attempt – Construction of the world’s Largest SPAM® Musubi in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record™ of 286 lbs!
* Live Tweetup/Scavenger Hunt – Compete in this Tweetup/Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win great prizes!
* Rice Education Booth – Learn all about Rice from the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Professor of Nutrition Dr. Maria Stewart
And let’s not forget about all of the participating vendors & food trucks:
Menu: Mochi: bod-bod butter mochi (butter mochi on top, mochi rice on the bottom), butter mochi, and poi mochi; Cupcakes: chocolate toffee peanut butter, red velvet, and pumpkin; Cookies: chocolate chip with macadamia nuts, oatmeal raisin, and oatmeal coconut chocolate chip
Menu: Osaka Jo, Japanese Pork Taco; Zeus’ Glory, Greek Lamb Taco; Salad de Casbah, Rice, with Tuna, Corn, Cumin, and Spicy Bacon; Damascus, Vegetarian Hummus Tacos; South of the Border, Mexican Ground Beef Taco; Ceylon, Spicy Sri Lankan, beef taco; Curry spiced beef with jalapeno, kimchee, and grilled onion; Moroccan Pomme Frites
I posted something similar yesterday, but in case you missed it, here are all the details for the Common Grains 3rd Annual Rice Fest, taking place TODAY from 11am-7pm at Ward Warehouse. Hope to see y’all there!
Common Grains & JRE 3rd Annual Hawaii Rice Festival
Ward Warehouse TODAY from @ 11am-7pm
12:45pm-1:15pm – “Riceipe” Cooking Contest with returning champ Chef Hideaki “Santa” Miyoshi from Tokkuri Tei, Chef Eric Goodhew from Kincaid’s Restaurant, Chef Jonathan Mack from Caribbean Spice, and Chef Andy Dalan from YogurStory).
1:15pm-1:45pm – “Riceipe” Cooking Contest Judging – Food experts Nadine Kam from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and Melissa Chang & Mari Taketa from Nonstop Honolulu, and Katie Ka’anapu from Ward Centers
6:30pm-7pm – Contest Winner Announcements and closing remarks
7pm – 2012 Rice Fest concludes
All Day (11am-7pm)
* Brown Rice Donation Center – Brown Rice and monetary donations accepted for Lanakila Meals on Wheels at the Lanakila Pacific / Info booth, Oceanic Time Warner Cable booth, Channel808 booth, and VH07V booth
* Guinness World Record™ attempt – Construction of the world’s Largest SPAM® Musubi in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record™ of 286 lbs!
* Live Tweetup/Scavenger Hunt – Compete in this Tweetup/Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win great prizes!
* Rice Education Booth – Learn all about Rice from the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Professor of Nutrition Dr. Maria Stewart
And let’s not forget about all of the participating vendors & food trucks:
Menu: Mochi: bod-bod butter mochi (butter mochi on top, mochi rice on the bottom), butter mochi, and poi mochi; Cupcakes: chocolate toffee peanut butter, red velvet, and pumpkin; Cookies: chocolate chip with macadamia nuts, oatmeal raisin, and oatmeal coconut chocolate chip
Menu: Osaka Jo, Japanese Pork Taco; Zeus’ Glory, Greek Lamb Taco; Salad de Casbah, Rice, with Tuna, Corn, Cumin, and Spicy Bacon; Damascus, Vegetarian Hummus Tacos; South of the Border, Mexican Ground Beef Taco; Ceylon, Spicy Sri Lankan, beef taco; Curry spiced beef with jalapeno, kimchee, and grilled onion; Moroccan Pomme Frites
Wow, I can’t believe Rice Fest 2012 is finally here! Tomorrow, from 11am-7pm, Hawaii’s only rice inspired food festival takes place at Ward Centers in Honolulu. Amongst the day’s food and festivities, there will be celebrity & chef cooking demonstrations, a “Riceipe” cooking competition, live entertainment by Jody Kamisato, and Jon Yamasato and a Taiko Drum Performance by Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko Hawaii, a SPAM® Musubi Eating Contest, and a Guinness World Record™ attempt to create the Largest SPAM® Musubi in the world!
Below is the commercial and an an hour by hour breakdown of the day’s events. Hope you can join us!
Common Grains & JRE 3rd Annual Hawaii Rice Festival
Ward Warehouse TOMORROW from @ 11am-7pm
12:45pm-1:15pm – “Riceipe” Cooking Contest with returning champ Chef Hideaki “Santa” Miyoshi from Tokkuri Tei, Chef Eric Goodhew from Kincaid’s Restaurant, Chef Jonathan Mack from Caribbean Spice, and Chef Andy Dalan from YogurStory).
1:15pm-1:45pm – “Riceipe” Cooking Contest Judging – Food experts Nadine Kam from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and Melissa Chang & Mari Taketa from Nonstop Honolulu, and Katie Ka’anapu from Ward Centers
6:30pm-7pm – Contest Winner Announcements and closing remarks
7pm – 2012 Rice Fest concludes
All Day (11am-7pm)
* Brown Rice Donation Center – Brown Rice and monetary donations accepted for Lanakila Meals on Wheels at the Lanakila Pacific / Info booth, Oceanic Time Warner Cable booth, Channel808 booth, and VH07V booth
* Guinness World Record™ attempt – Construction of the world’s Largest SPAM® Musubi in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record™ of 286 lbs!
* Live Tweetup/Scavenger Hunt – Compete in this Tweetup/Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win great prizes!
* Rice Education Booth – Learn all about Rice from the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Professor of Nutrition Dr. Maria Stewart
And let’s not forget about all of the participating vendors & food trucks:
Menu: Mochi: bod-bod butter mochi (butter mochi on top, mochi rice on the bottom), butter mochi, and poi mochi; Cupcakes: chocolate toffee peanut butter, red velvet, and pumpkin; Cookies: chocolate chip with macadamia nuts, oatmeal raisin, and oatmeal coconut chocolate chip
Menu: Osaka Jo, Japanese Pork Taco; Zeus’ Glory, Greek Lamb Taco; Salad de Casbah, Rice, with Tuna, Corn, Cumin, and Spicy Bacon; Damascus, Vegetarian Hummus Tacos; South of the Border, Mexican Ground Beef Taco; Ceylon, Spicy Sri Lankan, beef taco; Curry spiced beef with jalapeno, kimchee, and grilled onion; Moroccan Pomme Frites
Points for Photo #1…
* Location: 2 points
* General area: 1 point
* Closest street(s)?: 1 point each
* Google Street View link (if get)?: 2 points
* Month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the week photo was taken?: 1 point
* Year photo was taken?: 1 point
* Exact time photo was taken?: 5 points
Points for Photo #2…
* Location: 2 points
* General area: 1 point
* Closest street(s)?: 1 point each
* Google Street View link (if get)?: 2 points
* Month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the week photo was taken?: 1 point
* Year photo was taken?: 1 point
* Exact time photo was taken?: 5 points
Points for Photo #3…
* Location: 2 points
* General area: 1 point
* Closest street(s)?: 1 point each
* Google Street View link (if get)?: 2 points
* Month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the week photo was taken?: 1 point
* Year photo was taken?: 1 point
* Exact time photo was taken?: 5 points
Had a great time at the Big Boys Toys & MMA Hawaii Expo this past weekend. I got to interact with a lot of new fans/customers of the growing VH07V brand, hang out and have a few laughs with friends who helped me at my booth (mahaloz Traci, Reid, Kelvin, Noelle, Lee, Leanne, Dave, Dawn, Evan, Lori, big sis and Kase!), and meet/see a lot of super awesome fellow vendors as well: Mark Pang of The Fighter’s Corner (and his wife Samantha and sister Lisa), Davis Kagawa of Rep Them All, Greg Yamamoto and Arnold from Ev’ryting Taste Betta Wit, Kalani Heatherly (and his loving `ohana) from Kentajes, Aaron Ching from Bikewerkx, Jason Antonio and Jesse Ebersole from P4P Sports, Damien Kahihikolo from Bangah’z Union, uncle and aunty from Green Tea Hawaii (sorry, I didn’t catch their names), and of course, the gang at the Oceanic Time Warner Cable booth! 🙂
This week’s “Spotted” shot for VH07V is from Saturday night, our busiest night at the expo.
Oceanic Time Warner Cable is proud to announce that the grand prize winning entry for C-SPAN’s national 2012 StudentCam competition is a student from Hawaii!
Matthew Shimura – StudentCam 2012 Grand Prize Winner [Photo courtesy: Kiman Wong]
The national competition, sponsored by Time Warner Cable and C-SPAN, challenged middle and high school students to bring the U.S. Constitution to life in the form of a video documentary. Students were asked to examine any section of the Preamble, Articles or Amendments of the U.S. Constitution and discuss its relevance in their lives, with the opportunity to win part of more than $50,000 in cash and in-kind prizes. More than 1,203 films were received in this year’s competition from more than 2,000 students from 43 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Of the 148 student finalists from across the United States who won prizes, Matthew Shimura, a ninth grader from Punahou School here in Honolulu, won the grand prize with his documentary video entry titled: “The Constitution and the Camps: Due Process and the Japanese-American Internment.”
Through his remarkable exploration of American policy towards Japanese-Americans during World War II, Shimura took viewers on a journey that presents the history of Japanese internment camps in the United States. He focused on his uncle John, a former prisoner at the infamous Manzanar camp in California, as an example of someone who was able to overcome harsh realities and achieve the American Dream.
Matthew Shimura and family [Photo courtesy: Kiman Wong]
As the grand prize winner, Shimura won a trip to Washington D.C., a $5,000 scholarship award, as well as $1,000 in funding for his school to spend on digital video equipment supplies.
Oceanic Time Warner Cable recently honored Shimura and his family at an awards reception held at Punahou School, his Alma Matter.
Oceanic Time Warner Cable President Bob Barlow presents Matthew Shimura with his $5,000 check [Photo courtesy: Kiman Wong]
In attendance were Matthew and his immediate family members, influential Punahou faculty and staff, key Oceanic Time Warner Cable employees, and Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle.
Matthew with his moms Tony Shimura and Dr. Sharon Webb, Mayor Peter Carlisle, and Punahou School Academy Dean William Ouellette [Photo courtesy: Kiman Wong]
Oceanic sends a big congratulations to Matthew Shimura and a job well done to all students who participated in the 2012 StudentCAM competition!