Add this to your lexicon: HotZone: WiFi Metro and the fixed wireless ISP Gatespeed Broadband have partnered to cover six city blocks in downtown Palo Alto in what they're dubbing a HotZone. They note, The HotZoneâs reach extends from as far West as the University CalTrain Station and as Far East as the intersections of Ramona and University Avenues. For a limited time, users can test-drive the HotZone by obtaining a free trial pass from the WiFi Metro website.

6:44:23 PM    comment   

VoiceStream to market GPRS + Wi-Fi products in 2003: in an even clearer signal about VoiceStream's moves forward, the firm's head announced at the CTIA conference yesterday that the company would be offering hardware that would support both GPRS and Wi-Fi. VoiceStream also announced a deal with Nokia to build out its EDGE technology which will offer high-data rate GPRS. Nokia has been working aggressively to provide cell telcos with combined GSM/GRPS/Wi-Fi systems, which may ultimately be part of this deal.

6:43:57 PM    comment   

First wireless movie theater? It's not what you think: the Austin Wireless Group announced today that the Alamo DraftHouse Movie Theater at 2700 W. Anderson Ln. in North Austin, Texas, has full Wi-Fi access. (They thank a bunch of the usual suspects, too: Jim Thompson of Musenki, Hem Ramachandran of Marlabs, and Dan Vogler of WireHead who donated equipment, time, and expertise in the name of the AWG.). From the press release: Typical theaters may not work well for this concept, but the Alamo DraftHouse has table seating for movie goers, so they can order drinks and food while watching the movie. So Internet use would not add anything more to the tolerated commotion that already exists with wait staff taking and delivering orders to the crowd. The group invites all comers on March 25th for Revolution OS.

6:43:31 PM    comment