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News that's changing the Wireless World!
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Thursday, October 16, 2003 |
Source: Wi-Fi Planet
The Wireless Digital Picture Frame Arrives
Digital LCDs simply for displaying photos seem like a relic of the dotcom boom, but one company hopes that taking advantage of the world of wireless broadband will make them a success.
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2:10:04 PM 
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Send SMS Over Wi-Fi
Comverse demonstrated a product that lets Wi-Fi users send SMS messages to cell phones: This may seem like a no-brainer but SMS isn't an IP-based system—so you can't send an actual SMS from any computer. This blurb, however, makes it sound like wireless operators may be migrating toward IP SMS systems. Here is an actual press release from Comverse on the capability. The idea is to let Wi-Fi-enabled PDA users send and receive SMS with cell phone users. It will be interesting to see if this is the way people will want to message between devices or if instant message clients, which are already becoming available on cell phones, will handle messaging between cell phones and devices like PDAs....
Source Link
12:00:30 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Czech Operators Learn from Speakeasy
Two Czech companies are encouraging customers to share their broadband connections via Wi-Fi and charge their neighbors: Customers subscribe to DSL from Wia, a service provider. WideNet sets them up with the Wi-Fi gear and then publishes the location of the site. Then nearby residents who may want to use the network buy a Wi-Fi card. When the nearby residents first go online they will see a page that asks for credit card information. They pay less the longer the subscription they sign up for. The AP owner gets 65 percent of the revenue, which is collected and distributed by WideNet. Speakeasy has a similar deal where if a customer decides to use Wi-Fi to share their connection with neighbors, Speakeasy will bill the neighbor for the customer. The key here is that Speakeasy in the United States and Wia in the Czech Republic are broadband service providers and they approve of sharing. Other service providers, like Time Warner in New York, aren't so happy about sharing....
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12:00:29 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Squaw Valley Gets Wi-Fi
The Lake Tahoe ski resort is now covered in Wi-Fi, courtesy of Exwire: Future services on the network will let PDA users see where their friends are within the resort. Exwire is charging $2.50 an hour, $8 a day, $21 per week or $29 per month....
Source Link
12:00:28 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Hughes Partners With Proxim
Hughes said it will integrate Proxim APs into its Internet satellite terminals: Hughes DirecWay customers, who receive satellite-based Internet service, can distribute that service using Wi-Fi....
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12:00:27 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Case Against Voice Over Wi-Fi
Voice over W-Fi can't make it in the mainstream unless it offers a different application than cell phones: So theorizes this ZDNet UK columnist and he has some good points. The fact that cellular networks are already ubiquitous and the majority of the population in some countries have cell phones means that voice over Wi-Fi can't be a me-too service or no one will want it. He thinks that Wi-Fi will need a killer app, presumably one that takes advantage of its high broadband capabilities. Music or video services might convince potential customers to buy into voice over Wi-Fi. The most important unknown with voice over Wi-Fi is the role that the cellular carriers will play. If they decide they want to take advantage of Wi-Fi and start building chips into their phones, then voice over Wi-Fi will work in the mass market. But so far the operators have been very non-committal on where they stand with integrating Wi-Fi into their phones....
Source Link
12:00:25 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
WiMAX Boom in Five Years
Research firm ABI expects revenue for WiMAX and 802.20 gear to reach $1.5 billion in 2008: If incumbent broadband service providers decide to use WiMAX that figure could be much higher, the study showed. A Newsfactor story also points to WiMAX as a potentially lucrative industry in the near future. The piece generally looks at how wireless, both mobile and fixed, has given a boost to the flailing telecom market. But WiMAX and Wi-Fi could be better used if more and different spectrum were available, says an Intel VP. If operators could use spectrum in the lower bands, say around 400 Mhz, they could do more with the technology because signals could go through thicker walls and wouldn't be subject to rain fade. But to harmonize on a different frequency around the globe would be a major undertaking....
Source Link
12:00:24 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Social Aspects of Ubiquitous Computing
At a conference in Seattle, big thinkers are discussing the affects of ubiquitous computing: Wi-Fi isn't mentioned much in this piece but wireless technologies of any kind will clearly play a role in many of the visions described here. This is a really interesting piece on how ubiquitous computing might change some really mundane things, like where we go to do our jobs. Researchers are taking cues from the way that people use technology in ways that marketing folks haven't dictated. So they study instant messagers, bloggers and flash mobbers. One researcher was surprised to find that users of a college campus system that lets users know the location of other users tended to IM most with nearby classmates....
Source Link
12:00:23 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Digital Photo Frame Comes with Wi-Fi
Users can wirelessly download pictures from their PCs to the picture frame: I've always thought these digital frames were kind of silly. But if there's a market for them, Wi-Fi should make them more attractive because without it transferring pictures is probably pretty cumbersome....
Source Link
12:00:22 PM
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Source: Wired.com
Data Faster Than Speeding Bullet
CERN and Caltech set a new world speed record for sending data across the Internet, doubling the previous fastest transfer. The transmission between the two scientific research centers is 20,000 times faster than typical home broadband.
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12:00:19 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Zyxel offers built-in RADIUS with 802.1X in a $149 box: This is a pretty amazing bargain, considering that it can support 25 authenticated users using a local database, VLAN segregation, WDS bridging, and on and on. Too bad it's only an 802.11b device, but I expect that's a short-term issue. I've asked for a review unit from the company so I can provide some more real-world details. [via SmallNetBuilder]...
Source Link
12:00:17 PM
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Source: C|Net
T-Mobile USA sidelines some Sidekicks
The wireless carrier says some Sidekick devices with color screens have a faulty hinge that potential limits the life of the product, so it is replacing devices for affected customers.
Source Link
12:00:15 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Integration Key for Chipmakers
The only way for Wi-Fi chip makers to survive is to integrate their chips with other functions: At least that's the conclusion of an editor with EE Times. He suggests that the chipmakers that have tried to set themselves apart from the rest by improving the performance of their chips haven't been successful. But those that integrate functions such as DSL into a Wi-Fi chip will add value, appeal to a certain market and avoid the "massacre" in the Wi-Fi chip market. It's a good theory, seeing as chipmakers have been killing themselves trying to offer the best power savings and coverage boost. They may be better off tying in other functions in order to differentiate themselves....
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12:00:13 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Dell PDA Gets Good Review
The new Dell PDA is the cheapest on the market that includes Wi-Fi: An extensive review here is generally positive....
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12:00:12 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Interlink and Pyramid Combine Features
Pyramid Computer will include Interlink Network's RADIUS software and 802.1X support in its Ben Hur II product: Ben Hur is an appliance that manages network communications. The combined offering will be available during the fourth quarter....
Source Link
12:00:11 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Sun, Pronto Target Large Operators
Sun and Pronto are coming out with a platform aimed at carriers and other operators of large hot spot networks: The offering aims to make it easy to provision, deploy and manage large public networks. The platform enables support for a number of payment-related functions, such as support for prepaid and post-paid pricing, SIM and SMS authentication, roaming settlement and revenue distribution among partners. The announcement mentions that the platform includes a policy agent that authenticates users against the Java System Identity Server and enforces network policy, but it does not mention support for 802.1X. The product may be a tough sell without 1X....
Source Link
12:00:10 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Smart Devices are Future of Wi-Fi
Smart devices may achieve the ultimate vision for Wi-Fi: With a Wi-Fi cloud stretching everywhere, turning on the stove can be done remotely. More so than Internet access, remote control may be the killer app for Wi-Fi. Maybe. A lot of "ifs" surround the reality of Wi-Fi-enabled everything, including the kitchen stove. But the vision is pretty cool....
Source Link
12:00:09 PM
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Source: eWEEK Technology News
MSN Unveils Video Service
The online service introduces a limited beta version of MSN Video, a free, high-resolution broadband video offering.
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12:00:03 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Misguided Free Vs. Fee
Odd article starts out looking at conflict between government agencies and private companies: But the information about government bodies using Wi-Fi is off-base. For instance, the piece notes that many airports are run by government agencies that offer Wi-Fi in the terminals, presumably for free. All the large commercial airports I know of that have Wi-Fi charge for the service and most use third-party companies to manage the networks. Perhaps the author is referring to smaller airports for private planes? The article also points to the fact that agencies like the FCC run their own Wi-Fi hot spots in their lobbies. So does the author think that instead Wayport ought to offer service there? It seems reasonable to me that the FCC should offer its own Wi-Fi service to its workers and visitors. This is a pretty misguided article by someone who doesn't have a firm grasp of the free vs. fee topic....
Source Link
12:00:00 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Boeing Holds off on WLANs
Security still a deal breaker for some companies that could benefit from WLANs: Some departments in Boeing are deciding to hold off on WLANs until 802.11i because they don't want to make two upgrades--the first to 1x--in two years. This is a very in-depth piece exploring Boeing's needs and challenges. Despite all the work on upgrading 802.11 security, security seems to still be a major gating factor for the highly security-conscious companies....
Source Link
11:59:59 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
More European Roaming
Swisscom and TeliaSonera sign a roaming agreement: It seems like European hot spot operators are signing lots of roaming agreements so each operator will be responsible for building hot spots in its own territory and rely on the hot spots of others for roaming customers. This announcement doesn't specify if roamers will pay extra to use hot spots run by another operator, but we expect so. TeliaSonera now has an enormous roaming footprint through partnerships across Europe, allowing its members a single login and single bill for their extensive travel--Swedes at least, spend a lot of time outside of the country, especially in those long winter months when charter flights whisk sun-starved natives off to Sardinia and elsewhere....
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11:59:58 AM
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Source: Computer World
HP highlights mobility in new products
Bluetooth and wireless LAN technologies will play big roles in the new products, which include a new Pocket PC, laptops, a mobile workstation and a redesigned Table PC.
Source Link
11:59:56 AM
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Source: Ziff Davis
Unwire Your Game Console
Discovered the joy of online multiplayer gaming with your game console? No need to drag networking cable into your living room to get your game on, we'll show you how to take your console wireless.
Source Link
11:59:55 AM
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Source: Extremetech
Unwire Your Game Console
Discovered the joy of online multiplayer gaming with your game console? No need to drag networking cable into your living room to get your game on, we'll show you how to take your console wireless.
Source Link
11:59:54 AM
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Source: eWEEK Technology News
HP Introduces New Wireless Devices
At ITU Telecom World 2003 in Geneva, HP took the wraps off a batch of new notebooks, printers and handhelds that offer wireless connections.
Source Link
11:59:52 AM
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Source: Computer World
Megabit Mobile
Mobile wireless data rates will make a quantum jump in the next five years, compared with little growth over the past decade. And Wi-Fi will be integrated into cellular service too.
Source Link
11:59:49 AM
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Last Update: 11/1/2003; 11:29:40 AM
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