Douglas L Ross: WiFi

Ultrawideband

Mon, 11 Aug 2003 21:11:27 GMT

It looks like Samsung is convinced that the standard for UWB proposed by the Multiband OFDM Alliance [http://www.multibandofdm.org/] is likely to win the standards race, so they are trying to get jump on the industry with commercial products. What markets they will go after first should be interesting, but they apparently aren't saying yet.

Samsung to team on ultrawideband. The consumer-electronics company pairs with chipmaker Staccato Communications to develop products using ultrawideband, a technology that's 100 times faster than Bluetooth. [CNET News.com]

SBC WiFi Deal With Wayport

Wed, 06 Aug 2003 16:52:00 GMT

Reacting to Verizon's previous wifi announcements, SBC is now getting into the act.

SBC, Wayport sign hot spot deal. The telecommunications giant becomes the latest major company to ink an agreement that will let its customers use Wayport's 650 Wi-Fi hot spots across the nation. [CNET News.com]

A New Kind of Wireless Network

Mon, 21 Jul 2003 18:20:19 GMT

Woz goes wireless. New York Times: "Mr. Wozniak described WozNet as a simple and inexpensive wireless network that uses radio signals and global positioning satellite data to keep track of a cluster of inexpensive tags within a one- or two-mile radius of each base station. WozNet, he said, will include a home-base station that has the ability to track the location of dozens or even hundreds of small wireless devices that can be attached to people, pets or property."

This could be extremely cool. So far ad hoc wireless networks for location-based applications have been targeted at industrial/commercial applications, but there are plenty of consumer opportunities. If the price of the Wheels of Zeus products are low enough, and the system is open at the software layer, I can imagine users building some amazing and unexpected services on top of it. [Werblog]

VoIP Over WiFi

Thu, 03 Apr 2003 17:27:53 GMT

Two interesting players in the VoIP space [Calypso Wireless Inc. and VoiceTech Communications Corp. USA] announced a licensing agreement related to technology for delivering WiFi wireless VoIP services to cellular handsets. Calypso had also previously announced a large project in China ( http://www.nasdaq.com//asp/quotes_news.asp?pageName=Company%20News&;selected=CLYW&consumer=NDQ&StoryTargetFrame=_top&market=Other%20OTC&coname=CALYPSO%20WIRELESS%20INC&symbol=CLYW&cpath=20030206%5C200302060815CTXBIZ34330565.htm)

New Stuff At CeBIT

Fri, 21 Mar 2003 18:32:49 GMT

InforWorld article with an interesting list of the new stuff at CeBIT.

Gadgets galore at CeBIT 2003. Division between computing, consumer electronics continues to narrow [InfoWorld: Top News]

It includes a blurb on WiFi Video:

"At first glance, BenQ's WM1000 Wireless Media Adapter looked like a typical Wi-Fi access point. But looks can be deceiving. The device is designed to stream DVD-quality MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group)4 video and MP3 music over an 802.11b wireless LAN connection, and can stream video from a PC to a television. In addition to receiving video streamed from a PC, the WM1000 can handle input from a DVD player or cable television, he said. The WM1000 will begin shipping next quarter, the company said, and pricing was not immediately available. The company, based in Taipei , will initially release the product in Asia before rolling it out to other regions. The company did not give a timeframe for worldwide rollout. "

Business Week On WiFi

Thu, 20 Mar 2003 15:50:55 GMT

Business Week reports on something like a stampeed by major companies to jump on the WiFi bandwagon.

Free Space Optics

Wed, 05 Mar 2003 21:06:07 GMT

Wired reporting about another Free-Space-Optics attempt to http://www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,57860,00.html

Spectrum Auctions or Spectrum Commons

Wed, 05 Mar 2003 14:59:46 GMT

Spectrum allocation draws intense debate [InfoWorld: Top News]

Tablet PCs

Tue, 04 Mar 2003 18:55:43 GMT

Planet PDA magazine says Tablet PCs will "revive the PC market?" http://www.planetpdamag.com/content/030403rt.htm

WiFi

Tue, 04 Mar 2003 15:11:29 GMT

New Ways to Untether Travelers. Broadband wireless Internet and e-mail services are becoming available on airplanes, in pubic places and hotel rooms. By Joe Sharkey. [New York Times: Technology]