NetStumbler.com

Samsung Ventures America, the U.S. based venture capital investment arm for Samsung Venture Investment Corp., has invested more than $20 million in C-round funding in broadband wireless chipset company Beceem Communications Inc. Beceem said Monday.
Via [eetimes.com]

It’s a new safety tool: parents are alerted when children reach pre-set points along the route, say, to and from school. If there is a problem, the kids can press a call button on the tag, which alerts their parents.
Via [informationweek.com]

Intel Corp. is touting its next mobile platform, dubbed Napa, as another major milestone in notebook PC history.
Via [eweek.com]

The pieces are falling into place for the next-generation 802.11n Wi-Fi standard to be ratified and chipsets could appear by the end of 2006, according to a study by ABI Research.
Via [eet.com]

Natcom plans to begin trials of its WiMax Airthernet service in Auckland from January 2006 and is seeking trial customers to check the viability and quality of the service. The trial is open to small and medium sized business customers. Interested companies can register their interest on-line.
Via [geekzone.co.nz]

Politics is rearing its ugly head in the battle to ratify the standard for 802.11n next-generation wireless LAN after a vote on the standard failed to take place in November.
Via [reed-electronics.com]

A growing number of products are being outfitted with WLAN connectivity for the upcoming end-of-year buying frenzy. Most of these items are now limited to the high-end of the market but those willing to spend the extra money will find plenty of choices.
Via [technewsworld.com]

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group is planning to co-operate more closely with the Wi-Fi, Ultra-wideband (UWB) and Near Field Communications (NFC) wireless standards.
Via [vnunet.com]

New York City lawmakers are taking a long, hard look at using 802.11-based Wi-Fi or some other technology to get the city’s roughly 8 million citizens access to broadband.
Via [news.com.com]

Linksys will collaborate with Telabria to deliver VoIP services over a European WiMAX-class broadband network, the companies recently announced.
Via [commsdesign.com]

Vonage will announce Tuesday the availability of its long-anticipated portable Wi-Fi phone that will let people use the company’s IP telephony when they’re connected to any public hot spot.
Via [news.com.com]

Wisair has announced a wireless USB dongle and hub reference design that will allow consumer devices such as printers, scanners and cellular devices to connect to a USB-enabled PC at rates of up to 480 Mbits/s.
Via [eetimes.com]

Vendors looking to increase ever-eroding margins on commodity 802.11a, b, and g gear have been pushing for higher speeds and a faster ratification of 802.11n. Tired of the wait, Airgo Networks designed its own 802.11n-like chip set to be used first by Netgear in its RangeMax 240 router, announced last week, which has a maximum performance of 240 Mbps.
Via [toptechnews.com]

Philadelphia’s wireless Internet for the masses initiative has given big telecommunications firms fits, but it has also won another plaudit for city chief information officer Dianah Neff.
Via [philly.com]

A study from ABI Research estimates the global market for 802.11 mesh products to be $116 million and that it will soar to $1.3 billion five years from now. Much of that will be spent by municipalities or service providers to offer low-cost wireless Internet access, says Sam Lucero, ABI senior analyst.
Via [newsfactor.com]