Get Free Wi-Fi, While It’s Hot

Over the years, I’ve seen a handful of news items and at least one documentary on water divining. Usually the practice proliferates during droughts. It involves a tool such as a forked or Y-shaped stick and someone—a dowser—who can use the tool to find water underground. The tail end of the Y bends down whenContinue Reading

Intersil Quits ‘Overcrowded’ WiFi, Finds Sucker To Buy

The writing is on the wall for WiFi chip suppliers. The WLAN market may be about to boom, but the main beneficiaries of the boom look like being Cisco and Intel – so Intersil has sold off its Prism line of chips to someone who thinks they can out-think those two giants. Via [theregister.co.uk]Continue Reading

As WiFi Surges, Asia-Pacific To Outpace North America

There will be 28,000 WiFi hotspots around the world by the end of this year, and more than 160,000 of them in four years, Allied Business Intelligence said Thursday, and it predicted that in five years the Asia-Pacific region will have more wireless hotspots than North America. Via [pacific.bizjournals.com]Continue Reading

Kensington WiFi Finder Helps Locate Hotspots

Home handypeople may be familiar with the “StudSensor,” a device that uses ultrasonic signals to find wooden studs behind the sheetrock in the walls of your house. Now computer peripheral maker Kensington has introduced an alternative for users looking for Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) connections when they’re on the road: The WiFi Finder, a handheld wirelessContinue Reading

Wi-Fi Pushes Beyond The Laptop

Manufacturers are adding Wi-Fi wireless connections to media adapters that let home electronics equipment play music or show photos stored on personal computers. Via [asia.cnet.com]Continue Reading

Speakeasy Lets You Become Your Own Wi-Fi ISP

Seattle Internet service provider Speakeasy has recently introduced Wi-Fi NetShare, a service that allows Speakeasy customers to easily and legally share their high-speed Internet connections with their neighbors.Continue Reading

McDonald’s Starts WiFi Access In Bay Area

McDonald’s became the first fast-food chain Tuesday to offer high-speed wireless Internet in the Bay Area, another sign that the wireless technology is spreading from geek techies to mainstream. Via [siliconvalley.com]Continue Reading

Sit, Sip And Surf

Will Wi-Fi change the way you access the Net? Some companies think so, but for now, your options are limited. Via [sptimes.com]Continue Reading

Wireless Hunters On The Prowl

Mike Outmesguine leans against a Chevy Suburban packed with Wi-Fi, GPS and ham radio gadgets, gazing out at the necklace of hilltop radio towers that surround Los Angeles’ Chinatown. Via [wired.com]Continue Reading

Souped-up Wi-Fi Handset Includes Web Browsing And Email

A Japanese manufacturer has released a Wi-Fi mobile phone that carries voice via VoIP but also gives access to Web browsing and email. Via [news.zdnet.co.uk]Continue Reading

Wi-Fi Crime Fighters

For several years, police departments have used low-bandwidth wireless systems to check on suspect IDs and vehicle license plates. Cellular carriers are now promoting faster technologies, the so-called third-generation, or 3G, networks such as general packet radio service (GPRS) that offer modem-like speeds. But that’s still not enough for transmitting photos or case records. ViaContinue Reading

Gartner Projects Rapid Growth For Hot Spots

The number of wireless LAN (WLAN) hot spots worldwide will more than double by 2005, but the services are unlikely to reach “critical mass” until three to five years from now, according to a Gartner Inc. analyst. Via [computerworld.com.au]Continue Reading

Component Distributors Turning To Wireless Technology To Improve Operations

Lured by the potential of wireless technology, electronic components distributors are finding efficiencies by implementing the very products they sell. Via [my-esm.com]Continue Reading

World Telecom Conference Agrees On New Global WLAN Spectrum

As the International Telecommunication Union’s World Radiocommunications Conference 2003 (WRC-03) finishes up its next-to-last week of a month-long session, delegates have reached an agreement that will add 455 MHz of new spectrum in the 5-GHz band for wireless LANs on a global basis with few restrictions. Via [computerworld.com]Continue Reading

Reporter Exploits Weak Wi-Fi Network; Accesses Student Info

When the Palo Alto Unified School District decided to go high-tech and install wireless computer connections throughout it offices and on some campuses, it obviously hadn’t gambled on security becoming an issue. Via [sfgate.com]Continue Reading