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Nice - the term “Wi-Fi” has officially made it into the dictionary. If you need a definition, here you go:
abbreviation - Wireless Fidelity, a group of technical standards enabling the transmission of data over wireless networks.
verb - convert or adapt for Wireless Fidelity compatibility : what type of electronics will be immune from being Wi-Fied?
It’s always great to see emerging technologies make enough of an impact to gain mainstream recognition.
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So, it’s cool that Google is aiming to blanket San Fran with some free Wi-Fi love, but some are reporting that the connections are not that fast, and can be a bit unreliable. It seems that the service caps at about 300 kbps, which is still much faster than dial-up, but certainly isn’t enough to cancel your cable Internet for. Still, Google just launched this initiative - We say give them a little bit of time, and watch as they slowly start giving services like T-Mobile HotSpot a run for their money.
Read More 
| Blogma
Google May Cover 95% Of San Francisco With Free WiFi
Posted by Devin Categories: Corporate News, Internet, Wireless / WiFi,
In Google’s latest announcement regarding it’s venture into the WiFi market, the search engine giant has submitted a plan that would cover 95% of San Francisco with free wireless Internet access. This submission is in response to the city’s request for WiFi that would cover nearly all of the city, including low and middle income areas. While Google’s plan has not yet been approved, an independent company estimates that such extensive coverage would cost about $10 million dollars.
Read More | Linux Pipeline
Latest Gear Live Videos
The Palm Treo 700w Announced, Set For Early 2006
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Handhelds, Wireless / WiFi,
We just finished watching the announcement of the Treo 700w, where we saw corporate leet-speak at its best. CEO’s aside, we were given a nice amount of information on the device:
- Windows Mobile 5.0
- EV-DO and Bluetooth support
- 240x240 screen resolution
- 1 Megapixel camera
- 64 MB internal memory
- Verizon Wireless exclusive until at least mid-2006
Interestingly enough, the phone has not officially been called the 700w. Check out this video from Dave’s iPaq.
Best EVDO Card for Mac PowerBooks?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: PC / Laptop, Peripherals, Wireless / WiFi,
Om Malik has given a bit of advice to those looking for some EVDO love on their PowerBooks:
If you are looking for a EVDO card for Powerbook, I will recommend, Sierra Wireless Aircard 580, which after some hacking gives you better performance than any other PC card. However, it doesn’t work as well with Windows Laptops. It was giving me about 350 kbps on Mac and 115 kbps on a PC laptop. Novatel’s Merlin v620, however is a solid and brisk performer on Windows Machines, with average speed of about 270 kbps. It got 115-120 kbps on a Mac. The comparisons were carried out using Powerbook 15 (Tiger) and Averatec 1000. I sat in the same location for the two laptops, and repeated this experiment in four different spots in San Francisco. I look forward to your feedback from other cities. Kyocera 650 is known to work well with a Mac. Folks over at EVDOinfo.com have more details. These recommendations are only for Verizon’s EVDO service only.
Mike from EVDOinfo.com chimes in:
Did you run your tests more than once? We have found the KPC650 to be the best performer out of the 5 EVDO cards that are currently available. The KPC650 is the only card that Verizon supports on Macs, although, at http://www.EVDOinfo.com, you will find directions to get ALL cards working with PowerBooks for Verizon or Sprint.
Anyone out there have any personal recommendations, or horror stories?
(Thanks Doug!)
Read More | GigaOm
Google Confirms Google WiFi Testing
Posted by Devin Categories: Internet, PC / Laptop, Wireless / WiFi,
Google confirmed Tuesday that it has begun a limited test of Google WiFi, it’s free wireless Internet service. A spokesman for Google, Nate Tyler, says the test is limited to a pizza parlor and a gym, both located in Silicon Valley. “Google WiFi is a community outreach program to offer free wireless access in areas near our headquarters,” Tyler said, “At this stage in development, we’re focused on collecting feedback from users. We’ll determine next steps as the product evolves.” Tyler also explained that the Google WiFi was created through the “20 percent time project” in which Google allows its engineers to spend 20% of their work time creating personal projects.
Read More | Reuters
Will 2006 See The Release Of The Wireless iPod?
Posted by Devin Categories: Corporate News, Portable Audio / Video, Wireless / WiFi,
According to a report, Cambridge Silicon Radio has approached Apple with the idea of installing their wireless Bluetooth microchips in iPods to come. If Apple were to incorporate this idea into its popular iPod line, it would mean that users would be able to listen to thier music via wireless headphones and also have the ability to sync wirelessly with your computer. One analyst even estimates that consumers could have their hands on a wireless iPod as early as fall 2006. So what do you think? Is wireless the way to go, or do enjoy being “tied down” to your iPod?
Read More | AppleInsider
So, Mobile Edge is calling this one the smallest WiFi signal locator in the world. The nice thing about this is that it slips right on to your keychain, so it’s always with you, and pretty hard to forget. Unless, you know, you lose your keys all the time. The WiFi Locator weighs in at $29.99 USD.
- Patent-pending technology instantly detects ONLY WiFi signal presence
- Eliminates false readings from microwave and portable phone interference
- Detects 802.11B and G Networks
- Four bright LED’s to show signal strength
Read More | Mobile Edge via TRFJ
Wardriving: Curiousity Is Now a Class Three Felony
Posted by Kristin Wenzel Categories: Internet, Wireless / WiFi,
Wardriving has become a favorite pastime for many, myself included. Most wardrivers, again including myself, are not out to steal people’s identities, infect someone’s computer with spyware or pass along a virus. Nor do they really have any desire to delve into the personal files and programs or track their behavior. Most of the time, the interest is in finding a network connection, not exploiting it for any criminal reason. In other words, plain and simple curiosity —
“Hey, I wonder if there’s wireless here? No? Well, what about here? Sweet!”
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Police have charged a Florida man with a third-degree felony charge, after he was arrested for accessing a St. Petersburg resident’s wireless Internet network without permission.
Curiosity, apparently, is now a class three felony.
Read More | CNN.com
If you own one of these convenient pieces of tech - and I do - you understand how much easier it is to pump your gas and go. However, just like a lot of technology out there, there is a way to hack into these devices. The equipment needed to capture the essential data? A microreader, a laptop, and a serial cable can be used to get information from the Digital Signature Transponder (DST), that being your SpeedPass. The signal can be captured by just sitting next to someone and scanning right through their pocket. At $2.71 per gallon a block away from me, I’m sure to keep an eye on “creepy laptop guy” at the Internet cafe.
Read More | RFIDAnalysis via Lockergnome
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