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BusinessWeek on Wi-Fi

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the bits-and-bytes-through-the-wild-blue-yonder dept.

ydeepakjois writes "BusinessWeek is running a series of articles on the potential of wireless high-speed access, the Wi-Fi industry and the challenges faced by it. There is also an interesting bit about a business model for wireless carriers."

6 of 110 comments (clear)

  1. This is going to be a joyous thing by thedbp · · Score: 5, Interesting

    When Centrinos are commonplace and WiFi hotspots are provided and subsidized by Intel and the like around the country, those lucky bastards who bought iBooks and PowerBooks w/ AirPort YEARS ago will have a nice little windfall of free bandwidth as they roam around the landscape.

    Being ahead of the curve has always been good for Apple users - sometimes you find that the industry sort of settles around what you've been doing/using for years ... for instance, Macs have had built-in ethernet since 1991, and the first true a/v models that features composite and s-video input and output w/a second DSP chip specifically for the heavy a/v lifting, debuted in 1993.

    I feel like a Boy Scout w/ my Mac - always prepared. And not in the hot entree type of prepared - I mean the "ready for anything" type of prepared.

  2. this is a nice idea... by sickboy_macosX · · Score: 4, Interesting

    But it would be nice if we could see wifi hotspots in other smaller cities like Seattle Wireless has set up in their town. I think if ISP's could lower the equipment costs for their WI-FI equipment down from 600 dollars to about 100, or 200 more people would catch on. That and someone needs to come up with a way for the Wireless Providers to be able to shoot over the hilly and rocky mountains like we have in Southeast Idaho. And if we could fix the speed barrier, get the bottle neck up from 11mbps to 54 or even higher, that would rock!

    --
    --- /* In Soviet Russia, the Mac OS X kernel panics you! */
  3. Interference by Tweakmeister · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I think you'll find WiFi slowly fazed out for different technologies, namely ones that are...proprietary.

    Interference and crowding may prove to become too much of an issue as everyone hops on the bandwagon.

    This being said, WiFi is a great technology to pave the way in wireless.

    --

    Colossians 2:8

  4. Re:What about the Security by Matey-O · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Not if you don't mind folks seeing your bills as you pay them.

    You can secure the transactions by running through SSH or setting up a vpn tunnel...there's some overhead, but I'd guess your computers could encrypt faster than the hardware in your 802.11 setup.

    --
    "Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus."
  5. Personal Telco Wireless Project in Portland, OR by mrs+clear+plastic · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's interesting to notice that none of the articles mentions anything about the Personal Telco wireless project in Portland, Oregon. This is a grass roots effort to provide limited free access to wireless
    internet in parts of Portland, Oregon.

    I also know that there are similar efforts going
    on in other cities.

    I also did not notice (it could be there as I only
    skimmed the articles) anything about the war-chalking that goes on in some areas to identify places where one can get a wireless session.

    Mark

    --
    Cleara
  6. Re:Wi-Fi.. great for what it is by GlassUser · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I can use wifi on my handheld just fine. HAH! I'm not lying either. Nice little CF card, and I can tap away for a couple of hours minimum (that's continuous use). External battery sleeves make it easy to stay powered yet free, or I could always plug in if I needed.

    --
    funny munging