Author: Wayne Slavin

Baseball fans who have grown accustomed to stadium seatmates yakking on cellphones may soon have to deal with another technological incursion into the grand old game: laptop-toting fans surfing the Web and sending e-mails. Via [boston.com]

Research in Motion (RIM) plans to add Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to future versions of its BlackBerry handheld. At least that's what the company's President and co-CEO, Mike Lazaridis, indicated in a recent interview with Laptop Magazine. Via [wi-fiplanet.com]

UK Wi-Fi provider The Cloud has secured its latest round of funding, from VCs 3i and Accel Partners, the trio announced today. Via [theregister.co.uk]

WLAN (wireless LAN) hardware manufacturers are gearing up to take advantage of new silicon that promises to increase range and decrease the price of enterprise access points. Via [eweek.com]

Despite a lot of recent attention, the wireless broadband technology WiMax is years away from wide use--and will take root in Europe and Asia before spreading to U.S. shores, according to a report. Via [news.com.com]

Mobile business workers could soon have wider access to lots of different Wi-Fi access points as T-Systems and iPass extend their aggregation networks. Via [news.zdnet.co.uk]

As competition for in-flight Wi-Fi slowly heats up, a coalition of airline workers and consumer electronics makers hope to make the use of wireless gadgets by the flying public easier. Via [wi-fiplanet.com]

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) will begin sifting through a record number of proposals for a high-speed amendment to the 802.11 standard next week, but wireless chip makers are already jumping the gun with pre-standard products. Via [computerweekly.com]

If you're parked in a hotel room with a wired broadband connection, a new Wi-Fi solution can come to the wireless rescue. The Apple AirPort Express, a new $129 802.11g mobile Wi-Fi base station, offers what may be the most efficient design yet for roaming wirelessly. Via [pcmag.com]

Comcast executives point to a recent rash of wireless hardware problems as unintended "endorsements" of the cable giant's home networking program. Via [wi-fiplanet.com]

Now that 802.11i is an official IEEE standard, paving the way for more secure Wi-Fi products, industry experts predict the business community's interest in the technology will skyrocket in the next year or two. Via [searchsecurity.techtarget.com]

Wireless Internet access is no longer just for first-class passengers - but those with a cheaper ticket will have to pay for their connection. Via [news.zdnet.co.uk]

The competition among wireless broadband standards is strong and standard-certified WiMAX equipment won't appear until next year, but one market research firm is still predicting seven million WiMAX users by 2009. Via [commsdesign.com]

Does your business need a wireless network? If you think the answer is yes, read on to discover how easy it is to set one up. Via [entrepreneur.com]

Starbucks Corp. said on Tuesday that it had installed wireless Internet connections, or "WiFi," in more than 3,100 U.S. cafes, including 110 in stores far from technology-rich coastal areas. Via [reuters.com]