Author: Wayne Slavin

Whenever Dick Tracy checked in with Diet Smith on his two-way wrist radio (and, later, TV), kids everywhere imagined how cool life would be if they could send similar missives. WiFi — wireless fidelity — has been wonderfully pre-sold. When laptops or hand-held computers started linking through local area networks (WLANS) in airports, hotels, conference...

The Wi-Fi Alliance won't like this: a simple compatibility test of two mainstream wireless devices by Computing Which? failed to get a Netgear bridge to talk to a Linksys router. Via [theregister.co.uk]

Cometa Networks has lost AT&T as its service provider for a hot-spot test with McDonald's in New York City, but prospects may be heating up on the other coast for the Wi-Fi company. Via [news.com.com]

Via Licensing is forming a group devoted to making licensing of 802.11-related patents easier and to increasing the use of wireless networking in a broader array of products. Via [zdnet.com.com]

San Francisco has made its share of alternative-type news lately. In addition to being the world center for same-sex marriage -- at least for a while -- it's also vying to become the center for alternative, independent Wi-Fi Internet service. To that end, say hello to SFLan. Via [newsforge.com]

Nortel Networks Corp. Monday unveiled handsets, access points, a switch, and other gear designed to extend wireless LANs to support enterprise telephony. Via [infoworld.com]

Wireless local area networks and Net-based phoning have been among the most talked-about emerging technologies for businesses over the past year, and now, vendors are introducing products they say will help companies combine the two. Via [news.com.com]

Instead of linking users to physical ports for authentication, security and management, Trapeze focuses on user identities and transfers user attributes from one Mobility Exchange to another as the user roams the network. Via [newsfactor.com]

Over the two years since Wi-Fi emerged, the hype behind it has swung from one end to the other. Via [seattletimes.nwsource.com]

Extreme Networks Inc. is touting its Altitude 300 wireless port as a Wi-Fi certified dual-radio access point that supports 802.11b/g and 802.11a connectivity simultaneously. Via [wirelessweek.com]

Gadget-hungry punters will not be disappointed to discover that Linksys will use CeBIT to unveil a range of 11g wireless routers to exploit the Broadcom 802.11g chip set. Via [theregister.co.uk]

If you're ready to take your Xbox gaming console online, but you're unwilling to string an ethernet cable from your home office to your living room, Microsoft's new Xbox Wireless Adapter (MN-740) may be your ticket to play. Via [pcworld.com]

Intel is expected to today pick three Taiwanese WLAN device providers as its possible contract makers for a large volume of 802.11g mini PCI modules to be shipped in the second half of this year, according to sources at local makers. Via [digitimes.com]

Charging more for hot-spot access than burgers will not be a winning strategy, according to an Australian IDC analyst. Via [news.zdnet.co.uk]

First, children living near power lines were at risk for leukemia. Then cell phones were going to fry our brains. Now wireless networks are harmful too? Via [computerworld.com]