Author: Wayne Slavin

If Mayor Gavin Newsom's proposal to bring low-cost WiFi to the entire city is such a great idea, why is he keeping the details secret? And why, if this is going to benefit anyone other than well-off people who want to use their laptops all over town, is he relying on big Silicon Valley firms...

The recent WiMAX World conference in Boston highlighted many key themes of the emerging market, but none more clearly than the gap between the mobile ambitions of the largest vendors and carriers, and the fixed wireless markets into which the first equipment is launching – a gap that Motorola and others are seeking to bridge...

XO Communications, a telephone company controlled by financier Carl Icahn, will sell its Internet-access unit to Icahn for $700 million to focus on wireless. Via [seattletimes.nwsource.com]

A public official in Westchester County, some 30 miles north of New York, has proposed legislation that would require businesses that collect customer information to apply basic security like firewalls when also offering wireless access to consumers. Via [pcmag.com]

Banc of America Securities analyst Tim Long expects Cisco Systems "to at least meet" his fiscal first-quarter estimate for earnings of 24 cents per share on revenue of $6.58 billion. Via [forbes.com]

Wireless and business and technology consulting firm inCode is taking its predictions global this year, calling for 2006 to be a year of convergence, consolidation and new business models. Via [wirelessweek.com]

The world's first production electric sports car will have a WiMax box inside to make it capable of online communication. Via [vnunet.com]

In another time and place, college students wondering whether the campus cafe has any free seats, or their favorite corner of the library is occupied, would have to risk hoofing it over there. But for today's student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, that kind of information is all just a click away. Via [seattlepi.nwsource.com]...

I have always been a fan of Wi-Fi wireless networking, but lately I'm beginning to wonder if we might not have too much of a good thing. While Wi-Fi is wonderful on laptops, the technology is starting to turn up in smaller, simpler devices where it often seems like more trouble than it's worth. Eastman...

A security bug in Cisco Systems' wireless LAN controllers could enable an attacker to send malicious traffic to a secured Wi-Fi network. Via [news.com.com]

The coming year will be pivotal in terms of deployment of new and improved wireless broadband technologies but 3G cellular data service will dominate over the next few years, according to a market study by Northern Sky Research. Via [eetimes.com]

The wireless LAN (WLAN) market will grow at an annual rate of 30 percent per year, and will hit $5 billion next year, according to a new report by Research and Markets. The report also found that WLAN sales have increased 60 percent compared to last year. Via [commsdesign.com]

Europe has become the world leader in the public availability of wireless internet access points, or hotspots, according to figures published last week. Via [vnunet.com]

Wi-Fi networks are not secure enough for enterprises to run their businesses, according to a senior AT&T executive. Via [zdnetasia.com]

The amount of light typically available in homes or offices can both operate the RF sensor continuously and store energy for up to six days use in total darkness, according to the company. Via [informationweek.com]