Apple today announced it has begun shipping its AirPort Express Wi-Fi mobile base station. "With over 80,000 pre-orders, AirPort Express is off to a great start as the first 802.11g mobile base station for Mac and PC users," Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said. Via [technewsworld.com]

Michael Powell, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, made a phone call Wednesday. But it wasn't just any call. He made it using a broadband connection carried over power lines -- a technology being developed by AT&T that also provides a high-speed Internet connection over power lines. Via [oaklandtribune.com]

Japan's NTT DoCoMo Inc. on Tuesday formally launched the N900iL, a handset combining 3G and IP telephony capability, the first such phone to appear from a major network operator. Via [eweek.com]

Broadband wireless specialist Wi-LAN has said it is prepared to grant licences for patents and patent applications it now holds which cover the IEEE 802.16 wireless MAN standard. Via [reed-electronics.com]

A new trend in thinking about the Wi-Fi service market is emerging, a reaction against the prevailing business model exemplified by Wayport, T-Mobile and others. Via [wi-fiplanet.com]

Covad is teaming up with Netopia to provide Wi-Fi plus broadband access as part of a single service to people working out of their homes. Via [nwfusion.com]

With the promise of the paperless office still light years away, Silex Technology will introduce in the fourth quarter its WiPrint device, a wireless print hardware and software solution for sending print jobs over the air to standard printers. Via [infoworld.com]

Alvarion has landed a coup with its uncertified WiMax kit, which will soon be serving broadband blackspots in South America Via [news.zdnet.co.uk]

The IEEE has finally done what it should have done long ago: It ratified a workable security standard for 802.11 wireless LANs. Known as 802.11i, it's a significant event for the wireless industry and provides momentum for what many expect to be a major ramp up of WLAN implementation in the enterprise. Via [serverpipeline.com]

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]