The $800 million El Cajon Dam in Mexico reached completion early this year and a cutting-edge wireless voice and data communications helped made that possible. Raul Orozco, the IT and telecommunications director at the principal contractor of the dam, said the technology not only produced savings but also ensured the safety of workers -- as...
Could computer wires become extinct soon? Scientists at the Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC) at Georgia Tech are looking at that possibility, with the use of extremely high radio frequencies. Prof. Joy Laskar, GEDC director and one of the lead researchers on the project, said the study aims to "maximize data throughput to make possible...
San Francisco has spent three long years working toward citywide Wi-Fi and it appears as though a November election will finally settle the debate. The problem is the city's deal with EarthLink may go south before it is ever implemented. EarthLink has raised concerns about the citywide Wi-Fi agreements they have signed and are no...
Wi-Fi hackers have gotten more advanced and your private information is even more at risk. The recent Black Hat conference in Las Vegas featured a demonstration by Errata Security that detailed how a hacker can use new tools to steal your encrypted cookies and passwords and then control your online sessions. Errata has combated this...
AirCell and American Airlines have just announced that they will be testing broadband services beginning in 2008. The goal is to enable passengers to use their laptops, PDAs, iPhones and BlackBerrys, and portable gaming systems. AirCell is the leader in global airborne communications and its products are found in many commercial airplanes. In 2006 AirCell...
Rural residents may finally get the respect and attention they deserve from the communication giants. AT&T recently purchased Dobson Communications for $2.8 million and created some waves among rivals as they too race to develop this previously ignored market. Verizon responded by striking a deal to purchase Rural Cellular for an approximate value of $2.67...
Mobile WiMax is set to begin a battle with Wi-Fi and 3G networks in the UK. Nortel is pairing with Urban WiMax and Macropolitan to lead the way in this new venture. The companies recently held a conference between the UK, Canada and the US using this technology on their laptops. Other trials are expected...
HD television is on the horizon but it's currently being held down by messy cables. There are two technologies competing to become standard but they're not quite ready for prime time. Wireless HDMI (high definition multimedia interface) has come a long way and is actually expected to hit the market in September but the price...
Dell and Lenovo have just announced the first laptops with embedded Certified Wireless USB chips. This means that all peripherals connected to a USB hub will tie in to your laptop without the use of a cable. For computer owners who love this idea but aren't ready for a new computer, D-Link and IOGear have...
Google has a vision of the future and it looks pretty good. Their goal is to make all cellphones compatible with any wireless network and internet access will be sold to customers at deeply discounted prices. In fact, Google is so devoted to this vision that it's willing to throw $4.6 billion toward transforming prime...
The IEEE 802.20 working group has changed its voting rules after allegations that Qualcomm Inc. was trying to dominate the process. In the past IEEE members voted as individuals no matter what company they were affiliated with. Now each entity, ie vendors, research groups, universities, etc will have only one vote and thus limit the...
Duke University is facing a wireless LAN crisis which seems to be related to the recent release of Apple's iPhone. Up to 30 wireless access points can be knocked out at a time as the built-in 802.11b/g adapter on the newly released phone flood the area with MAC address requests. The requests are for an...
It looks like the Wi-Fi Alliance is pushing forward, using the latest draft of the 802.11n standard. This means "Wi-Fi Certified" products should be hitting the shelves this summer. Eight laboratories around the globe have begun testing pre-standard products to see if they stick to WPA2 protocols and if they are backwards compatible with other...
Wanna share your Wi-Fi? Now you can, and with three choices to boot. The Whisher beta software is available for download and can operate with most, if not all, Wi-Fi routers or access points. Users must register their Wi-Fi network and to do so, they would need to disclose its name, physical address, and WEP...
T-Mobile has an answer for consumers itching to get rid of their landline phone but worry about weak cellular coverage or costs. The No.4 U.S. mobile carrier is now offering a home Wi-Fi calling service, which would make switching calls from cellular networks to Wi-Fi possible, thus boosting indoor coverage. The service will cost subscribers...