7 Wacky Wi-Fi Gadgets
Saturday, October 25, 2008 | 0 comments »
I’m a big believer that Wi-Fi will come to dominate the home networking environment because of its ubiquity and familiarity to consumers. If I needed more proof, I got it earlier this week while chatting with Kelly Davis-Felner, marketing director of the Wi-Fi Alliance, about the more than 1,000 gadgets her organization has certified this past year. The Alliance shared with me some of the more outlandish gadgets they’ve seen. I know they aren’t all new, but taken together they make clear that Wi-Fi is moving way beyond computing equipment and even kitschy nerd wear (but I included the Think Geek T-shirt anyway).
First up is a Kohler bathtub available with Wi-Fi connectivity that allows music to be piped from a computer to the bath without dragging electrical goods in or near the water. At $10,000, this tub isn’t for the faint of wallet, but in addition to the Wi-Fi speakers it also offers four original compositions whose beats the tub will vibrate in conjunction with — totally surrounding your body in music. I can do this in my car with the volume turned up and a sub-woofer, so I personally think this is pretty silly.
Second on the list is another high-end purchase, a Chrysler car with uConnect service, which uses a combined 3G data connection and Wi-Fi to turn your vehicle into a hotspot. Pricing for the uConnect service isn’t out yet, but as cool as such an offering might be, I’m not sure it’s any different than firing up a 3G modem attached to your laptop in order to check email or write blogs during a car trip (only when you’re not driving, of course.)
Third up is the Spark solar-powered lamp, which uses Wi-Fi to notify homeowners if they’ve exceeded daily energy consumption limit. The lamp was conceived by industrial designer Beverly Ng in response to efforts by the Swedish government to reduce energy consumption in Swedish homes. The Wi-Fi in the lamp taps into an energy-monitoring system on a computer, and makes the lamp flash different colors depending on how much energy has been used up.
Then there is the WiFi-detection category, which includes a pair of sneakers, a watch and the aforementioned shirt. The sneakers are still a concept item, but the shirt is available for $29.99, and the watch is ?19.99 ($32). Beyond Wi-Fi detection, I think there are some obvious options for actual reception or transmission of data with these objects. You could track your steps to meet a fitness goal, or have your watch start flashing when you get a VoIP call or have a meeting. For folks who keep their WiFi-enabled phones in a bag, that’d be awesome.
Speaking of bags, our final item is a series of WiFi-sniffing bags that range from backpacks to briefcases, and can tell you where you might find the best locale for sitting down for some intense computing. This is useful if you forgot your WiFi-detecting watch, your WiFi-detecting T-shirt is in the wash and you’re wearing penny loafers instead of your Wi-Fi sneakers. It’s also useful for outgeeking those folks wandering around with solar-powered backpacks. Yeah, Liz and Katie, I’m talking to you.
STACEY HIGGINBOTHAM
www.nytimes.com
First up is a Kohler bathtub available with Wi-Fi connectivity that allows music to be piped from a computer to the bath without dragging electrical goods in or near the water. At $10,000, this tub isn’t for the faint of wallet, but in addition to the Wi-Fi speakers it also offers four original compositions whose beats the tub will vibrate in conjunction with — totally surrounding your body in music. I can do this in my car with the volume turned up and a sub-woofer, so I personally think this is pretty silly.
Second on the list is another high-end purchase, a Chrysler car with uConnect service, which uses a combined 3G data connection and Wi-Fi to turn your vehicle into a hotspot. Pricing for the uConnect service isn’t out yet, but as cool as such an offering might be, I’m not sure it’s any different than firing up a 3G modem attached to your laptop in order to check email or write blogs during a car trip (only when you’re not driving, of course.)
Third up is the Spark solar-powered lamp, which uses Wi-Fi to notify homeowners if they’ve exceeded daily energy consumption limit. The lamp was conceived by industrial designer Beverly Ng in response to efforts by the Swedish government to reduce energy consumption in Swedish homes. The Wi-Fi in the lamp taps into an energy-monitoring system on a computer, and makes the lamp flash different colors depending on how much energy has been used up.
Then there is the WiFi-detection category, which includes a pair of sneakers, a watch and the aforementioned shirt. The sneakers are still a concept item, but the shirt is available for $29.99, and the watch is ?19.99 ($32). Beyond Wi-Fi detection, I think there are some obvious options for actual reception or transmission of data with these objects. You could track your steps to meet a fitness goal, or have your watch start flashing when you get a VoIP call or have a meeting. For folks who keep their WiFi-enabled phones in a bag, that’d be awesome.
Speaking of bags, our final item is a series of WiFi-sniffing bags that range from backpacks to briefcases, and can tell you where you might find the best locale for sitting down for some intense computing. This is useful if you forgot your WiFi-detecting watch, your WiFi-detecting T-shirt is in the wash and you’re wearing penny loafers instead of your Wi-Fi sneakers. It’s also useful for outgeeking those folks wandering around with solar-powered backpacks. Yeah, Liz and Katie, I’m talking to you.
STACEY HIGGINBOTHAM
www.nytimes.com
Wee-Fi: Quantenna In Depth, WalkingHotSpot, T-Mobile's 3G Footprint, Devicescape's Easy Wi-Fi. Boingo on Moto Q 11
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In-depth on Quantenna: For Ars Technica, a great technology site for which I recently started a regular writing relationship, I wrote up a long interview with Quantenna’s founder, in which I examine more detail about how they achieve 1 Gbps with standard Wi-Fi. The secret? Lots of radios, lots of antennas, deployed in what they say will be an inexpensive fashion. Could shake up the market, even if Quantenna isn’t the winner, but they appear to have a real lead over established chipmakers.
Taproot releases WalkingHotSpot: Yet another software package for turning certain smartphones into Wi-Fi hotspots using the built-in cell data service as backhaul. The $7 per month or $25 per day software license turns on the service on Symbian S60 or Windows Mobile phones. There’s a 7-day trial, too. Only WEP security is supported because ad hoc mode is used; infrastructure mode isn’t available.
T-Mobile clarifies 3G availability: T-Mobile must have gotten tired of explaining that 21 markets doesn’t mean 21 cities. For instance, in Los Angeles, they note via email, that market includes Anaheim, Irvine, Long Beach, and Pasadena. For clarity’s sake, they’re now saying 92 major cities across 21 markets now; Wednesday, with the G1 with Google smartphone launches, they’ll be up to 95 cities. They say by the end of November, 120 major cities.
Devicescape expands platforms, renames software: Devicescape announced its availability on HTC phones, dominate in the Windows Mobile market worldwide; on a Fujitsu phone sold in Japan by DoCoMo; and as part of DeFi, a global VoIP over Wi-Fi calling service that’s soft launching. The company also said that it’s software will now be named Easy Wi-Fi across the board, and they’ve split their platform approach into devices, laptops, and handsets, to make it simpler for development and licensing by partners. Easy Wi-Fi is now available on a pretty large selection of smartphones, including those made by Palm, running Windows Mobile or the Nokia E60 platform, the iPhone and iPod touch, among others.
Boingo adds Moto Q 11: Boingo’s software for connecting to its aggregated worldwide hotspot network is now available on the Moto Q 11 phone in the Boingo Mobile flavor ($8/month worldwide). All owners of this model can get a free month of service to test it out.
By Glenn Fleishman
www.wifinetnews.com
Taproot releases WalkingHotSpot: Yet another software package for turning certain smartphones into Wi-Fi hotspots using the built-in cell data service as backhaul. The $7 per month or $25 per day software license turns on the service on Symbian S60 or Windows Mobile phones. There’s a 7-day trial, too. Only WEP security is supported because ad hoc mode is used; infrastructure mode isn’t available.
T-Mobile clarifies 3G availability: T-Mobile must have gotten tired of explaining that 21 markets doesn’t mean 21 cities. For instance, in Los Angeles, they note via email, that market includes Anaheim, Irvine, Long Beach, and Pasadena. For clarity’s sake, they’re now saying 92 major cities across 21 markets now; Wednesday, with the G1 with Google smartphone launches, they’ll be up to 95 cities. They say by the end of November, 120 major cities.
Devicescape expands platforms, renames software: Devicescape announced its availability on HTC phones, dominate in the Windows Mobile market worldwide; on a Fujitsu phone sold in Japan by DoCoMo; and as part of DeFi, a global VoIP over Wi-Fi calling service that’s soft launching. The company also said that it’s software will now be named Easy Wi-Fi across the board, and they’ve split their platform approach into devices, laptops, and handsets, to make it simpler for development and licensing by partners. Easy Wi-Fi is now available on a pretty large selection of smartphones, including those made by Palm, running Windows Mobile or the Nokia E60 platform, the iPhone and iPod touch, among others.
Boingo adds Moto Q 11: Boingo’s software for connecting to its aggregated worldwide hotspot network is now available on the Moto Q 11 phone in the Boingo Mobile flavor ($8/month worldwide). All owners of this model can get a free month of service to test it out.
By Glenn Fleishman
www.wifinetnews.com
Boston University's College of Engineering is launching a program, under a National Science Foundation grant, to develop the next generation of wireless communications technology based on visible light instead of radio waves. Researchers expect to piggyback data communications capabilities on low-power light emitting diodes, or LEDs, to create "Smart Lighting" that would be faster and more secure than current network technology.
This initiative aims to develop an optical communication technology that would make an LED light the equivalent of a Wi-Fi access point.
"Imagine if your computer, iPhone, TV, radio and thermostat could all communicate with you when you walked in a room just by flipping the wall light switch and without the usual cluster of wires," said BU Engineering Professor Thomas Little. "This could be done with an LED-based communications network that also provides light - all over existing power lines with low power consumption, high reliability and no electromagnetic interference. Ultimately, the system is expected to be applicable from existing illumination devices, like swapping light bulbs for LEDs."
Boston University researches will focus on developing computer networking applications, notably the solid state optical technology that will form the network's backbone.
"This is a unique opportunity to create a transcendent technology that not only enables energy efficient lighting, but also creates the next generation of secure wireless communications," Little added. "As we switch from incandescent and compact florescent lighting to LEDs in the coming years, we can simultaneously build a faster and more secure communications infrastructure at a modest cost along with new and unexpected applications."
Little envisions indoor optical wireless communications systems that use white LED lighting within a room - akin to the television remote control device - to provide Internet connections to computers, personal digital assistants, television and radio reception, telephone connections and thermostat temperature control.
With widespread LED lighting, a vast network of light-based communication is possible, Little noted. A wireless device within sight of an enabled LED could send and receive data though the air - initially at speeds in the 1 to 10 megabit per second range - with each LED serving as an access point to the network. Such a network would have the potential to offer users greater bandwidth than current RF technology.
Moreover, since this white light does not penetrate opaque surfaces such as walls, there is a higher level of security, as eavesdropping is not possible. LED lights also consume far less energy than RF technology, offering the opportunity to build a communication network without added energy costs and reducing carbon emissions over the long term.
The ability to rapidly turn LED lights on and off - so fast the change is imperceptible to the human eye - is key to the technology. Flickering light in patterns enables data transmission without any noticeable change in room lighting. And the technology is not limited to indoor lights; its first real test may very well come outdoors, in the automotive industry.
"This technology has many implications for automobile safety," Little said. "Brake lights already use LEDs, so it's not a stretch to outfit an automobile with a sensor that detects the brake lights of the car in front of it and either alerts an inattentive driver or actively slows the car."
www.cellular-news.com
This initiative aims to develop an optical communication technology that would make an LED light the equivalent of a Wi-Fi access point.
"Imagine if your computer, iPhone, TV, radio and thermostat could all communicate with you when you walked in a room just by flipping the wall light switch and without the usual cluster of wires," said BU Engineering Professor Thomas Little. "This could be done with an LED-based communications network that also provides light - all over existing power lines with low power consumption, high reliability and no electromagnetic interference. Ultimately, the system is expected to be applicable from existing illumination devices, like swapping light bulbs for LEDs."
Boston University researches will focus on developing computer networking applications, notably the solid state optical technology that will form the network's backbone.
"This is a unique opportunity to create a transcendent technology that not only enables energy efficient lighting, but also creates the next generation of secure wireless communications," Little added. "As we switch from incandescent and compact florescent lighting to LEDs in the coming years, we can simultaneously build a faster and more secure communications infrastructure at a modest cost along with new and unexpected applications."
Little envisions indoor optical wireless communications systems that use white LED lighting within a room - akin to the television remote control device - to provide Internet connections to computers, personal digital assistants, television and radio reception, telephone connections and thermostat temperature control.
With widespread LED lighting, a vast network of light-based communication is possible, Little noted. A wireless device within sight of an enabled LED could send and receive data though the air - initially at speeds in the 1 to 10 megabit per second range - with each LED serving as an access point to the network. Such a network would have the potential to offer users greater bandwidth than current RF technology.
Moreover, since this white light does not penetrate opaque surfaces such as walls, there is a higher level of security, as eavesdropping is not possible. LED lights also consume far less energy than RF technology, offering the opportunity to build a communication network without added energy costs and reducing carbon emissions over the long term.
The ability to rapidly turn LED lights on and off - so fast the change is imperceptible to the human eye - is key to the technology. Flickering light in patterns enables data transmission without any noticeable change in room lighting. And the technology is not limited to indoor lights; its first real test may very well come outdoors, in the automotive industry.
"This technology has many implications for automobile safety," Little said. "Brake lights already use LEDs, so it's not a stretch to outfit an automobile with a sensor that detects the brake lights of the car in front of it and either alerts an inattentive driver or actively slows the car."
www.cellular-news.com
Delta Air Lines plans to block inappropriate Web sites from its in-flight Wi-Fi service to be launched this year.
Delta previously said it planned to rely on flight attendants to handle inappropriate situations, such as pornography surfing. But after feedback from customers and attendants, the airline changed its policy and is working with Wi-Fi provider Aircell to use a system to block inappropriate content.
“Blocking will be limited in scope and will be for sites that few, if any, would question are inappropriate to be viewed on an aircraft,” Delta spokesman Kent Landers said Thursday. “Our focus is to achieve a balanced approach.”
While other systems have been criticized for blocking relatively non-racy sites such as Vanity Fair magazine, Landers said Delta’s system would work differently.
Delta’s move comes after American’s attendants expressed concerns about passengers’ ability to “potentially go to inappropriate sites,” said David Roscow of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants. American said it is examining options.
By Kelly Yamanouchi
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Delta previously said it planned to rely on flight attendants to handle inappropriate situations, such as pornography surfing. But after feedback from customers and attendants, the airline changed its policy and is working with Wi-Fi provider Aircell to use a system to block inappropriate content.
“Blocking will be limited in scope and will be for sites that few, if any, would question are inappropriate to be viewed on an aircraft,” Delta spokesman Kent Landers said Thursday. “Our focus is to achieve a balanced approach.”
While other systems have been criticized for blocking relatively non-racy sites such as Vanity Fair magazine, Landers said Delta’s system would work differently.
Delta’s move comes after American’s attendants expressed concerns about passengers’ ability to “potentially go to inappropriate sites,” said David Roscow of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants. American said it is examining options.
By Kelly Yamanouchi
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Despite the fact that mobile WiMAX has a time-to-market advantage over LTE by at least two years, analysts at IMS Research believe the technology at best will remain a niche mobile technology. That's because network operators are just now beginning to see a return on their 3G networks and won't be ready to upgrade to an OFDM-based technology until about the time LTE is ready.
The fact that LTE won't be ready for another two to three years may actually turn out to be a boon for LTE as the time frame will allow mobile operators to get as much life as possible out of their existing 3G networks, says a new report from IMS Research. Incremental upgrades to enhanced 3G technologies such as HSPA+ and EV-DO Rev B will allow for almost the same data rates as the initial LTE deployments, which will effectively set the stage for large-scale LTE commercial rollouts in three to four years.
LTE has a further advantage because the majority of cellular operators around the world will choose LTE as their migration path given the fact that 3GPP has tabbed LTE as the next-generation standard for the GSM community.
"The truth is that WiMAX is a very robust technology that has been quite successful in many parts of the world as a fixed broadband solution and will continue to do so, especially in under-served markets," said IMS Research analyst Bob Perez. "Although mobile WiMAX networks are already going live thanks to Sprint/Clearwire and Korea Telecom, the prospect of additional mobile WiMAX networks from Tier 1 operators are looking pretty grim."
Lynnette Luna
www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com
The fact that LTE won't be ready for another two to three years may actually turn out to be a boon for LTE as the time frame will allow mobile operators to get as much life as possible out of their existing 3G networks, says a new report from IMS Research. Incremental upgrades to enhanced 3G technologies such as HSPA+ and EV-DO Rev B will allow for almost the same data rates as the initial LTE deployments, which will effectively set the stage for large-scale LTE commercial rollouts in three to four years.
LTE has a further advantage because the majority of cellular operators around the world will choose LTE as their migration path given the fact that 3GPP has tabbed LTE as the next-generation standard for the GSM community.
"The truth is that WiMAX is a very robust technology that has been quite successful in many parts of the world as a fixed broadband solution and will continue to do so, especially in under-served markets," said IMS Research analyst Bob Perez. "Although mobile WiMAX networks are already going live thanks to Sprint/Clearwire and Korea Telecom, the prospect of additional mobile WiMAX networks from Tier 1 operators are looking pretty grim."
Lynnette Luna
www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com
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