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Wi-Fi Alliance launches hotspot certification program, aims to ease cell-to-WiFi handoff woes
If you've been paying even a slight bit of attention to carriers over the past year and change, you'd know that a number of 'em are resorting to citywide WiFi networks in order to relieve some of the stress being placed on their 3G networks. It's definitely a viable solution for a problem that requires oodles to time (and far too many signatures) to plant new cell sites, but there's a looming issue: compatibility. Naturally, the Wi-Fi Alliance is all over it, today launching an initiative to transform the user experience in hotspots. The Wi-Fi Certified hotspot testbed will address authentication and provision of service for public WiFi networks, essentially acting to "facilitate the seamless handoff of cellular traffic from smartphones, tablets and other portable electronics to WiFi, helping service providers manage demands on constrained licensed spectrum." We're told that the program will allow devices to "discover and automatically choose networks based upon user preferences, operator policies and network optimization," and in many cases, they'll be automatically granted access to the network based upon credential mechanisms, such as SIM cards. Hard to say what this will mean for limits and structuring, but we're bound to find out more as the 1H 2012 target launch date draws nearer. Full release is after the break, per usual.
'Stanford gurus enable two-way radio communications. Over.'
Call it the holy grail of radio transmissions if you must, but even if you're not about to toss that label on it, there's no question that the work being done in Stanford's engineering labs could destroy quite a few preconceived notions about wireless interference. Demoed as a concept last year, a newfangled wireless technology developed in Palo Alto is proving that signals can indeed be sent and received at the same time. Outside of the cellular telephony world, this seemingly simple occurrence doesn't really happen -- typical wireless signals have to take turns when it comes to listening and transmitting. As an example, it's impossible for a WiFi router to "shout" out signals while also being intelligent enough to quiet its own voice in order to hear "whispers" from a connected device. The breakthrough came when researchers found that radios could be tweaked to filter out the signal from its own transmitter, something that already happens within noise-canceling headphones. If this can be packaged into a commercially viable platform, it could instantly double the amount of information sent over existing networks, and on an even grander scale, it could allow airplanes to radio into control towers simultaneously (a feat that's shockingly impossible with today's physics bearing down). Head on past the break for a downright enlightening video on the matter.
Study: 802.11ac devices to hit the one billion mark in 2015, get certified in 2048
Okay, so there's a good chance that the developing 802.11ac Gigabit wireless standard will receive its official seal of approval long before 2048, but by 2015? Given that it took 802.11n a full seven years to move on from Draft N status, we aren't holding our collective breath. Regardless, there's obviously a need for a far faster interface than what we're using now, and the Wi-Fi Alliance is obviously doing everything it can to keep on keeping on. According to a loose study by In-Stat, Planet Earth will go from zero 802.11ac devices in 2010 to one billion by 2015, with Vice President of Research Frank Dickson noting that a draft of 802.11ac should be cleared at some point in 2011. As for backwards compatibility? Looks like you'll just have to wait and see.
New DirecTV Cinema Connection Kit hits FCC with wireless in tow
A new version of DirecTV's Cinema Connection kit has just sneakily hit the FCC filed under its OEM name of Wistron NeWeb Corporation. Unlike the current model which required a direct Ethernet connection to work, this unit can act as wireless receiver to connect your individual DirecTV DVRs or an entire whole-home network. That gives users the freedom to access the company's online CINEMAplus library of 4,000 movies and TV shows at no additional cost for the service (we're sure DirecTV will find someway to ding you at least for the kit though). To get a glimpse for yourself, check out the gallery below featuring internal and external beauty shots of the device included with the filing, along with key pages from the user manual. Otherwise, let's all give DirecTV a nice slow-clap for entering the world of wireless streaming at its own leisurely pace. %Gallery-115419%
O2 plans free and open WiFi network across the UK, Sky picks up The Cloud
Only a handful of Muni-Fi projects ended in anything greater than eternal tears here in the States, but hopefully O2's up for the challenge across the pond. The UK carrier just announced its intentions to "refine the WiFi landscape" in its home nation by launching O2 WiFi, with a raft of "premium hotspots" to be rolled out and managed by key venue owners. As of now, it's hard to pinpoint who exactly will begin hosting O2's routers, but the key part is this: they'll be open for all customers to access for free, no matter which mobile or broadband provider they are with. Making no bones about who it's coming after, the operator has affirmed its intentions to "at least double the number of premium hotspots currently offered by BT Openzone and The Cloud combined by 2013," with the rollout to begin as early as today and continue for as long as it takes. 'Course, doubling up The Cloud may take a little more work given that Sky just picked it up for an undisclosed sum, but hey, we're sure every Briton in existence would just love to see these two duke it out for WiFi supremacy.
LVX System launches visible light communication in the US, finally
Ever wonder what happened to LEDs as a WiFi alternative? Well, wonder no more, because visible light communication is here -- in the municipal offices of St. Cloud Minnesota, at least. Starting tomorrow, LVX System, a Minnesota start-up, is installing the first of a series of LED fixtures that will use flashing lights to connect office workers to the internet, while saving big on the electric bill. The fixtures also function as regular overhead lights, using 36 watts of energy where 100 watts were once necessary. The setup consists of clusters of LEDs that switch on and off thousands of times per second at intervals undetectable to the human eye. The flashes emit binary code data -- off equals zero and on equals one -- that is received by special patented modems. Lights on these modems then transmit data back to the fixtures, and voila, you've got internet. According to LVX, light-powered networks are far less crowded and far more secure than their predecessors. Unfortunately, LVX's current incarnation transmits data at about 3Mbps -- a mere pittance compared to standard WiFi or Ethernet. Then again, 3Mbps is certainly fast enough for a city employee to perform really important tasks like keeping track of their favorite gadget blog, so we'll take it. [Thanks, Andrew]
FCC votes unanimously in favor of using whitespace for 'super WiFi'
Just as we suspected earlier this month, the Federal Communications Commission has voted unanimously (that's five yeas and zero nays, if you need a specific tally) in favor of using the unlicensed whitespace airwaves for what it calls a "super WiFi" of sorts. The vote accordingly also mandates a database mapping out TV channels and major wireless mic users (e.g. broadway theaters and sports leagues), with at least two channels set aside for minor users of wireless mics. Google's Public Policy Blog wasted no time in praising the move, and more specifically the apparent rejection of "calls to enact burdensome and unnecessary constraints" that would discourage innovation. The company is accordingly now waiting on Chairman Julius Genachowski and friends to name administrators to the geolocation database and specify rules for its operation -- the last step, it believes, before products can reach consumers. So there you have it, the spare spectrum is all but good to go... ladies and gentleman, please don your thinking caps and get to work pronto.
Netgear's HBR1210 HSPA+ / 802.11n mobile router pings the FCC
What's this? The best of both worlds, wrapped neatly into one elegant mobile router? Sure looks that way, as Netgear's HBR1210 looks to have support for HSPA+ mobile networks as well as traditional 802.11n WiFi for the home. Based on the FCC filing (which seems down at the moment), there's a foursome of gigabit Ethernet jacks, a SIM card slot, an external antenna port and a chassis that looks to be around 9.8- x 7.9-inches. In other words, we wouldn't expect a Rover here, but we suppose "mobile" can mean lots of things to lots of people. We'll keep you posted once an official release date and price falls into our lap.
FCC set to approve use of unlicensed airwaves for whitespace internet, wants 'innovators and entrepreneurs' to exploit them
(function() { var s = document.createElement('SCRIPT'), s1 = document.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0]; s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; s.src = 'http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js'; s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s, s1); })(); Digg Good old whitespace is finally about to get itself some real action, courtesy of the FCC's upcoming (and long-delayed) ratification of a decision to authorize its unlicensed use. Opening up the spare spectrum that resides between TV channels' broadcasting frequencies -- which in itself has expanded in the wake of the transition from analog to digital television -- is expected to be a massive boon to innovation, with exponentially larger wireless networks being the first prospective benefit. Such wireless nirvanas have already been set up in Claudville, Virginia and Wilmington, North Carolina, while Microsoft, Google, HP, Sprint, and others are said to be mulling and testing out their own ways for exploiting the newfound wireless freedom as well. Another positive note is that former requirements for white space-using devices to be able to tap into a database and identify themselves are likely to be scrapped, making for much simpler rollouts of whatever awesome new tech awaits in our future. [Thanks, Marc]
NYFI aims to implement free WiFi on Long Island Rail Road and Metro
Mmm... the smell of gratis wireless broadband in morning. Even Starbucks agrees, you just can't beat it. One smell we could stand to live without is the stench left on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro after a few too many party people hitch a ride following a long Sunday in the city pub, but having free access to the world wide web while riding will make the act of dealing a whole lot easier. All jesting aside, NYFI (described as a "well financed neutral host WiFi provider"), has recently submitted a proposal to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York (MTA) to "build and operate a new WiFi network on Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road trains." Unlike similar ideas thrown around in the Big Apple, this setup won't require users to be subscribers of a cable service or any of the many religious cults going around these days. Head on past the break if you actually care to know how it'll be financed (hint: you don't), and be sure to push whoever you have to push to ensure this gets passed. Got it?
Starbucks sets its own Independence Day: free WiFi for all starting July 1st
Starbucks has been providing gratis WiFi to iPhone users and AT&T subscribers for years now, but everyone else has been conveniently shunned. All that's fixing to change on the first of July, with the famed coffee shop announcing via Twitter that WiFi will be completely free to all patrons in around a fortnight. Show up, pop your collar, have a seat, look sexy, sip gently and initiate a single click to get online. It'll be as easy as blowing $7 for a warmed beverage that you've never been too fond of, anyway. [Thanks, Paul]
2011 Audi A8 gets factory-installed wireless hotspot option
We'd heard that the 2011 Audi A8 would be getting a UMTS modem in mid-2010 to help with things like Google Earth, and it looks like Audi has now delivered that and more -- it's just announced that the car is the first anywhere to be available with a factory-installed WLAN hotspot option. That will apparently let you either drop your SIM card into the car's on-board system or pair your phone with it via Bluetooth, and then share wireless internet access with up to eight WiFi-enabled devices at speeds up to 7.2 mbps -- assuming you actually need any more devices than the two dozen or so that are already built into the car, that is.
London to become one giant WiFi hotspot by 2012, because Boris says so
Look at this man. Just look at him. Isn't it obvious that Boris Johnson gets what Boris Johnson wants? In case you've been misinformed about the power this man's wishes hold, you should know that he's well on his way to establishing the first muni-fi project to actually work -- or so he hopes. By and large, every attempt to sprinkle WiFi onto entire US cities has fallen short in one way or another, but London has a motivator that no American borough ever did: the 2012 Olympics. Boris' plan is to blanket all of London in WiFi prior to the opening ceremony, with "every lamppost and every bus stop" having a router or repeater in it. The scheme is part of a larger plan to make London the "technology capital of the world," but unfortunately, your hopes of connecting for free may be dashed. According to the London Evening Standard, "no details of pricing have been given," and we get the impression that those in charge of the rollout would've jumped at the chance to gloat about its free-ness if that were indeed the case. But then again, who are we to question the might of London's Mayor?
Chinese scientists demonstrate 2Mbps internet connection over LED
LED data transmission used to be all the rage -- we fondly remember beaming Palm Pilot contacts via IrDA. Then we got omni-directional Bluetooth and building-penetrating WiFi, and put all that caveman stuff behind us. But now, scientists the world over are looking to bring back line-of-sight networking, and the latest demonstration has Chinese researchers streaming video to a laptop with naught but ceiling-mounted blue LEDs. The Chinese Academy of Sciences claims to have realized a 2Mbit per second internet connection that transmits data simply by modulating the flicker of the little diodes, and imperceptibly enough to have them serve as room lighting as well. Like Boston University before them, the Chinese scholars see short-range LED networks controlling smart appliances. It's not quite the gigabit speed you'd get from laser diodes, but this way you'll get more mileage out of those expensive new bulbs, eh?
FCC will consider 'free or very low cost wireless broadband' service
Did you know there was a Digital Inclusion Summit going on? We already know the FCC isn't best pleased about the fact 93 million Americans are making do without access to home broadband, and this latest event was an opportunity for it to dish some more info on its forthcoming National Broadband Plan. The major obstacles to broadband adoption identified by the FCC were noted as cost, computer illiteracy, and a sheer lack of awareness about the benefits the web offers (outside of cute kitties). The big Plan will be delivered to Congress a week from today, and its suggestions will include the creation of a Digital Literacy Corps, who'll be performing missionary duties among the unenlightened, and the big whopper: a proposal to "consider use of spectrum for a free or very low cost wireless broadband service." Yeah, if you can't jump over the cost hurdle you might as well eviscerate it from existence. Quite naturally, such radical plans have been met with much grumbling opposition, and Business Week reports that it may be years before the full reforms are implemented ... if at all.
Dell Mini 10 adds WiMAX, collects FCC certification
If you believe WiMAX is the future, but just can't deal with that USB appendage ruining the sleek looks of your netbook, fret not. Dell's Mini 10 has dropped by the FCC for a repeat visit, only this time it's sporting a built-in WiMAX module. From what we're told it's an otherwise unmodified version of Round Rock's latest and greatest 10-incher, so you'll probably be wanting to visit our recent review to see if it makes for a worthy mobile computer. We suspect Sprint might have some retail space for these units when they arrive, given that the wireless carrier already offers the 3G-equipped Mini 10 on a subsidized basis and will be keen to offer a similar product to its expanding WiMAX clientelle.
Clear WiMAX USB modem impressions
Clearwire (along with Sprint and Comcast, just to name a couple) has been fiercely expanding its WiMAX network across America for months on end now, and while select citizens in select cities have had access to the 4G superhighway for just over a year, we haven't actually had the opportunity to find ourselves in one of those locations for any amount of time. Until recently, that is. The Clear 4G service was lit up in Las Vegas late last year, which gave the Engadget squad just enough time to scrounge up a gaggle of Motorola 4G USB sticks and really test out the network while at CES. Meanwhile, the North Carolinians among us were also able to test the boundaries of the 4G patches that have been setup here, and we're finally ready to dish out a few opinions on the fourth generation of cellular data. Eager to know if it's the best thing since sliced bread the invention of the MP3? Read on to find out. %Gallery-84164%
FCC keen on commandeering TV spectrum for wireless broadband
We'll come right out and say it, we like Julius Genachowski. Whether you agree with the dude's policies or not, you can't deny he's pursuing them with gusto. Having already noted the insufficient carrying capacity of current mobile broadband airways to deal with incoming 4G connections, the FCC chairman is now reported to be moving ahead with plans to provide greater spectrum allocation for those purposes. Currently in the draft stage, the latest Commission proposals include a plan to reclaim airwaves from digital broadcasters (and pay them appropriately for it), which are to then be sold off to the highest bidder from among the wireless service providers. Executing the most extreme version of this plan could generate around $62 billion in auction revenues, though it would require transitioning digital TV viewers over to cable or subscription services and is therefore unlikely. Jules and his crew are still "looking at everything" and ruling out nothing, but we can probably expect to see a moderate shift of TV spectrum rights over to wireless carriers in the final plans when they're revealed in February. [Via Phone Scoop]
HP to sell contract-free, WWAN-equipped PCs in Japan
In a presumed effort to shake up the Japanese wireless industry and provide consumers with 3G-equipped PCs that aren't tied to multi-year contracts, Hewlett-Packard has quietly announced a deal with Japan Communications that will allow its machines to be sold with SIM cards that can be used on a pay-as-you-go basis. For those unaware, JCI leases network space from NTT DoCoMo, and as part of the agreement, HP will not only get to choose which devices can connect, but it'll get to keep a nice slice of the mobile data revenue as well. Here's the crazy part: the initial wave of netbooks will be sold for between $50 and $100 sans contract. That's about what users pay in America now for subsidized WWAN-ready netbooks, but there's a two-year contract tagging along. If all goes well, we could even see full-sized laptops, smartphones and digital cameras hop on the same bandwagon, but for now, we'll be keenly watching how brisk sales are when things kick off next month.
802.11n finalization just a formality, interoperability to be preserved
C'mon, say it with us: "phew!" Considering that just about everyone has been shipping "802.11n" wireless kit since draft 2.0 was put into play two summers ago, we couldn't be more relieved to see the Wi-Fi Alliance confirm that it won't change the baseline requirements of its 802.11n certification program when the format gets certified this September. Just as we'd heard, the WiFi standard will leave its stagnant draft status and sashay into the wondrous realm of officialdom in merely two months, with the updated test program to "preserve interoperability with more than 600 Wi-Fi certified 802.11n draft 2.0 products released since June 2007, while adding testing for some optional features now included in the standard." Good thing, too -- can you imagine the uproar if your forthcoming 802.11n dongle wouldn't play nice with that draft-N router you snagged last June?[Via Electronista]
