It's Thursday, November 8, 2007, and welcome back to Good Day, BWIA, a light compendium of news, items of interest, irreverent commentary, and occasional light analysis relating to Broadband Wireless Internet Access (including WiMAX, public access Wi-Fi, etc.).
Vivato Lives! This press release caught me by surprise from the mention of ill-fated Vivato Networks, Inc.: ...soon-to-be acquired Vivato Networks' broadband wireless solution. The press release mentions an interesting device - the CATCHER, a ruggedized portable computer designed for field / first responder use. I found another, more detailed press release about the acquisition of Vivato Networks by Catcher, Inc. and it mentions that Vivato is now headquartered in Portland, and the acquisition is expected to close in 4Q2007.
Today's Clearwire Modem Weather Report - Hollywood Hill, Woodinville, Washington - Solid 3 Bars. Chilly and foggy again today, and the wet foliage and damp air is apparently attenuating 2.5 - 2.7 GHz RF.
Thanks Sam! One of my favorite sites sites with a significant amount of BWIA-related content that I read to see what wireless developments I've missed (and rarely, enjoy seeing that I post mention of a major wireless development ahead of), is DailyWireless.Org, ably and uniquely edited by Sam Churchill. Yesterday Sam had some nice things to say: Another website I’m fond of is Broadband Wireless Internet Access News (www.bwianews.com). Steve Stroh says he will now be covering Enterprise wireless issues for CNET. He’s the new “Host” of their Blog, taking over from Bill Detwiler and leading a small team of writers. His first article is Enterprise thoughts on the Open Handset Alliance. One small correction to Sam's praise - the Mobile and Wireless Blog is but one of many blogs hosted by TechRepublic and their parent CNET, including ZDNet. I'm really, really dating myself by remembering that ZD used to stand for Ziff Davis, who published the late, lamented Popular Electronics (whose URL is now, of course, just another one of those triple-damned squatted search sites).
Reader Question Jim A. asked an interesting question on yesterday's GDBWIA about whether much of what I discuss about is, actually, Internet access... or is it just "IP access" which can be used to connect to the Internet, or more often in Jim's experience, (private) Intranets. Jim, in my mind, most of what I write about is Internet Access (although I will now be writing much more about Private IP Intranets on the TechRepublic Mobile and Wireless Blog). You make a very valid point that systems designed for Internet Access can be more correctly stated as "TCP/IP systems", and TCP/IP systems can, of course, be used for Intranets that don't connect to the Internet, or only touch the Internet at one firewall/gateway, etc. Point taken. But... to me... the "magic" in what I write about comes from having connectivity to the Internet, with all its wonders, capabilities, and more incredible information than any one human could absorb. Similarly, the "magic", for me, in "TCP/IP systems", especially "Broadband Wireless TCP/IP systems" is being able to provide Internet Access in ways, and in places, that it otherwise wasn't feasible, affordable, or otherwise possible. Good question - thought-provoking; Thanks for commenting.
Finally, a laptop (and an offer) really designed for coffee spills I meant to mention this, but forgot, and it's a slow BWIA news day. T-Mobile is offering one year of free "T-Mobile HotSpot Access" for those who participate in the upcoming $399 Give One, Get One campaign of One Laptop Per Child. T-Mobile is the service provider for the Wi-Fi access at Starbucks. A few months ago I got to (all-too-briefly) see and use a prototype XO laptop, and it's an amazing device. I may well decide to Give One and Get One. But don't you wonder, like I do, why OLPC doesn't just simply sell the XO here in the US for a marked-up price? There's a huge market for a small, rugged, relatively simple, long -battery-life, Internet-enabled computer that will actually survive a drop. It's flash ("disk") based; no moving parts (like hard disks) - gotta love that. And, as a partial answer to Glenn's skepticism... the main point, to me, about distributing XOs in developing countries is that it's not just a computer... it's a library of books, it's a digital camera, it's a notebook, it's a communication (not just Internet) device, it's a learning device.. all things that are in terribly short supply in developing countries.
Fine Print / Boilerplate / Acknowledgements / Credits / FAQs (Last updated 2007-11-06)
This article is Copyright © 2007 by Steve Stroh except for specifically-marked excerpts. Excerpts and links are expressly permitted (and encouraged).
Not a comment but a question. Wall Street sees the Sprint Nextel retreat from a joint Wimax network as big setback for Clearwire. Do you agree?
Posted by: Stafford Smith | November 09, 2007 at 15:28