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Lucent demos 802.11b to 3G handoff at CTIA in Las Vegas: Lucent publicly shows off how Mobile IP allows a WLAN handoff to a 1xEV-DO network, a more advanced version of 1xRTT.
Agere and Infineon to collaborate on multi-802.11 standard chips: Pooling resources and cross-licensing patents, the two companies will move to make the kind of flexible chips that Atheros, TI, and others are hoping to compete strongly on as well. Good news for Apple uses: Agere makes the chips that make AirPort run. This starts to give us a timetable for seeing 802.11a (and eventually g) in Macs.
Paradigm? No, pair of standards: The change by the Wi-Fi Alliance two weeks ago to their Wi-Fi trademark certifying interoperability represents a challenge for the re-education of journalists and users. I've used Wi-Fi generically for almost two years, as it was a simpler and friendlier way to say 802.11b while implicitly discussing interoperable 802.11b equipment. The Wi-Fi Alliance made the right choice, in my opinion, but certainly muddies the waters. You can no longer say, "Wi-Fi operates at 11 Mbps." You can say, "802.11b operates at 11 Mbps" or "The 2.4 GHz certified flavor of Wi-Fi operates at 11 Mbps."
Form of iPaq, Shape of PSTN: Telesym offers an interesting product that turns a PocketPC, like an iPaq, into a PDA-to-PDA to PDA-to-PSTN (publicly switched telephone network) portable phone. It works over standard 802.11b networks, and requires a gateway to add the phone capability. The trend continues.
Boingo boost: Proxim and NetGear to bundle: Boingo Networks gets another boost by having its client software part of the installer process with Proxim and NetGear wireless products. Boingo is already bundled with SMC and pre-Proxim Orinoco gear. Boingo notes that NetGear customers get a $50 rebate for signing up for three months of Boingo service, while the Orinoco dual-band card marks Boingo's first support of 802.11a.
Microsoft to debut Bluetooth keyboard, mouse: Although it will initially work just with Windows XP, Microsoft makes vast sums from its keyboard and mouse division, and will certainly have drivers for other systems -- or third parties will write what would likely be simple software to support it unless Microsoft's gone and avoided Bluetooth interoperability.
WLANs accelerate in libraries: Libraries have to understand, as this article notes in passing, that adding access also adds a security burden. While reports of warspamming (spamming from open access points) were speculative, I can definitely see that the ability to park in the library's parking lot and unmolested use the network could result in abuse. Libraries should consider simple, free software, such as that developed by NoCat that shapes network traffic based on load. The library noted in the second paragraph of the article cited above added a DSL line to avoid sharing their main connection with patrons. [via The Shifted Librarian]