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A new competitor for Bluetooth; Thin clients go WiFi

Sun, 08 Oct 2006 20:01:37 -0400

There are a couple of exciting wireless tech tool announcements to share this week. First up, Nokia's new Wibree offers up short-range wireless access that uses less power than other radio frequency identification technologies, including the all-powerful Bluetooth which is a mainstay in most wireless devices. In addition to using less power, Wibree can be loaded onto much smaller devices such as wearable items like watches and toys. But Bluetooth still has a big advantage--it has faster access speeds. In addition, Nokia's been busy on the laptop front, partnering with Intel to push out embedded wireless Internet connectivity in laptops via cellular modems. Wyse Technology is looking to take thin clients to the WiFi level by embedding hardware and software for connecting to 802.11b and 802.11g wireless networks.

Laptops that take wireless to the max

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 20:01:37 -0400

Dell is the latest vendor to grab bleeding-edge wireless technologies and integrate them into its laptop product line. The Latitude D620 and D820 both now feature optional built-in connectivity to wireless broadband technology. It will allow enterprises to choose services among cellular carriers, including Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless in the U.S. and Vodafone in Europe. While 3G high-speed network connectivity is still pretty limited and often not available in many cities, the laptops do support Verizon's Evolution Data Only and Cingular's High Speed Downlink Packet Access data transmission specs. The price point for the new device and wireless capabilities isn't too bad, averaging about $200 plus the service plan cost. In addition, the devices boast built-in 802.11b/g WiFi and a function called the Wi-Fi Catcher, which helps users detect WiFi hotspots without booting up the machine. Article

A quick glimpse at new VoIP phones

Sun, 02 Oct 2005 20:01:34 -0400

If you've been thinking of pulling in some VoIP phones but aren't sure what's available, what features are currently in play or what the current price tags are, get a quick look at six phones that support 802.11b/g WiFi standards and use the SIP call-control protocol. Among the list are Cisco's IP Phone 7920, which plays nice with current Cisco environments but is a bit pricey, and iSkoot's free device for a nominal annual service charge. The range of options is wide as are the options and functionality the phones are starting to offer users and enterprises. Article