September 03, 2004
WIFI Security gets stepped up
BBC NEWS | Technology | Wi-fi nets get security makeover
...Problems with the original encryption system built in to the wi-fi specifications, called Wired Equivalent Privacy, made it possible for patient hackers to work out the keys used to scramble data being sent through the air.This original security system was replaced by an interim technology called Wi-fi Protected Access (WPA) which has now also been updated.
WPA2 uses a US government-approved encryption system to scramble data and also does a more rigorous job of checking that people who want to use a wireless net have permission to do so.
At last WPA2 makes its appearance. Let's hope its soon in equipment. I certainly could do with upgrading when I get chance.
Posted by Paul Goodison at 10:58 PM | TrackBack
April 14, 2004
Cost of Wireless Routers
I just looked at how much this now is - sub £60 is a fantastic price I can't believe how much this has been reduced since last year. I think I paid double this...
Its interesting that there has been very little out this year in terms of new developments (well, at least not that I am aware of). Last year lots of media adapters and hushed tones of new and exciting products in this area none of which seem to have emerged. I await optimistically that there will be something interesting later in the year.
In the meantime you can always go look at the Internet Washing Machine
Posted by Paul Goodison at 11:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 04, 2003
The Joyport 2
This just looks so cool! Another media adpater I thought but no much more than that. Unfortunately much more than that costs much more than that, and it seems to be only available in the US (and Canada) at present.
Still, I can dream.
Posted by Paul Goodison at 10:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
GNER have Broadband
BBC NEWS | Technology | Broadband arrival for GNER trains
I blogged about this previously but now the ECML has WIFI enabled trains. So now all I need is a lap top and an excuse to catch an express from Kings Cross.
Did I mention I'm available to write reviews? ;)
Congratulations to GNER, I hope the service lives up to expectations.
Posted by Paul Goodison at 10:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 24, 2003
WiFi uses increase...
The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) has found a novel use for Wi-Fi. It has started using the wireless networking technology to control trains remotely.
BNSF locomotives carry freight across the continental US. However, it is using wireless technology to move units around its rail yards. It reckons the system is more efficient - presumably one driver can run multiple locos from the same seat in the yard control centre - and a darn sight safer than putting drivers inside the engines, the Fort Worth, Texas-based company claims.
Instead, they operate a control panel that mirrors what they'd see if they were sitting in the cab. Their instructions are relayed to each loco via the "industrial strength" WLAN.
"You can even blow the horn," says BNSF CIO Jeff Campbell in a throwaway line included in an interview with Computerworld concerning the company's dealings with cellular providers.
Does that make this the ultimate model railway? Mobile communiations systems particularly WIFI and other Wireless protocols, offer amazing possiblities. It remains to be seen however whether in a consumer market place these opportunities will evolve into consumer need and related products...
Posted by Paul Goodison at 08:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 20, 2003
New Multimedia receiver
I think this was via Gizmodo. Anyway, another move down the multimedia home networking road. This time it seems SMC has gone the whole nine yards and managed to incorporate audio (Mpeg and internet radio. images (jpeg and gifs) and allegedly video. Not sure whether operating on 802.11b i.e. 11mbps bandwidth is going to be effective with video but then I haven't read the product specs in enough detail. I do know it is suggesting that this can operate across the three specifications of b, a, and g so maybe video needs an a or g connection. If anyone at SMC is reading I'd be interested in taking it for a spin on the network?
Posted by Paul Goodison at 10:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 04, 2003
Linksys Wireless Video Camera
Gizmodo : Wireless network video camera from Linksys
Gizmodo note the launch of Linksys' new wireless network video camera.
I have to say I'm tempted!
...basically a surveillance camera which can connect to a local area network over 802.11b and stream its video feed to any Internet-connected Web browser anywhere.... does have a couple of nice extra features, like a Security Mode that will email you whenever it detects motion, so you can be alerted to when to tune into the video stream.
Now where would be the best place to put it?
Posted by Paul Goodison at 09:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 19, 2003
Sunshine on the back burner
Lincolnshire-based ISP WRBB has delayed the launch of its rural wireless broadband service because it is still waiting for equipment to be officially certified.
The service - called Sunshine - was due to go live at the end of September, covering East Midlands and East Anglia before being made available nationwide by the end of 2005.
Now, though, the company has had to inform potential punters that the "countdown" to the launch has been halted and it won't be restarted until the necessary hardware is certified.
In a message posted on its web site, WRBB reports that while the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) approved and ratified the 802.11g standard on 12 June 2003, the WiFi Alliance has yet to complete its testing. So far, only eight products have got the thumbs up.
WRBB sales and marketing director David Acton told The Register: "Until the hardware is certified, we can't roll-out the service."
The company has put pressure on the WiFi Alliance - a group of wireless LAN manufacturers and vendors that runs a scheme to ensure that any certified device will interoperate with all other certified devices - to complete its work, but at the moment it's unclear when that might be. ®
Disappointed to see that Sunshine has been put on hold until the WIFI alliance get their act together.
We need more competition in Broadband and we need a market that ensures expansion to all areas and ensures that the big players i.e. BT and ntl are kept on their toes. The more pressure on providers, the more innovation, the better off consumers and businesses will be. Ultimately the country as a whole benefits from the communication infrastructure and associated spinoffs.
Therefore I hope WRBB are simply delaying for the reason stated and do not have problems with their business model or financing.
Posted by Paul Goodison at 09:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 12, 2003
Blogging Fridge!
f r e e g o r i f e r o | weblog
Connected appliances.
A bit of a buzz around the old idea of a screen fridge, possibly because there's a camera now that points inwards and posts pictures of what is in your fridge, so that you can check them while at the supermarket and stock accordingly.
It used to be all about magnets, now it's pixelated postcards from your refrigerator.
Leaving all other Cooltown scenarios aside I just wonder: why the surprise?
A few years ago the hot thing was "your appliances will be able to talk to one another", now your fridge has got its own weblog.
If you ask me that's simply evolution of the species.
Sergio made me smile with this little post. it reminded me of a scene from the Young Ones (UK alternative sitcom from the 1980's) where the fridge starts to eat someone. It may even talk, but I suspect it only burps... loudly!
I do kind of see the point about seeing the inside of fridges when you are out shopping but I would rather I had something that could audit what's in the fridge or indeed all my household shopping and based on my usage patterns actually do the shopping for me with my Internet Shjopping facility. My only concern I think then is that in order to do this would I actually be destroying any privacy I had left?
Imagine if the fridge did start blogging - "Well I'm still in a mess from when he dropped the milk all over me and the tomato rotted on the bottom shelf..' Privacy would efinitely be gone then :)
Posted by Paul Goodison at 09:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 11, 2003
Wifi on the train...
silicon.com - Exclusive: GNER to offer wireless broadband on trains
GNER is looking to enable a fleet of up to 40 high-speed trains with high-speed internet access on its London Kings Cross to Aberdeen and Inverness route.
With the rail industry still struggling after the Hatfield rail disaster, operators are desperate to offer unique services that will lure back passengers, especially the high-value business customers.
An interesting comparison to the previous post.
GNER run the premier main line in the UK from London to Scotland via the East coast. Its a route I am particularly fond of, not least because my father used to work as a Chief Steward from London to Aberdeen.
I feel that this type of expansion of Internet access is more exciting than static hotspots and like the news of wifi on areoplanes this is a quantum leap forward. This of course assumes customers will take up the use. The article doesn't make mention of any charge, so perhaps the model will be 'free' in first class areas. Perhaps we will see Internet kiosks on trains in the future or interfaces at ever seat? I await with anticipation.
The revolution will not be televisd but it might be blogged...
Posted by Paul Goodison at 11:28 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
What on earth is a WIFI Hotspot?
BBC NEWS | Technology | People confused by wi-fi jargon
Most home computer users in the UK have no idea what so-called wi-fi hotspots are, a survey has found.
Just under 30% of those quizzed knew that the term refers to an area where you can connect to the internet without having to plug a cable into your computer.
The findings will prove disappointing for companies looking to tempt people to log on via wireless services in cafes, pubs and hotels.
The typical person has no idea what a Hotspot is. No real surprise there. After all, if you have no connection with the industry or technology in general why would you. Marketeers have really got to reel in their technology colleagues and start naming these products something that makes sense to the average person in the street.
BTW my personal favourite from the survey - 2% said it was something smelly that had been left in the sun for too long. I think perhaps they are right...!
Posted by Paul Goodison at 11:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 31, 2003
Point & Connect Wireless Devices
'Point-and-connect' links for wireless devices
18:09 29 July 03
NewScientist.com news service
Linking devices via a wireless network could be considerably simplified using a "point-and-connect" technology being developed by Sony.
The camera-based system, developed by researchers at Sony's Interaction Laboratory in Tokyo, Japan, lets users instantly transfer data from a laptop or handheld computer to a device in close proximity connected to the same wireless network.
Researcher Ayatsuka Yuji says the prototype system, dubbed Gaze-Link, removes the need to manually configure networked devices for this purpose.
"It is so troublesome, especially when there are many networked devices," Yuji told New Scientist. "When you want to send data in your PDA to a printer, for example, you have to input or to select a correct network address."
Small sticker
A code displayed on a small sticker attached to each device is identified by the laptop's camera. Software running on the laptop then automatically locates the device on the network. "Gaze-Link is one of the challenges to make connecting more 'intuitive'," Yuji says.
Simeon Keates, a computer usability researcher at Cambridge University, UK, says the system could have real benefits if there are a multitude of different devices connected to a network.
"As the home gets more connected, user overload is going to become more of an issue," he says. "It would certainly be helpful for someone who was nervous of the technology."
But Keates adds that this benefit will depend largely on the accuracy and reliability of the system. It must also be able to distinguish between different devices stacked next to each other, he says.
Will Knight
Via SmartMobs.
Good idea in principle. Love to see how it works in practice.
Posted by Paul Goodison at 08:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 29, 2003
Playstation Portal to ge the wireless bug?
Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi confirmed that the PlayStation Portable will come equipped with wireless networking functionality.
According to a report on Bloomberg, Kutaragi-san told the meeting of developers and publishers that the device will be able to access the Internet wirelessly through local area networks - suggesting that the system will use either 802.11 wireless networking technology, or possibly Bluetooth.
Wey hey! I need to start saving for the PSP now. I wasn't aware of the positioning:
the PSP is a Personal Digital Companion - it carries your media, plays your games, connects you to the Internet wirelessly, acts as a communication deck, handles basic organiser functions and may even provide you with a navigation system or a television on the move.
Sony don't always get things right, but they do have vision and this is a superb vision. I was intending to buy a PDA, but I think I will wait now.
I wonder what browsing capability it will have?
Posted by Paul Goodison at 05:02 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
July 21, 2003
Home of the Future, or is that today?
Onlineblog.com - Guardian Online's weblog
BusinessWeek Online has a special report on Digital Homes -- what we used to call "home automation".
Great article from Business Week:
What distinguishes today's digital homes from "smart homes" of the past is the modular nature of the technology. Because so many products are designed with Internet standards in mind, consumers can start out with just a few devices and build up slowly. It helps that PCs such as Dell Computer (DELL ) Corp.'s XPS gaming machine and Hewlett-Packard Co.'s Media Center PC are becoming entertainment-oriented, while consumer electronics are becoming more PC-like -- with hard drives, screen-based menus, and built-in Net access. Piece by piece, the technology also is getting more user-friendly. That goes a long way toward explaining the explosive popularity of Wi-Fi networks, now in 11 million U.S. households.
Absolutely. I cannot afford to get everything I want either but the modular nature of the equipment is a superb factor in allowing consumers to go for it. more importantly is the understanding that these items really have to be plug and play. Carrying out some extensive configuration in techie level language just won't cut the mustard. Remember most people can't even programme a VCR.
the ultimate goal for almost every room is to deliver what Dutch giant Philips Electronics (PHG ) calls "ambient intelligence." As devices get smarter, they can identify and adapt to individual users in a household, potentially making suggestions on everything from what to eat to how to dress. "Think of it as the electronic equivalent of an English butler," says Emile Aarts, vice-president and scientific program director at Philips Research Laboratories in Eindhoven. Those concepts may seem pie-in-the-sky now, but many are being tested in corporate labs -- and some are nearing commercialization.
I keep telling people abut this concept, some joke, some sneer, some even accept this is around the corner. The question is how soon is it going to get to a place wher eveyone wants one? My current thinking is 2 years before this stuff becomes easy enough and cheap enough for mainstream families to adopt. And that's when it becomes big money.
The last word goes to the Business Week article:
Not surprisingly, we found consumers who say they crave technology, but only if it's no-muss-no-fuss. They should control the technology, not have it control them. It should "just work," make life easier, and even help free up time to do something else.
Posted by Paul Goodison at 10:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
802.?
ZDNet |UK| - Comment - Story - Broadband wireless goes to the max
802.16 is to 802.11 what the M25 motorway is to the Basingstoke one way system. Designed to operate over a number of bands from 2GHz to 66GHz, 802.16 can work over 30 miles and pump data at speeds of up to 70Mbps.
Originally intended for 'last mile' fixed wireless broadband links, the standard has already grown mesh additions to let stations relay data for others, and work is underway for mobile working. This week, Intel announced it would be designing 802.16 silicon: it's not alone, and other standards espoused by the chip giant haven't always taken off, but as a statement of intent it's very significant. If 802.16 takes off, it'll change the face of broadband.
I've heard it before, but there might be something in this. Could this be a way of improving the link over the last mile without major investment of diggin up roads and replacing infrastructure? Okay there has got to be some investment, base stations for one, however it could be that this is significantly less than fixed solutions. If chipsets and the equipment get to be consumer pricing then who knows where this cold lead?
Posted by Paul Goodison at 10:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 04, 2003
Study: Wi-Fi users still don't encrypt
What they found was that users checking their e-mail through unencrypted POP connections vastly outnumbered those using a VPN or another encrypted tunnel. Only three percent of e-mail downloads were encrypted on the first day of the conference, 12 percent on the second day. (The company says it counted all VPN or tunneled traffic as e-mail).
That means the other 88% could easily be intercepted by eavesdroppers using commonly-available tools, compromising both the e-mail and the user's passwords.
Additionally, 84 out of the 523 users monitored were configured to allow ad hoc networking, and 74 were configured to automatically connect to the access point with the strongest signal strength -- a default mode that could leave a laptop prey to a rogue access point.
This is very worrying. People need to understand the risks they run when they don't encryptusing wireless networks, esepcially if it takes off. We have had some instances of malicous use of wireless networks for bandwidth theft (i.e. leaching off of someone else's broadband connection) and I expect it is relatively easy to access their PCs etc as most access points are configured for networking rather than simply connection sharing.
I hope the new wireless encruption protocols are secure and perhaps more importnaly easy to use for unexperienced consumers than the current batch.
It is certainly a concern for any services I am involved in developing.
Posted by Paul Goodison at 11:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 03, 2003
If you go down to the woods today, expect a WIFI surprise!
BBC NEWS | Technology | Pupils learn in wi-fi wood
Wi-fi wood
For the project, a wireless network has been set up in a wood in Sussex on the south coast of England.
Back at base they can compare notes
Schoolchildren with PDAs and walkie talkies are encouraged to explore the wood, reporting back about wildlife or plants they see along the way.
In the latest trial in late June, pupils from the Varndean school in Brighton spend three days exploring the worlds in pairs.
"When they found something, they described it to someone back at the den, which means they had to verbally describe very carefully what they found," explained superviser Rowanne Fleck.
"They then got a little message on their screens which gave them a little more information and acted as a record of what they found in the wood," she told the BBC programme, Go Digital.
The feedback from the children has been overwhelming positive, with the students embracing this new way of learning about the environment.
"It is a brilliant way of linking technology with the ecology," said technology analyst Bill Thompson.
"It gets away from the idea that using technology in education is about sitting students in front of a computer and getting them typing on keyboards."
This is superb. I want to go and play! Perhaps they could add a Wifi connected camera? I wonder if there is a webcam?
No there isn't! But there are some good pics here, which is the Ambient Wood website at Sussex University COGS department.
They are undertaking the following project called Equator
The central goal of the Equator IRC is to promote the integration of the physical with the digital. In particular we are concerned with uncovering and supporting the variety of possible relationships between physical and digital worlds. In doing this our objective is to improve the quality of everyday life by building and adapting technologies for a range of user groups and application domains.
Perhaps I should do this sort of stuff for a living?
Posted by Paul Goodison at 01:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack