Wi-Fi Direct Provides P2P Wireless
Wi-Fi Alliance has announced Wi-Fi Direct, connect devices anytime and anywhere without a Wi-Fi hotspot. It will work on the Wi-Fi range unlike Bluetooth.
The five WiFi Certified WiFi Direct products, the Alliance announced, are:
• Atheros XSPAN Dual-band 802.11n PCIe mini card;
• Broadcom Dual-Band 802.11n 2×2 MiMO PCIe half mini card;
• Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 WiFi card;
• Ralink MIMObility 802.11 2×2 PCIe half mini card; and
• Realtek HM92C00 PCIe mini card.
What Is Super Wi-Fi?
US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved unused airwaves between television channels or “white spaces” for public use. Also known as Super Wi-Fi as it can travel longer than WiF, has faster speeds, more reliable connections and it can penetrate structures. Now smart devices can start using Super Wi-Fi when it is made available.
Apple’s iOS 4.2 Has Wireless Printing
Apple’s upcoming iOS 4.2 will allow user to print wirelessly on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. AirPrint automatically finds printers on local networks and can print text, photos and graphics to them wirelessly over Wi-Fi without the need to install drivers or download software. HP’s existing and upcoming ePrint enabled printers will be the first to support printing direct from iOS devices.
Press Release: Apple’s AirPrint Wireless Printing for iPad, iPhone & iPod touch Coming to Users in November
Apple Launches New Product: Magic Trackpad
With the new iMac, Apple also throws in a new companion product that replaces a mouse, the Magic Trackpad.
From Apple: The new Magic Trackpad is the first Multi-Touch trackpad designed to work with your Mac desktop computer. It uses the same Multi-Touch technology you love on the MacBook Pro. And it supports a full set of gestures, giving you a whole new way to control and interact with what’s on your screen.
The trackpad is made from aluminum and glass and sells for $69.
US Starbucks Giving Out Free WiFi
Starting on July 14, Starbucks in the US will be offering free Wifi to customers having their coffee at the store. You will have to sign in to the Starbucks Digital Network to gain access. The company is trying to increase market share by enhancing the experience and creating content so compelling that it drives incremental traffic.
UK Will Ban Public WiFi Hotspots
The UK government will outlaw open Wi-Fi hotspots using its Digital Economy Bill copyright crackdown. The affected areas are Universities, MacDonalds, small businesses and even libraries.
Lilian Edwards, professor of internet law at Sheffield University said, This is going to be a very unfortunate measure for small businesses, particularly in a recession, many of whom are using open free Wi-Fi very effectively as a way to get the punters in. Even if they password protect, they then have two options — to pay someone like The Cloud to manage it for them, or take responsibility themselves for becoming an ISP effectively, and keep records for everyone they assign connections to, which is an impossible burden for a small café.
Source: Open Wi-Fi ‘outlawed’ in Digital Economy Bill
Google Free Wi-Fi At Airports
Google is temporarily offering free Wi-Fi in airports across US. This is the company’s marketing strategy for the holiday season. Microsoft, eBay and Yahoo are doing the same too.
Google is also providing free Wi-Fi on Virgin America flights for the same period.
Google Adds Free WiFi To Virgin America
Google will provide free in-flight Wi-Fi on Virgin America from Nov. 10, 2009 to Jan. 15, 2010.
Google says, Bring a WiFi-enabled laptop or mobile device and stay connected for free during your flight. The service is available on Virgin America serving the cities listed below. We hope the service makes your holiday travel a little easier.
The included destinations include:
San Francisco, CA (SFO)
Boston, MA (BOS)
Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL)
Las Vegas, NV (LAS)
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
New York, NY (JFK)
Orange County, CA (SNA)
San Diego, CA (SAN)
Seattle, WA (SEA)
Washington Dulles (IAD)
New Peer To Peer Wi-Fi Direct Technology
The new Wi-Fi Direct specification will allow peer to peer connections between Wi-Fi devices, no hotspot required and this would certainly rival Bluetooth. Wi-Fi Direct will allow all your Wi-Fi enabled devices such as phones, cameras, printers, computers, keyboards, and headphones talk to each other.
With this new technology each device acts like an access point and there is no need of a wireless router. Imagine using this technology to get internet access to your iPhone using your laptop.
Mingle360 Social Networking On A Stick
Mingle360 is a company that came up with the MingleStick and online software for centralizing your address book and enabling you to manage your social and professional network. Basically the USB device will allow two users to exchange contact details wirelessly. The collected information on the stick can be uploaded to an online application website on Mingle360.
This is going to be a handy device, but with all the iPhones out there, isn’t there an app that can do the same?
Source: Mingle360 Press Release
