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Archive for October, 2003

WiFi On Fire

Posted by Sam Churchill on October 29th, 2003

San Diego’s Wildfires may be drafting their High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network (HPWREN). It supported firefighters in San Diego County earlier this year with an innovative WiFi network. San Diego’s $4 million Homeland Security prototype - WIISARD might be (literally) tested under fire. [...]

Visa Tracking

Posted by Sam Churchill on October 28th, 2003

Homeland Security today displayed the first components of the entry-exit system, called U.S. Visit. It will be online at 115 airports and 14 seaports on January 5th and running at the 50 busiest border crossings by next fall. By 2005, it must be operating at every port of entry—air, sea [...]

Wizards of OS

Posted by Sam Churchill on October 28th, 2003

Operating Systems connoisseurs should Be Happy. Three new OSes were released in the last week; a new Linux kernel, Microsoft’s Longhorn and Apple’s Panther (OS X.3) were released. Apple’s Panther is a full-blown 64-bit commercial package while the other two are available only in a pre-release [...]

Rural Funding Restored?

Posted by Sam Churchill on October 28th, 2003

You know that story about Rural Broadband Loosing its Funding? Well, Nevermind (pdf). Broadband Wireless Magazine reports that the Rural Broadband Coalition issued an announcement that the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) will have over $800 million available for its broadband loan program in 2004. RBC’s [...]

Welcome Interstate Managers

Posted by Sam Churchill on October 28th, 2003

The Association of County/City Information Systems, meeting in Vancouver, Washington this week brought together the Washington State Department of Information Services and Oregon Department of Administrative Services Topics of discussion included; Public Access to information, the EGov Alliance, Streaming Media, Cable Franchise, Gigabit to the [...]

Intel’s 5 Gig Solution

Posted by Sam Churchill on October 27th, 2003

Intel today introduced the PRO/Wireless 2100A, a 5 GHz Wi-Fi chipset for their mobile Centrino. It combines Intel’s Pentium M processor, the Intel 855 chipset and Intel’s PRO/Wireless network connection to deliver 802.11b and 802.11a wireless connections. The PRO/Wireless 2100A network connection (.pdf), has an [...]

Saving the Broadband Economy

Posted by Sam Churchill on October 26th, 2003

The Wireless Communications Association (WCA) is currently working to prevent Congressional funding cuts to the Rural Utilities Service broadband loan program, part of the Farm Bill of 2002. WCA’s Rural Broadband Task Force is seeking to restore the Farm Bill program, which allocated $1.4 billion for broadband loans [...]

Media Convergence in New Orleans

Posted by Sam Churchill on October 26th, 2003

The City of New Orleans is hosting the first annual NEW ORLEANS MEDIA EXPERIENCE. Billed as the third annual signature event to join their Mardi Gras and Jazz & Heritage Festival celebrations, the “MediaFest” celebrates the convergence of film, advertising, music and videogames Screenings include short and [...]

UWB Goes The Distance

Posted by Sam Churchill on October 26th, 2003

Pulse-LINK has publically demoed 125 Megabit Ultra Wideband at a distance of 20 meters, which could make low-power, inexpensive UWB comparable with 802.11a and 802.11g. Full motion video, sound and Internet browsing with a range of 50 meters was also demonstrated. Compliant with FCC rules for UWB, it [...]

PopTech 2003

Posted by Sam Churchill on October 25th, 2003

Oops. Looks like another PopTech has come and gone. Bob Metcalfe’s three-day conference, which wrapped up yesterday, brings creative thinkers together to talk about the impact of technology on all facets of life. Metcalfe, the master showman, brings it to the edge of self-parody and back again. [...]