| Wi Fi Fo Fum, I think I smell the blood...oops | | | | The result - we are absolved from the penance |
| wrong tale. This story doesn't involve giants, but it | | | | of viewing way too many hippy-hippy shakes. |
| does involve giant leaps forward in technology | | | | Well, not so fast, don't throw out your dancin' |
| that will affect us all. | | | | shoes quite yet. It's not on the Wal-Mart shelves |
| The other day I was watching two kids play. Each | | | | for next Christmas, but there are a lot of |
| had a tin can up to their ear and they were | | | | indicators that it's real, and it's just around the |
| speaking to each other on the 'phone'. Talk about | | | | corner. |
| technological leaps. Yes, the string that I used as a | | | | First of all, it is an acronym for Worldwide |
| kid to hook up this intricate communication | | | | Interoperability For Microwave Access, and it has |
| system had disappeared, and they were now | | | | actually been in the works for quite a while now. |
| wireless! | | | | An article titled 'FCC Move Could Boost WiMax', |
| When I was Batman back then, the string always | | | | states "A number of vendors and carriers have |
| kept me close enough to Robin so we could hear | | | | announced products, testing, or support for the |
| each other, even around the corner of a cinder | | | | standard in the last month, including Intel, Nokia, |
| block wall. Unrestricted by 'the magic string' these | | | | AT&T, BellSouth, Sprint, and Motorola." |
| kids tended to drift out of range from time to | | | | These companies aren't akin to Duke's Pool Room |
| time. Showing true genius, they engaged Billy's | | | | - these are the big boys. |
| little brother to position himself on middle ground, | | | | The article continues to say, "Congress has been |
| and he relayed wireless messages back and forth. | | | | lobbied for months now to free more frequencies |
| They called him 'tower'. I laughed. | | | | for wireless broadband." |
| It really is a reflection of a changing world. We've | | | | AlcaTel states that WiMax will "bridge the digital |
| gone from HiFi to Wi-Fi, and next on the endless | | | | divide by delivering broadband in low-density |
| chain is WiMax. The transition from 'High Fidelity', | | | | areas." If you really study that statement, you |
| which simply related to sound quality, to 'Wireless | | | | can see where we are in the world today. Where |
| Fidelity' or Wi-Fi, took about thirty-eleven years. | | | | governments once ensured that all residents were |
| The transition to WiMax is already in play, yet | | | | able to receive phone service in the Ma Bell days, |
| most of us haven't figured out what Wi-Fi is really | | | | that lingo is now being used in relation to |
| all about. | | | | broadband access to the Internet. May |
| According to the 'Webopedia', the term is | | | | everybody have equal access is the refrain, but |
| promulgated by the Wi-Fi Alliance, and is short for | | | | only if it's high speed! |
| Wireless Fidelity as I indicated above. What it | | | | So instead of hot-spot hopping, WiMax will provide |
| means is that you can access the Internet from | | | | true wireless mobility. And there's more. In an |
| a laptop computer with the right stuff (wireless | | | | article by Al Senia of America's Network, he |
| card) in various locations without the burden of a | | | | states that 'Phone manufacturers such as |
| physical wire. | | | | Samsung and LG are expected to introduce Wi-Fi |
| Hold it - Webopedia? Yikes! Yes, it's real, and it | | | | handsets compatible with this service by year's |
| defines and explains web 'stuff'. I guess Babe | | | | end." |
| Ruth probably thought that Encyclopedias were on | | | | O.K., so that's VoIP, except it's wireless VoIP in |
| the bleeding edge, yet I wrote my 7th grade | | | | hot-spots. Next is WiMax, with wide-area wireless |
| essay all about him using that standard, great | | | | VoIP. |
| source of knowledge. Makes you wonder what | | | | To be sure, there are quality and security issues |
| 'pedia' is next doesn't it? | | | | to be resolved, whether that's for surfing, voice |
| It goes on to say that any products tested and | | | | applications, or a gazillion other Internet |
| approved as Wi-Fi certified (a registered | | | | applications, before wider market acceptance is |
| trademark) by the Wi-Fi Alliance are certified as | | | | achieved. However, I attended a recent |
| interoperable with each other, even if from | | | | presentation by the Gartner Group, where the |
| different manufacturers. | | | | presenter stated emphatically that security is not |
| That's kind of like Fords & Toyotas use the | | | | an 'if' but rather 'how much'. His meaning was |
| same gas to make them go, and their owners | | | | clearly that the level of security required for |
| use the same ramps and highways to pick up | | | | business applications will be achieved, and that |
| milk, or go to the cottage. Even Hudson Hornets | | | | commercial providers will find the economic model |
| used a leaded version of the same fuel. | | | | that works. Ditto for quality. |
| An example where this wasn't so well planned is | | | | We used to trade information at the speed of |
| the access to the electricity grids in Europe as | | | | the Pony Express, when the air was just filled |
| opposed to North America. The same plugs don't | | | | with farm smells. Now when the air is filled with |
| work in both places. | | | | zeros and ones, information is transferred at |
| Rather than making that mistake, the Alliance has | | | | speeds faster than Clark Kent. If we're to remain |
| created an accepted standard so that | | | | on competitive even ground, we had better pay |
| manufacturers create equipment, and the like, | | | | attention to these applications that are on the |
| that can be used in a similar fashion to access the | | | | horizon. We have to assume that our competitors |
| web. That means that your laptop, regardless of | | | | are paying attention. |
| brand, will use the same 'hot-spots' to get access. | | | | It took a century to transform from Alexander |
| Hot-spots are areas where the facility, like | | | | Bell's basic invention to wireless phones. However, |
| Starbucks or the hotel that owns the lobby, has | | | | in the last decade alone, the Internet has met |
| put in the proper equipment to provide access | | | | with wide acceptance by business, VoIP has |
| from your wireless card to the great big cloud | | | | become more common, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi VoIP is |
| called the Internet. The wireless card is the gas | | | | now a reality, and WiMax and wide area wireless |
| for the Fords & Toyotas, and the hot-spot is | | | | VoIP is very nearly on the market. |
| the on ramp. | | | | In the past, I've often used an example of future |
| And therein lie both the beauty and the problem. | | | | possibilities by alluding to a chip in our eyebrows |
| The beauty is that I can access the web from | | | | that can transmit holographic images around the |
| Starbucks in Atlanta, as well as a hotel lobby in | | | | globe. That's not even that far-fetched anymore, |
| Vancouver. If you've ever seen someone doing | | | | so I guess I'll have to come up with a better |
| the hippy-hippy shake with their computer in their | | | | example. I'm going to have to track down the |
| hands, you're probably witnessing the problem. | | | | Jetsons and Star Trek reruns. |
| Wi-Fi access is limited in both speed and distance. | | | | "Grandpa, why is the sky blue?" That's always |
| The twisting person was probably trying to get a | | | | been a puzzler. What on earth are you going to |
| more consistent signal in the 'hot-spot'. | | | | say when the question is "Grandpa, why is the |
| Enter WiMax. That's not Max Smart and his | | | | sky zeros and ones?" That's when you ask |
| wireless shoe communications, but it is the next | | | | yourself, "Wi me?" |
| generation of Wi-Fi. According to it "will connect | | | | That begs another question. Where do all the |
| you to the Internet at faster speeds and from | | | | zeros and ones go when they're used up? Is |
| much longer ranges than current wireless | | | | there a big Z&O dump somewhere? Or |
| technology allows." They go on to say "WiMax | | | | should that be backwards - OZ. Oh, that Wizard, I |
| promises up to a ten mile range without wires, | | | | knew he was up to something. |
| and broadband speeds without cable or T1." | | | | |