A Vivato spokesperson confirms the ceasing of operations with Glenn Fleishman over at Wi-Fi Net News. Vivato is best known for the switched access point that was designed using phased-array technology and beam-steering to communicate intelligently with outdoor clients over 1 kilometer. There was also an indoor switch that would theorectically light up an entire office floor with a single access point panel. Although the technology and early demonstrations were very promising, the company could not meet performance and price demands in the fast-changing Wi-Fi market. Competitors quickly adopted 802.11g and MIMO to meet the increasing wireless bandwidth demands of enterprise users.

Vivato engineered an awesome technology for the private sector (phased-array is most often used in military radar systems) but it just never quite took off.

A proposed law for Westchester County, New York, would make it against the law for a business or internet cafe to leave their wireless networks on the default settings. County Executiy Andy Spano wants the law to "protect the public from identify theft and other consumer fraud." With studies showing that 30%-50% of wireless networks are unprotected, the concept is worthy. I've been talking about the need for people to secure their Wi-Fi networks for years.

However, legislating that store owners and businesses will have to "secure networks that protect the public from potential identity theft and other potential threats such as computer viruses and data corruption," that's a tall order for a local coffee shop to fill. The recommendation in the press release to "install a firewall" falls way short of protecting consumers that use the hotspot, which begs the question, who will decide how secure is secure?

(via Engadget)

MIT is considering itself the densest, most pervasive wireless school on the planet. With 2,800 access points covering 9.4 million square feet of the campus, students can access the Wi-Fi internet from pretty much anywhere (save the random faraday cage here and there). Using these access points as data points, MIT researchers are creating dynamic visualizations of the network while in use. The maps are part of an installation in the MIT Museum and appear to be part of the ongoing iSpots and SENSEable projects.

Treo 700w pictures are over at Engadget. They've had it only a few hours and are posting pictures with comparisons between the Treo 650 and this new model. We've been waiting for the Palm Treo 670 but it looks like it will be called the Verizon Palm Treo 700w. It is running Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 (not PalmOS!) and includes a 1 megapixel camera. EV-DO, Bluetooth, 64MB of memory, and possibly a 240x240 screen resolution (but Engadget isn't sure about that until further testing.)

"Why not build the next generation now?" asks Alvarion. According to the LA Times, wireless industry experts believe that now may be the best time to build the next generation wireless network that will eventually replace antiquated copper landlines. But telecom execs and analysts say that, while helpful in disaster situations, it's not a perfect replacement. Tropos VP Chris Rittler states that wireless broadband is not mainstream yet, but it will play a role in communications in the aftermath of Katrina. No matter what gets built (or rebuilt) next, the up-and-running Wi-Fi hotspots and pervasive nature of wireless coverage will "expose thousands of people to uses beyond trolling the internet in a coffee shop."

This local newscast from Corpus Christi tells us of the efforts by wireless volunteers to bring people together. Using the city's Wi-Fi network, the Family Link Online Services group set up computers for evacuees to check missing persons databases and get back in touch with loved ones.

Xeni Jardin posted this notice on the tech blog, BoingBoing:

Some quick notes from a conference call that just took place, hosted by the FCC about how to coordinate resources and personnel from internet/wireless private industry to help get communications networks up and running in in gulf states. Lack of communications systems has been identified as a critical issue holding back aid, missing persons, law enforcement, etc. in crisis areas.

FCC personnel are working throughout the weekend to coordinate these efforts with private industry, with wireless technology groups, FEMA, and state governments in Mississippi, Louisiana, etc.

One of the challenges they face in this effort is fact that the coordination effort involves multiple layers of bureaucracies — also, that there has been no central point for directing available assets offered by private industry. Participants on the call included folks from Cisco, Intel, and wireless organizations.

Another challenge: working with FEMA and local governments to ascertain whether it is more immediately effective to get old systems up and running, or create new temporary ones. Depends on tech behind communications system in question. COMPANIES WITH TECH ASSETS AND/OR HUMAN RESOURCES TO DONATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AID IN KATRINA-IMPACTED AREAS SHOULD DO THE FOLLOWING

FCC Chief of Staff Dan Gonzales (dan dot gonzales at fcc dot org) says FCC needs the following information from would be tech donors BY NOON EASTERN ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 3.

1) identify the provider (name of your company or group)
2) identify assets you are willing to commit
3) state clearly what assets you are technologically capable of providing (IP? data? voice?)
4) what your logistical requirements are to bring that to the affected area.
5) can you bring generators? if so what size? capacity? power levels?

SUBMIT THIS INFORMATION TO

PART-15.ORG (they have an online submission form to collect this data)
or wireless@part-15.org

contacts: Michael Anderson (wireless@part-15.org) 630-466-9090, and Claudia Crowley (ccrowley at gmail dot com), 817-292-0230.

Wireless vendors Trango and Microserv created a 137.2 mile ground-to-ground wireless link using "off-the-shelf" equipment from Trango. This distance bests the Defcon Wifi Shootout winners by 12.3 miles. People are crying foul, however, because (1) there were no independant observers to verify the distance and setup and (2) the equipment used is not 802.11b Wi-Fi - though it does use the unlicensed 2.5 and 5 Ghz spectrum. Still, that distance is impressive.

In this Business 2.0 article, Om Malik suggests that Google is planning a large-scale Wi-Fi network to enable its larger goal "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible." The basis for this speculation, called "GoogleNet" by Malik, is  the news that Google is buying up bandwidth and dark fiber lines that cross the U.S. The article shows some of the reasons that Google would want to build out their own network. Saving money one bandwidth charges is one. Tying together some of their high bandwidth projects like Maps, Video, and possibly TV is another. but Google is also sponsoring a free wireless hotspot provider called Feeva. Feeva's proprietary location-based technology could enable customized Google local search and advertising to every Wi-Fi user. Is this just a coincidence or is Google going nationwide with a free, advertising sponsored wireless network?

Boingo Wireless, a Wi-Fi hotspot aggregator based in Los Angeles, inked a roaming agreement with a wireless provider in the Czech Republic. The agreement with WideNet will bring 36 Wi-Fi hotspots throughout "key business locations" in Prague to users of Boingo's system. Boingo provides access to more than 18,000 hotspots. WideNet sets up hotspots in indoor and outdoor locations for visitors and residents of Prague.

Wireless networks are being used to anonymize access for better or worse. This story from NYTimes goes in depth on a cyber-extortionist who, for years, tried to extort $17 million out of MicroPatent, a patent and trademark firm. This story came to light last year when Myron Tereshchuk pleaded guilty to "attempted extortion affecting commerce". The FBI and private security people hired directly by MicroPatent had trouble finding the "stalker" due to his heavy use of open Wi-Fi networks to send out the threatening emails.

(via WNN)

Here's my Popular Science How 2.0 article on turning yourself into a walking hotspot by using a mobile power source and a cellular-to-Wi-Fi gateway. The Voltaic Systems backpack makes a great platform to build from due to all of the internal wiring and myriad power adapters included in the kit. And I like the Junxion Box as a simple, clean appliance to handle the Wi-Fi to Cellular interface.

The Junxion Box requires a 12 volt power source. So, natch, a lead-acid battery would feed it the juice it needs. Starting with a 1.2 Amp-hour battery will let the whole kit run a few hours. (The Box draws between 200 mA and 500 mA of current while active.) Adding a bigger battery will lengthen your run time. Solar adds a bit of extra runtime and will keep your battery topped off when the system isn't running.

The full article gives step-by-step and a parts list for you to make your own. Fun stuff!

Here is a story on a bizarre Wi-Fi "theft of services" arrest. We don't know the whole story since nobody is talking, but jeez… A 3rd degree felony arrest for surfing in front of an open network? The WLAN owner even said he left it open on purpose, "because his neighbors are older." I don't know if that means he was letting his neighbors use it as a service to the elderly or he didn't lock it down because he assumes old people aren't smart enough to use a wireless network.

"Police say Benjamin Smith III, 41, used his Acer brand laptop to hack into Dinon's wireless Internet network. The April 20 arrest is considered the first of its kind in Tampa Bay and among only a few so far nationwide." Which begs the question: Is clicking "Connect" in Windows XP hacking? Now this person using an open network while parked in the street is being compared to a terrorist and pedophile before we have *any* facts. Maybe the police are using this until they can bring a more serious charge, but it sure is unnerving to see this happen in the way depicted.

I'm going to keep paying $80 a month for Verizon EVDO. Maybe I can avoid a felony arrest for hacking an open hotspot.

[via WiFiNetNews]

David Colker from the LA Times canvased a number of the California State Park campgrounds being unwired by SBC and tried out the service. At one park, he found that the wireless signal only covers 10 campsites out of 171 in the park. Camp rangers are hearing complaints from campers and wireless users are having to hunt for the signal. An SBC spokesman said the plan all along was to make the hotspot only "work at a maximum of 200 feet from the transmission equipment" which sounds like a standard access point tied in to one building - probably the campground store or laundry building. Colker also polled people about how the Internet blends into the camping experience and discovered that many campsite visitors would use the system to reserve their next campsite.

[via WiFiNetNews]