802.11b Bundle includes VPN software …
This is a very interesting bundle, since it is one of the first that includes some VPN software to provide security over 802.11b WLANs.
VPNs are one of the best solutions for security in these scenarios, since they provide security of communications over ANY medium … both wired and wireless!
Palm Targets WLANs. Offers bundle with WLAN card [allNetDevices Wireless News]
Virtual Keyboards for data input …
These are two examples of the amazing leaps in technology in the area of man-machine interfaces. Both of these companies are using various techniques to detect the physical characteristics of the hand during typing. By detecting what your hands and fingers are doing, these devices can “guess” which keys you are typing!
I really have to say that I like the Senseboard better than the Samsung unit … but I’m going to guess that we will be seeing more and more of these types of devices being worn by the people around us!
PC World: Virtual Keyboards Let You Type in Air. Call it air guitar meets computer keyboard. Two firms here at Comdex, Samsung and Senseboard, are showing off gizmos that attach to your hands and track your finger movements so you can type without a keyboard to input data into a personal digital assistant or other handheld device. [Tomalak’s Realm]
Interesting “virus-free” Internet Cafe solution …
I was thinking of various solutions for securing Internet Cafe computers from viruses and trojan-horses. This is an issue for both the owner of the computer and the customer using it.
When a customer walks in to use the computer, they are expecting a system that is ready to use, and one that does not contain any viruses or software which might compromise their security. The issue is that viruses and trojan-horses can be installed by other customers – either by accident or by malicious intent.
What would happen, however, if I took my own operating system on my own CD-ROM into the cafe and booted it? I could then be reasonably assured that the entire computer would be running my OS and applications … on a storage medium that can not be infected. If my data is all stored out in the net, I would be able to access all of it.
Of course, this does not take into account the possibility of a ‘hacked’ keyboard or BIOS … but it’s getting much better!
Lnx Bootable Business Card 1.618 (development). A bootable rescue CD cut to the size and shape of a business card. [freshmeat.net]
Hot Spots vs. the Cellular Carriers … one possible scenario …
I was sitting here tonight reading, and started to wonder if the slow and limited data bandwidth that the cellular carriers are going to provide is simply going to be used to locate the next high-speed 802.11x Hot Spot that you’re going to use … 😉
WLAN Hotspots to Grow Fast: Report. Says handhelds will benefit most [allNetDevices Wireless News]
More mapping software …
As location based services become more and more a part of our lives we are going to want to know where important things are located – including ourselves!
I like this project due to the “moving map” capabilities, and also the support for BSB charts. These are a format used in the Marine Navigation market … something that I love … being out on a boat!
Hugo 1.2.1. GPS-capable moving map software. [freshmeat.net]
New form factors of the personal computer …
For years we have witnessed the slow evolution (or fast evolution?) of the personal computer. We started with the first IBM PC that was a large box with full-height 5.25″ floppy disks. That machine has not evolved into a variety of desktop and tower designs, and of course we now have laptops and notebooks of all shapes and sizes.
We are about to watch as people become aware of new form factors that computers are taking … and Microsoft is again going to lead this revolution. This article outlines what Microsoft is creating for the future … and what they are guiding other companies to develop. I believe that we are going to see more and more “Human Integrated” computing in the near future … and it will surprise a lot of people …
InfoWorld: Microsoft’s Tablet PC a year away. Microsoft’s super thin portable computer, called the Tablet PC, will be available in the second half of 2002, Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates said Tuesday, and the company has begun giving developers the software they need to build applications for the device. [Tomalak’s Realm]
Indoor Location Systems are coming … via 802.11b?
I am truly impressed with this project out of UCLA. It is addressing a very powerful area of “Indoor Location Services” … allowing a user to locate themselves within a building similar to how GPS can tell you your location outdoors.
Ok … so the technology and techniques are quite different, but the capability of locating yourself within a building – accurately – is now becoming a reality. And how are they doing it? With Orinoco 802.11b access points and cards!
This project is using the statistics available from a Orinoco 802.11b wireless card to create a “map” of locations and the associated access point signals detected at those locations. As a user roams around they can create a “fingerprint” of the signals detected at that location. Later, as they roam around the building, the application can tell where they are by the map that they created.
This is very impressive for a number of reasons, and gets me interested in downloading and running this. I’m downloading it now …
But what about privacy when speaking to your devices?
One of the things that I have found using wearable computers and various devices is that there are times that you want privacy. Using voice recognition is difficult in a loud place filled with other conversations and most of the current systems are not the best at discriminating a voice, unless it is by the loudness. There are, in addition, times that I want to be able to interact with my computer privately without others being aware. For example, I might be working on business applications, wanting to call someone and keep the name private, or I might want to be making “notes” to my computer while interacting with another person.
All of these, IMHO, indicate that computer interaction can be by voice, but only for a small segment of the interaction that I want to have.
Speaking of Voice Recognition. Intel, Microsoft and other top technology companies form a group to develop speech-enabled software that will allow communication without pushing buttons. Elisa Batista reports from Mountain View, California. [Wired News]
An Open Source Wearable Computer software project …
This appears to be a cool little project exploring the various UI aspects and human interactions of wearable computers. I’m not quite able to understand some of the objectives yet, however I am going to keep reading … I like the direction of this project.
I also found some very good links and references through this site … I really like Nooface … and I had not heard that Steve Mann had a movie – Cyberman made about his life and his experiences.
jAugment 2.3.134 (Unstable). A software infrastructure for wearable computers. [freshmeat.net]
Why our 80211.net project can rule!
I spoke with Stewart at one of the Telecosm conferences, and we talked about the subject of viable business models. At that point I suggested that both Metricom and Mobilestar were on interesting paths that I could not see sustainable. Both of these organizations have run into extreme trouble. In my opinion Metricom went off track with it’s proprietary solution, and Mobilestar was never going to be able to finance the deployment of an “owned” infrastructure.
My team and I have developed a much different business model … and we are looking to deploy the first tests around the time of the Olympics here in Utah. Keep watching http://www.80211.net
Stewart Alsop: “Wireless rocks! Wireless stinks!”
[Scripting News]