Jan 29 2008 6:26PM GMT
Posted by: Tony Bradley
Internet2,
Mobile,
802.11,
BlackBerry,
iPhone,
Mobile device,
wi-fi,
WiMax,
Wireless,
Broadband
At some point in the future, maybe the next generation will simply see the rate of evolution of technology as a given. A normal way of life. On a day to day basis, I don’t think that much about it, but when I look back and realize just how much has been invented, and developed in just the past 10 or 15 years, and the rate that technology changes, it is somewhat mind-boggling. It wasn’t that long ago that 56Kbps modems were considered to be blazing fast. But, the extent of most users access to the Internet was from their employer’s network, or via dial-up on a 56k modem from home. Now, there are still some stubborn stragglers using dial-up, but broadband access with 24/7 connectivity is becoming the norm instead of the exception for home users. Notebook computer sales, even for consumers, have skyrocketed. Cell phones are PDA’s and mini-computers all rolled into one. From my cell phone, I can surf the Web, look up a phone number, click the linked phone number, and automatically initiate a call. While I used to have to be in my home or at my office desk to access the Internet, now I can access the Internet from almost anything and almost anywhere. This article from Computerworld takes a mort in-depth look at the trend of “hyperconnectivity” and what it means for the future of technology and communications.
Aug 29 2007 7:48AM GMT
Posted by: Tony Bradley
Cisco,
Networking,
wi-fi,
Wireless,
Apple,
iPhone,
Duke University
The iPhone had already developed a fanatic, cult-like following before it was even released. Although there are some shortcomings (lack of 3G wireless being a big one), that popularity has just grown since its release. However, the Apple iPhone evangelists were dealt a setback last week…or so it seemed. Duke University experienced a failure of its wireless network which it quickly blamed on the iPhone. The claim was that the iPhones being used on campus flooded the wireless access points with ping requests in an endless attempt to find a connection point. Unfortunately for Duke University and Cisco, the rush to judgment to blame the iPhone was apparently premature. Upon further investigation, it was an error within the Cisco networking hardware that caused the problem. Duke and Cisco have put a fix in place and resolved the issue, but have not revealed what exactly the root cause was or what the fix does. For more details on the Duke University iPhone issue, read this Computerworld.com article.
