wi-fi

Smaller wireless carriers extend networks via Boingo Wi-Fi

LAS VEGAS -- Wi-Fi network provider Boingo Wireless has struck a deal with the Competitive Carrier Association to help smaller wireless providers leverage Wi-Fi to offload traffic and extend the reach of their networks.

On Tuesday at the CCA's annual conference, Boingo CEO Dave Hagan announced the new partnership and explained the opportunity that Wi-Fi offers all carriers, both large and small. With mobile data usage growing at an exponential rate, carriers are feeling capacity constraints on their networks. And Hagan said that carriers can use Wi-Fi to help alleviate these strains on their networks.

"Large carriers like … Read more

Finding flaws in the iPhone 5

Monday's CNET Update is a bit scratchy:

Apple sold more than 5 million iPhone 5 units as of the first weekend. That's a million more than the launch of the iPhone 4S. But looks like Apple could have sold many more if there was enough supply. Several retail stores in major cities had only 8 or 10, according to reports, and didn't get enough to fulfill preorders.

When you have millions of people around the world racing to be the first to have one, there are high standards. So there's been quite a bit of press … Read more

Some users reporting Wi-Fi issues with iPhone 5

Comments about Wi-Fi issues with the iPhone 5 are beginning to pile up on user forums.

While the cause of the issue is not clear at this stage, a thread on Apple's Support Communities page makes repeated references to Wi-Fi router security settings.

"I deactivate... the WPA2 Personal Wifi Security [on the router] and the iphone started to browse the web normally," wrote one poster identified as C4RLOCO, on the Support Communities forum.

And Apple enthusiast site MacRumors, has its own thread on the topic titled "Painfully slow WiFi on new iPhone 5."

This issue … Read more

AirPlay challenger Miracast launches with Galaxy S3 support

Apple's AirPlay, which wirelessly streams movies and music between devices, has a new competitor.

The Wi-Fi Alliance today announced the launch of Miracast, an industry-standard technology that will let users wirelessly transmit video and images from one device to another. As with Apple's AirPlay, users will be able to send the multimedia from, say, a mobile device to a big-screen television.

According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, a not-for-profit industry association of hundreds of companies, all Miracast products come with Wi-Fi Direct, meaning users won't need a wireless network to transfer the data. In addition, the technology automatically … Read more

Gogo quietly hikes up its in-flight Wi-Fi prices

It's kind of strange timing for Gogo to quietly raise its in-flight Internet prices -- with airplane Wi-Fi usually being frustrating rather than helpful and JetBlue just announcing it's offering it for free -- but according to PandoDaily, the wireless service has upped their costs.

In what used to be $17.95 for Wi-Fi on a long flight on Virgin America now costs at least $30. Because rather than offering a one-time flight pass, Gogo is now charging by the hour. One hour of in-flight wireless costs $10, so a cross-country flight could be about $60. That's … Read more

Fitbit adds Zip to its workout routine

Tuesday's CNET Update has some Zip:

If you geek out over workout and personal fitness technology, then check out the review of the new Fitbit Zip. For $60, this fitness tracker is an advanced pedometer that records calories are burned over time. Progress is displayed on the app, and data is synced to an iPhone via Bluetooth. (Bluetooth syncing not yet available for Android.) Users also earn fitness badges and share progress with friends. The higher-end model is called the Fitbit One, which in addition tracks sleep and has a silent vibrating alarm. That comes out in early October … Read more

Home networking explained, Part 3: Taking control of your wires

Editors' note: This post is part of an ongoing series. For the other parts, check out the related stories.

Now that you have learned about the basics of home networking in Part 1, and how to optimize your Wi-Fi in Part 2, in Part 3, it's time to get your hands dirty and learn how to take control of your network completely.

All home networks start with a network cable. Even if you plan on using all wireless clients, in most cases you will still need at least one cable to connect the wireless router and the broadband modem. … Read more

Koubachi's $99 Wi-Fi plant monitor outsmarts the garden gnome

BERLIN -- If you're the kind of person who worries about Frank the Fern and Gertrude the Geranium while you're on vacation, a $99 cloud-connected plant monitor could be just the thing for you.

That's what start-up Koubachi started selling in May and was showing off here at the IFA consumer-electronics show here. The white, waterproof devices monitor soil moisture, light, and temperature, said David Kurmann, head of marketing and sales.

The white, waterproof device has an ellipsoidal bulb perched atop a spike to poke into the plant's soil. A built-in Wi-Fi module uploads the data, … Read more

Donkeys schlep Wi-Fi into Bible theme park

At the Village of Yore in Northern Israel, visitors can "ride the rolling hills as Abraham rode them" and "take in the scents that Jacob smelled tending Laban's flocks." Thanks to the newly-Wi-Fi-enabled donkeys roaming the grounds of the Bible theme park, they can also partake in that popular second-century activity of uploading photos to Facebook and Twitter.

The park, called Kfar Kedem in Hebrew and located in the Galilee region of Northern Israel, offers a reenactment of ancient Judean life. Visitors can don traditional Rebecca-style robes and headdresses, recline in rustic shepherds' tents, shear sheep, spin wool, and ride donkeys that now double as wireless hot spots. … Read more