The state of Wi-Fi; Linux to Unseat Unix?; more

The state of Wi-Fi The spread of Wi-Fi, alternatively known as AirPort and IEEE 802.11, is the subject of a CNET report citing an analyst's projection that annual worldwide shipments of Wi-Fi equipment to reach 33 million units in 2006, up from 6 million expected to ship this year. "Gemma Paulo, an In-Stat/MDR analyst, said that the competing 802.11a and 802.11b standards may initially confuse the market, but the emergence of products that can support both standards will help broaden acceptance." More.

Linux to unseat UNIX? ZDNN quotes a Butler Group report, which predicts that Linux will be the major server operating system by 2009, at the expense of proprietary Unix operating systems from HP, IBM and Sun. The report also also backs Microsoft's .Net Web services framework as a long-term winner. More.

One Charger, Many Devices Wired News reports on the startup Splashpower, which has developed a prototype electromagnetic chip that can be embedded in any device that requires charging such as a PDA or cell phone. The second component of the product, which Splashpower is in the process of shopping around to manufacturers, is a pad that can be laid anywhere. The pad needs a power outlet to work, but it eliminates the necessity of custom cradles and cables to charge multiple devices. More.

Yesterday we noted: Troubleshooting QuickTime 6.0.2: USB Microphone Oddities, Power Mac G4 Mirrored Drive Door Fan Noise: Motherboard Flaw?, Troubleshooting SuperDrive Firmware Update

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