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March 9, 2003
Wireless
I want some Miss America/World/Universe contestant to say that her dream for a better world is ubiquitous high-speed wireless service across the globe. I'd vote for her in a second.
Wireless networking is just about the best thing since...um...home broadband access. If you don't have some flavor of Wi-Fi in your home or workplace or your local coffee shop, you are missing out on a truly amazing experience. This technology has gotten so cheap now that there's nearly no cost-based reason to wire a home for a LAN. Security? Sure, wired is safer. Speed? Sure, wired is faster, but with 802.11g hardware now available, the speed differential isn't likely to matter to most folks. Simplicity? Sure, wired is easier, but the gap is shrinking pretty quickly as new Wi-Fi hardware and OS's become better able to lead even the most thick-headed novice through setup in a few minutes.
What I don't understand is why more mobile devices don't have some form of wireless built in. Laptops surely have jumped on the bandwagon, with nearly every manufacturer offering built-in Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth in many models. Some Pocket PC PDAs, like the Toshiba e740 and the iPaq h5450 also have Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth as part of the hardware. So what the heck is keeping Palm OS device makers from doing the same thing? Sure, Sony has a Compactflash Wi-Fi card with proprietary drivers for its NX and NZ lines, and HandEra has long since offered Wi-Fi drivers for its PDAs, but if you want Wi-Fi, that's it. A few SecureDigital Wi-Fi adapters were announced at CES 2003, but so far none have made it to shelves. The Palm Tungsten T has integrated Bluetooth, but so far, I've yet to find any evidence that Bluetooth is being heavily used for anything on any widespread basis. So, if you're a Palm OS devotee, your options are limited to add-on cards. Why can't somebody release a device with Wi-Fi built in??? OK, enough ranting.
The other prominent option for wireless data is over a cellular network, and the options for devices like this have exploded recently. For example, in my household, we have both a Treo 270 from Handspring and a Kyocera 7135. These are pretty amazing devices for different reasons. The Treo acts and feels very much like a wireless PDA with secondary voice functionality, whereas the 7135 feels like a cellular phone with PDA capabilities grafted on. When people see them, they react in two ways: PDA users like the Treo and phone people like the 7135. I like both...a lot, and more so every day I use them. More on them another time.
To sum up, wireless is good and more device makers need to realize that some form of wireless is almost necessary from this point on, at least in mid- and upper-range devices. Let's hope that's not news to anyone making decisions in any consumer electronics firms.
Comments
And to think it was just a couple of years ago that you snubbed your nose at my insistence that you try out a WLAN.
"I have no need to move around with a wireless laptop!"
"Lori would kill me if I brought a laptop to bed with me!"
There is hope for you yet. :-)
Posted by: Mitch at April 16, 2003 3:51 PM
Well, way back when we had that conversation, I think that was true -- my need for a WLAN was nearly nil. I was living in a place so small that I could nearly type on the keyboard in my office while sitting in my bedroom. In our new place, I was faced with either hard-wiring up and down over 3 floors -OR- setting up a WLAN. Obviously, the latter is a much better choice in that situation. I also think Lori has decided that she'd rather have me typing next to her in bed than typing in another room -- now that's love, man! :-D
Posted by: Craig at April 16, 2003 5:26 PM
Until you really screw up and say something like, "Honey, can you like...move? Your breast is blocking the shift key."
Then you're sleeping with Bailey!
:-)
Posted by: Mitch at April 17, 2003 1:47 PM