How Wi-Fi phones threaten 3G investment, the evil of the Coolwebsearch spyware, and the Moon mystery
This week’s Science and Technology pages are online from The Independent: I’ve written about how Cambridge Silicon Radio’s development of a Wi-Fi chip for mobile phones threatens 3G operators, who will have to learn to love them; Michael Pollitt on the accursed spyware known as ‘Coolwebsearch’; and in science, Marcus Chown on the mystery of where the object that hit the Earth before the Moon formed came from.
More science and technology at Science and Technology news and features.
- These posts might be related (the database thinks..):
- Nope, still no viruses on Mac OSX (despite Opener) (26 October 2004; score: 44.03%)
- Forget the chicken flu pandemic, what about the cough+cold epidemic? (14 March 2005; score: 41.76%)
- Spyware: it's just *everywhere* (2 March 2005; score: 40.21%)
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November 17th, 2004 at 1:41 pm
Those Cambridge guys are going to be my heroes. WiFi chips for mobile phones? You know what that means? WiFi iPod! Ooooh yeah!
November 17th, 2004 at 2:15 pm
Actually, you’re right. Interesting: because the CSR Wi-Fi chip does its own MAC (Media Access Controller), which negotiates over what packets to send when, it isn’t really appropriate for use in computers that have their own MAC onboard.
But the iPod doesn’t have MAC, so the CSR chip could bring that. If, that is, CSR would be able to meet the demand for millions of iPods per quarter. I forgot to ask them if they had any American clients..
November 17th, 2004 at 3:04 pm
Well, if they want volunteers, I think I’d be willing to do a few 17 hour shifts at the plant if it’ll result in ‘WiPods’. (Can I copyright that phrase? Probably not.)
November 17th, 2004 at 3:21 pm
Well, MAC will naturally be included in the CSR chip- it’s a fundamental part of the specifications of a network adapter, it would be useless without one; like a motorway with no junctions (sorry for Yet Another Car Analogy :) ). Computers can have as many MACs as they want; there’s one for every network adapter- a wifi card has one, and an ethernet adapter another, no probs.
The WiPod (buzzword courtesy of Arstechnica.com) is kind of interesting; but the main use of it will be as a mini client to a mac or glorified remote control, really- 54Mb a sec, in reality much less, is no threat to simply whacking in a firewire cable for 400Mb a sec.
The other point to note is really that it’s a nice evolution of technology rather a revolution; a 2/3 chip bodge could be done with current products; witness the handset with Wifi Built in about to be releaseed in Japan. Still, the elegance, efficiency and cost of a one chip solution means it will be much more readily uptaken.
November 17th, 2004 at 5:17 pm
I believe Apple have already been asking for WiFi experts to work in their iPod division…
November 30th, 2004 at 10:07 am
Vodafone have just unleashed theior marketing budget onto the whole 3G ‘vs’ Wi-Fi argument. New ads in all main tech titles picking on hotspots in coffee shops - though Vodafone are not that daft they don’t give users the option to go wia wireless LAN or 3G in such situations. which thankfully would suggest they are now know that the technologies will have to co-exist, even if for the short term only.
February 8th, 2006 at 3:40 pm
Ooh, comment resurrection. ArsTechnica have word that Cambridge Silicon Radio - who you’ve written about before a couple of times - are partnering with PortalPlayer AKA the iPod chipset making company. Good example of a small British companies growth and success, if true.
Links:
http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2006/2/8/2804
http://www.reghardware.com/2006/02/08/portalplayer_wireless_ipod_chip/