Editor’s Notice: RCR Wi-fi Information goes all in for “Throwback Thursdays,” tapping into our archives to resuscitate the highest headlines from the previous. Hearth up the time machine, placed on these sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and benefit from the reminiscences!
Texting is the recent new development
Whether or not you’re searching for real love or digital love-or merely need to play hooky from work-your cell phone may help. Whereas handset producers and carriers are scrambling to make space-age cell units that double as on-the-go leisure facilities, savvy wi-fi customers are utilizing telephones for a decidedly old school objective: to satisfy individuals who share a typical curiosity. Even when the widespread curiosity entails, say, dishonest on a lover. That’s the concept behind the “alibi and excuse membership,” a textual content message-based community of seven,500 wi-fi customers who present alibis and excuses for fellow members. A married man who’s late coming dwelling from work, as an example, will solicit assist by way of a textual content message, then organize for somebody to name his spouse, pose as his boss, and clarify his tardiness. The membership is only one of about 150,000 such cliques which were created at Sms.ac, in response to Greg Wilfahrt, govt vp and co-founder. Membership subjects vary from the plain (flirting and sports activities) to the political (George Bush for president) to the inexplicable (Followers of Vanilla Ice, a membership with 18,000 members primarily based in Romania). The recognition of quick message service has been huge in Asia and Europe for years, however solely not too long ago have American customers warmed to textual content messaging. And what’s driving it’s merely a necessity for folks to attach with like-minded wi-fi customers. “I believe it’s one of many main traits,” mentioned Scott Ellison, program director of wi-fi and cell communications for IDC. “We’ve gone from voice communications to messaging to now forming communities” by way of wi-fi units. Certainly, a latest ballot by The Yankee Group exhibits 63 p.c of wi-fi customers have the flexibility to ship and obtain textual content messages-up from simply 27 p.c final yr. And youths are among the many most lively customers, sending or receiving a median of 10 textual content messages each week. … Learn extra
Fingerprint recognition involves cell telephones
Nonetheless sounding like one thing from a sci-fi flick, fingerprint-recognition expertise is coming to fruition within the wi-fi enviornment, with funding from high expertise corporations pushing alongside product improvement and launches. AuthenTec Inc., which develops biometric fingerprint sensors and fingerprint algorithms, has watched demand for its product develop up to now yr. Up to now, the corporate has shipped a number of million fingerprint sensors, that are about one-third the scale of a paper clip, into cell telephones in Japan and Korea, mentioned Steve Mansfield, AuthenTec’s vp of promoting. NTT DoCoMo’s 505 collection telephones, which launched a yr in the past, embody AuthenTec fingerprint sensors, as do the three newer variations of the system launched since then. By the top of 2004, AuthenTec expects to have greater than 3-percent marketshare penetration in Japan. “That’s fairly spectacular for a begin up firm right here in Melbourne, Fla.,” mentioned Mansfield. The non-public, venture-backed firm, 55-employees robust, has raised $65 million in non-public enterprise cash. Its funding rounds have been led by expertise buyers together with Texas Devices Inc., Sierra Ventures and Carlyle Enterprise Companions. … Learn extra
Earthlink will get a BlackBerry
Web Service Supplier EarthLink has added wi-fi voice supplier to its resume with the discharge of the all-in-one coloration BlackBerry 7750 Wi-fi Handheld with wi-fi voice and e-mail service. The system works as a cellphone, e-mail system and Web entry system. Will probably be offered, supported and provisioned by EarthLink. “By including voice to our rising checklist of applications-including e-mail, wi-fi Web entry and attachment viewing-EarthLink turns into the primary ISP to supply a complete wi-fi knowledge and voice answer,” mentioned Brent Cobb, vp of EarthLink Wi-fi. “Past giving cell professionals the advantages of an EarthLink expertise when they’re away type the office-including blocking nearly all spam from reaching the handheld-offering the BlackBerry 7750 is a crucial early step in our total technique to broaden our voice and knowledge choices and develop into a whole communications supplier,” mentioned Cobb. EarthLink Wi-fi will supply limitless knowledge plans beginning at $40 per thirty days and can promote 500 anytime minutes with no roaming charges and free night time and weekend calling for an extra $40 per thirty days. … Learn extra
APAC surpasses North America as largest cell market
GENEVA-The Asia-Pacific area continues to point out robust telecommunication market development, in response to analysis from the Worldwide Telecommunication Union, which kicked off ITU Telecom Asia 2004 in Busan, Korea, this week. The group discovered that development charges for cell subscribers, fastened strains and Web customers through the previous few years have soared in various nations throughout the area. Cell subscriber numbers rocketed by 31 p.c per yr between 2000 and 2003 to succeed in 560 million-overtaking North America because the world’s largest market. … Learn extra
Crown Fort sells UK towers, considers shopping for Dash websites
As anticipated, Crown Fort Worldwide Corp. accomplished the sale of its U.Ok. subsidiary, together with 3,600 tower websites, to British utility firm Nationwide Grid Transco plc for $2.035 billion in money. Upon completion, Crown used $1.3 billion of the proceeds from the transaction to totally repay the credit score facility of its restricted group working firm. Earlier this summer season, when it introduced the pending sale, Crown mentioned bond indentures require it to maneuver the remaining $740 million in proceeds inside 12 months. Ben Moreland, Crown’s chief monetary officer, emphasised the corporate will stay prudent about the place it invests these proceeds, indicating they possible can be used to repay debt, fund a share repurchase, pay down dividends or to presumably put money into new U.S. enterprise alternatives. The lump of money may put Crown within the working to purchase Dash Corp.’s 6,300-strong tower portfolio, presently being reviewed by gamers throughout the trade and by different buyers. The towers, which analysts say may promote for as a lot as $1 billion, would return Crown to the No. 1 ranked tower firm, a spot it misplaced to American Tower Corp. with the U.Ok. sale. American Tower owns 13,219 towers. … Learn extra
Try the RCR Wi-fi Information Archives for extra tales from the previous.
