If you're ever looking for free wireless in the Bay Area, and you've got an iPod with you, a project from Bay Area Wireless called wiPod has you covered. It's a listing of all known free points in the region, sorted by city and location, and can be viewed on any iPod (screenshot, direct download).
posted by mathowie on Jul 21, 2004 - 5 comments

Log onto an unsecured wireless LAN, go to jail. This frightening story involves a computer security expert doing a bit of war driving. The fact that he didn't access any of their files, and that they shut down the network instead of simply reading the manual on basic WEP security didn't stop them from claiming $5,000 in damages and bringing charges, with possible fines up to $250k and up to 5 years jail time.
posted by mathowie on Aug 1, 2002 - 12 comments

This article at zdnet is all about how wireless web devices aren't that handy, and how our lives would suck if wireless web access was everywhere. I heartily disagree. I have a wireless 2Mb LAN connection at work and it's liberating (it's possible to code, listen to shoutcast mp3 streams, and check email outside or down at the coffee house next door). My PCS phone is useful too, I can surf a few important websites when I don't have a laptop around, getting news, weather, and email. Wireless access is certainly a Good Thing, and should make our lives easier, but the article's author is blaming the possible deluge of information on wireless, instead of the user. How would a wireless broadband connection make your life better or worse?
posted by mathowie on Feb 1, 2000 - 8 comments

Can someone please tell me why X10.com has such warm and fuzzy 'family' style pages to describe their wireless camera, but their ads look like they are promoting cameras for the sole purpose of catching beautiful women on screen? Are they promoting hidden cameras in bathrooms, changing stalls, and other privacy-robbing public places? Why the descrepency between their advertising and their site?
posted by mathowie on Jan 4, 2000 - 3 comments

Is it wrong to love a machine? I'm writing this from my employer's new Toshiba ultra portable laptop which also happens to be using the wireless LAN. There's nothing quite like wandering around with a 4 pound, 1 inch thick pentium II 366 that's network enabled.
posted by mathowie on Jul 29, 1999 - 0 comments