Challis Hodge’s UXblog

In many neighborhoods, one Wi-Fi connection can provide broadband service to several homes. Why pay more? Is Wi-Fi the next big giveaway? In some cities, “war (wireless access revolution) driving” - driving around with a laptop and Wi-Fi detection technology to identify hot spots - is a favorite pastime of geeks with too much time on their hands and a full tank of gas. Once a hot spot is found, it is marked - warchalked - on a sidewalk or building with a special symbol that lets others know that a Wi-Fi signal is there for the tapping.

The Girl Scouts National Board of Directors adopted an online sales policy that reads in part: “Sales on a Web site on the Internet of any products sold in ‘council-sponsored product sales,’ such as Girl Scout cookies, candy, nuts, calendars or magazine subscriptions, may not be conducted by anyone at anytime.” Online auction sales are specifically mentioned as a no-no.

Unproven technology is seeing its first action as the U.S. Army outfits soldiers with latest computers and telecom devices.

In early March, Pentagon analyst Franklin C. Spinney received a troubling e-mail from a U.S. Army captain in Kuwait. In the missive, which Spinney published on a Web site devoted to defense issues, the captain expressed fears about a “logistics nightmare” in a war with Iraq.

At issue: new communications and computer technology that, for the first time ever, the infantry has installed in many of its tanks and armored vehicles. The captain, who requested anonymity, wrote that some of the technology was buggy. Worse, in some cases it was incompatible. “I cannot overstate the seriousness of the problem,” he wrote. “This will slow down and confuse…decision-making.”

Apple Computer Wednesday said it has elected Al Gore Jr., former Vice President of the United States, to its board of directors.

Motorola will unveil a portfolio of connected home broadband products at the CeBIT 2003 trade show including wireless cable modem gateways, digital set-top boxes, telephony and home networking products. Motorola will preview its Simplefi wireless digital audio receiver at the show. Simplefi enables consumers to wirelessly send MP3s and Internet audio from home computers to stereo systems. The company will also introduce the SBG900, based on the SBG1000, which provides different features and functions to meet a variety of consumer home networking needs. In addition, Motorola will offer two platforms (802.11b and 802.11g) for wireless home networking devices.

In a related story, Gartner recently warned against the purchasing of 802.11g based products.

The real future of technology rests on the concept of standardizing human language, not computer programs. And that puts the customer in total control. Consider that two of the most significant Next Big Thing concepts on the Web today are Web services and semantic applications. Both are potentially major advances in the way IT is used. However, the transition from Web Services to truly semantic applications will mark a major handoff between the supplier- and customer-driven worlds. For the first time, the establishment of major new computer capabilities is becoming primarily a customer responsibility.

Federal agents routinely seize property allegedly used in the commission of a crime, anything from a drug dealer’s car or speedboat to a hacker’s computer. In a series of raids in recent weeks, the Justice Department has extended such grabs to property that might seem esoteric but worry civil libertarians — Internet domain names.

For those of you who are interested in trend watching and futurism, the convergence of peer-to-peer and grid computing should be followed closely. When combined, these two technologies offer some very powerful opportunities.