Fifty years ago, the soviet union launched into space a 58.5 centimeters and 83 kilos shiny aluminum sphere equipped with 4 long antennas and 2 radio transceivers.

Sputnik-1 (Спутник-1 / Satellite-1), the first artificial satellite, had triggered what would be called later, "the US vs. USSR Space Race". It orbited 1440 times at 250 kms above Earth surface during 3 months transmitting radio signals on 20 & 40 MHz.

This single event launched new political, military, technological, and scientific developments. The Space Era was born.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Sources: Wikipedia, Nasa.

Tags: 2007, 50 years, antenna, art, artificial, blog, ces, development, event, History, ia, im, lan, launch, LED, MIT, nasa, nomadcom.net, satellite, soviet, space, spoutnik, sputnik, story, telecom, Telecommunications, ussr, wp

Yet another post about Apple iPhone, even if, as most of people, I haven't seen it yet. However, reading some articles about this "famous" iphone (11'000 print articles and 69 millions hits on Google in the last six months according the New York Times. 

I find very surprising that following support or services (according Presse-Citron review) will not be available on the, soon to be release, first Apple iphone :

Games (ok, perhaps it's a professional tool)

Office document editor (ok it's not a Microsoft product)

Cut-Paste function 

Memory extension slots (is it why there are 2 models of iphone ?)

MP3 ringtones (iTunes don't sell ringtones)

A2DP support for stereo bluetooth headset

Push Mail (ok, perhaps it's not a professional tool)

GPS

Flash & Java support (not sure you can even display Apple website pages)

Instant Messenging

MMS

Voice recognition 

Video capture

Camera zoom and flash

and there is even worst

Audio jack is not a 3.5mm standard. An adapter is needed if you want to use your iPod headphones.

Not 3G network compatible (UMTS, HSDPA, etc..)

Battery cannot be remove (no way to carry a spare one)

No built-in WiFi. (my mistake)
 

Without 3G, Web browsing with the iPhone will be an experience..if you're patient enough and unlucky enough to not find a WiFi hotspot close by!

and last but not least, the antenna is located at the bottom of the phone, right there were your hand holds the phone. This will surely helps a lot when the signal is weak.

Cherry on top of the cake, iPhone will be available only with a 24 months operator's subscription and its price tag is above 500 USD. Even without seeing it live, the so much expected iPhone will not replace my HTC 620.

Sources : Pogue's iPhone Tour & Presse-Citron 

Tags: 2007, 24, antenna, apple, art, ATT, blog, camera, ces, editor, find, flash, fon, Fun, game, google, htc, im, iphone, ipod, ITU, lan, live, memory, microsoft, Mobile Communications, models, network, new york times, nomadcom.net, nyt, phone, phones, post, press, prophet, release, review, S620, services, smartphone, space, spare, technology, Telecommunications, video, web, website, wifi, wp, www, XP

In Geneva, Switzerland, there are several projects more or less on tracks with a unique goal…providing Wireless Internet Access city-wide:

• Pour une capitale des télécommunications à la pointe du sans-fil . Under discussion at the City Council. Answer expected during Summer 07.

• Swisswifi is awaiting a political green light to go ahead with a commercial version providing access to up to 90% of the canton's population by installing 3500 antennas on public transports & traffic lights infrastructures.
• L'Esprit de Genève an association created on July 1, 2004 has for objective to give a new image and redynamise the relationship between Geneva and its citizens, which has already mapped Geneva's Wifi Free Access points has launched a project named GEspot that develops a free communication infrastructure in order to offer to Geneva's citizens and visitors free wireless access to the Internet.

  Unlike FON (a semi-open internet community), access to GESpots' wireless access points is totally free. Owners of GESpot access points can turn them on/off as they wish (keeping access point ON 24/24h is a mandatory requirement with FON).On their side, GEspot sells ready to connect Wifi Terminals (Linksys WRT54GL at 105.- USD) and ensures the automatic referencing of all the terminals in free access. Visitors using the WiFi access will find this facility as soon as they are connected to www.gespot.ch

If none of these projects work, the historical telecom operator, Swisscom, still proposes Internet access through its WLAN Hotspots (check prices first !) and of course its GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA network (check prices first). 

As I'm not anymore a resident, but a Geneva's visitor, I hope to see such projects to become reality soon.   

 

Sources : Largeur.com &  Dubuc's blog

 

Tags: 2007, 24, 24H, access, antenna, api, arc, art, blog, capital, ces, citizen, communication, community, CTU, esprit de geneve, find, fon, fonera, free, geneva, geneve, gespot, green, HP, ia, im, install, internet, internet access, lan, launch, light, map, MIT, mobile, Mobile Communications, network, nomadcom.net, On The Road, population, project, public, sco, space, swiss, swisscom, swisswifi, switzerland, telecom, term, traffic, wifi, wireless, wlan, wp, www, XP