8th of November: World Usability Day "Make life easy" 

Swiss UPA, the Swiss chapter of the Usability Professional Association proposes to ease access to free public wireless networks using a specific sign ((o)) that would help users to detect easy to use wireless networks. 

Today, before getting online using a wireless device, users have first to find an user-friendly wireless access point and then try to connect to it.

The user has to detect which wireless networks are available from his location and check if they are public and free of charge. Often wireless network names do not inform the visitor if the access to the network is free or not. The wireless access point might not be protected but once connected users are redirected to a page where they will be invited to purchase access rights.

Swiss UPS also highlight the fact that once connected to a free and public wireless network, it is not uncommon to reach an authentication page before getting access to the Internet. This procedure has 2 main disadvantage:

• Some authentication pages cannot be completed when using a Smartphone or a PDA.
• Some services such email, Instant Messaging, VoIP, etc… do not require the use of a browser and users cannot pass easily through this authentication method.

To make users' life easier, Swiss UPS proposes to include at the beginning of the SSID (Service Set Identifier which broadcasts the name of the wireless network) of public and free wireless networks the  following distinctive sign:  ((0))

Usage of the sign ((o)) is free and open to all individuals, collectivities and organizations which operate a WiFi network respecting  Swiss UPA usability charter.

More about Swiss UPA (in German), UPA International (English) and about World Usability Day

Source: Canard WiFi 

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As mentionned on the 20th of October on this site, the City of Geneva and FON have officially announced a joint project to provide WiFi access to the city’s residents and visitors.

A website FON-Genève has been created and residents willing to share their Internet access are invited to complete the registration form to reserve their Fonera (the FON wireless access point) available soon for collection at the Geneva City Hall.

Geneva FON wireless access point : Live Map 

Let's hope that Internet users will play the game and Geneva will become a real connected city and communes of the canton will soon follow.  

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The world of data storage is constantly moving. With more and more data to store and carry, the market propose some interesting solutions.

Time to upgrade ? 

• What is the capacity of your USB stick already? Patriot Memory proposes a 32GB (150x writting speed) USB key for about 580.- USD.

• Western Digital has released a Scorpio 2.5'' SATA hard drive with 320 GB (transfert 300 MB/s) capacity for 290 USD.
• Harsh living condition? I-O data proposed HDMC a 2.5 x 2.5 cm hard drive with up to 12 GB capacity which is shock and water proof. Price 180 USD.

With the possibility to carry-on such storage capacity (e.g 32GB USB stick) could we imagine to have computers installed only with operating system and let's say "standard application" and let users to connect removable media that contains not only their personal data but as well their user profile as well as their usual software (individual software licence vs. per computer ones) ?

What do you think ?

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