A report from Burton Group suggests that new emerging standard of wireless network (WLAN / WiFi) 802.11n (Mimo) will start replacing wired Ethernet 802.3 networks within the next 2-3 years as it improves throughput and range compared to actual 802.11 b/g.

IT senior analyst Paul DeBasi goes even further and says "IT professionals should start thinking now about how they will deploy, maintain and benefit from an all-wireless LAN."

This is a joke isn't it ? Even if I'm a fervent of wireless technology, I simply cannot imagine how wireless networks will replace actual wired networks. Here are the main reasons:

• Bandwidth: With 802.11n the maximum theoretical throughput (using 2 steams) will be 248 Mbps meanwhile Ethernet 802.3an (2006) already provides 10Gbps and next IEEE study group target is 802.3ba with both 40 and 100Gbps. I don't even speak about signal attenuation releated to distance and obstacles.

• Frequency spectum 2.4 GHz & 5GHz are very narrow and number of available channels are limited. So maintaining high speed links, large number of clients without facing frequency overlaps and other electro-magnetic interferences seems very unlikely.
• Electro-smog: With 802.11n the range covered will be larger but this will have undoubtedly have a negative impact on performance and signal strength specially when using ISM 2.4 GHz spectrum in a wireless crowed environment.
• VoWLAN capacity: Several studies have been done to determine, how many simultaneous calls one AP can handle. The number of simultaneous calls is 15 before observed speech quality is lowered via increased delay. (I assume the study also get rid of telephone wires).
• A "wireless only" corporate office means that PBX system also have to rely on wireless network, otherwise it would be complete non-sense to pull wire only for telephone and use wireless connectivity for computers.

Is this report a hoax or do they, at the Burton Group, have some enlighten prophets?

Source: ZDNet
Full report is available here (sign-in required)

Tags: 2007, 24, 802.11, art, ATT, blog, bt, capacity, ces, computer, computers, connectivity, CTU, delay, distance, ethernet, HP, ia, im, Impact, King, lan, light, MIT, network, nomadcom.net, phone, project, prophet, space, study, technology, Telecommunications, term, white paper, wifi, wireless, wlan, wp, www

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

HTC S710 is one of the first Windows Mobile® 6 devices to ship, and will be followed by a range of products based on the new operating system in the coming months.

In addition european owner of HTC recently launched “messaging” products such as the HTC Advantage, the HTC TyTN, the HTC S620, the HTC P4350 as well as the HTC P3300 will also benefits of Windows Mobile 6 as they are entitled to free Windows Mobile 6 upgrade.

The upgrade will also be available for some of HTC operator-branded devices. 

The upgrades will be rolled out from June, in line with HTC operator partners’ strategies and will be available for download at: http://downloads.europe.htc.com.

Sources: HTC Europe,  Coolsmartphone

 

Tags: 2007, art, blog, ces, europe, free, htc, HTC Advantage, im, lan, launch, LED, messaging device, microsoft, mobile, Mobile Communications, nomadcom.net, P3300, P4350, pda, PDF, phone, press, prophet, S620, S710, smartphone, space, TyTN, upgrade, windows, windows mobile 6, WM6, wp, www