Several useful high level articles on WiFi and related issues at ACM's Queue online zine. A good short tutorial on self-healing routing, and an overview of Open Spectrum. Jump to home page for several more, plus other topics. An e-zine with potential.

Thanks to Rob Berger, who authored the Open Spectrum piece.
3:40:29 PM    

Lessig blogs and ignites discussion of a story that comes around periodically: efforts by retailers and other venues to curtail customer use of cameras on premises. They're within their rights - it's private property. But is there any question how this one will eventually end? Lessee:

• WiFi spots popping up at coffee shops, especially Starbux. Soon to be competitively necessary amenity for any hangout location.
• Digicam enabled 'sha-mail' mobiles soon 100% share of selling edge in Japan and Korea. Coming eventually to a carrier near you, no matter how clue challenged. Showing up first with the high-spending young adults that - um - every retailer wants.
• Dual moding WiFi mobiles not too much further away. VoIP adds more possible value to hotspots (tariff avoidance).
• Image sensor costs dropping like a rock, ditto WiFi PHY/MAC chips. Coming to a PDA/iPOD/laptop/digicam/whoknows mutant device near you soon.

And they're going to continue keeping this out of venues how??? Jammers? Time to get ahead of the issue before it becomes a bigger embarrassment. And if a merchandising strategy is really based on some expectation of privacy against customers, take it out to the junkheap along with the fools who are still clutching that straw.

Update: Cory has more on the story at BoingBoing. Flacks claiming there is 'no policy' for non-media photo taking, which may mean it's effectively in store managers' hands. And exactly how do you sort out the media from the bloggers from the just-plain-folks?
3:21:27 PM