Confusion in Wireless Home Networking
2.4 GHz (802.11b, 802.11g, and Bluetooth) 5 GHz (802.11a) Dual band (a & b) looks like a winner Look for repeaters to be released soon What do you need? (Firewall, Router, AP)
Confusion in HDTV may get better soon
Screens (Format, size, technology) ? Standard are stable Tuners (Receivers, Cable Boxes) ? Finally some standards here Agreement between Consumer Electronics Association and National Cable and Telecommunications Association will mean cable-ready HDTVs will be plug-and-play If set-top box is required it will attached through a digital video interface connector (DVI) Firewire (IEEE 1394) will connect to TV and DVD recorder
Audio (Surround Sound) ? Standards are stable
Recording Devices (DVD) ? Standards are evolving
Broadband Telecom Rules May Change
Powell set to loosen regulations for Baby Bells to share lines in order to get into broadband Hollings no longer Chair of Senate Commerce Committee (a vocal critic of Powell) New chair in John McCain (a Powell supporter)
Cocaine, Inc Goes High Tech
Cali Colombian Drug Cartel found using an $1.5M IBM AS400 Mainframe eight years ago Business intelligence software to correlate phone calls on employees to key government and enforcemenet officials Sophisticated supply chain management software now in use Mapping of radar patterns to plan flight paths Latest encryption techniques for distributed computing currently used for communications network Reverse auctions to launder money uses the latest e-business technology
Internet was officially born 20 years ago
January 1, 1983 the 400 computers hooked to the ARPANet were switched to TCP/IP TPC/IP, the protocol, was conceived 33 years ago in an ARPA research contract
TeleSea to Launch Wi-Fi for Networks
Reston Based Firm Wi-Fi for major ports Cruise lines to pay $500/month for access
Microsoft Ordered to Carry Java
Must include Sun Java Virtual Machine Rather than only Microsoft?s version (which Sun says in not fully compatible)
Cloistered Nun Find Computer Vocation
Sister Marie Bernardina One of 14 nuns cloistered at Carmel of Port Tobacco Monastery 37 year old nun is Web Mistress of ICS Publications Publishes works from Institute of Carmelite Studies in Washington Convent also does Data Processing work for the Archdioceses of Washington Sister Marie Bernardina spends two hours per day on the computer
Rat-Brained Robot
Steve Potter of Georgia Tech combines electronics and neurons Placed a droplet of solution containing thousands of rat neurons onto silicon chip Chip is embedded with 60 electrodes connected to an amplifier Robot sends signals back to the neurons for training Trying to develop concepts for self-healing computers
Holiday e-Commerce up 40 Percent (BizRate)
Computer hardware top selling ($6.24B, up 50%) Electronics ($2.54B, up 38%) Entertainment ($1.72B, up 61% Apparel ($1.61B, up 10%)
Predictions for 2003 (from Canoe News)
Death of CD-ROM Instant Message for Business More Linux in Business Web Access Prices to Go Up Wireless to Continue Strong (not as standalone 802.11b) Law enforcement information database sharing will be up
Stupid Move of the Year
In July, Flooz.com sells $1000 of Flooz currency for $800 to AmEx holders Suspends offer one month later Declared backruptcy in November (Flooz currency now worth nothing) Listed as Numbers 5 & 6 in 101 Dumbest Moments in Business
IRS Expands Internet Usage
You can e-file and e-pay your taxes You can?t e-scape your taxes
Stratford News
Grad Program Review Undergrad Program Review Next Start January 6th