Andrew Diddel Blog 3, 11/1/10
IS 251, Tallon
As the typical technology-using American needs to be connected to the Web at almost any hour of the day, it is about time that somebody simplified the process and came up with plenty of opportunities for mobile hotspots. The newest improvements in Wi-Fi allow consumers to experience the benefits of wireless connectivity, while minimizing hassles and inconveniences. Olga Kharif’s article, Wi-Fi Is About to Get a Whole Lot Easier, readers can learn how hundreds of companies including Intel, Cisco Systems, and Apple, have formed an alliance to create wireless Web connections through mobile “phones, computers, TV’s and gaming consoles”.
In the fast-paced, and competitive economic and academic fields that we live in, preparation for all encounters and opportunities is key. In these fields, these encounters may be emails from professors or employers regarding meetings, criteria for assessments or interviews, etc. Having constant, wireless Web access would help achieve a very strong competitive advantage for those who are up to date with this technology, called Wi-Fi Direct. This is the type of equipment that can drastically increase one’s capabilities for business on the go, but can also bring much needed convenience to the Internet needs of a less-mobile customer. With the new chips made by Marvell, “‘The IT department doesn’t have to set up an access point’ says Victoria Fodale, a senior analyst at In-Stat.”[i] With the Internet accessible through a cell phone in one’s pocket, the TV or game console in the next room, or even within the computer itself, Wi-Fi Direct’s complex capabilities are bringing simplicity and connectivity to almost anyone.
After reading through this article, one’s initial reaction might suggest that Olga Kharif’s analysis of the Wi-Fi Alliance and that Wi-Fi Direct is nothing special, as the same capabilities can be achieved through current Wi-Fi technology. One supporting argument might bring up the current state of security with Wi-Fi Direct. According to Ced Kurtz’s article, Wi-Fi Direct – Wi-Fi Without the Net, a router is still necessary for ideal, day-to-day operations with Wi-Fi Direct. This is because of the lack of firewall protection and other network management tools (Kurtz). Other critics might question the reliability of cell-phones in the Wi-Fi Direct Alliance. “Some devices may have only one-to-one connectivity and lack the ability to be an access point.”[ii] However, according to Kharif, the cell-phones are not estimated to be an issue, as Wi-Fi –enabled phones are expected to rise from 64.9 million last year, to 314 million by 2013.
Just like with these statistics, Olga Kharif is usually very reliable when it comes to presentation of facts, and writing a piece that thoroughly covers the issue as a whole. However, as a reader, I was a bit disappointed by this article. Kharif gave a good idea of what the Wi-Fi Direct technology is able to do, but she did not go in-depth into the flaws of the product, or any of the issues that should be brought to consideration for the user. After further research, especially through the information found in Ced Kurtz’s article, I was very convinced about Wi-Fi Direct and how it can connect a phone, to something like a computer, or to a printer/scanner, or to a TV. However, I think that Olga Kharif might have left out a bit of necessary information on the day-to-day uses of Wi-Fi Direct for the average consumer.
No comments:
Post a Comment