Sprint and Samsung today announced that its joint-venture wireless infrastructure, better known as WiMAX, is ready for service. This comes after years of scrutiny against Sprint for basically fucking everything up along the way. Still, mistakes aside, WiMAX looks to bring a new generation of high-bandwidth web surfing to our laptops.

Have you missed out on WiMAX news in the past? Not sure what it is? This little bit from Wikipedia explains it wisely:

WiMAX, the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a telecommunications technology aimed at providing wireless data over long distances in a variety of ways, from point-to-point links to full mobile cellular type access. It is based on the IEEE 802.16 standard, which is also called WirelessMAN. The name “WiMAX” was created by the WiMAX Forum, which was formed in June 2001 to promote conformance and interoperability of the standard. The forum describes WiMAX as “a standards-based technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL” (and also to HSPA).

With speeds up to 70 Mbps and Siemens announcing the SE680 WiMAX Modem, 2008 and 2009 are gearing up to be the year for broadband access across multiple devices. It’s only a matter of time before someone starts sniffing out WiMAX networks and breaking their encryption.

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If you’re driving any car that’s older than ‘96 (like myself), then chances are you’re living in the past and sporting a cassette stereo system. Well, instead of bumping to your Ace of Base mix tape from  1993, you could always go wireless with the Flexii Bluetooth Cassette Adapter.

Who would’ve thought? A cassette tape capable of Bluetooth technology. The adapter connects with Bluetooth cell phone or other Bluetooth-enabled devices such as mp3 players, PDAs or a PC. You can even receive phone calls via car radio and enjoy high quality music over the stereo, as well as receive phone calls hands free. Groovy.

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Live in pixelated New York, use T-Mobile and own a UMTS-enabled device unlike your dinky F1 phone? Starting tomorrow, Big-T is rolling out its long overdue 3G network in the US. NYC is the first city to get it and as you can read on this employee e-mail sent to T-Mobile stores across the US. Bitchin’ data transfer speeds, bitchin’ reception. This is the T-Mobile you’ll know as of tomorrow.

Other cities due for a 3G rollout? Austin, Las Vegas, Minneapolis and Miami all make the cut, though no specific dates are given.

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Unsecured networks, get ready for your worst nightmare (if you imagine this said in the voice of the movie trailer voice-over guy it’s much more funny.) No signal is safe from… The WiFi Predator.

The Predator is basically a modified wireless router connected to a high powered antennae, which runs off of a custom honed firmware, scoping out Wifi signals from a distance, and tapping into any unsecured wireless connections. If more than one signal is found, the Predator automatically chooses the one with the highest signal. This summer… no Starbucks is safe. (more…)

Woman in the Muslim world are slowly, but surely, developing their own identities within their communities. Sure, they might still get their feminine genitals mangled and destroyed if they so much as breathe in the direction of another man, but heaven forbid that they don’t have proper mobile and technological rights.

Markus Kison’s Bluetooth Burka is a step in the right direction. So, the ladies still need to hide almost every single portion of their skin, but as can be seen from the beautiful (?) model walking the runway above, she is proudly sporting the newest of Burka technology, featuring an outfit donning a Bluetooth antenna, allowing woman to transmit data to mobile devices in their proximity. Classy! — Andrew Dobrow

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As far as entries to the Next-Gen PC Design competition go, the INFO Live is relatively simple and straight forward. The INFO Live Bracelet basically acts as a wearable smartphone, merging a mobile device and a PC into a fashion accessory.

Use the 55 x 20 x 180mm touch-controlled INFO Live device for Internet connectivity, data transferring to other wireless-enabled devices, storing tons of data, reading and receiving the latest news, e-mails, messages, sharing documents in real-time, watching videos, listening to some tunes and even writing new documents while mobile. The specifics are sort of hazy, but who cares about mechanics when it’s so damn pretty. (more…)

Waiting in the airport for your luggage to sail down the assembly line is both suspenseful and boring. Seeing that your luggage is safe and intact is great, but the wait time is boring as hell, especially if your suitcase is your place to sit. The Bluebird concept from Nate Lynch keeps your luggage communicating with your phone via Bluetooth technology.

A special Bluebird dongle is attached to your luggage which sends a signal to your phone when your luggage is close by. The Bluebird will blink with its blue glow until you receive your luggage, cutting out the trouble of looking through everyone else’s shitty luggage to spot your own. If you’re lucky enough to have a RoboPorter at your service, the rest is smooth sailing. (more…)

As an iPhone user, I can tell you that the little switch on the side of the phone which puts the Apple device in “silent mode” is very easy to switch unintentionally. Because of this, I have missed calls that could have been a matter of great importance, such as saving the world, or picking up some milk from the store.

The BluAlert Vibrating Wristband shows up on your phones list of Bluetooth devices, and acts as any other hands-free device. When you have an incoming call, the wristband will vibrate, either alerting you that your phone is ringing, or causing your arm to widely spasm. The device will also start vibrating if you walk further than 5 meters away from your phone, which is brilliant for those with bad short term memory. Get yours for £34.95 ($62.91). — Andrew Dobrow

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Senile senior citizens cannot be trusted. As much as I love to laugh at the frequently falling and hip-breaking demographic, I also know a life with seniors is no picnic. As senility wins over their feeble tissue masses which used to be called active and functioning brains, they start reverting back to simple childhood curiosities.

The difference is, that seniors actually have the means to drink the chemicals under the sink, provided they don’t break a bone while scurrying over to the kitchen. The Health Guard concept designed for Nokia uses RFID technology to monitor what the golden oldie consumes. Whether it be expired food, medicine, or possible allergens, they are bound to get into something they shouldn’t be getting into. The two-way Health Guard keeps tabs on their absent-minded consumption. If they’re really such a burden you could always take a blind eye, though that could be grounds for murder charges, and you aren’t a murderer, are you? (more…)

We’ve seen an assortment of uses for RFID technology, the majority of it being used for credit card and financial transactions. The Consorzio del Prosciutto di San Daniele, a group of Italian ham producers, has started using RFID in an unorthodox way. (more…)