I never believed the iWalk for a sec either, it just was not something Apple
would design or put on the market. I think if Apple were to get back into
the PDA market they would buy Palm, and reingineer that. Not create another
platform.
As for the Wireless Data/VoIP thing: This would actually be quite
interesting to see, however, it would only work in the larger cities and
centralized areas. Why? Range. I live in the Outskirts of a suburb of
Nashville. If I go farther south of here, I lose most if not all of my
digital cell coverage. I could see this working in a centralized building or
a tightly packed city such as NY. But this brings up another thing that
plagues WiFi now. Cross-contamination and improper use. A person could take
a laptop sit in a park next to a Wireless building and use their connection.
Possibly their internal net too. Now imagine if the phone system was on this
connection as well. Free international calls too! Unique Ids won't help
either. Airsnort will find those Ids. Unless Apple comes up with a new
technology that can integrate 802.11(x) With VoIP and is 100% secure, we
will never see this.
Now there could be something of a PalmOS device with wireless capability
unveiled with Rosetta instead of Grafitti for HWR. THAT would be
interesting!
Michael W.
On 1/5/02 8:35 AM, "BK" <bk_newtontalk_at_yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> My best guess in relation to the StarTrek hint is that Apple will come
> up with some communications device. Another possibility may be voice
> recognition related or maybe a pen computer, but I'd think a comms
> device is more likely.
>
> Some time ago I read that Apple was working on a telephony/video
> conferencing software.
>
> I have discussed in various online forums how the combination of WiFi
> with VoIP and cordless telephony could revolutionise mobile telephony
> and I always thought that Apple was best placed to come up with such a
> combo device.
>
> The idea is this ...
>
> Imagine an airport that is not only a data hub but also a cordless phone
> base. Imagine a telephony software on a Mac that appears to the airport
> like a cordless phone. Imagine a special cordless phone like device that
> is also acting like a portable airport "modem". Imagine you could use
> this device to make phone calls either through a regular phone line or
> through a VoIP portal. Maybe a video cam integrated for video telephony.
> Yes, over the public internet you may not have the bandwidth to make
> efficient use of it all, but on the LAN or within the same city between
> two broadband connected ends this could work rather well.
>
> I have always argued that if many many restaurants, cafes, hotels etc
> etc will deploy WiFi to eventually cover most of the heavily frequented
> down-town areas of big cities, then it would only be a matter of time
> that someone will offer voice portals so users can make cheap (in return
> for low quality) calls at those places using notebooks with some
> telephony software. Eventually this could set the stage for mobile phone
> manufacturers to come up with custom VoIP devices that connect to their
> service portal over WiFi while their users are sitting in a downtown
> cafe or in an office.
>
> The catch here is that none of the wireless companies are interested to
> see any voice services to be delivered through low cost technologies
> like WiFi that do not require any spectrum license because they have
> poured billions into all that 3G overkill. It would be up to an outsider
> to make a move.
>
> So, my best guess is that Apple may come up with something closely or
> distantly related to wireless communications, perhaps with some VoIP
> facility, perhaps building upon the Airport concept.
>
> I don't buy any of that iWalk fuzz which I believe to be a hoax.
>
> rgds
> bk
>
> On Saturday, January 5, 2002, at 06:48 , Michael Whitten wrote:
>
>>
>> Come on people, you have to have SOMETHING to guess! One of us needs to
>> gloat about guessing correctly! :)
>>
>> Ok folks, today's iHype[tm] machine quote:
>> "Full Speed Ahead, Lust Factor 10"
>>
>> Well, I'm hoping for the Duo/Audrey/Newton Combo.
>>
>> Michael W.
>>
>> On 1/4/02 3:22 AM, "Michael Whitten" <mime_at_home.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> And now for something completely different.
>>>
>>> Today's teaser on apple.com
>>> "To go where no PC has gone before"
>>>
>>> Uh oh. I originally thought it was a dock/tablet/ultraportable of some
>>> sort.
>>> (Maybe it still is?) This reference to Star Trek has me worried though.
>>> Remember Star Trek the Codename?? Maybe its back. Maybe all future
>>> hardware
>>> is based on this? (Beige boxen returning to the desk. Ewww. Shudder.
>>> Bleh.
>>> :)
>>>
>>> Anyway, let's guess to see who comes closest. No prizes offered, just
>>> for
>>> fun.
>>>
>>> Michael W.
>>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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