| |
Prev
Next
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
About
|
|
|
|
Apple's AirPort
Wednesday, July 21, 1999 by Dave Winer.
Good morning! 
Yesterday I lamented the lack of wireless networking at retail, and it's as if Steve Jobs read my mind, or at least my essay. This morning Apple announced the AirPort wireless LAN, developed in conjunction with Lucent Technology. Great idea! It goes so well with the new iBook consumer laptop they also announced today. Now the next question, will this help sort out the wireless LAN market for all kinds of personal computers, or just Apple's?
The answer can be found on Apple's FAQ page for the new product:
"Can I use a PC notebook in an AirPort network? Yes. Because AirPort is based on the IEEE 802.11 DSSS standard, there are a number of companies with products that allow a PC to be used in an AirPort network."
Now of course I want to know what those products are. I want a wireless LAN, I'm way way ready for it, and I imagine a bunch of other people are too. But I run a heterogeneous LAN, with Windows, Macs, and Linux machines, so we need a solution that works across all operating systems.
But it was really smart for Apple to take the lead here. Packaging and ease of use are central to this market. I want something that works easily out of the box. So.. good move Apple!
Dave
|