wifi

The Department of Justice doesn't want to see AT&T end up with T-Mobile, but would it stop Sprint Nextel from making such an acquisition? What about MetroPCS or Leap Wireless?

Earlier this week, the DOJ stunned many people in the wireless industry when it filed suit against AT&T to stop its $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA. The agency said that allowing AT&T to buy T-Mobile would likely result in higher prices and a loss of innovation in the wireless market.

The news has sparked speculation about what will happen to T-Mobile if … Read more

Samsung Kies is a free computer application that makes moving media (music, videos, or even contacts) to and from your Galaxy Tab much easier than manual file transfers. However, in order to get to the easy part, a little bit of setup is required on both your tablet and your computer. Syncing can be done across Wi-Fi or USB; this example will show the Wi-Fi sync option (the fewer cords, the better!).

Tablet prep:

Connect to your home Wi-Fi network. This can be done by entering the Settings menu in the bottom right corner of the screen. You can tap … Read more

It's 8-02-11 (in U.S. style date parlance, we know), and therefore it's WiFi Day ... we don't know what that means, but Molly's planning to get some ice cream out of it! Plus, Android malware that can record your phone calls and free WiFi in London, thanks to Virgin Media. Plus, the New Yorker is a winner on the iPad and the MacBook Air is a winner with our show hosts.

Happy Wi-Fi day, nerds! Today's date comes around only once, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) just announced a new 802.22TM standard of data network technology that enables high-speed data transfers at 22 megabits per second (Mbps) at a range of up to 60 miles. What we're saying is, there's not much time to celebrate!

Take our poll and let us know how you plan to spend the first and only 8.02.11.… Read more

CNET has learned some new details on Sony's upcoming S1 and S2 tablets.

A source familiar with the company's plans for the Android devices tells us that four versions of the S1 will be available at launch: 16GB Wi-Fi only; 16GB Wi-Fi and 3G; 32GB Wi-Fi; and 32GB Wi-Fi and 3G. The S2 will come in 16GB and 32GB models that have both Wi-Fi and 3G, but no separate Wi-Fi-only variant like the S1, the source says. Those desiring more capacity will be pleased to know that the S1 tablet has a full-size SD memory card reader onboard for additional storage.

The source also pointed out that the S1 features an 9.4-inch IPS display with TruBlack and Bravia display technologies.

We weren't able to confirm the battery life of the S1 tablet, but our source did mention that it's "comparable to the iPad 2." The battery life of the S2 is unknown, but could possibly suffer from the dual-screen setup. Several accessories will also be made available for the S1, including a dock and at least one Bluetooth keyboard. The top of the BT keyboard described to CNET curves slightly, which may allow it to clip onto the bottom of the S1 when not in use, the source adds. … Read more

Optimize your wireless Internet connection with the WiFi Analyzer app for Android. For those of you who may not be networking wizards, this app provides a relatively easy way to analyze the strength of different wireless channels, so you can figure out which to choose for your router.

Before using WiFi Analyzer, you must first understand what a Wi-Fi channel is. A Wi-Fi channel is a range of radio frequencies that a Wi-Fi network uses to communicate with wireless devices. There are a finite number of accessible channels, so when several Wi-Fi networks occupy a small area, channels will often … Read more

Internet access on the go for business travelers is like water to a fish; it's a necessity.

So it's not surprising that thousands of passengers who travel up and down the Northeast corridor on Amtrak's Acela Express train are ready to pull their hair out when the free Wi-Fi is so sluggish it brings their productivity to a halt. In this week's Ask Maggie, I offer an explanation for the painfully slow crawl that is known as Wi-Fi on the Acela. And I offer some hope that things might get better as new 4G wireless networks … Read more

Microsoft has released some of the source code for the software it uses to collect details of people's Wi-Fi hot spots, so that it can be examined for privacy implications.

In a blog post on Friday, Reid Kuhn, partner group program manager for the Windows Phone engineering team, said the publication of the code should demonstrate Microsoft's commitment to privacy and ensuring the protection of people's information.

The code released by Microsoft is part of that used in an activity it dubs "managed driving," whereby Microsoft uses cars to collect cell tower, Wi-Fi, and GPS … Read more

On today's show, RIM responds -- if you can call it that -- to an open letter purportedly from a senior executive calling out the company on all its woes. RIM's response? We're fine. Well, we're fine, but we will also agree to form a task force to investigate whether we need a better CEO and management structure. Ya think? Plus, the craziest Computer Love ever.