Showing posts with label LTE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LTE. Show all posts

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Google Balloon: More Promising Than Google Fiber, Google Glass And Google Car

I am psyched about this, what can I say? I am as psyched as I have been about Android, perhaps more so.




Google launches Internet-beaming balloons
the flimsy helium-filled inflatables beam the Internet down to earth as they sail past on the wind. .... the balloons were the first of thousands that Google's leaders eventually hope to launch12 miles into the stratosphere in order to bridge the gaping digital divide between the world's 4.8 billion unwired people and their 2.2 billion plugged-in counterparts ..... "The power of the Internet is probably one of the most transformative technologies of our time." .... Google's balloons fly free and out of eyesight, scavenging power from card table-sized solar panels that dangle below and gather enough charge in four hours to power them for a day as the balloons sail around the globe on the prevailing winds. Far below, ground stations with Internet capabilities about 60 miles apart bounce signals up to the balloons. ..... The signals would hop forward, from one balloon to the next, along a backbone of up to five balloons...... Each balloon would provide Internet service for an area twice the size of New York City, about 780 square miles, and terrain is not a challenge. They could stream Internet into Afghanistan's steep and winding Khyber Pass or Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, a country where the World Bank estimates four out of every 100 people are online..... The signals travel in the unlicensed spectrum, which means Google doesn't have to go through the onerous regulatory processes required for Internet providers using wireless communications networks or satellites ..... in the next phase of the trial they hope to get up to 300 balloons forming a ring on the 40th parallel south from New Zealand through Australia, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina. ..... "It's a very fundamentally democratic thing that what links everyone together is the sky and the winds," said Richard DeVaul, an MIT-trained scientist who founded Project Loon and helped develop Google Glas ..... they wouldn't interfere with aircraft because they fly well below satellites and twice as high as airplanes ...... The balloons would be guided to collection points and replaced periodically. In cases when they failed, a parachute would deploy. ..... "For every person online, there are two who are not. By the end of the decade, everyone on Earth will be connected" ...... "The nutritional and medical information, farming techniques, democratic principles those are the wonderful parts of it," he said. "But you also have everyone wanting to drive a car, eat a steak, drink a Coke." .... the balloons were invisible in the sky except for an occasional glint
Can Google Fly Its Internet Balloons Wherever It Wants?
a network of high-altitude balloons ...... to beam Internet access to the ground at speeds similar to today’s 3G networks or faster ...... balloons can be “steered by rising or descending to an altitude with winds moving in the desired direction.” ......... hundreds of balloons flying at a latitude of approximately 40 degrees south, which would take them over a lot of open ocean but also include transits over New Zealand, southern Argentina, and southern Chile. ...... “approximately two thirds of the world’s population today doesn’t have Internet access.” ..... a truly global system of Google-operated Internet access balloons
Introducing Project Loon: Balloon-powered Internet access
We believe that it might actually be possible to build a ring of balloons, flying around the globe on the stratospheric winds, that provides Internet access to the earth below. It’s very early days, but we’ve built a system that uses balloons, carried by the wind at altitudes twice as high as commercial planes, to beam Internet access to the ground at speeds similar to today’s 3G networks or faster. As a result, we hope balloons could become an option for connecting rural, remote, and underserved areas, and for helping with communications after natural disasters. ...... how to control their path through the sky. We’ve now found a way to do that, using just wind and solar power: we can move the balloons up or down to catch the winds we want them to travel in. That solution then led us to a new problem: how to manage a fleet of balloons sailing around the world so that each balloon is in the area you want it right when you need it. We’re solving this with some complex algorithms and lots of computing power. ..... We imagine someday you'll be able to use your cell phone with your existing service provider to connect to the balloons and get connectivity where there is none today
Google Loon: Google's Second Most Important Project
a phalanx of balloons that sail in the stratosphere like low level satellites ..... winds in the stratosphere are slow and that’s what makes Loon feasible ..... balloons will use solar power to move the communications equipment between layers of slow moving winds ..... Google is wrestling with how to be an infrastructure player, in order to bring more customers to its core business. ..... Google Fiber, one of its three telco infrastructure projects, is too slow-build to matter in the near future. In White Spaces, the use of excess TV spectrum, Google is in a tight battle with Microsoft, especially in Africa where Microsoft seems to be moving ahead with rural access, much faster than Google has. ....... Samsung’s moves into 5G wireless...... Winds in the stratosphere are generally steady and slow-moving at between 5 and 20 mph, and each layer of wind varies in direction and magnitude ..... Project Loon uses software algorithms to determine where its balloons need to go, then moves each one into a layer of wind blowing in the right direction. By moving with the wind, the balloons can be arranged to form one large communications network ...... by the time it rolls out, if it works, the world will have moved beyond 3G, the capacity Google expects from its balloons ..... makes Loon Google’s second most important project, behind one that gets very little press – White Spaces for rural, developing areas.
Who Should Be Scared Of Samsung's 1Gb+ Wireless Technology?
one reaction to the news was that cable is dead..... wireless could displace fixed line, and is a threat to cable companies that have been slow to upgrade their networks .... the world’s first adaptive array transceiver technology operating in the millimeter-wave Ka bands for cellular communications. The new technology sits at the core of 5G mobile communications system and will provide data transmission up to several hundred times faster than current 4G networks…5G mobile communications technology is the next generation of the existing 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network technology. 5G will be capable of providing a ubiquitous Gbps experience to subscribers anywhere and offers data transmission speeds of up to several tens of Gbps per base station ..... over 500 billion devices to be connected to the Internet by 2020 and diversity in the network is key to enabling all that activity ..... the aim is for 10 Gbps transmission ..... Samsung has perfected an extraordinary capability to innovate and advance itself across a wide range of activities ...... developing significant and deep partnerships with telco carriers ..... direct carrier billing for apps bought via Samsung devices and services such as Hub ..... Samsung is producing a new philosophy that emphasizes end-to-end support for its carrier clients. ..... end-tend from chip to infrastructure. ..... Samsung and Google are developing a deeper partnership ...... the company most likely to produce the important innovations in display, battery and processors ..... As Google improves its own UI design capabilities, Samsung becomes better allied to what is beginning to look like the world’s leading software company. This is a significant partnership. ..... What Google showed this week and Samsung has been demonstrating for a while is that innovation is now a different game – much broader in scope, often more narrow in focus, but incredibly fast. Apple is looking outpaced.
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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Nexus 4 Magic Waiting To Happen

Nexus 4
Nexus 4 (Photo credit: sukiweb)
This feels like lining up online to get a ticket to the New York Tech MeetUp. You get there a few minutes before and hit refresh, refresh, refresh.

The Best Christmas Gift One Can Hope For

Nexus 4 selling out within minutes on November 13, I then guessed and now have determined, was a marketing gimmick. That was meant to whet the appetite. Task performed. Now gimme gimme, gimme my fone!

Nexus 4: Sold Out

I am not the kind of person who gets excited about shopping, but Nexus 4 is doing it for me.

Nexus 4: My First Smartphone

With the last Nexus phone an immediate issue was the camera was not 8 MP. With this Nexus phone the obvious issue looks like is speed. But I am not bothered. I expect to use it on Wi-Fi a lot.

Nexus 4 At $299: Really?

My next purchase is going to be the $99 Nexus 7. Make it happen, Google.

The Top Free Android Apps

What I am really, truly eager to get is the Google-Dish network: Google-Dish Wireless Service: Can't Wait.

Google’s Speedy-Seller Nexus 4 Smartphone Back In Stock In U.S. Play Store — From Noon PST Today
After A Few Days Of Use, The Google Nexus 4 Proves A Very Strong LTE Smartphone
Google’s done a great job creating an untouched Android experience in an attractive hardware package thanks to OEM partner LG .... the LTE network here is orders of magnitude faster than the standard HSPA+ 3G one. ..... The one sore spot for the Nexus 4 initially was that for some reason, being on a true 4G network disabled Google Now from refreshing. Since this is actually one of my favorite things about Android Jelly Bean, I was more than a little disappointed. Switching to 3G or Wi-Fi got it to refresh .... I’ve found that I can at least make it from morning til night with my usual usage habits, which as you might imagine can be fairly demanding. .... my experience with the Nexus 4 as an LTE device gives me plenty of hope that Google will officially support it in an update, and possible release LTE versions compatible with U.S. and international networks down the road .... a $300 smartphone this good is a triumph, but with LTE included, it’s a nearly unbeatable package.


How To Enable 4G LTE On The Google Nexus 4
the Nexus 4, Google’s latest flagship Android smartphone, supports LTE via a relatively easy software hack ..... the Nexus 4 only supports LTE on the AWS band (1700 or 2100MHz), which is currently used for LTE networks in Canada, and for some areas served by T-Mobile’s fledgling 4G network. ..... download speeds exploded, as did upload rates. ..... turns out that enabling LTE breaks Google Now’s ability to connect to the network for some reason
Google Returning Month Of December To Nexus Devices With Android 4.2.1 OTA Update


Nexus 4 Review: Not Exactly Perfect, But Close Enough For Me
the Nexus 4 feels great. ..... When you first see Android 4.2’s Gesture Keyboard in action, it’s damn near impossible not to think of the Swype keyboard. After all, the concept is identical — instead of pecking out missive with your thumbs, you sweep them across the keyboard to trace out words and phrases. I’ll admit it: it’s been a while since I’ve used anything of the sort, but I’ve been having a grand ol’ time with the gesture keyboard so far — it’s fast and fluid, not to mention a bit more accurate than I remember Swype being. I don’t know that it’ll replace my two-thumbed tapping approach, but it could (and the fact that I don’t have to jump into the settings and change keyboards is a distinct plus). ..... Multiple User Accounts .. It doesn’t exist in the phone version of Android 4.2. This needs to be addressed — I’d love to be able to hand my phone to a friend in need without secretly wondering whether or not they’ll find my stash of jaunty Cole Porter tunes. ..... the camera UI has been drastically decluttered, leaving only a big blue shutter button, a shooting mode toggle (for bounding from photos to videos to panoramas), and a shortcut for the new radial menu. ...... Low-light performance is always questionable when it comes to the sorts of small sensors seen in smartphones, but the Nexus 4 did an above-average job in keep the noise down. ..... the Nexus 4’s screen is awesome. ...... While roaming the streets of San Francisco, the Nexus 4 managed to achieve speeds that ranged between 3.8 and 14.5Mbps down, and between 1 and 2Mbps up. ...... When it came to overall day-to-day use though, the Nexus hung in there with for a full working day dashing through airports, firing off emails, and checking vainly to see if my flight had been cancelled. ..... The Nexus 4 is a device that tickles me on many levels — it’s got a class-leading spec sheet, it’s completely unlocked, and as far as devices sold without contracts go it’s pretty damned cheap. More simply put, it’s the sort of device that’s designed to kick my salivary glands into action and it certainly succeeds on that front. .... If you’re an Android enthusiast, a tinkerer, someone who hates signing multi-year contracts for high-end hardware, or just enjoy experiencing the bleeding edge, you really can’t buy this thing fast enough.
Why Android Jelly Bean 4.2′s Multiple User Account Switching Is Tablet-Only? (Hint: Nokia Patented It For Phones)
One of the coolest (and most useful) features of Google’s Android Jelly Been 4.2 update is multiple user account switching, offering up the option to have several users share access to a device, while keeping their settings and content walled off from each other. It’s something we’ve been used to on PCs forever, so it’s bound to be welcomed by Android users. ...... Everyone can have their own homescreen, background, widgets, apps and games – even individual high scores and levels! And since Android is built with multitasking at its core, it’s a snap to switch between users – no need to log in and out.
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Has Arrived: Photo Sphere Panoramic Camera, Gesture Typing, Wireless HDTV Streaming
Android 4.2 will finally offer multiple user accounts, allowing family members to share the device while maintaining their own unique settings. And speaking of settings, Android 4.2 will have a “quick settings” section if you click the icon on the top right, allowing you to switch between user accounts, toggle Wifi and Bluetooth, adjust brightness, go into airplane mode, etc. .... the major introduction here is Photo Sphere ..... Android 4.2 will include gesture typing, a lot like Swype, letting you glide your finger over the letters instead of tap them. Google Now has also seen an update, adding cards for flight information, restaurant reservations, hotel confirmations, and shipping details.
How and why the Google Nexus 4 is so cheap
Google’s Nexus 4 is one of the cheapest flagship devices the market has ever seen. As USPs go, Google has really nailed it this time, selling a high-end flagship device at the same price-point as a mid-to-low-tier handset. ...... On paper it rates better than the Galaxy S3 – sort of. And In the hand it feels just as good. So what exactly is going on here? How can Google sell the Nexus 4, with its top of the line quad-core Qualcomm S4 Pro chipset, Android 4.2 OS, and high-res 4.8-inch display for so damn cheap? ..... the Nexus 4 is what it is: a high-end smartphone priced at a below-rock bottom price. ..... It’s simply cheaper to buy direct from Google and pick and choose which network you go with. ..... it’s not just networks that will suffer at the hands of Google’s Nexus 4. The company’s hardware partners – Samsung, HTC, Motorola, and LG – will also be affected by Google's reactive pricing. ...... Google has a sprawling business and huge levels of capital at its disposal. It also controls Android and its Play store, taking a cut of all the content that’s sold through it. ...... the advent of the Nexus 4 is likely to impact on Samsung and Amazon more than Apple. Samsung because it won’t be able to compete on price with Google and Amazon because charging so little for a phone will tempt many users over to Google and its Play store. ...... Here, the long game is the popularisation of Google’s Nexus brand – both tablets and smartphones – and its Play services – apps, movies, games, and books. ...... The mobile space is changing at an unprecedented rate with software companies venturing into hardware (Microsoft and Google) and retailers like Amazon attempting to take on Google at its own game. .... to compete with the big boys – Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon – you need to control everything: hardware, software, and content distribution. ...... most definitely a game-changer. It turns everything in the space on its head. No one else, including the world’s biggest phone manufacturer, Samsung, can produce a smartphone with such good specs and retail it at such a low price point. It’d be suicide. ...... Going forwards, things will never be the same again inside the Android space. It’ll be interesting to see how Google’s key partners react and how the Nexus 4 impacts on sales of handsets like Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S4 ..... The Nexus 4 could very well be the handset that turns Google’s Nexus brand mainstream. And that could spell bad news for everybody else inside the space. ..... the game has now been changed. From here on out it's going to be all about low-cost high-powered handsets and cashing in on services. Google and Amazon have wised up to this, Apple is already making a killing doing the same thing. Now the only question is where do HTC, Samsung, LG, and Motorola fit in?
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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

150 Mbps Wireless Broadband

Telstra mobile phone Base station - Wireless H...Image via Wikipedia150 megabits per second download speed: that's pretty amazing.
iTWire: 149.4Mbps over wireless broadband: Telstra and Huawei are testing LTE mobile broadband using 1800MHz spectrum ..... this was more than three times the peak speeds achieved with current mobile technology. .... "As mobile customers move away from 2G services and onto 3G and LTE, 1800MHz spectrum will increasingly become available to be re-farmed by operators. The overwhelming success of these trials shows that 1800MHz can be an attractive option for deploying LTE where access to other spectrum bands is constrained" ..... Earlier this year, Huawei set a record LTE-Advanced download speed of 1.2Gbps at the CTIA Wireless 2010 event held in Las Vegas.
1 gigabits per second is even more impressive.