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Microsoft Jumps on the Wi-Fi Bandwagon


Reuters reports that Microsoft yesterday announced some new unveiled 802.11b wireless hardware, some three years after Apple released AirPort. A base station will ship for US$150, with USB and PC card adapters shipping for US$80. I have to admit, that’s a compelling price and may be a smart way to go for getting PCs on our Airport networks!

PC users often complain about the difficulty of software settings for Wi-Fi, a problem Mac users tend not to find challenging. Microsoft’s description of automatic “sniffing” software to find base stations and setup networks sounds strangely similar to Apple’s existing software and Rendezvous: “At the core of our (wireless) product line is software that detects hardware and automatically configures the network,” LeVasseur tells Reuters. But anything that speeds 802.11b adoption is likely to be good news for Apple and Mac users of the technology.

By Jason O'Grady

Founded the PowerPage in 1995.