Maxis launches 3G data cards

Maxis Communications Bhd, through its subsidiary UMTS (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, has launched its 3G data cards for notebook computers, the first in its array of 3G services. The data cards, available for the first time in Malaysia, would allow users to enjoy high-speed Internet access of up to 384kbps within its 3G coverage areas, said Maxis in a Dec 31 statement.

3 kinds of Glue for Ubicomp

Rajesh Jain blogs on Smart Mobs highlighting of an article on Anti-Mega:

It seems to me that there are primarily 3 kinds of glue, depending on where they get their information from, and what they transform it into. All 3 are important, and needed for ubicomp.

physical to digital glue ('inputs'):
CD ripper
DVD rippers
digital cameras
webcams

digital to physical glue ('outputs'):
Airport Express
PVRs
video senders

digital to digital glue:
web servers
APIs
UNIX-style pipes
wifi
3g

Physical to physical glue is mainly cabling, or dual deck cassette recorders, and gradually dying out.

The biggest piece of glue has to be the Internet substrata on which pretty much everything else relies. This has been ubiquitised by wifi and mobile phones.

Wireless Mobile Java Home Automation

Multimedia University students Khoo Han Wei and Wong Zhen Jia scored top marks in the Best Tertiary Student Project category in the fourth International Asia Pacific ICT Awards 2004 held in Hong Kong recently.

Their Wireless Mobile Java Home Automation project boasts many functions such as household monitoring, customisable pre-set, real-time streaming, wireless hardware and smart applications. It is now being commercialised. It offers users the ability to control and monitor their home appliances and video cameras wirelessly via their mobile phones in real time.

Utilising a highly intuitive and interactive graphical user interface on any mobile phone that supports J2ME, the user can view the current status of any connected appliance and control it in real time. 'The award will give us the edge to get funding from venture capitalists to commercialise our product,' says Khoo.

Jaring launches wireless broadband service

TechCentral: Story: "PETALING JAYA: Jaring, Malaysia's first Internet service provider (ISP), launched the first threat to TM Net Sdn Bhd's stranglehold on the nation's broadband pipes when it rolled out its wireless broadband service this morning"