The Development of Wifi

Recent findings

After having dug to a depth of 10 meters last year, New York scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 100 years ago.

Not to be outdone by the New Yorkers, in the weeks that followed, California scientists dug to a depth of 20 meters, and shortly after, headlines in the LA Times newspaper read: "California archaeologists have found traces of 200 year old copper wire and have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years earlier than the New Yorkers."

One week later, "The Terrace Herald", a local newspaper in Northern British Columbia reported the following:

"After digging as deep as 30 meters in the rainforest near Remo (west of Terrace) Harold Braam, a self-taught archaeologist, reported that he found absolutely nothing. Harold has therefore concluded that 300 years ago, Terrace, BC had already gone wireless."

from here

Atoms, Electrons, and Transistors.

I just signed up with Bell for a new cell phone plan. It was time for a new contract, the years was up. I was with Telus, but decided to go with Bell. I was given a "free" phone with the contract I signed - a blackberry pearl. I can maintain my address book, task list, calendar, check email and make phone calls all on one device. Nice. I'm a little nervous since it is so high tech and it rattles around in my pocket or Oakley briefcase - I don't want it to be damaged. I'm sure if I mess this phone up the next one won't be free.

I've taken enough courses on digital electronics and physics to know what's inside this phone: a whole lot of circuits, integrated circuits, and some analog circuits to communicate with the cell towers. Within each integrated circuit is a bunch (millions) of transistors. There are two types of transistors (at least since I last learned about this) they are NPN-type and PNP-types. One switches a little differently than the other. Each transistor has silicon and other impurities (depending on P or N type).

Take it another level lower, the silicon and the P or N doping each have electrons and atoms that make up the structure of it. Now within this bottom level structure of this phone, are elements that have been captured, controlled and modified to do what we want it to. Then when I sighed the 3 year contract, I declared the phone is mine (someone has to pay the monthly bill). But the question is who owns the atoms? Who owns the electrons? Who put them there? And if there were no atoms, what would I own?

Another question I have is who makes the N-type or P-type transistor behave the same way each time a +5 volt (1) or ground (0) is applied to it? Why is it so consistent that when I call home I get home and I don't get your cell phone? Or why the keypad keeps working the same way I press a button? Who is behind the curtain keeping everything consistent? What if that person took a smoke break? What would happen then?

props to How Stuff Works for the pic

Oh Ya, I Can Relate.

I love this commercial! I have a friend who has a friend who is like this (in 90, 92, 94, 01).




props to Jordon

Blogging with the pearl

This is a test post with the pearl!

BlackBerry Pearl

It was time for a different cell phone, so I settled on the blackberry pearl. The plan through bell made sense ($0). I've been playing with it and it's taking a bit to get used to the UI. It has the mobile version of facebook, so for now I've reactivated facebook, I didn't expect all the raz from friends for doing so, but keep it coming!

Anyone know of a blogger app for the blackberry?

I also have a new cell phone number, which you can get from my facebook account (for now).