Secret Google Wireless Plan in the Works

Posted by David Bernstein
 

It appears that search giant Google may be planning an experimental wireless network at its Mountain View location. This speculation has started because Google has filed an application with the FCC for a radio station for an experimental radio service which will be located at their site.

This is leading people to believe that they are building a super-fast wireless network. The application shows that the system will have 5 to 10 base stations mounted on walls or ceilings and antennas also mounted on walls and directed towards buildings. Google plans to test up to 50 base stations and 200 user devices during a 2 year period.

The wireless experiment will use frequencies allocated to the Educational Broadband Service and the Broadband Radio Service, some of which Clearwire is using for its own mobile broadband service. Google could potentially work with Clearwire to deploy strong indoor coverage without interfering with existing cellular networks. This type of setup could allow people to access the internet on their mobile devices without using their cellular carrier’s signals but it most likely will be some time before we see anything that looks promising for us end users.

Wikimedia launches Wikivoyage travel site

Posted by David Bernstein

 

I’m sure you are familiar with the Wikipedia website where you can find information and statistics about just about anything. Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that allows others to collaborate on its over 24 million articles. As of now there are around 100,000 people contributing to the site and keeping things up to date and fresh.

Now the Wikimedia Foundation who runs Wikipedia is starting a travel site to help travelers get information they need about their destinations online. Wikivoyage has been in beta since September and is now going to be released for everyone to use in the near future.

The site will offer information on things such as sightseeing, tourist attractions, lodging, restaurants and shopping. You will also be able to find information about the area and its history. As of now the site supports 8 languages even though all the translations are not completed.

Microsoft Office 2013 pricing and release date

Posted by David Bernstein
 

When it comes to office productivity software such as word processors and spreadsheets, Microsoft has the biggest market share with its Office suite of products. Almost everyone has used Microsoft Word or Excel compared to other software such as WordPerfect or Lotus 1-2-3. And most businesses and home users like to keep their Office software up to date and get the latest version even though it can get quite pricey.

With the anticipated Office 2013 on its way to store shelves soon, Microsoft has announced some pricing for their popular software which comes in a variety of versions depending on your needs. The various versions offer select Office products grouped to meet specific needs such as home users or business users. The release date is not official but it should be at the end of March.

Here is the pricing for the various versions of Office 2013:

• Office 365 Home Premium - $99.99/year 
• Office 365 Small Business Premium - $149.99/year
• Office Home & Student 2013 - $139.99
• Office Home & Business 2013 - $219.99
• Office Professional 2013 - $399.99