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My personal Wi-Fi network -- on display at IDF

posted by Kari Aakre on August 19, 2008

Last Friday, in madness of last minute preparations for IDF this week, I took a break and headed to one of the mobility labs at our Hillsboro, Ore. campus. This particular lab is one where the mobile group is showcasing a very cool technology coming to laptops soon. It’s codenamed “Cliffside.” Other people have blogged about Cliffside in the past here and here, but I wanted to check it out for myself and Scott with our mobile wireless group agreed to give me my own demo.

If you haven’t heard about it, Cliffside is new software developed by Intel that will let you create your own personal Wi-Fi network with a Centrino 2-based laptop. This means you can wirelessly connect and manage a variety of devices that are Wi-Fi enabled - from digital cameras, MP3 players, to printers and projectors - via your laptop. The laptop is both a Wi-Fi client, as well as an “access point” for the various devices. So cool! And the best part? NO WIRES! I have so many different wires for my various Wi-Fi enabled devices and I can’t wait to get rid of them when Cliffside arrives on the scene.

If you haven’t witnessed this thing of beauty yet, be sure to check it out. Cliffside will be on display at the Technology Showcase here at IDF this week. Or, if you’re not here at IDF, check out my video of Scott’s demonstration for me last Friday in the lab.

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Sep 14  |  paul said:

Very sweet, people are always looking for an easy way to manage their technology and this is a step in the right direction.

Jan 08  |  Mike said:

I guess I am missing the part where people should have to buy new hardware to do this. Having taken one course in mobile computing and wireless communication hardly qualifies me to be judge and jury on this, but in your average suburban area, wouldn’t this just serve to create more interference in the already crowded 802.11b/g/n spectrum? Why couldn’t this be done in software over an existing WiFi network save for the money Intel stands to make by marketing this as a “new” and “innovative” feature?

Jan 08  |  Kari Aakre said:

Mike — Thanks for your note and your questions. The wireless technology, called Intel My WiFi, uses existing spectrum and cards. And, like you suggested, its a software download. The only requirement is that you have a laptop with Intel Centrino 2 processor technology inside. The My WiFi technology lets you create your own Wi-Fi network wherever you go so you don’t have to worry about finding a hotspot. It can connect you with digital cameras, digital picture frames, etc. Check out this short video for a description: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DHBFrPBNc8

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