- •NVIDIA Purchasing Icera
NVIDIA announced this week it is acquiring Icera, a pioneer in next-generation, multi-protocol wireless baseband processors with RF components that can scale from 2G to 4G networks using a custom built, ultra-low-power processor. Icera's high speed wireless modem products have been approved by more than 50 carriers throughout the world. NVIDIA President and CEO Jen-Huang said, "This is a key step in NVIDIA's plans to be a major player in the mobile computing revolution. Adding Icera's technology to Tegra gives us an outstanding platform to support the industry's best phones and tablets." See the MaxLinear press release for more information. - •Airline May Adopt Full Suite of Aircell In-Flight Products
Air Transport Intelligence news reported U.S. airline mulls 'going all the way' with Aircell wireless IFE, Ka-band connectivity in an article by Mary Kirby posted on www.flightglobal.com. The article said, "At least one U.S. airline is considering 'going all the way' with Aircell by offering the firm's suite of commercial products, including its new wireless in-flight entertainment (IFE) solution plus Ka-band satellite-based high-speed Internet in addition to its air-to-ground (ATG)-supported Wi-Fi in the domestic United States." Current Aircell customers include AirTran Airways, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Virgin America. The company plans to offer global Ka-band satellite-based connectivity when Inmarsat's Global Xpress service becomes available in 2013. Aircell's current U.S. infrastructure uses terrestrial-based stations and EvDO technology on the frequencies originally used for GTE's "AirPhone" service. It will make a Ku-band system available to its airline partners in the Interim. The other U.S. commercial in-flight Internet service, Row 44, has always used Ku-band satellites for connectivity. - •Climate Change Could Threaten Wireless Connections
Damian Carrington, writing in the Guardian, reports Climate change 'threatens UK Wi-Fi connections', says government report – Study into impact of hotter, stormier weather on UK infrastructure finds threat to Wi-Fi range and signal strength. The article says, "The government acknowledges that the impact of climate change on telecommunications is not well understood, but the report raises a series of potential risks. In addition to the impact on range and reliability, warmer temperatures and more intense storms may cause communications infrastructure to be flooded, or damaged by an increase in trees falling onto overhead lines. There is even the suggestion that changes in the plants that grow in the U.K. could affect how radio waves travel." The report is available at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climate/sectors/infrastructure-companies/.
