Today the Federal Communications Commission announced its decision to go ahead with its plan for the upcoming January auction of some very valuable airwaves

And it will be effecting you and your wireless usage in the near future.

At stake? A huge chunk of prime wireless spectrum known as ‘700 MHz‘. It was bandwidth held in reserve for the television industry, but the technology there won’t need it so it’s being sold off. The entire spectrum is worth $15-20 billion, and will be sold in chunks (at least one of which will be big enough for a new national network.)

What’s so special about it? Well, according to InternetNews; “that spectrum is considered ideal for delivering advanced wireless services, including broadband that meets or exceeds the speeds of DSL or cable modems.”

Normally, this would mean the Big 4 (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint/Nextel) would slice it up amongst themselves..

But an opportunity like this one doesn’t happen every day, and technology veterans and entrepreneurs alike saw the chance to break up the ‘pseudo-monopoly’ of the Big 4.

With Google leading the charge, an FCC filing was made asking that the auction NOT be business as usual and that the FCC adopt 4 ‘Open-Platform’ initiatives that would make the new bandwidth available, like the internet, for anyone to tap into.

Seasoned wireless telephony executives as well as other corporations joined Google - including eBay (who owns ‘Skype’), Amazon, and Yahoo! They published an open letter asking for consumer and corporate support for the open-platform. That, in turn, led to Congressional hearings.

The Big 4 from came out swinging. Their executives and lobbyists said that the Google-group’s plan was unfairly helping smaller, less-heeled concerns not only to compete - but to dictate terms. They also made the point that their own well-funded R&D groups were the ones most poised to take best advantage of the opportunities of this new bandwidth.

“In the U.S., wireless spectrum for mobile phones and data is controlled by a small group of companies, leaving consumers with very few service providers from which to choose,” fired back Chris Sacca, Google’s Head of Special Initiatives.

Google then stepped up and pledged that if FCC adopted their proposed initiatives, then Google would promise to buy $4.6 billion worth for a new network.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin responded with a plan that tried to walk in the middle. Neither side liked it very much and both put in a big final push to influence him more to one side or the other.

As the industry held its breath today, the final decision surprised few and disappointed many. Martin’s plan is the FCC choice.

To simplify; two of the Google ‘Open Platform’ initiatives were adopted:

1) Open applications: consumers should be able to download and utilize any software applications, content, or services they desire. This means you can use Skype or Firefox or whatever else on your phone .

2) Open devices: consumers should be able to utilize their handheld communications device with whatever wireless network they prefer. No more having to buy a Razr phone made JUST for Verizon or having to switch to AT&T for your iPhone.

But the other key two were not:

3) Open services: Google wanted third parties (resellers) to be able to acquire wireless services from a 700 MHz licensee on a wholesale basis, based on reasonably nondiscriminatory commercial terms. It would have spawned small, regional internet and cell-phone companies.

4) Open networks: Google wanted the right for third parties (like Internet service providers) to be able to interconnect at any technically feasible point in a 700 MHz licensee’s wireless network. Always a long-shot request, this would have had the greatest impact in bringing high-speed internet to more people - especially those who can afford it least.

Ultimately, analysts see this decision in favor of the Big 4. But the battle itself has cracked open a previously locked-down industry.

The question now is if Google will bow out, or fight with its wallet come January.

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Dell and Lenovo are (finally) bringing to market laptops with wireless USBs.

The Dell Inspiron 1720 notebook  has (wait for it…..) FIVE USB ports and was among the first certified   by theUSB Implementers Forum.  It should start shipping in 3Q 2007.

Lenovo, which - despite being the 4th largest PC manufacturer in the world - is less well known, will be packaging USB in its Thinkpad T61.
What’s so cool about Wireless USB?

It enables peripherals like printers, cameras, hard drives, etc. to connect to laptops without a USB cable from distances of up to 16 to 25 feet.

Of course, the MoGo mouse has been wireless from the start.

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Q. have a Dell XPS1210 laptop. It does not come with a PCMCIA card slot - instead, its standard is a PCI Mini Express card slot - can the MoGo line of equipment fit into these card slots? Or is an adapter required, and if so, will MoGo offer an adapter or has it considered partnering
with Dell to make one? - “Fix”

A. This is a great question, and I promptly kicked it over to tour favorites MoGo gurus. They answered by saying that the new X54 mouse that is rolling out in August will be compatible with Express Card slot.

Q. I want to use a MoGo mouse but I have a MAC Laptop with no PC Card slot….is there a way?

A. Bad news. Currently the MoGo mouse products do need a slot for recharging and there are no current plans for changing that. As a fellow MacHead, I feel your pain.

That said, I am a ‘two-platform’ household and do switch using the mouse between the PC and the Mac. I am sure that soon I will find that product that would allow me to take the MoGo mouse on the road with a Mac Laptop - and as soon as I do, you’ll be the first to know.

Elizabeth is a professional writer & geek with most of the last decade spent in senior management at a leading global IT provider. Thousands have attended her seminars in the US & Canada on subjects ranging from basic TCP/IP networking to high-end data storage solutions.

Got a question? Ask Elizabeth.

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Recipe for success:  Take 1 part huge communications company, add 1 part of the biggest internet company in the world, toss in a dash of a new ideas on a new technology platform and you get something that will most likely get huge, and stay pretty darn successful.  That’s what Sprint and Google are hoping for as the two have paired up on the new WiMax Network to bring “to bring web search, interactive communications and social networking tools.”

According to the article, “the companies plan to create a new mobile portal to use with the technology.”  Don’t you just love it when to big companies come together and try to make another big company?  At any rate, a lot of criticism has come down on Sprint as of late for investing so much time, money, and energy into the WiMax portal, this new pairing with Google and the announcement last week that they are joining forces with Clearwire, might just quiet people down as they aren’t solely sharing the burden.

I love new technologies, and I love new ideas.  Speaking of, head over to MoGo’s homepage and check out all the new innovation going down in that realm.  I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised all the new stuff coming out.  Then, head back here and let us know if YOU have any ideas for how things could be better, different, or even more amazing than before.

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It’s officially official, the world is getting more and more mobile every single day.  The days of cables, clutter, heavy computers and cell phones the size of giant walkie talkies (think Zach Morris on Saved by the Bell) have come and gone and the days of Bluetooth, MoGo Mouses and Headsets, miniature cell phones, and yes, cableless USB laptops have started.

They are calling it “Wireless USB” (how original) and so far there are 2 laptops that have been approved for it, the Dell Inspiron 1720, and the Lenovo T61.  According to the article over at CNet, “Wireless USB will enable peripherals like printers, cameras, mice and hard drives to connect to a PC without a USB cable from distances of up to 16 to 25 feet. As Wireless USB is just beginning to be rolled out for consumers, Wireless USB hubs will be required to connect PCs and peripherals at first….”

Hmm, sounds a lot like Bluetooth.  I don’t know, I think this will definitely revolutionize computer accessories and add-ons, but personally, I’m very curious to see where the Bluetooth industry will go from here.  I see big things in both technology’s futures, so it will be very fun seeing what innovations are made.  I feel like I see innovation on a daily basis working for MoGo right now, and it’s fun to be on the cutting edge.

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Man, I seriously can’t wait for the MoGo Headset now.  Talk about the perfect Autumn distraction when we SHOULD be in school, SHOULD be listening to professors, or SHOULD be taking notes…now AT&T is officially live with their “Video Share” that allows users to share live video over their cell phones while talking.  Mmm.

Imagine this, pay off one of your friends to actually sit in on a class for you, kick back and watch from the comfort of your bed/futon/couch/favorite sports bar.  Now you can watch the World Series AND your professor at the same time.  Not bad friends, not bad.  Toss in the tiny-in-stature-but-huge-on-features MoGo Bluetooth Headset and you are officially in business.

Be advised you do have to pay for this service (at $4.99, who’s NOT going to pay for it) and details are not yet in on how well it works.  I’m just excited it DOES work.  Everyday I wake up we’re a heck of a lot closer to the Minority Report realities.  I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait!

Sound off, I’d love to hear what other kind of futuristic things YOU are excited for.  What don’t we have that we should?  What do we have that we shouldn’t?  Best answer gets a big pat on the back.  Sorry, it’s all I got for now.

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1) A few weeks ago, I took my son to a large water park for a short vacation. I was forced to leave my smart phone, etc, in a locker and then, later, an unsecured cubby as we took advantage of all the attractions.

Just like our many weekend trips to the pool, I just have never trusted the zip-locking freezer bags to keep my technology safe.

Of course there’s got to be cheap and waterproof PDA and cell phone carriers, I thought to myself. And as soon as we returned home, I began researching them.  The one that suited my lifestyle best is ry Pak, and I wish I’d  found it before our trip.

Cost: $12-15 + tax, online at REI.com and other outlets.  

2) Backing up your cell phone’s SIM (memory) should be part of your regular tech maintenance by now.  Gadgets that will do this for you are popping up everywhere.  There is a kiosk at a nearby mall that sells nothing but cell phone accessories and they have SIM backup gadgets in every color of the rainbow,.

If you like convenience over  style, the  Clipper Gear’s SIM Saver Backup and Copy Unit actually walks you through the steps.

Cost: $19.95 (and varying), online at SIM Saver.  

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Man, right when you think a technology is cool, something happens and before you can even blink twice, it’s exploited and some bad person somewhere has figured out a way to turn it against you.  We’ve talked about it before with the BlueSpamming, BlueSnarfing and the likes, and now, I just found out that the altogether hip, altogether now Apple iPhone isn’t immune to stuff just like this.

I just read an article that packs a pretty serious security warning for all you Apple fans out there drooling over your touchscreens…Apparently, a feature that allows you to simply tap a phone number on a displayed web site, called a Web Dialer, is totally open to some pretty scary stuff.  The article mentions that, “hackers can exploit this feature by redirecting calls to expensive 900 numbers or mount personal attacks by spying on the numbers dialed.”  Yikes.  So while you think you’re dialing the number of a pizza joint, what’s really going down is you’re dialing some crazy Escort Service in Budapest and being charged for it.  Not only that, they can learn who you call, when you call them, and knowing the lengths these morons go to, a whole lot more information you’d never want out.  Not fun.

Here, for your viewing pleasure, are a few more fun things they could do to you (not to make you even sicker about this)

• “redirecting phone calls placed by the user to different phone numbers of the attacker’s choosing;
• tracking phone calls placed by the user;
• manipulating the phone to place a call without the user accepting the confirmation dialog;
• placing the phone into an infinite loop of attempting calls — the only escape is to turn off the phone; and
• preventing the phone from dialing.”

Wow.  Head over, bone up on your anti-escort service-protection, and take appropriate steps to disable this service for now.  Trust me, your phone bill and your spouse will thank you.

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With more and more of us going online from a SmartPhone or a PDA, there’s a need to simplify the experience. There’s nothing that can plug up your productivity than finding that you spend more time organizing and navigating than actually working and learning.

And the truth is, doing some general housekeeping a couple of times a year is a necessary part of maintaining our online lives.

Here’s 4 things I recently did as a Spring (in the midst of summer) Cleaning exersize:

1) Started using the Subject Line of my emails more efficiently. Instead of replying to someone who wants my phone number with the number in the text of the email - I put it in the Subject Line. I got the idea from Jeff and Calvin over at Tech Republic and I can tell you - people getting their emails off a Treo or Blackberry really appreciate when you can put as much beef in the subject line as possible, and often respond in the same manner - my email ‘conversations’ have become much more clear and simple.  (Read their article for some more great email tips.)

2) Created a useful homepage. It was recently pointed out to me that I was spending too much time going to each site and blog that I regularly read for information. So I sat back and looked at my start page (I default to Yahoo, don’t shoot!) and decided to do it smarter. Using the MyYahoo feature, I was able to build a homepage that includes the RSS feeds of the last 3 posts from the 6 blogs I MUST read daily, plus ticklers for news topics I regularly track (’Bluetooth’, ‘IT Security’, etc.). I was able to keep the things I already liked - like top news from BBC and Reuters and stock quotes.

3) Cleaned out my ‘links’ folder. I did it by hand, but there was an easier way: With the help of software like AM Deadlink (get it here free), you can comb out the old links in your ‘favorites’ folder and keep just the ones that matter. I gave myself bonus points for organizing everything into a few reasonable subfolders.

4) Dumped the Instant Message clients I wasn’t using. While it is well and good to be available to your assoicates, clients, and management - these chat clients suck bandwidth and can even create security holes. It was time to weigh the reality of what I used and didn’t. An interoffice client like Sametime or Reuters plus one more should be enough. If it isn’t, look into combining on a platform like Trillian.

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We all know that even though it’s been out for quite some time now, Blogging is still a hip way to get, give, share and create new information. Every day a ton of new blogs are launched, and every day we get busier. How do we combine these two phenomenon? Simple, mobile blogging.

If you’re reading this site, chances are good you’re a pretty mobile kind of person. Mobile Warriors, travel guru’s, masters of the hotel wi-fi, airport dwellers. You know the type, probably because you are one. Also, if you’re reading this site, you’re in a sweet spot because you know that MoGo just so happens to make the coolest, highest quality product for you, the Mobile Warrior. From our amazing MoGo Mouse line-up to the soon to be released MoGo Headset, when it comes to quality mobile products, look no further. Unless of course, you’re going to look to the phone in an article I just read about how much easier Mobile Blogging can get.

Samsung just released a new phone, the SGH-L760 that is tailored to the mobile blogger in all of us. According to the article, “The L760 allows users to update content and photos to their blogs anywhere with just one-click, by uploading contents as in the form of title + description + tag.” Snazzy. Head over and check it out, then head back to MoGo and get all the tools you need to make your mobile blogging even easier!

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