Monday, May 31, 2004
WWW = Wireless Web Wheels?
Posted by Jonathon Watkins in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 08:00 AM
Hot on the heels (literally) of Pat's post on the BBC story about WiFi and the Art of Yak Husbandry, comes more wifi news from the same source:
"Wireless hotspots are springing up in buildings and homes all over the world but one New York artist has literally taken the idea onto the streets, turning his bicycle into a wi-fi hub. Yury Gitman describes himself as a wireless and emerging-media artist and for his latest project has turned to cycle power to create the wireless bike. It has been capturing the imagination of New York's trendiest urbanites and has been described by one New York paper as one of the hippest hotspots in the city. "As well as being cool and stylish, it is also mobile," said Mr Gitman. The wireless bike, or Magicbike as Mr Gitman prefers to call it, is not just a trendy alternative to the wi-fi cafe or office. "A grassroots bottom-up wireless infrastructure can be formed and pedalled to any place accessible by bicycle," said Mr Gitman".
"The wireless bike has wi-fi antennas which mounted on the bike's frame and feed into a laptop hidden in the saddle-bag. The connection is received either from the cellular network or from nearby hotspots. Mr Gitman admits that borrowing bandwidth from nearby open networks is something of a legal grey area. "There is not a one world legal answer but it is arguable that it is sometimes illegal," he said. There is however plenty of bandwidth to go around and Mr Gitman believes that hotspot owners will not be aware of the bike sharing the signal unless large video files were being downloaded."
So, to all of you that hanker after the wonderful wireless web, the message is simple: on yer' bike! :treadmill:
"Wireless hotspots are springing up in buildings and homes all over the world but one New York artist has literally taken the idea onto the streets, turning his bicycle into a wi-fi hub. Yury Gitman describes himself as a wireless and emerging-media artist and for his latest project has turned to cycle power to create the wireless bike. It has been capturing the imagination of New York's trendiest urbanites and has been described by one New York paper as one of the hippest hotspots in the city. "As well as being cool and stylish, it is also mobile," said Mr Gitman. The wireless bike, or Magicbike as Mr Gitman prefers to call it, is not just a trendy alternative to the wi-fi cafe or office. "A grassroots bottom-up wireless infrastructure can be formed and pedalled to any place accessible by bicycle," said Mr Gitman".
"The wireless bike has wi-fi antennas which mounted on the bike's frame and feed into a laptop hidden in the saddle-bag. The connection is received either from the cellular network or from nearby hotspots. Mr Gitman admits that borrowing bandwidth from nearby open networks is something of a legal grey area. "There is not a one world legal answer but it is arguable that it is sometimes illegal," he said. There is however plenty of bandwidth to go around and Mr Gitman believes that hotspot owners will not be aware of the bike sharing the signal unless large video files were being downloaded."
So, to all of you that hanker after the wonderful wireless web, the message is simple: on yer' bike! :treadmill:
