Wireless
The word wireless is used to refer to any type of electrical or electronic operation which is done without a "hard wired" connection. Wireless communication is the transfer of information over a distance without the use of wires. The distances involved may be short (when using a television remote control) or long (thousands or even millions of kilometers for radio communications).
Uses
One of the most popular wireless technology is the mobile phone, with more than 6.8 billion subscriptions worldwide as of 2013.[1] The term wireless technology is generally used for mobile information technology (IT) equipment. Examples include mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), Global Positioning System (GPS) units, garage door openers, wireless computer mice and keyboards, satellite television and cordless telephones.
Peripherals may optionally voice communicate, either on a Wi-Fi-based network, or over some more limited wireless interface (optical or RF peripheral interface). Older units contained largish short-range transceivers that turned the computer into keyboard and mouse, newer ones are capable of using higher performance parts. RF interfaces (Bluetooth or Wireless USB) give a greater range of useful use, generally 10 feet or so, but distance, physical obstructions, non-matching signals, and even human bodies can all attenuate the signal to unusable levels.[2] Security concerns about wireless keyboards began to rear their ugly head at the end of 2007 when Microsoft's version of “encryption” on some models at 27 MHz was found to be very insecure.[3][4]
History
The world's first wireless telephone conversation happened in 1880, when Alexander Graham Bell and Charles Sumner Tainter invented photophone, a telephone that made conversations wirelessly using light beams.[5] In 1946, a driver in Saint Louis, Mo. placed the first cell phone call in history. The cell phone was invented by Bell Labs and future AT&T CEO, H.I Romnes. [6]
References
- ↑ Fernholz, Tim; Fernholz, Tim (25 February 2014). "More people around the world have cell phones than ever had land-lines". Quartz.
- ↑ Paventi, Jared (26 October 2013). "How does a Wireless Keyboard Work?". Ehow.
- ↑ Moser, Max; Schrödel, Philipp (5 December 2007). "27Mhz Wireless Keyboard Analysis Report aka 'We know what you typed last summer'" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
- ↑ "Signal application of computer peripherals".
- ↑ "Alexander G. Bell's Photophone « History of the Information Age — Fall 2011".
- ↑ "Technology, Research & Museum". about.att.com.