The Tech Fanatic

Author: Oswald Melman


Overall, Americans are more wired than ever before. Whether it’s the booming popularity of smart phones, the ubiquitous nature of free wireless in college towns and big cities, or the boom in moms using Facebook, more and more people from different walks of life are finding that the latest technology plays a big part in how they work and relax.

The growing popularity of laptop computers has made getting online something that shouldn’t just be restricted to sitting at a desk. After all, there are plenty of reasons why computer users would want not just their files, but their internet, to be more mobile. Whether it’s travel for business or leisure or simply wanting to get out of the home office, there are plenty of reasons that Americans enjoy the option of using wireless internet. Unlike sitting at a desktop computer, wireless allows just about anyone to check their email or complete work somewhere other than an office.

The only shortcoming of the current familiar version of wireless, however, is that it’s not as wireless as it might initially seem. Yes, it’s possible for someone to get to a hotel room on a business trip and receive “free Wi-Fi,” but more often than not, the signal isn’t strong enough in one part of the room or it keeps cutting out, leading to more frustration than accomplishment. And for those who are getting a little bit of work done in a coffeeshop or simply checking their mail on vacation, the signal for wireless is usually strongest towards one part of the room, and fades fast around a corner or at the outside tables.

To put it simply, wireless has its limits. That’s why the latest mobile phone technology has taken off lately. With cell phones allowing users the opportunity to check their email and even stream video now that some companies are operating on 4G networks, things like staying plugged in and taking the internet with you everywhere actually became possible. The only problem or setback is that, with a cell phone, there’s simply not enough space on a screen or keypad to get everything done as quickly and as efficiently as with an actual computer.

That’s where WiMax comes in. The latest innovation in the internet, it takes all of the advantages of cell phone signals and applies a similar technology to getting online from practically anywhere. Unlike with dial-up or ethernet, where a cord needs to be physically plugged into the computer, this new step forward for the net goes anywhere that a computer can go. Users can be as close to their home office as the back yard or as far away as the opposite coast, and getting online is still just as easy as turning the computer on.

The way that WiMax works doesn’t require a serious interest in technology to understand. Towers bounce signals, just like those towers and signals that power the nation’s cell phones, and provide the ability to get online from anywhere. For someone who wants to check their email or watch an episode of their favorite television show, there’s no searching for a signal or reconfiguring laptop settings to get on a new network. You just turn the computer on and it automatically connects to a strong network that will go all the way from your house to the office, if need be.

Sources: I. Laws and Order, II. The Car Junky, III. Videos Gone Viral