Peter Judge

Wi-Fi security vendor AirMagnet has increased the support for Cisco access points in AirMagnet Enterprise 6, as well as adding multi-tasking sensors, making set-up easier and adding intelligence to spot new attacks.

Tablet PC maker Motion Computing has launched a small-size version of its slate tablet, the LS800, taking the format down to roughly an A5 notebook.. "It's a new class of ultra-portable," said Elizabeth Clark, head of product management. The 9 inches x 6.7 inches x 0.87 inches beast has a mass of 1 kilogram.

BT's converged fixed/mobile phone service -- called Bluephone during development -- has been launched. BT Fusion, as it is now known,operates as a mobile phone outside the house, and uses a Bluetooth base station within the house, to switch calls over a BT Broadband link.

UMA, the standard behind BT's imminent Bluephone, got a double boost from Alcatel and Nokia at the SuperComm exhibition in Atlanta. Both of the phone giants are both using the Wi-Fi version of UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) to let operators deliver phone calls to converged handsets that handle both Wi-Fi and cellular networks. UMA promoters believe this will be more successful than the Bluetooth version that BT is due to launch.

BT is gearing up for the launch of its Bluephone cell phone -- which will be able to roam calls between the cellular network and a Bluetooth access point in the customer's house - despite doubts over its success. "We're on track to launch in the next few weeks," said Ryan Jarvis, director of mobile products and partnerships at BT. Bluephone is the only known commercial service based on the operators' UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) convergence standard, but Jarvis claimed more operators are about to launch services.

A new wireless switch from Airespace Inc. will take on a recently launched product from Trapeze Networks Inc., in a high-growth market sector

Wireless vendor Symbol Technologies Inc. has told us it will be seeking a big license fee from all Wi-Fi equipment vendors for an infringed patent. And according to one manufacturer, Proxim Corp., it stands a good chance of getting it.

Proxim Corp. has started selling a software suite to knit access points together and contend with purpose-built wireless switches from other vendors. The suite is made up of a range of software from third parties.