The WiFi Zone : Ramblings

$15 to Check first bag on American Airlines

bowman — Wed, 21 May 2008 19:48:34 GMT

Here we go. The end of airline travel as we know it. American Airlines has announced substantial cutbacks in service, decommissioning of aircraft, and increase of other fees from $5 to $50.

And if you check a bag, you'll need to cough up $15 for the first bag.

Other airlines will surely follow.

Can you imagine the ruckus when you board your plane, roller board in tow, only to find that there's no room in the overheads since everyone and their brother will be carrying on everything on the planet?

Buckle your seat belts, there is huge turbulence ahead.

Technorati tags: Airline regulations, travel, airline travel

Don't pack spare Lithium batteries in checked baggage after 1/1/2008

bowman — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:40:21 GMT

According to this US Government site, spare batteries should be packed in carry-on luggage only. Here is the table that appears on the official website.

GUIDE TO RULES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2008
Type Of Battery/Batteries	In Checked Baggage	In Carry-On Baggage:
Lithium Metal Battery, Installed in a Device (up to 2 grams lithium)	Permitted ¹	Recommended ¹
Spare Lithium Metal Battery (Not Installed In a Device) (up to 2 grams lithium) (up to 2 grams lithium)	Forbidden	Permitted in carry-on baggage ²
Lithium Metal Battery, Spare or Installed (over 2 grams lithium)	Forbidden	Forbidden
Lithium-Ion Battery Installed in a Device (up to 8 grams lithium equivalent content)	Permitted ¹	Recommended ¹
Spare Lithium-Ion Battery (Not Installed in a Device) (up to 8 grams lithium equivalent content)	Forbidden	Permitted in carry-on baggage ²
“Special Case” Up to 2 Lithium-Ion Batteries, Spare or Installed (between 8 and 25 grams aggregate lithium equivalent content)	Spare Batteries: Forbidden! Installed in Devices: Permitted ¹	Spare Batteries: Permitted ² Installed in Devices: Permitted ¹
1. Although you may carry some devices and installed batteries in checked baggage, carrying them in carry-on baggage, when practicable, is preferred. Whether in checked or carry-on baggage, ensure that devices remain switched off, either by built-in switch/trigger locks, by taping the activation switch in the “off” postion, or by other appropriate measures. 2. Be sure to take protective measures to prevent against short-circuits. See the spare battery tips and how-to pages.

Technorati tags: travel tips, airline regulations, gadgets, traveling with extra batteries, batteries

MS to force us to view ads whether we want to or not?

bowman — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 15:25:39 GMT

ZDnet blogger Russell Shaw certainly has found a scary patent filed by Microsoft.

"Enforcing rendering advertisements and other predetermined media
content in connection with playback of downloaded selected media
content. Playback of selected media content is made conditional on
acquisition of a playback token that is generated in response to
playback of the predetermined content.

The playback token may be implemented as a digital rights management
(DRM) license acquired in response to playback of the predetermined
content. Another aspect involves a content insertion engine for
inserting ads or other predetermined content into the playback of
downloaded content."

DRM gets more Draconian with every passing day. Since the ad supported model obviously works so poorly, will we be forced into a Big Brother is watching you watch ads universe? Is the next step a patent to embed subliminal ads throughout the entire content? A scary thought that isn't all that far-fetched.

Technorati tags: DRM, Microsoft, Fair Use

Best Buy Tells Me "Online Prices are Different"

bowman — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 09:50:33 GMT

No wonder the State of CT is suing Best Buy. Yesterday, I checked all the Internet ads for a microSD card for my cell phone. Best Buy had a 2GB Sandisk card plus adapter for 49.99 less 5.00 sale price.

I live 5 minutes from the local Best Buy Store. So I drive to the store and two sales clerks try to help me out by showing me a $75 2GB microSD Sandisk card "that came in last night". (In the process I walk by hangers of Sandisk 1GB cards at two different prices). I hold my ground and eventually a third clerk says, oh you want the phone card and pulls out the Sandisk 2GB microSD card with adapter marked $49.99. I grumble my thanks and walk to a register.

At the register, the checkout clerk only cares about trying to push rewards cards and service plans. She refuses to honor the $5.00 sale price I mention that is online and tells me I can always come back to the store and see Customer Service. I pay her the $50.

I left the register and walked over to Customer Service where three nice ladies listen to me complain about the $75/$49 bait and switch and my request for the $5.00 back.

All three mention without any prompting that online pricing is "different".

I get $5.00 cash. I leave the store.

Technorati tags: Best Buy, consumerism, bait and switch, deceptive advertising

BBC's Panorama Investigative Show Thinks WiFi is Unsafe

bowman — Fri, 25 May 2007 17:22:10 GMT

The basis for all of this nonsensical conclusion is apparently some unsubstantiated leap between mobile phone technology and equipment and a theorized similarity to WiFi equipment. Say what?

Someone at Panorama is WiFi phobic. My long standing opinion of the BBC as being grounded in meticulous research and analysis has crashed and there are no survivors.

Technorati tags: WiFi, 802.11, Wireless Networking, Technology