Sailboatfool says:

I think the clip was clipped , ended prematurely.
I hope you don’t have anything else that ends
prematurely?

Charbax says:

Fem2cell is connected to ADSL or Cable internet and makes a cellular hotspot around it, automatically picked by any cell phone as cell phones work in a way that they simply connect to the cell “tower” with the strongest signal.

This is the way Google could install free wireless broadband all over the world. Connect types of Fem2cell once the 700mhz White Spaces spectrum gets opened up and available for all unlicensed as the FCC is saying it’s going to be. Amazingly, those Fem2cells for 700mhz could be mass manufactured for $20, slightly more expensive than the cheapest WiFi routers. This would actually enable Google to cover a whole city with wireless broadband for just a few hundred thousand dollars. They would piggy back on existing ADSL and Cable connections, using Net Neutrality rules, ADSL and Cable companies cannot filter out the Fem2cells for building “competiting” wireless networks. And on top of that, Google can use its Fiber to add bandwidth, and the Fem2cells can even form mesh networks. That way eventually wireless broadband will be available for free all over the world. Do VOIP on that and no need to pay for voice and sms anymore.

Eric says:

There’s two big problems with Femtocells, although the problems do make them a little better in some ways.

First, they use the same spectrum as the mobile phone network. So the cell company is ultimately responsible for their use. So if they detect a problem with your cell (like it is in a really good spot) I’m sure they’ll take the attitude of “shut down first, ask questions later.” I doubt if they get thousands of these things out there the tech support will be all that proactive at calling customers to troubleshoot. The advantage is that you aren’t fighting with 10 other APs if you live in a densely populated area.

The other problem is that since they are tied to the operator’s spectrum, they all are required to have a GPS installed to determine if they are permitted to operate (as ggore pointed out above, AT&T will only allow them in their 3G footprint). So there’s no taking them to Mexico to save a few bucks on international calling, or even someplace as exotic as Meeker Colorado, since the only GSM carrier is Union Wireless.

I think the carriers are missing the boat by going this route. I guess they like selling hardware though. A better way would be to push for phones that support GAN/UMA, which uses 802.11 to tunnel over the Internet, much like standard Voip, but it includes cellular signaling and codecs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generic_Access_Network

T-mobile sells several Blackberry handsets that support UMA and most people who use it love it. They can get connected overseas, and receive calls just like at home.

Glenn E. says:

Nothing here about Sharp’s intro of the Quattro Tv! Is it not newsworthy? I’d like John to look into it, and say something about it on TWiT, hopefully soon. Myself, I can’t see how having an extra yellow pixel makes any difference in the picture quality. The equipment at the other end still uses only three color gun technology, to encode the signal. How is a fourth discreet yellow pixel, extrapolated from the blue and green color vectors, going to do a better job of reproducing yellow. And what’s so great about having more yellow, anyway? And will adding the extra yellow pixel, effectively reduce the screen image resolution, by about 25%? I hope other makers don’t follow this trend, until all the facts are in.

I guess this is also just another way to create a market for newer Tv sets. As the digital tuners once did.