Bye-bye Wi-Fi?

[Renegade]

http://www.flutterwireless.com/prod/index.html

Features

• 1,000+ meter range
• 1.2 Mbps* max data rate
• 915 MHz operating frequency
• Atmel SAM3s ARM CPU at 64MHz
• Cryptographic key storage
• Mesh networking
• 3.3v system voltage
• 10-40mA current draw (normal use)

Oh how I would love to see this go mainstream...

But, it won't happen because...

Open Source

Flutter's goal will always be to provide the community with access to inexpensive and reliable wireless technology, and so Open Source was a natural marriage for our project. Every aspect of our system will be made available, from schematics, board designs, the bill of materials, right down to the firmware and mobile app. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to build or improve upon our foundation.

Only patented technologies are permitted in the mainstream. e.g. Industry adoption of AAC over other codecs that would better serve people's needs.

[Edvard]

Yep, sad as that is, if they wanted it to be successful, they would have locked everything down with patents and proprietary protocols, then blew away everyone else's offerings with the better featureset.

Nope, I predict this will go down as yet another hobbyist's sandbox, unless some low-ball market brand like Rosewill or Buffalo decides to make a 'pre-built kit' out of it, or a competitor starts waving patents around.  

Then again, let's hope we're wrong...  

[40hz]

Flutter's goal will always be to provide the community with access to inexpensive and reliable wireless technology, and so Open Source was a natural marriage for our project. Every aspect of our system will be made available, from schematics, board designs, the bill of materials, right down to the firmware and mobile app. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to build or improve upon our foundation.

That part makes a big difference as far as potential deployment goes.

But requiring such devices to be approved by regulatory agencies - or requiring them to obtain a license or 'seal of approval' to be legally built or operated is another matter. These things use radio waves. And radio waves are heavily regulated. And that isn't going to change no matter what new technology gets introduced to better use them.

This is one of those things that's far too easy to legislate out of existence if it ever becomes too much of a threat to the way things are currently done. And anyone who doesn't think it's possible to 'legally' block innovation has never dealt with entrenched business or special interest groups - or their partners in government - once the fangs come out...

[Renegade]

Then again, let's hope we're wrong...  

Crossing my fingers...

...once the fangs come out...

I often wonder if tales of vampires didn't come out of people recounting how the state & its lackeys/cling-ons suck the life out of everything.

[nickodemos]

Doable. Sounds like what they are showing on the webpage is more like using a shortwave system. As long as the power is below a certain wattage you can freely use it.

Now of course I know nothing about the type of regulation on this but if it works along the same lines as a wireless home phone seems like there is little the FCC could do.

[40hz]

Now of course I know nothing about the type of regulation on this but if it works along the same lines as a wireless home phone seems like there is little the FCC could do.

There may or may not be little that can be done under current rules and laws.

But governments can always grant themselves additional or new powers. See tha Patriot Act for some examples.

Fifty years ago, the idea of the US government operating an incarceration and interrogation center like that found in Guantanamo Bay would have not only been unthinkable, it would have also been seen as unequivocally illegal and an unconstitutional abuse of Executive power.

But under the last two presidents, the Executive branch and Justice Department have not only argued that it is legal - but also beyond the authority of the US Supreme Court (which according to the US Constitution is the supreme and final legal authority in the United States) to intervene in any manner - or rule on its continued existence.

So please don't say there's nothing the government can do. Governments can do pretty much whatever they want when they feel the need. And they usually do. Most times with minimal resistance from the people under their rule.

All it takes is one little signature on a piece of paper and the rules have been changed.