From an article in the Financial Times…

“With networks and manufacturers fighting to supply the world with must-have smartphones, more and more people are now checking e-mail, logging on to the internet and accessing applications on the go.

Which all adds up to one thing: a huge explosion in the amount of data traffic crossing cellular networks as the telecoms community descends on Barcelona for this year’s Mobile World Congress.

In many ways, the iPhone opened the floodgates for the acceptance of mobile data use, with neatly packaged apps that simplified the way users can navigate the data available online through interfaces suited for small touchscreens.

The BlackBerry trailblazed business adoption of mobile internet use, but its growth curve never saw the same peak witnessed with the latest breed of smartphones.

According to Gartner, the number of smartphones sold in the second quarter of 2009 was up 29 per cent, despite overall sales of mobile handsets being down by 6 per cent. This growth shows no signs of abating – according to Ovum, the number of smartphone users will reach 2bn by 2014.”

Full Article

The City of Portland has released an iPhone app so that citizens can report potholes – pretty cool!

Connect Arkansas is mapping broadband in the State of Arkansas through an NTIA grant. Urban Wireless would like to thank Connect Arkansas and especially Thomas Melton for their help in getting our mapping data into the project. If you have not heard of Connect Arkansas, their about us page says…

“Connect Arkansas, a private, non-profit, is implementing a community-based initiative to promote internet access and education. The Connect Arkansas Broadband Act was signed into law by Governor Beebe on March 28, 2007, to ensure the creation of a competitive broadband, or high speed internet, infrastructure that will not only improve personal lives, but also the economic capabilities and of all Arkansans.”

You can view their website here.

For the last few days I have been playing around with Skype across the network. So far, I have tested it on a gateway node and a one hop neighbor repeater. Seems to work pretty good but I need to try on other sections of the network other than my front yard.

If your running skype, try it out on the network and let us know how it goes.

Click here to get your unique SkypeIn number

Was playing around with my son’s Playstation Portable the other night, yes my glasses were on, and what do you know? Wifi goodness a success! I was surfing away on Urban Wireless with no problems.

BTW, anyone can test a Nintendo DS and let us know – thanks.

Just thought you might like to see a picture of Scott Miller up on a light pole in the Rivermarket. I on the other hand have a ten foot height restriction!