Jeff Goldman

The high-tech sector has been an integral part of life in San Diego for many years now, but local schools haven't always shared in the industry's advances. The San Diego County Office of Education is working to change that with a countywide initiative to dramatically increase the use of technology in schools, putting wireless tablet PCs in every classroom by the 2003-2004 school year. Their efforts, however, are finding some resistance. Bill McGrath, a San Diego teacher, recalls that a colleague didn't take too kindly to the work McGrath was doing recently to advance the use of computers in the classroom. The colleague demonstrated his frustration in a pretty direct manner - to say the least. "Every time he knew I was coming, he unplugged the computer, wrapped the cord... (more)

The Mouse Is Mobile

In a recent interview, Jeff Goldman spoke with Dan Mattox of the Walt Disney World Resort's Information Services department, and found there's a lot more wireless behind Mickey Mouse than you might expect. Next time you visit Florida's Walt Disney World Resort, you may want to take a closer look at the landscaping that surrounds you: that tree just might have a wireless antenna concealed ... (more)

The Windup Phone

For anyone who uses a mobile phone on a regular basis, it's an all too familiar scenario. In the middle of an important call, the unimaginable happens: that annoying beep, the blinking red light, and your battery is dead. If you're on the phone with a friend, it's annoying; in an emergency, it can be catastrophic. There are a number of common ways to recharge a phone, of course, including... (more)

iPhone or iRumor?

It's been around for years: a rumor that Apple is going to revolutionize the market with a radical new smartphone. A recent New York Times article sparked a new round of discussion on the issue ­ but is there really anything behind the rumor? Back in August, a New York Times article entitled, "Apple's Chief in the Risky Land of the Handhelds" sparked a new round of speculation on an age-o... (more)

Symbian On the Rise

Symbian, Ltd. (www.symbian.com) was founded in 1998 by Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola, and Psion, using Psion's EPOC OS as a starting point for its new system. David Wood, Symbian's executive vice president, explains that the aim of the founders was to create a standard operating system for advanced mobile phones. "It was getting harder and harder to use the existing proprietary operating sys... (more)