Monday Roundup 9/26/2005

Worlds 1st WiFi VOIP Phone

Yeah, it's ugly as hell, but this is just the start. See it!

Free 411 (kinda)

Here's a free 411 service (800-free-411) instead of paying your cell carrier (92 percent of the $8 billion the carriers earn annually on directory assistance calls is profit) you get the same 411 information plus a location based audio ad. I'm going to try it and see how it goes. [via] Link. And, it’s a free call on Skype !

Nice Pocket PC\SmartPhone Radio:

Resco Pocket Radio has just been updated to v1.30 and includes a host of new features and tweaks designed to enhance the user experience. What's new? A brand new skin, better GPRS connection handling, variable buffer length support, two additional connection speeds to improve performance, an optimised volume control, two additional interface controls, and Resco Update technology. And just to add my two cents, this version feels a lot faster than previous versions, so it's worth the update if you already own the product. If you're new to Pocket Radio, you can download a free trial version of v1.30 from Handango. If it's what you've been looking for, then the full version can be purchased for $19.95. (Note: if you order from Resco from now until September 30, you can get it at 25% off - that brings it down to $14.96).

Google Moves Into WiFi Arena

The little search engine that could continues evolving into a Hydra-like monster. It's newest head will chew its way into the wireless internet world, making Google a direct competitor of ISPs and telecom companies. I love it ! Online search leader Google is preparing to launch a wireless internet service, Google WiFi, according to several pages found on the company's website Tuesday. The Google website has several references to Google WiFi but provides few details. One page refers to a product called Google Secure Access, which is designed to "establish a more secure connection while using Google WiFi." A separate page offers a free download of Google Secure Access, carrying the headline: "Your wireless connection is almost ready to use." Google declined to comment. The company launched a sponsored Wi-Fi hot spot in San Francisco's Union Square district in April with a startup called Feeva.

C'mon Kids, Let's Play Programmer

The creator of a board game says computer programming can be fun. A few rolls of the die later you, too, could become a programmer. By David Cohn. More here. Can Bloggers Strike It Rich? Blog network pioneers keep their finances close to the chest, but salary information for scribes behind hit sites like Gizmodo, Fleshbot and Gawker is starting to trickle out. Time to quit your day job and blog for a living? More here.