Wireless Technology Blog

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are part of the current health care reform policy. Stimulus money went to the adoption of EHRs as part of the HITECH Act. These records contain a patient's treatment history all in one place, and are viewable by any physician caring for a patient. Supporters believe doctors can use these records to make more informed decisions. Opponents point out the flimsy security protection on EHRs that put patient privacy at risk. Securing the network end-to-end requires encryption and secure wireless protocols, which can be costly. Do you think the health care benefits outweigh the threat of impinging on patient privacy?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Wireless Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Wireless Technology today.

Smart meters facilitate two-way communication between a utility and its customers. They can monitor energy consumption, adjust electrical flows, and prevent outages. But some consumer watchdogs believe the meters bring the utility a bit too close. They say the data collected could give the utility too much knowledge about personal habits, which could possibly be used against the consumer down the road — when you're home or not, when you use certain appliances, and even if illegal activity is being conducted in the home. Do the benefits of smart meters outweigh the possible privacy issues?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Wireless Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Wireless Technology today.

In England, a DJ is claiming that he suffers from Wi-Fi sensitivity, convinced that the signals have caused him a variety of health problems. And in Vancouver City, Canada, the mayor declared August Electromagnetic Sensitivity (EMS) Month. EMS is recognized in many countries as a chronic disease — with no cure — portraying symptoms of headaches, fatigue, weakness, and more. The mayor says that limiting exposure to cell phones, cell transmitters, and wireless technology can bring relief to sufferers. Are these cases psychosomatic or could wireless allergies be real?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Wireless Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Wireless Technology today.

At the recent Wireless 2.0 conference, controversy heated up over whether or not mobile broadband can and will compete with fixed lines. Many at the show believe that the next generation of mobile broadband, Long Term Evolution (LTE), matches the speeds of fixed-line connections. Others argue that wireless has bandwidth limitations and cannot match the speed of fixed-line connections. Do you think LTE is headed for widespread adoption or will it fail to deliver on its promise of speed and connectivity?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Wireless Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Wireless Technology today.

Some in government claim there are some significant threats to the nation's security via the Internet. In response, a cyber czar has been created. Opponents say these "threats" are a scare tactic and that this person will be given free reign over the Internet. Will a cyber czar actually prevent national security attacks or is this overstepping the average Joe's privacy on the Internet?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Wireless Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Wireless Technology today.