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The WiFi finder is a key chain device that can indicate if an 802.11b or 802.11g signal is present. It seems like it's worth $18. That's what Dell sells it for. Currently, net stumbler works for leeching open 802.11 networks, but this thing seems ultra geeky and cool.

Yeah, that looks real nice... <glee>Too bad I'm getting a Tungsten C as a birthday gift</glee>, which has 802.11 built in or I would have a use for that keychain. Hrm... let's see. OBEX over TCP/IP over 802.11 = Palantir with 200ft range. Empeg + nice FM transmitter + 802.11 + Palantir + Walkman = Home Music Jukebox on the go.

I agree that it is quite cool, but only in a laptop bag or something. It's amazing what some companies think will make good keychains.

im not registered on netstubler, but it seemed like their database was unavaliable. Do you have to be a member to see that stuff? Any links to a good review of minimizing wireless insecurity.

It's amazing what some companies think will make good keychains.

Well... you need keys to operate your car, so I guess they assumed people would go wardriving with this thing. Although, the range is probably not good enough for doing that unless there is an antenna jack on it.

You need a login to do almost anything on the netstumbler site (it's free though).

There are some wireless security documents here:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com

No, the use is perfectly fine for a keychain device, but the thing looks the size of a Palm M100, for crying out loud. Do you guys really have stuff that big on your keychains? I mean, that's like adopting Flavor Flav's approach to portable timekeeping devices.

Yeah, it is a little large I guess.

It doesn't HAVE to go on your keys, you could just stick it in your pocket while taking a walk downtown or through an office building. I think that manufacturers think that for it to be a cool device, it has to fit on a keychain, that's all.

Congratulation..

so use that tool for your Tungsten C.. from http://www.bitsnbolts.com




bye

Wifinetnews says it's sorta crappy.

I'm glad to hear you say that. empegVNC is nice but there's never been a good port of the remote control interface to a non-PC device (that I know of), and PalantIR would of course be even better (I think I could budget a CF WiFi card to help the PPC side of things ). A totally wireless empeg control interface - display, remote control & PalantIR all rolled in one would be bootylicious.

-Zeke

I wonder just how much 802.11 circuitry it's got inside. Maybe it's a full PCMCIA card's worth of wifi electronics buried in there? Can anyone say i-opener?

You know, the best version of something like that would be like a vibrating pager. Keep it in your pocket all the time, and as you wander around town you feel it buzz to let you know you're near an AP.

I'm sure it could be taken apart and hacked to do just that! You just need to find out the LED voltage, take the LED's out, solder a relay connected to one of those tiny phone vibrators, and when the device detects an AP, it would trigger the LED on, which would throw the relay and buzz the buzzer. You might have to have another battery, though.

Yup, there are lots of possibilities! I like the idea of using 802.11 instead of BT also, because we already have support (with extra hardware) for 802.11 on the Empeg. BT support looks like it would be a beatch to get working with the Empeg, even with a serial dongle. Also, all the applications could be run over wired networks.

Thanks. Seems like a lot of people hate this device based on the comments.