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  • © 2018

A Brief History of Everything Wireless

How Invisible Waves Have Changed the World

Authors:

  • Provides a focus on the context and consequences of the application of wireless technologies on a global scale
  • Presents an approach in which technology is explained through events in history
  • Accessible to the general reader interested in what makes the modern world tick, and how we got to where we are now
  • Includes helpful extra “TechTalk” chapters that delve into more technical detail
  • Offers unprecedented insight into the cellular revolution, right up to the latest light-based communications and Fifth Generation cellular networks

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Table of contents (13 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xi
  2. Tsushima Strait

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 1-5
  3. “It’s of No Use Whatsoever”

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 7-17
  4. Radio at War

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 19-31
  5. The Golden Age of Wireless

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 33-45
  6. Mesmerized by the Moving Image

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 47-61
  7. Highways in the Sky

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 63-74
  8. Traffic Jam Over the Equator

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 75-84
  9. The Hockey Stick Years

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 85-102
  10. The American Way

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 103-112
  11. Internet in Your Pocket

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 113-127
  12. Home Sweet Home

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 129-144
  13. “Please Identify Yourself”

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 145-155
  14. Let There Be Light

    • Petri Launiainen
    Pages 157-164
  15. Back Matter

    Pages 165-211

About this book

Since the discovery of electromagnetic waves less than 150 years ago, the application of wireless communications technology has not only revolutionized our daily lives, but also fundamentally changed the course of world history.

A Brief History of Everything Wireless  charts the fascinating story of wireless communications. The book leads the reader on an intriguing journey of personal triumphs and stinging defeats, relating the prominent events, individuals and companies involved in each progressive leap in technology, with a particular focus on the phenomenal impact of each new invention on society. Beginning at the early days of spark-gap transmitters, this tale touches on the emergence of radio and television broadcasting, as well as radio navigation and radar, before moving on to the rise of satellite, near-field and light-based communications. Finally, the development of wireless home networks and the explosive growth of modern cellular technologies are revealed, complete with a captivating account of their corresponding company histories and behind-the-scenes battles over standards.

For those wishing to peek behind the magic curtain of friendly user interfaces and clever engineering, and delve further into various processes underlying the ubiquitous technology we depend upon yet take for granted, the book also contains special “TechTalk” chapters that explain the theoretical basics in an intuitive way.

Authors and Affiliations

  • IT & Telecoms Professional, Brasília, Brazil

    Petri Launiainen

About the author

Petri Launiainen has more than twenty years of experience in wireless technologies, having served as a Vice President at Nokia, and as a Chief Technology Officer at Nokia's former Brazilian research laboratory, INDT.

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access