The next Ethernet speed will be 100Gbps, the IEEE voted recently. Now the standards body just has to go build something never done before. The IEEE’s High Speed Study Group (HSSG), tasked with exploring what Ethernet’s next speed might be, voted to pursue 100G Ethernet over other considerations, such as 40Gbps Ethernet. The IEEE will work to standardize 100G Ethernet over distances as far as 6 miles over single-mode fiber optic cabling and 328 feet over multimode fiber.

Source [Network World]

Netgear has finally introduced their new Skype WIFI SPH101 phone. The phone will enable the use of Skype to call long distance and relatives and friends abroad free without a PC in any home, office, public hotspot and other wireless areas that don’t need browser authentication.

The slim and slender, candy bar-style SPH101 phone recently received the “2006 Breakthrough Product Award” accolade from Popular Mechanics with favorable comments from leading tech media outlets like eWeek, Gizmodo and NetworkWorld.

The WIFI phone allows you to program up to 200 contacts for ready one touch calling and forward your calls to your mobile, landline or to another Skype Name seamlessly. It runs with 802.11g capability, weighs 0.25 lbs and is dimensioned at 4.33″ x 1.81″ x 0.83″. Talk time is estimated at 2 hours with a 20 hours standby time.

Retailing in the low $200 price, this may very well be a good stocking stuffer for the tech geeks this year.

Source [Netgear]

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a $328 million plan last week to provide computer and internet services through public libraries in developing nations. Botswana, Latvia and Lithuania won the initial grant of $17.5 million. A portion of the grants will be set aside to IT training. The news was announced in the wake of initiatives by a number of companies and groups to provide low cost IT services and products to poor and under developed countries. Nicholas Negroponte, co-founder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab and Via Technologies have since pledged $1 billion over the next 5 years for the same cause.