Definitions for teachers by teachers

AirPort

Produced by Apple.  A computer card and an air station are needed for the computer to be able to communicate with the Internet without wires.  Read more about the Apple Wireless Technology.
Relevance:  AirPorts cannot be used with PCs.

Airport - the Airport is the result of an 18 month project between Apple and Lucent Technologies to bring wireless networking to homes, businesses, and schools. The airport is kind of like the base station of a hands free phone, only more powerful. The airport is a station that can handle multiple computers simultaneously. These computers can surf the net, or network locally with each other. Each machine must have appropriate hardware installed (Airport card) to communicate with the hub. Right now, each hub can handle up to 10 users at the same time, with a performance rate of 11 megabits per second. Computers must be in a range of 150 feet from the base station (hub) and performance diminishes as users meet more interference (distance, concrete walls or floors, steel, etc) with the radio signals. For more info, go to http://www.apple.com/airport

by Michael Marassa

An airport is a wireless connection used for the iBooks made by Apple.  The ibook is a laptop computer which allows wireless connectivity for an analog mode, cable modem or DSL modem up to 150 feet from the phone lines.  The iBook has a built in antenna and the airport which includes a plug-in card for the machine and base station.

iBook     The iBook was first introduced in July at the Macworld Expo.

What does this mean to me?  To me it means I need to write a grant for $10,000 to supply my school with 10 of these.  I can't think of an easier way to transport machines from room to room.
We couldn't even get our new G4 out the door (literally- they ordered a cart on wheels that didn't fit through the door). Only in education!

by Liz Sanford

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