2007 has been a remarkable year for Devicescape. Although we slyly turned on the service in December ’06, we were in stealth mode until our announcement at DEMO in February. Back then, we supported only three networks: T-Mobile (since there’s a Starbuck$ across the road serving as our test environment), FON (because we’re FON fans), and Google Mountain View (because resistance is futile they’re a useful model for muni installations). Over the course of 2007 we started adding networks, initially by visiting locations ourselves, but later by asking our members to report. Now, we have close to 1000 different networks in our system, and it’s growing rapidly. We have most of the big commercial networks, of course, but the great thing about Devicescape is being able to provide access where our members need it. It’s really exciting for us to see all the usage at local and community networks, especially universities, throughout the world.

Similar to our network growth, we’ve also seen a widening of device support. The distribution on Nokia phones has been cool, swelling our membership along with surprising adoption on the iPhone and iPod Touch (big thanks to Null River for their installer application). It’s somewhat ironic that Devicescape was designed to bring seamless access to simple, low-end devices, and here we are being used on super high-end, multimedia devices with big screens and fat browsers. Weird. It just goes to show what a pain the current sign-in process is, and how people will do anything to avoid it! Next year we should see the fruit of our labors as brand new devices start shipping with Devicescape embedded and a new set of consumers receive seamless access.

Best wishes to all of you and have a safe and happy holiday.

Our friends at Nullriver added Devicescape Connect to the package list this afternoon, so everybody can now download it and try it out.

Please be aware that this is very much an alpha release. We’re looking for your feedback on this one. Tell us whether it works (and, just as important, if it doesn’t). Also, we don’t have personal networks or Wi-Fi buddies in there yet, though we’re looking at how that can be done.

If you haven’t installed it yet, the email responder for iphone@devicescape.com will be updated on Monday with download and installation instructions; if you can’t wait, install the Nullriver Installer.app and follow your instincts. If you get stuck, post something in our forum, add a comment here or send us an email – whatever works best for you.

So you’ve got what is perhaps the coolest mobile device on the planet, an Apple iPhone. Now you make it even better by adding Devicescape Connect. Then you too can be standing in line at your favorite coffee shop and feel your iPhone vibrate as new email comes in over high speed Wi-Fi.

We’re in the process of getting it ready for download, hopefully later this week. If you’d like to take part in our early access release, let us know via an email to iphone@devicescape.com and we’ll send you installation instructions as soon as everything is ready.

Devicescape users who are attending the Linux World 2007 show in San Francisco can add the show’s free hotspot network to their ‘My WiFi’ list to have their devices connect automatically.

No need to see that captive portal just to sync your email, or to make that VoIP call home. I’ve tested it on my laptop (running Linux of course since this is Linux World), and my Nokia N95 mobile. Check out my history below, and please leave a comment if you use the service while you’re at the show.

Devicescape has been mentioned the news lately about its contribution of our Wi-Fi stack to the opensource movement and we wanted to set the record straight as to why we contributed our technology to the Linux kernel. Simon Barber, a founder of Devicescape and Chief Scientist had this to say:

Q: Why did Devicescape get involved and donate the new wireless stack to Linux/open source?

“We saw the beginnings of a Linux wireless sub-system that had the potential to grow in ways that were not conducive to what we thought would be best for the industry or our customers. We had already developed a very advanced stack specifically for Linux and decided that we should contribute it to the kernel and have it sit as the standard open source model on which the community could build. This allowed us several advantages such as the much wider range of testing than we could have gotten on our own and the constant improvements and additional code support that the open source community provides. In addition, contributing the kernel also helped position Devicescape (then Instant802) as a leader in the wireless space.”

Q: How is the new stack better than what the Linux kernel already had?

“Prior to the Devicescape/Instant 802 contribution, the Linux kernel had poor chipset support, limited features, multiple disparate APIs and the code quality was often poor. For example, it relied on 802.11 chipset hardware or drivers to provide many of the 802.11 MAC functions. Our contribution expanded the functionality to include all the features that could be managed in software as software. This allowed for a common interface and for wi-fi features to be the same and shared across all chipsets. The user space architecture and consistency of the features and interface means it’s much easier to innovate, create new additions and make significant advances in all areas of the code. In addition the common codebase and reduction in code duplication that was happening before goes a long way to improving the quality of the wireless experience on Linux. Basically, we gave a native 802.11 capability to wireless for OEMs.”

Some background on Simon Barber: Simon Barber is the Chief Scientist for Devicescape Software and was one of three founders of the company in 2001. Prior to founding Devicescape, Simon worked for the research labs at Hewlett-Packard focusing on developments in location-based services, VoIP, and wireless. Simon has additional experience in the wireless and VoIP fields having worked at FireTalk and at Orange on their GSM network.

To read the press we’ve received about this lately check out the following articles:

• Under the Linux 2.6.22 Hood
• Red Hat to Update Enterprise Linux
• New kernel brings better wireless support

Last week, Devicescape launched its latest service, Wi-Fi Buddies that expands on the Devicescape auto-connect service by letting you add your home networks and then share these with friends and family.

We think this is a pretty cool feature that helps our members get online when they are on the go visiting friends and family. How many friends would you share with? How often do you think you might use this?

Check out the new service and tell us what you think!

How it works:

• Update your client software to get started with Wi-Fi Buddies:
• Go to your My Wi-Fi page and click “Add a Personal Network” to add your home Wi-Fi.
• Click on “Share” or “Request” to send out the invite to share or request access.
• Your friends get a Devicescape account, accept your invite, and get online to synch the new permissions.
• Your friends come to your house and get instant Wi-Fi internet access at your home.
• Success! You’ve shared your network and can ask them to do the same!

SF Beta boasts gourmet catering, music throughout the night, a dozen startup demos, and great people all night long. It sounds too good to be true, but honestly this is $10 well spent! And at this months Beta-fest at the “uber-chic” 111 Minna Gallery, Devicescape will be strutting its stuff and showing off all the latest enhancements and offerings from our start-up, including first public appearances of our new feature “Personal Networks.” In addition, we’ll be showing our software running on Nokia phones and Windows Mobile 6 smartphones – bringing the total numbers of devices we run on to hundreds of millions. (There were more than 40 million s60 Nokia phones alone in 2005.) Come by, grab a cocktail and drink in the exciting atmosphere of tech start-ups showing off their wares to early adopter fans.

Devicescape will be showing:

Table 1 in the front room from 6 – 7:30

Table 5 in the back room from 7:30 – 9pm* (unless otherwise booked)

Tickets: $10/20 Online, $15/$25 Door

» RSVP Now
» Order Tickets Online

Devicescape has been slotted into the next SF Beta demo night at 111 Minna Gallery. We will be stationed at Table 1 in the front room starting at 6:30 pm. Come out and see the latest updates to the Devicescape solution, sample some of the devices we are currently working on and talk to our development engineers who are working on developing a full platform for other developers and creatives to build their Mobile 2.0 applications on.

The place is fun, festive and seriously “bleeding edge” – both the companies that showcase there as well as the attendees.

Details:

SF Beta May
May 31, 5:30-9:30 PM
@111 Minna Gallery

Gourmet catering, music throughout the night, a dozen startup demos, and great people all night long.

Tickets: $10/20 Online, $15/$25 Door

» RSVP Now
» Order Tickets Online

Our good friends at Tropos Networks have selected the top 12 pictures in their “Coolest use of CityWide Wi-Fi Photo Contest!”. We’ve been running a link to this contest on our front page of Devicescape – so couldn’t ourselves submit photos – but they’ve got some great ones showing people connecting in some surprising places. Check out the photos and put in your vote. The lucky winner gets a brand new 17″ Apple MacBook Pro laptop. Runners up get the Sony Mylo. Check out how and where people are using wi-fi these days and cast your vote!

Just a quick reminder that we’ll be presenting in the Web 2.0 Open beta room this afternoon at 4pm. We’re going to be talking about the ways that Devicescape is currently helping enable Mobile 2.0, as well as some thoughts for what we can enable in the future through web APIs for our service, and even APIs that let web applications communicate with devices.