412: Too Good To Be True

TechSNAP

It's TechSNAP story time as we head out into the field with Jim and put Sure-Fi technology to the test.

Plus an update on Wifi 6, an enlightening Chromebook bug, and some not-quite-quantum key distribution.

Links:

• RF Chirp tech: Long distance, incredible penetration, low bandwidth | Ars Technica — Recently, I took the company's technology for a spin with a pair of hand-held demo communicators about the size of a kid's walkie-talkie. They don't do much—just light up with a signal strength reading on both devices, whenever a transmit button on either is pressed—but that's enough to get a good indication of whether the tech will work to solve a given problem.
• Wi-Fi 6 Is Officially Here: Certification Program Begins — Finally, along with the launch of the certification program itself, the Wi-Fi Alliance has already certified its first dozen devices.
• Say hello to 802.11ax: Wi-Fi 6 device certification begins today | Ars Technica — Today, the Wi-Fi Alliance launched its Wi-Fi Certified 6 program, which means that the standard has been completely finalized, and device manufacturers and OEMs can begin the process of having the organization certify their products to carry the Wi-Fi 6 branding.
• Someone sent us 21 more pictures of the leaked Pixel 4 XL - The Verge
• iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max: Hands-on with Apple’s new phones | Ars Technica
• Some Chromebooks mistakenly declared themselves end-of-life last week | Ars Technica — A lot of Chromebook and Chromebox users don't realize this, but all ChromeOS devices have an expiration date. Google's original policy was for devices to be supported for five years, but the company has recently extended that time to 6.5 years.
• LINUX Unplugged 318: Manjaro Levels Up
• Fear the Man in the Middle? This company wants to sell quantum key distribution | Ars Technica
• Gentle intro to Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) – Lahiru Madushanka
• The Super-Secure Quantum Cable Hiding in the Holland Tunnel - Bloomberg — Banks and governments are testing quantum key distribution technology to guard their closest secrets.
• Quantum Key Distribution - QKD — This paper provides an overview of quantum key distribution targeted towards the computer science community. A brief description of the relevant principles from quantum mechanics is provided before surveying the most prominent quantum key distribution protocols present in the literature.
• TechSNAP 403: Keeping Systems Simple
• Linux Headlines — Linux and open source headlines every weekday, in under 3 minutes.