OnLive Founder Claims "Impossible" Wireless Breakthrough

[Ghengis John]

Normally I'd dismiss this kind of thing immediately as being impossible, but when it comes to Perlman, I've learned not to make that mistake. I thought the idea of streaming playable Crysis 2 in high detail to a low-end PC via cable Internet was a total impossibility until OnLive proved me wrong, so if Mr. Perlman says he's broken the laws of physics in the quest for a better cell phone signal, I'm on board.

I'm skeptical but open minded. Onlive actually has a very active technology research division that has been able to cook up their own technologies like MOVA.

(skip to 8 minutes.)

Is it just me or does this sound a little like a Tesla claim?

I don't know in what spirit you mean that. Tesla was a little off his rocker sometimes and might make a claim that never materialized like a deathray. At the same time he'd make claims like alternating current the established businesses and thinkers like Edison would go out of their way to try and discredit or disprove to watch their own bottom line.

DIDO huh? I can't wait to introduce my new technology, SHAKIRA.

 

[Chevy235]

It doesn't matter what other providers will do. If this works, he'll get funding via investors. When it's set up, the other providers will have to catch up or die.

Unless of course, the FCC gets involved.

 

[Fasckira]

Poppycock! Hogswash! *splutters more into his brandy*

But seriously, hope this turns out to be true

 

[ChromeToaster]

From the same Wired article:
"Wired interviewed an electrical engineering professor who noted that elements of the Shannon-Hartley Theorem have in fact been disproved, or at least altered, with multiple-input-multiple-output systems, currently being used in the latest 4G tech."

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

I don't claim to understand what he's talking about, but I know science changes and "impossible" today is the regular of tomorrow. However, I am a learner from the believe it when I see it school of technology. If it's true, holy crap. If not, I don't see what they could gain from a massive lie, so I figure at least part of it should be true.

yeah this

honestly while this sounds amazing and definitely sounds like the next step in wireless capabilities, i'll also follow under the "need to see it to believe it" group.

 

[Irridium]

I read "DIDO" as "DILDO".

Ohoho, it's so easy to make me laugh...

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

It sounds cool. However, I still refuse to get a cell phone.

refuse to get a cell phone...?

where do you live and why do you refuse to get a cell phone...

hell 80% of the people i know don't have home phones anymore because they only have a cell..

 

[Togusa09]

Is this Steorn again?

Would they like investment in return for this amazing design just so they can do the final stages?

Well, at least this guy currently has a legitimate business, that may be making profits (I haven't paid much attention to onlive)

Is it just me or does this sound a little like a Tesla claim?

And did Tesla not do some awesome stuff? I think an AC generator was once said to be impossible.

I can't say I care if people are crazy, or making impossible claims, just so long as they're not a scam and deliver something

 

[ninja51]

Well everyone thought making completely custom settlements in Medieval II Total War was impossible, but people have done it. Nothing is completely impossible I suppose, hopefully if this is all true, the world will be using it pretty soon

 

[JMeganSnow]

It sounds cool. However, I still refuse to get a cell phone.

refuse to get a cell phone...?

where do you live and why do you refuse to get a cell phone...

hell 80% of the people i know don't have home phones anymore because they only have a cell..

Where I live has nothing to do with why I refuse to get a cell phone. I don't have or want one because I refuse to interact with people whenever it happens to enter their tiny brains that they know my number. So why should I have an expensive device to carry around when I'd never voluntarily answer it? If I'm going somewhere and I feel the need for portable entertainment, I bring a book. I'm capable of keeping track of my appointments myself. I have no children that require supervision.

If I actually needed to be in touch with people on short notice, I'd probably get a cell phone. But I don't. So I won't.

 

[Marudas]

I really want this to be true. However, until such a time, my Cynicism chip will be turned to 11.

 

[LaBarnes]

I noticed the name 'Rearden'. Rearden Mobile provides superior signals, at cheaper prices than it's competitors. Mobile Video Sites like Taggart Streaming will enjoy it.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
I see what you did there.

Also, I'm glad I'm not the only one that thought that when I read the article.

 

[oldtaku]

You just stick a 'quantum resonance' sticker on the base station. And it will all be powered by cold fusion or Steorn.

 

[iniudan]

yes i was surprised by OnLive too, until i found out you need really good internet and living in a good USA city to have a good reception. OnLive right now is the equivalent of high class restaurants. Sure, theyre good and worth it, but only if you live in the big city where they are. Otherwise, taking a hundred mile trip just to eat filet mignon at 100 dollars isnt worth it. and neither is OnLive.

on topic, i doubt these claims are true. Im willing to bet its the same case that happened with OnLive. oh sure, this works, but only if you have this connection, and yu live near this place.

ill wait and see.

You have to understand that if that tech is true, it is a replacement tech for cellphone tower, which would permit high speed internet over a surface DIDO hub network, basically it is the kind of tech that that could permit to have a wireless connection equivalent to the city of Tokyo in freaking middle of a field in Kansas.

This is mostly due that such tech would be good enough to replace the wired network with a fully wireless one.


But still skeptical, but damn I so hope it true. But I can understand not divulging the data for it until research complete, for such tech would sell like beer would flow by combining St.Patrick and Oktoberfest together, if the data are true.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

If this is real then I shall have to go retrieve my socks from the nearest tree as they'd be blown off. I'm sceptical however, and will wait until this technology is actually put into practice, and lives up to this hype.

 

[cystemic]

this is like that hoverbike thing. if it's true then WOOOT! SCIENCE! but if it's not im not gonna be overly shocked or disappointed. still, i wish it were. my router cant even hit my ps3 with wifi let alone anyone's phone. you reckon it will be cheaper or what? its great that its just wifi because most phones and pcs have wifi capabilities so theres no need for modding.

 

[unwesen]

Normally I'd dismiss this kind of thing immediately as being impossible, but when it comes to Perlman, I've learned not to make that mistake. I thought the idea of streaming playable Crysis 2 in high detail to a low-end PC via cable Internet was a total impossibility until OnLive proved me wrong, so if Mr. Perlman says he's broken the laws of physics in the quest for a better cell phone signal, I'm on board.

The streaming isn't the thing I have trouble believing in. It's the business plan I don't buy. OnLive really is a great example of the next bubble to me.

First, until recently, you just couldn't get GPUs cheaply (http://www.nvidia.com/object/gpu-cloud-computing-service.html changes the picture a bit). That means that, for better or worth, for each active user they'll have to have the equivalent of a gaming machine in their data centre. You can't just use off-the-shelf cloud GPUs, because you need high bandwidth/low latency interconnects between GPUs, CPUs and main memory to play games. If active users don't get their dedicated gaming rig, some specialized hardware is required that'd virtualize multiple gaming rigs.

Second, in order to get video across a limited internet connection in acceptable quality, they need to encode it in real-time with an aggressively compressing encoding profile. That sort of stuff requires more GPUs (doubtful) or dedicated hardware to the tune of some 10k per video channel (= active user).

Third, in order to get controller lag under control, they need to have the gaming rigs as close to the player (in terms of network location) as possible -- which means the ISPs' data centres. They've said they'd do that, but I can't think that ISPs will be willing to offer that cheaply.

The upshot is that I haven't the faintest idea how they plan to be profitable in the face of such costs. In all likelihood, that's not the plan, and they just intend to sell off quickly.

Given that, I'd place breakthroughs in wireless networking under the "hype building" category... but I'm waiting for the Ars Technica dissection of the tech

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

I'm not that good at maths or physics so asking him for proof would be pretty pointless coming from me.

It would be nice if some scientists can verify his claims. Maybe it's just corporate waffle?

mmm waffles...

 

[Quaxar]

Won't happen.
Even if he does succeed, he will be crushed by the other providers.
The reason behind that is that if he succeeds, a large precent of the profits will decline for the cell phone companies.
A comparison can be seen in the automobile market where a fuel efficient engine is not invented for the fear that Oil companies will lose their profits therefore fuel efficient engines don't exist (commercially, there is very little research or SERIOUS research.).

We'll wait and see how this gladiatoral fight will continue.

Yeah. Same reason the 4G concept got raped so much. Big companies hate change because they'd have to invest.
And investing means you can't take a bath in all your cash anymore. Woooh shameless capitalism!