Explore the transformative world of Wi-Fi in our detailed account of its social, cultural, and technological implications. This brand new, essential read (ISBN: 9781509529902, published by John Wiley & Sons in 2021) delves into how Wi-Fi has revolutionized every aspect of contemporary life—from café culture to home education, community networks, and smart cities. Uncover how this invisible ally has fueled the growth of smartphones and broadband internet while shaping our homes, communities, and urban environments. Authors Thomas, Wilken, and Rennie offer unprecedented insights into the origins, ownership debates, and societal impact of this crucial technology. Discover how Wi-Fi is not just a technical construct but a social and political tool that embodies conflicting aspirations of community control, public access, and corporate responsibility. Essential for students, scholars, and technology enthusiasts alike, this book gives you a deeper understanding of Wi-Fi’s role in creating a more inclusive internet for all. Get your copy today and delve into the world of Wi-Fi—an indispensable read for navigating today’s digital landscape. Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.

Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.

Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781509529902
Year: 2021
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (UK)


Description:


From café culture to home schooling, remote community networks, and smart cities, Wi-Fi is an invisible but fundamental element of contemporary life. Loosely regulated, low-cost, and largely overlooked by researchers, this technology has driven the rise of the smartphone and broadband internet, and is a vital element in the next wave of automation.


Thomas, Wilken, and Rennie provide the first comprehensive account of the social and cultural consequences of Wi-Fi, highlighting the ways in which it has changed our homes, communities, and cities. They discuss its origins as an experimental technology, the conflicts generated around its ownership and control, and the ideas and expectations attached to it by technologists, activists, and entrepreneurs. The authors reveal the ways in which Wi-Fi is an inherently social and political technology, animated by conflicting aspirations for local, public, and community control, and defined by private and corporate interestsAs this book shows, Wi-Fi has extended and intensified our online lives while also promising a more inclusive internet.


Wi-Fi is essential reading for students and scholars of media and communication, as well as anyone who wants a better understanding of this ubiquitous and influential technology.