From cafĆ© culture to homeĀ schooling, remote community networks, and smart cities, Wi-Fi is an invisibleĀ but fundamental element of contemporary life. Loosely regulated, low-cost, andĀ largely overlooked by researchers, this technology hasĀ driven the rise of the smartphone and broadband internet, and is a vital elementĀ in the next wave of automation.
Thomas, Wilken, and Rennie provide the first comprehensiveĀ account of the social and cultural consequences of Wi-Fi, highlighting the ways in which it has changed our homes, communities, and cities. TheyĀ discuss its origins as an experimental technology, the conflicts generated around its ownership and control, and theĀ ideas and expectations attached to it by technologists, activists, andĀ entrepreneurs. The authors reveal the ways in which Wi-Fi is an inherentlyĀ social and political technology, animated by conflicting aspirations for local,Ā public, and community control, and defined by private and corporate interests.Ā As this book shows, Wi-Fi has extended and intensified our online lives while also promising a moreĀ inclusive internet.
Wi-FiĀ is essential reading for students and scholars of media andĀ communication, as well as anyone who wants a better understanding of thisĀ ubiquitous and influential technology.