Having just spent nearly $8 billion acquiring security firm McAfee, reports are starting to surface that Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is now eying up Infineon Technologies AG's wireless unit, Bloomberg reports.

"Intel's big strategy is to be at the heart of computing everywhere," said Alex Guana, an analyst at JMP Securities LLC in San Francisco. "The McAfee acquisition helps make that a secure equation and a potential Infineon acquisition would give them inroads into the mobility space."

If Infineon sounds at all familiar, that's because they're the ones who produce processors for Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy S smartphones. Infineon ranks as Europe's second largest chip maker, and an acquisition of its wireless business would cost Intel about $1.91 billion, according to "two people familiar with the talks." Think about that for a moment. Should this go through, Intel will have spent close to $10 billion in less than a month snatching up companies and businesses to beef up its mobile strategy.

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Don't fret if your newborn just popped out of the womb sporting horns and a tail, that just means your router is firing on all cylinders. Or, as a British scientist and former naval microwave specialist warns, it would serve as proof that Wi-Fi leads to birth defects.

"When I realized these same frequencies and powers (as weapons during the Cold War) were being used as Wi-Fi in schools, I decided to come out of retirement and travel around the world free of charge and explain exactly what the problem is going to be in the future," Barrie Trower told Postmedia News in an Interview.

"Children are not small adults, they are underdeveloped adults, so there are different symptoms. What you are doing in schools is transmitting at low levels."

Even though Wi-Fi is generally considered safe, Trower contends that no scientific studies exist that deem prolonged exposure won't cause any harm.

"If you damage the DNA, there could be a genetic disorder from the child that is born from that lady when they grow up," Trower warns.

While Trower might be freaking out over Wi-Fi, Health Canada says everything is gravy.

"Based on scientific evidence, Health Canada has determined that exposure to low-level radio-frequency energy, such as that from Wi-Fi systems, is not dangerous to the public," the agency said in a statement.

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A new analysis from firm JiWire shows that for the first time, free Wi-Fi hotspots are more plentiful than paid-access hotspots. In total, 55.1% of the hotspots surveyed were free to use. That's a 12.6% gain from last year. It's getting to the point that consumers are more likely to feel affronted when asked to pay for wireless access.

This trend is also taking place worldwide. Seven of the top ten countries for public Wi-Fi added capacity last year. The JiWire data indicates that one in four hotspots around the world is free. With numbers like this, paid models could be in danger. Starbucks recently dropped its semi-paid Wi-Fi system, and Barnes and Noble followed suit shortly thereafter. Do you find you're encountering fewer paid Wi-Fi networks?

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Shopping in Sam's Club is about to get high-tech, starting with Wi-Fi service being added to all of the chain's U.S. locations by November of this year.

"Our members are early adopters of technology and electronics, and we're excited to deliver an improved experience in our clubs," said Brian Cornell, president and CEO, Sam's Club. "This investment in connectivity allows us to showcase the high quality brands we offer in a new engaging way, provide an enhanced level of service, and bring to life our promise to our members of Savings Made Simple."

One way in which Sam's Clubs will utilize Wi-Fi service is by demoing IPTVs (Internet TVs) and other Internet connected devices. Customers could, for example, load up their Facebook page or favorite video streaming site on an in-store TV to see how it would appear at home.

In addition to in-store Wi-Fi, Sam's Club is also pushing out a smartphone app for the iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android platforms, which will include features such as access to eValues, product information, and extra discounts loaded onto Plus Membership cards.

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