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Technology for free, and other terrible ideas

November 16, 2009

WirelessI wish my landlord realised that housing should be free. And why doesn't my favourite restaurant understand that French food should be given away? Also, how come I have to pay to get on the bus? Okay, that sounds silly, but is it any sillier than the idea that Wi-Fi should be free in airports?

Writing at PCWorld.com (our sister publication), David Coursey says: "Having to pay for internet access in airports and other public places is simply stupid." I can't agree. I care a lot about the future of the technology industry, and I don't want to see it make the same dreadful mistake that has hurt the publishing industry so badly.

Bill Snyder | Read more...


Solwise Leaky Feed Antenna Cable

July 23, 2009

Solwise Leaky Feed Antenna CableWe wouldn't normally write about cabling, but Solwise came in and saw us last week and showed us a piece of cabling that's set to change the way businesses and consumers set up their wireless networks.

The Solwise Leaky Feed Antenna Cable - more properly known as Radiating Coaxial Cable - has until now been restricted to industrial use. However, Solwise believes that a growing band of self-builders and home renovation fans would also be keen to make use of it.

Rosemary Hattersley | Read more...


Dodge hotel charges: get Wi-Fi for free

June 8, 2009

WirelessMany hotels still charge money for internet connections, and paying an extra £5 a night doesn't mean it'll work well. Before you click that approve button, try finding a free network nearby - even in the hotel lobby.

On a laptop, use an application such as inSSIDer to constantly scan for open networks. I've even found signals from coffee shops or cafes that reach into a lobby, but you might have to walk outside the hotel to find a suitable signal.

Zack Stern | Read more...


LaCie LaCinema Black PLAY / RECORD

June 4, 2009

LaCie LaCinema Black PLAY/RECORDLaCie has introduced two new wireless HD media players. The LaCinema Black PLAY and LaCinema Black RECORD store 500GB or more of data and can decode and play 1080p video.

Each can store music, movies and photos from any computer on the local network, whether through a direct network connection or built-in Wi-Fi. A built-in UPnP (universal plug and play) client player makes it easier for users to access media content from a networked Mac or PC from anywhere in the home says LaCie.

Nick Spence | Read more...


TrendNet TV-M7 wireless webcam and photo monitor

December 20, 2008

When is a photo not a photo? When it's also a webcam. Network hardware maker TrendNet has come up with a novel take on web surveillance with its TV-M7 digital photo display.

While we can see this being used in a benign way to keep an eye on baby while you prepare his tea, for instance, the idea of a hidden camera disguised in this way will not sit well with some consumers.

Rosemary Hattersley | Read more...


Sitecom WL 607 compact 802.11g Wi-Fi router

October 7, 2008

Sitecom has launched a compact version of its WL-607 - a 54g wireless router - which the the company claims is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

Measuring 100x125x25mm, the Apple iPod-white Sitecom wireless router includes four integrated switch ports that can be used to connect extra PCs and network devices. As an 802.11g router, the Sitecom WL607 provides wireless internet access at up to 54Mbps and a wired speed of up to 100Mbps when used with its Ethernet port.

Carrie-Ann Skinner | Read more...


Buffalo LinkStation NAS drive

October 3, 2008

Buffalo has revealed its latest external NAS (network attached storage) hard drive, the LinkStation Live, and its new Web Access technology.

The drive is designed to attach to a home network and internet connection to enable remote access to files. The Web Access function enables remote users to log in to the hard drive via Buffalo's NAS website from any Mac or PC and access and stream the files.

Mark Hattersley | Read more...


Netgear WNEB3100 Wireless-N Upgrade Kit

August 1, 2008

Netgear has launched an upgrade kit that enables users to add a wireless n access point to their existing Wi-Fi network. The Netgear WNEB3100 Wireless-N Upgrade Kit operates on the 5GHz spectrum and can be plugged in to the existing router.

The Netgear RangeMax Dual-Band Wireless-N USB adaptor which also comes as part of the kit allows users to easily add a 5GHz wireless 802.11n connection to any existing network or even create a dual-band network to those networks already running on 802.11b/g.

Carrie-Ann Skinner | Read more...


Edimax BR-657 gigabit wireless-n router

July 10, 2008

Edimax is taking a punt on the wireless n specification and has launched a home gigabit router that supports existing 802.11b and g standards as well as the yet-to-be-ratified 802.11n version.

Draft n routers have been doing the rounds for 18 months or more but, despite three readings of the wireless n specification and broad industry support for the existing version, it has yet to be formally ratified. The last reading of the proposed standard ensured all draft n routers launched this year would be compatible with 802.11n networks, once they come onstream. Final approval now looks set for early 2009.

Rosemary Haworth | Read more...


Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router WRT54G2

June 12, 2008

Linksys has announced a new 802.11g wireless router. The Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router WRT54G2 is a direct replacement for the WRT54G. It has an RRP of £39.

The new Wi-Fi router sports a sleek black design which the manufacturer felt was more appropriate for home use than the pedestrian-looking blue casing of its predecessor.

Rosemary Haworth | Read more...


Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless-300N USB Dish Adaptor boosts 802.11n wireless range

May 5, 2008

Hawking Technology's Hi-Gain Wireless-300N is a USB device designed to enable high-speed wireless connections with an 802.11n router, boasting up to 600% greater range than built-in WiFi devices.

This second-generation version, like its 802.11g predecessor, still uses Dual Antenna Dish Technology, where two aerials are optimised for sending and receiving, but unlike the previous version it is now 11n-enabled for greater transmission rates.

Andrew Harrison | Read more...


Crunch time for Wi-Fi

February 14, 2008

Wireless connectivity is quickly becoming an essential technology for your home. Get ready for the next generation of Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi has long been touted as an essential component of the digital home, but so far we haven’t been able to use it to its full potential. Yes, it’s given us the flexibility to connect laptops and peripherals without the wires, but many still regard Wi-Fi in the home as an option, rather than a necessity. However, as we’ve learned this month, it won’t be long before wireless becomes a required technology, with many of the hottest products launching in 2008 assuming that it will be the primary way you stay connected.

Paul Trotter | Read more...


Crunch time for Wi-Fi

February 14, 2008

Wireless connectivity is quickly becoming an essential technology for your home. Get ready for the next generation of Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi has long been touted as an essential component of the digital home, but so far we haven’t been able to use it to its full potential. Yes, it’s given us the flexibility to connect laptops and peripherals without the wires, but many still regard Wi-Fi in the home as an option, rather than a necessity. However, as we’ve learned this month, it won’t be long before wireless becomes a required technology, with many of the hottest products launching in 2008 assuming that it will be the primary way you stay connected.

Paul Trotter | Read more...


Wi-Fi Detecting T-Shirt

January 14, 2008

Okay, so it's not going to work that well given the current state of the British weather, but on days when it is warm enough to head out and about with your laptop clad in nothing warmer than a t-shirt, this clever item of clothing could quickly earn its keep.

As its name suggests, the Wi-Fi Detecting T-Shirt sniffs out available wireless networks within range. It gives a straightforward, visual indication when you pass a suitable spot where you will be able to log on and start downloading to your heart’s content.

Rosemary Haworth | Read more...


Linksys LELA promises idiot-proof wireless

January 8, 2008

Linksys hopes to make home networking idiot-proof with impressive new software that simplifies the setup and management of wireless networks on show in a private suite at the Consumer Electronics Show.

As well as the Linksys Easy Link Advisor software (which will be more commonly known as LELA), the company is demonstrating a range of new hardware products, including an 802.11n router with no external antenna and a couple of media centre extenders.

Paul Trotter | Read more...


Video: Sony Transfer offers wireless for gadgets

January 8, 2008

Sony is developing a wireless data transfer system for gadgets that's capable of sending pictures, video and data over a range of a few centimeters at speeds faster than USB.

Transfer Jet is based on a Sony-developed near-field communications system and is being presented by the company at CES.

Martyn Williams | Read more...


Wireless USB ready for mainstream

January 7, 2008

Wireless USB (WUSB) has been in the offing for some time, but we were assured 2008 would be the year it hits the mainstream – at least in the US.

The technology seeks to tackle cable clutter by allowing us to connect printers, cameras and MP3 players to our PCs and laptops wirelessly. It promises 480Mbps transfer rates at distances of up to 3 metres, and 100Mbps over ten metres. A number of high-profile names are offering supporting products in the US - D-Link and Belkin are showing WUSB hubs at CES, while Dell and Lenovo have laptops that support the technology.

Paul Trotter | Read more...


Mobile2Display: Connect your phone to a TV

January 6, 2008

Wireless technology promises to be one of the hot topics at CES this year, with manufacturers seeking to kill the cables that clutter up our living rooms and offices. Quartics, which showed off its PC-to-TV product at CES last year, is demonstrating a new take on the technology which allows smartphone users to send video and other content wirelessly to large-screen TVs.

Quartics' original PC-to-TV technology takes video content that's streamed from the web onto a laptop and delivers it wirelessly to a TV. The new smartphone version - called Mobile2Display - extends the concept to Windows Mobile-based handsets, so any video clip located on a phone could be delivered to a TV.

Paul Trotter | Read more...


2007's wireless flops

December 25, 2007

WiMax isn't dead, but the collapse of the world's highest profile WiMax partnership certainly didn't help its image in 2007. Sprint and Clearwire teamed up in July to cover the US with WiMax, and split up in November, leaving Sprint increasingly struggling to justify its commitment to WiMax.

WiMax originally had a market lead over the 3GPP's LTE proposals, but WiMax delays are eroding that, and LTE demonstrations are looking impressive. But WiMax wasn’t the only wireless failure in 2007. Here’s our pick of the biggest disappointments of the year.

Peter Judge | Read more...


Solwise 200AV HomePlug adapter

December 13, 2007

Solwise is to sell a HomePlug powerline adapter that enables home networking without the tricky setup routine.

The Solwise HomePlug adapter with SimpleConnect plugs in to a standard mains socket and uses the electrical mains circuit around the home to transfer data between devices.

Rosemary Haworth | Read more...


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