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WiFi posts

Apple quietly updates AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule, promises improved performance

by Darren Murph posted Oct 20th 2009 at 12:43PM

Just as it did in March, Apple has subtly updated both the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule, this time improving performance on both. According to new testing between today's model and yesterday's edition, the AE Base Station (which ships within three days for $179) can hum along at up to 25 percent faster thanks to undisclosed tweaks to the antenna design, while the Time Capsule's improved antenna promises the same. Just as before, both of these devices support dual-band 2.4GHz / 5GHz transmissions, though we can't seem to find an "802.11n draft" phrase anywhere on either page. Apple hasn't gone out of its way to say that both of these are certified with the final specification, but it's certainly a possibility. Finally, the new Time Capsule promises Time Machine backups in Snow Leopard that are some 60 percent faster than before; we're not sure whether to celebrate with new buyers or weep with existing ones, but it should ship within three days for $299 (1TB) / $499 (2TB).

Read - Updated AirPort Extreme
Read - Updated Time Capsule

Virgin America and Google gift flyers with free WiFi for the holidays

by Darren Murph posted Oct 19th 2009 at 7:21PM

While those legacy airlines are scheming to charge you more to fly over the holidays, Virgin America is making it even easier to choose its services over the rest. Announced today, the airline (which should expand to more cities on the double, just so we're clear) has teamed up with Google in order to bring gratis WiFi to all flyers throughout the holiday season. If you'll recall, VA recently made known that every single one of its aircraft was equipped with in-flight internet courtesy of Aircell, and between November 10th, 2009 and January 15th, 2010, your surfing will be on the house should your find yourself in a seat. Not a bad way to spread a little holiday cheer, huh?

[Via Engadget Spanish]

LG BL40 New Chocolate review

by Vladislav Savov posted Oct 19th 2009 at 11:44AM

You know the deal by now: we grab a slab of fresh new hardware, fiddle, play, and tinker with it until exhaustion or boredom is reached, then wax poetic about the whole experience, with a side serving of pictures and videos thrown in. Today's candidate for a grilling is LG's BL40, which is now available in Europe. You'll be familiar with it already from our hands-on look last month, but do join us over at Engadget Mobile where we explore what's under the glossy hood in more detail, and give you a definitive answer on just how useful that elongated screen really is.

Gallery: LG BL40 New Chocolate review

Ekahau's T301W Wi-Fi wristband wirelessly tracks kids, wandering grandparents

by Tim Stevens posted Oct 15th 2009 at 7:18AM

What's the best technology to use to track people who like to wander off? You might be inclined to say GPS, but stagger into a cave or basement (or, sometimes, a city street) and suddenly you're off the grid, man. Not with Ekahau's T301W wristband: it uses Wi-Fi to beam location information. Yes, we know that your average cave doesn't have Wi-Fi, but Ekahau has a range of beacons available that will fix that, and when in the presence of those beacons (or any other configured Wi-Fi network) a wristband can be located to within a few feet. It's the latest of a variety of similar devices from Ekahau, but the first small enough and waterproof enough to be wearable, which has the company envisioning everyone from cruise ship captains to secret service agents slapping these on their visitors. At $60 a pop, though, we're not sure how many organizations will be able to afford that many.

Wi-Fi Direct enabling P2P communications amongst WiFi wares, scaring Bluetooth half to death

by Darren Murph posted Oct 14th 2009 at 12:01AM

Hear that Bluetooth? That's the sound of competition... finally. After years of waiting for some sort of serious rival in the short-range communication realm, the Wi-Fi Alliance is doing what it should've done eons ago. Starting sometime in mid-2010 (if all goes to plan, of course), a Wi-Fi Direct specification will be published, enabling WiFi'd devices to connect to one another without some sort of WLAN hotspot nearby. Previously, the standard was codenamed Wi-Fi peer-to-peer, as it gives printers, mobile handsets, human interface devices, cameras, laptops and a host of other wireless wares the ability to talk to one another without first consulting an access point. We're told that devices will be able to make "one-to-one" connections or talk amongst a group, and WPA2 security will be bundled in to keep the ill-willed sniffers at bay. Call us crazy, but we get this feeling we're going to dig this protocol -- now, if only we could actually count on seeing shipping products before we're too old to enjoy it, we'd be set.

Continue reading Wi-Fi Direct enabling P2P communications amongst WiFi wares, scaring Bluetooth half to death

Finger Piano Share plays your Disklavier via WiFi (video)

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 12th 2009 at 1:37PM

Developers at Yamaha seem to be having plenty of fun with their iPhones -- at least, that's the impression they've made this year at CEATEC. Not only have we seen an app that lets you boss around a robotic chanteuse, but they've also put together a little something called Finger Piano Share. Don't let the video fool you, folks -- this is more than just a MIDI controller. Supporting up to ten users at once, this guy not only lets you remotely play your MIDI-enabled Disklavier via Wi-Fi, but you can record your little jam sessions (using the location-aware augmented reality app Sekai Camera) for playback whenever someone goes to the site of the original performance. Sounds like a recipe for a disastrous conceptual art piece if we ever heard one! Video after the break.

Continue reading Finger Piano Share plays your Disklavier via WiFi (video)

Novatel announces new phase of MiFi Developer Program, Eye-Fi gets a mention

by Darren Murph posted Oct 6th 2009 at 9:03PM

We already know that you love your MiFi -- after all, who wouldn't be into a mobile hotspot that can easily slide into your rear pocket? But are you ready to adore it even more? Novatel Wireless has just announced the second phase of its MiFi Developer Program, which seeks to bring all sorts of apps and added functionality to an already heralded device. As the story goes, the dev program provides a set of APIs and tech support to those interested in expanding the abilities of the MiFi, and while the possibilities are obviously limitless (or close to it), we're already hearing of a Nomadesk inclusion that will provide a web UI to access cloud storage when online via the MiFi. Then there's also the Eye-Fi mention, which seems to let you upload photos from your SD card to your hotspot even when a 3G tower is nowhere to be found; once the MiFi gets back in range, it handles the uploading from there. Strangely, we're seeing reports that all this fanciness won't work with Sprint or Verizon's MiFi, though Novatel's own release says nothing of the sort. Whatever the case, guard your heart here just in case the allegations are true.

[Via jkOnTheRun]

D-Link Xtreme N DIR-685 storage router now shipping

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 6th 2009 at 3:23PM

Well, what do we have here? D-Link's DIR-685 Xtreme N Storage Router -- you know, the 802.11n packing, WAP having, BitTorrent running beaut with USB storage support and 3.2-inch display we first laid eyes on in January at CES -- has finally hit store shelves. Every bit as lust-worthy as it was when we initially reviewed it, this bad boy retails for $300. Hit the read link to get in on the action.

[Via Electronista]

Rogers' Rocket Hub disguises 3G data and voice as mild-mannered home modem

by Ross Miller posted Oct 3rd 2009 at 7:10AM

Good news for Canadians who can't seem to get a decent internet plan for home. Rogers has unveiled a 3G station for residential use dubbed the Rocket Hub, and with it a number of jet propulsion-related puns that we'll be taking painstaking measures to avoid. It boasts 7.2Mbps HSPA, WiFi and ethernet out, and voice calls over UMTS. Makes sense since it's riding an Ericsson W3x core. The Upfront cost of hardware hasn't been disclosed yet, but plans start at $35 Canadian. Launch date (okay, we couldn't resist) is sometime later this month.

WiFi-enabled bathroom scale slides into USA, overweight Yanks sluggishly back away

by Darren Murph posted Oct 1st 2009 at 10:37AM

Oh sure, we Americans love our fast food. And we love our technology. But do we really love the latter? Withings has just announced that the world's first WiFi-enabled bathroom scale has made its way into the States after a few months abroad, and we have to say, this could change everything. When pouncing upon it, the scale automatically records the user's body weight, lean / fat mass and calculated body mass index (BMI) to his or her secure webpage, and if you're more the iPhone type, it can beam data to a Withings iPhone app as well. It's available now for $159, but you can certainly wait 'til your latest diet has had some sort of effect before bringing one home. A delightful demonstration video is waiting for you just past the break.

Continue reading WiFi-enabled bathroom scale slides into USA, overweight Yanks sluggishly back away

Wi-Fi Alliance updates Certified 802.11n program, intros shiny new logo

by Darren Murph posted Oct 1st 2009 at 3:31AM

It's all paperwork at this point, but you had to know that the Wi-Fi Alliance wouldn't just let the two-year old 802.11n draft 2.0 program remain as it was now that the protocol is finally finished, right? Announced today, said organization is updating the Wi-Fi Certified program to add testing for "popular optional features now more widely available in WiFi equipment," all of which are detailed in the read link. The real news, however, is the new face. On the same day that we were shown an absolutely spectacular new Windows 7 logo -- one that will inevitably mar your next laptop's palm rest -- the Wi-Fi Alliance (or the WFA, as we call 'em at the poker table) is rolling out an updated logo, family of taglines and product labeling matrix. Thrilling, isn't it? Head on past the break for a few more... if you're into that kind of thing.

[Via PC World]

Continue reading Wi-Fi Alliance updates Certified 802.11n program, intros shiny new logo

Borders pulls a B&N, offers free WiFi to all patrons

by Darren Murph posted Sep 30th 2009 at 7:07PM

In the gory, never-ending war for book store supremacy, Borders has just tapped Verizon in order to match Barnes & Noble's summer efforts to bring gratis WiFi to all who enter. Details of the arrangement are scant, but the takeaway is this: in "virtually all" of its more than 500 stores nationwide, Borders is hooking up with Verizon to bring free internet to anyone who sashays in (note: you literally have to dance upon entering) with a WiFi-enabled device. The service is expected to be fully rolled out by mid-October, giving you plenty of time to select the scarf and skinny jeans you'd like to be seen in by your fellow hipsters.

Leaked BlackBerry Atlas gives Curve 8900 its CDMA counterpart?

by Ross Miller posted Sep 29th 2009 at 10:03PM

Gemini had its Aries, and now it seems Javeline (a.k.a. the Curve 8900) has found its own CDMA equivalent in the BlackBerry Atlas. (Isn't a shame that RIM's device codenames are so often catchier than their final designation? But we digress.) A new BlackBerry has hit the internet in grainy photograph form, and according to Salomondrin with additional notes from Crackberry, the pictured leak (it's the one on the left) boasts CDMA bands, WiFi, and a 8900 series keyboard. Mum's the word, officially and otherwise, on pretty much any other details, but hopefully RIM won't keep us waiting too long.

[Via Crackberry]

Netgear 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router unboxing and impressions

by Darren Murph posted Sep 28th 2009 at 8:19PM

Originally announced at CES this year, Netgear's 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router just recently started making its way into stores. Essentially, the MBR624GU enables your USB WWAN stick to become an internet source for multiple computers, handhelds or any other device that understands WiFi. You simply plug your USB WWAN modem into the rear of the unit (or into the bundled USB dongle), fire it up, and connect via WiFi or Ethernet. Sounds good in theory, right? Follow us past the break for a few impressions on how this admittedly promising device performed in the real world.

Gallery: Netgear 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router unboxing

Continue reading Netgear 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router unboxing and impressions

BUGbase WiFi finally overcomes, ships in the US and Europe

by Darren Murph posted Sep 22nd 2009 at 9:23PM

It's hard to believe that BUG Labs has been helping tinkerers thinker for two whole years now, particularly when you realize that its BUGbase has been operating sans WiFi all along. At long last, after a painful battle with the licensing overlords connected to WiFi and Bluetooth, BUG has finally received approval to ship the BUGbase WiFi (which does BT as well) both here in the States as well as in Europe. Aside from those two huge additions, BUG also upgraded the device with a friction-fit docking connector and improved power management, not to mention a few subtle "under the hood" tweaks designed to make everyone's lives a little easier. Oh, and for existing BUGbase owners? A special BUGWiFi module will be shipping in a few weeks, and yes, all of BUG's other modules will be compatible with either base. Once you're done hopping around like a jovial schoolgirl, feel free to order your own BUGbase WiFi now for $449.