Wifi

LaCie has unveiled a local network-based bridge unit called the LaPlug, that allows users to share any USB-powered storage drive over a local network. It also enables the sharing of private files outside the LAN through an external address, and the wireless streaming of files to UPnP/DLNA-certified products such as gaming consoles, LaCinema Classic HD, or any other compatible equipment. Read More

Logitech has revealed the Harmony Link, its latest addition to the Harmony line of accessories, which until now mostly included universal remote controls. Featuring a hockey puck-like design, the Harmony Link requires a home WiFi network and the free Logitech Harmony Link App. When installed on an iPad, iPhone, iPod touch or an Android-based device, it enables IR-based remote operation of up to eight home-entertainment devices. Read More

WiFi and USB have both become inexpensive and ubiquitous connectivity solutions, so the idea of exploiting them both at the same time a single device makes sense. IOGEAR's latest take on the theme is its Wireless 4-Port USB Sharing Station, which allows up to four USB peripherals (external storage, camera, printer, etc.) to be shared over a WiFi network and in the process provides a recipe for an uncluttered desktop environment. Read More

Japan has long had a reputation for being on the cutting edge of technology and innovation, so one might expect that the country would be blanketed with open wireless for everyone. Therefore, many travelers are surprised to find that public WiFi is scarce, and that those who want mobile internet usually have to dish out for a for a monthly plan. E Mobile has been providing popular pocket WiFi solutions for some time, but the company's latest is an intriguing piece of hardware. Read More

For a lot of people, the electricity bill is an unwanted piece of paper printed with angular graphs and big dollar signs, but with the rising cost of power in today's energy-conscious society it's becoming more important to understand exactly what all those lines and numbers mean. Microsoft's Hohm website aims to make sense of the jargon by providing personalized data on consumers' home energy consumption, and offering recommendations on how to save energy and reduce those bills. Read More

Passengers boarding either a Cathay Pacific Airways or Dragonair jet in 2012 will be able to make use of broadband connectivity. This week, the airline confirmed an agreement with Panasonic Avionics Corporation to provide broadband access across its entire fleet with download speeds of up to 50Mbps (to the aircraft – not individual passengers), as well as call and data access for cell phones. Read More

Billed as “the first truly portable internet radio on the market,” View Quest’s WIFI200 lets you listen to over 12,000 radio stations and 7,000 podcasts, wherever you can get WiFi. Pretty cool. The wallet-sized gizmo even won an International Forum Design Award, so it must be doing something right. The bottom line is, you need never listen to Top 40 again... unless you really want to. Read More

The outlook for piping music into office space or the shop floor is about to get a lot brighter. Lighting solutions company Osram Sylvania and audio innovator Artisan have teamed up to produce the MusicLites system - a 10W LED light bulb with a 70mm full range hi-fi audio speaker built in. The inclusion of a 2.4GHz wireless transceiver means that compatible audio devices can send music sound signals to the unit, which then pumps out both sound and light. Read More

Ok well maybe it isn't quite music, but it certainly sounds interesting. Created by Yoshi Akai, the Wireless Catcher is a sort of analog synthesizer that detects nearby WiFi signals and outputs a sound that varies according to the strength and direction of that signal. It's almost reminiscent of a theremin in how it created tones without any visible vibration or physical contact. Read More