Wireless

Electrical engineers from University of California San Diego (UCSD) are building the foundations for wireless networks of the future. Hoping to bring mass access to the the kind of high capacity, extremely low power wireless networks found only in expensive defense and satellite applications, the researchers are merging silicon chip technologies with sophisticated wireless communications tools in the millimeter and microwave range. This work, according to UCSD, could result in personal wireless networks that make current high-speed wireless connections feel slower than the dial-up connections from the early 1990s. Read More

With its new line of Valet wireless routers, Cisco is promising to take away the strain of setting up and managing a home network. Getting the network ready to go is claimed to be as simple as placing an Easy Setup Key into a USB port and following three short steps offered by the Cisco Connect software. Read More

Available in wired and wireless models the Eclipse litetouch Keyboard is a companion to the Eclipse Touch Mouse we covered earlier this year. Both wired and wireless versions have an interesting LCD 3-in-1 touch panel alongside the backlit scissor keys which, with a single press, switches between media mode, numerical pad and the customizable “MyEclipse” mode. Read More

The world is going app crazy and it's not restricted to the domain of mobile phones. Routers too, it seems, are not being left out. As well as embracing the 802.11n wireless protocol and simple three step setup, Belkin's latest router offerings also break into the world of applications with software that automatically detects and resolves network issues, a playlist music generator and an automated data backup program all leading the charge. Read More

The Foxl v2 is instantly impressive by its weight, it’s not made of plastic and it delivers impressive bass sounds through technology that combines the unit’s rechargeable Lithium-ion battery with a Flatmagic acoustic bass radiator. The unit's mid and high-range come at you via two patented dual voice coil 25mm (1 inch) Linear Magnetic Drive Twoofers (tweeters that also woof – tuned to 100Hz) and on-board amplification is supplied by four ultra high-efficiency digital amplifiers delivery total power up to 8W at <0.1%THD. Add in Bluetooth capabilities and this unit ticks a lot of boxes. Read More

Netbooks and laptops are convenient for travelers, students and mobile workers, but with portability comes the drawbacks of a small keyboard and viewing monitor, which means it’s not the ideal setting for long computer sessions at home or in the office. The Warpia Easy Dock allows users to wirelessly connect their netbook/notebook/MacBook to any traditional desktop setting – easier on the eyes, ears and hands. Read More

USB sticks are great for file sharing, apart from a couple of drawbacks. Sometimes you want to share only some content of the drive, or the drive just isn’t big enough to hold all the information you want to share. The Infinitec Infinite USB Memory (IUM) drive provides you with a way to share absolutely all, or just selected content, wirelessly to any device with a USB port. You can even use it to stream movies from your laptop to your TV. And while it is being marketed as the world's first infinite memory USB memory drive, the device doesn't actually store information, it's really a wireless network device with similar "infinite memory" functions to the Eye-fi Pro X2 we featured earlier this year. Read More

In a step that could see communication wires banished from homes and offices researchers have developed a miniature device capable of converting ultra-fast laser pulses into bursts of radio-frequency signals. The advance could enable all communications, from HDTV broadcasts to secure computer connections, to be transmitted from a single base station. Read More

Lacie continues to bolster the media streaming market and has recently introduced another model into its LaCinema range which, like most of its predecessors, was inspired by designer Neil Poulton. As such the new Mini HD sports a familiar sleek, piano-black design with front and rear USB ports to connect media for local playback, HDMI 1.3, RCA and optical audio along with 100Mbps Ethernet for connecting to a wired network. Read More