D-Link today announced immediate availability of smaller form factor notebook ExpressCard(tm) adapters and desktop PCI Express adapters to take advantage of the latest draft 802.11n wireless network technology.

The D-Link Xtreme N( Notebook ExpressCard (DWA-643) is designed for notebooks now being sold by major brands such as Dell(, HP(, Toshiba(r), Gateway(r) and others offering users an easy upgrade to the future of wireless technology. For desktop PCs, D-Link now offers the DWA-556 Xtreme N PCI Express (PCIe) draft 802.11n desktop adapter “Our new ExpressCard and PCIe adapters provide further support to our customers who are purchasing the latest computers to hit the market, either desktop or laptop. Both bring wireless connectivity to the next level, allowing users to enjoy the best network performance possible,” said Brian Larsen, associate vice president of product development for D-Link Systems, Inc. “Combined with improved performance of draft 11n wireless technology, our newest Xtreme N adapters deliver strong connections for computers on the home network and improved throughput for running bandwidth intensive applications such as streaming media and online gaming.”

Both adapters are powered with the lightning speeds and greater range of connectivity made possible by the latest draft of the wireless networking standard, 802.11n. The smaller slots equipped on the newer-generation notebooks and desktops are designed for all future industry-standard wired and wireless ExpressCards and PCIe adapters.
“D-Link just keeps upping the 802.11n ante,” said the editors of Laptop Magazine, which recently gave the Xtreme N Gigabit router (DIR-655) their prestigious Editors’ Choice award for its superior speed, range and overall application of the draft 802.11n technology. Target PC reviewers wrote: “the DIR-655 is by far one of the most advanced and feature-packed routers on today’s market.”

Designed for use in larger homes and offices or for multiple bandwidth-intensive applications, the DWA-556 desktop adapter features three external antennas to provide higher performance than 802.11g technology while maintaining backward compatibility to 802.11g and 802.11b networks. Both adapters are designed to enhance network communications by allowing high-definition media streaming, file sharing, enhanced Internet phone calling (VoIP) and Web surfing. They also support advanced network security encryption (WEP, WPA(tm) or WPA2(tm)) and come with D-Link’s Quick Adapter Setup Wizard software.

Both the DWA-556 and DWA-643 are now available through D-Link’s network of retail stores, online outlets and company store, www.dlinkshop.com, for the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $149.99 and $119.99, respectively. More information about the products can be obtained at the D-Link website, www.dlink.com, and by tuning into D-LinkTV.

D-Link, the end-to-end networking solutions provider for consumers and business, today unveiled a family of 3G mobile broadband wireless routers designed to make it even easier for on-the-go consumers, field technicians and mobile professionals to access and share an Internet connection virtually anywhere by blending Wi-Fi(tm) networking technology and a wireless broadband network.

The D-Link 3G Mobile Wireless Routers allow users to create a 802.11g/b-compatible wireless hotspot anywhere within range of a cellular network.

By plugging a compatible 3G notebook adapter into the D-Link 3G Mobile Router’s built-in card bus slot or a USB-enabled mobile phone, users can get immediate access to EV-DO, UMTS or HSDPA networks. The D-Link router can then share this signal via 802.11g/b Wi-Fi technology to notebooks, PCs or other Wi-Fi-enabled devices. The D-Link routers are available in two versions: the DIR-450 (EV-DO) and DIR-451 (UMTS/HSDPA).

“These routers are ideal in situations where a wired broadband connection, such as T1, cable or DSL, is not available,” said Brian Larsen, associate vice president of product development for D-Link Systems, Inc. “For instance, once users insert a notebook adapter into their D-Link 3G Wireless Mobile Router and create a wireless ‘hotspot’, they can then check their email, browse
the Web, access their company network and share information with colleagues in ‘virtual meetings’. This solution is significant to the market by enabling communications at temporary work sites such as construction or disaster areas, concerts and others.”

For security, both versions support wireless security features to prevent unauthorized access, including WEP, WPA and WPA2 that ensure a secure Wi-Fi network regardless of the connected devices. They also employ dual active firewalls (SPI and NAT) to prevent potential Internet attacks. Read the rest of this entry »

CES was ripe with iPod gadgets last week and truth is, it was hard to see the golden tree amongst the thick forest. But if you kept your eyes open, you would have seen a little something from silex. It’s golden apple is the wiDock and what an apple it is!

Docks are becoming as common as, well, as apples these days for iPods. What separates wiDock from the crowd is it’s magical ability to make sure everything on that iPod is current. It synchronizes wirelessly. Aah, I’m already in love with it! But it goes an extra step and will sync up to five different iPods to five different PCs or Macs on your network! Now we’re talking!

John Halloran, Project Manager at silex, took time out of his busy schedule to tell SvenOnTech all about this great little dock for any iPod with a dock connector (iPod, iPod nano, iPod mini.) Halloran told us that the built-in 802.11g wireless dock syncs associating an iPod by its serial number to any computer you choose on the network. So Danny can sync to his PC and mom can sync to her Mac all from the same wiDock. With a simple software install on each computer (Windows or OS X), Sx Virtual Link makes a virtual driver emulating a USB link. By pressing a button on the dock, the computer on the other end associated to that iPod starts the sync process. You can also initiate the Sx Virtual link to start up automatically if you so choose, to make for seamless sync jobs. If you’re sitting at your computer and the iPod is on the dock down in the living room, highlight the iPod in iTunes and start the sync from your computer. iTunes thinks it’s right there on your desk!

Halloran told me during our 30 minute call that silex sees the wiDock as helping make the iPod the focus of your home entertainment system. With RCA audio and S-Video outputs to connect to your system, you’ll be able to watch movies and enjoy your music without having to worry about the nagging music protection scheme on the content you purchased from the iTunes store. With its built-in support for the Apple Remote, you can sit down and enjoy anything on your iPod from the comfort of your couch. And yes, Halloran did confirm that silex is kicking around the idea of making its own remote as well for a future release.

When I asked Halloran about iPhone integration, he said while they haven’t been able to touch one to really see how it works, they do believe it should be an easy adaption to the wiDock since the iPhone too has a dock connector. When I pressed about its built-in Wi-Fi and maybe the ability to add silex software to the phone for wireless syncing anywhere (within ones home Wi-Fi next work), Halloran said that it was a possibility, but couldn’t commit to it until they see the iPhone first. Halloran did tell me that silex is currently working with other manufactures in getting silex’s technology in a wide variety of other products.

The worlds only Wi-Fi dock for the iPod can be had for $149 MSRP though it has been found as low as $120 on the street. Response to the wiDock was hot at CES and Macworld where many purchased it on the spot when they saw what it could do. We’ll be getting one in soon and we’ll tell you then if it’s as hot as we think it is!

Looks like XM has its work cut for it now that Sirius has just released it’s, excuse the pun, serious portable player, the Stiletto 100. With live reception, built-in Wi-Fi (which allows you to log into Sirius Internet radio), and the ability to purchase songs from Yahoo! Music Jukebox that strike your fancy when you hear it, this is one neat little unit to say the least. If you’re wondering what the 100 in the name means, that implies it’ll record up to 100 hours of Sirius programming for later use. Yes, I can record my Steelers games now during church service. With scheduling built into this unit, I can only say one thing, “Sweet!”

The Stiletto 100 also allows for users own MP3 and WMAs to be played and stored on the unit with easy synchronization via My SIRIUS Studio software that is included with the portable satellite player.

Measuring 4.7” x 2.0” x 1”, Stiletto 100 stores up to 100 hours of live SIRIUS Satellite Radio programming (2 GB), has a large 2.2” bright display, Aurora graphic user interface and a six-way navigation control that provides easy one handed access to all features and content. Stiletto 100, with a MSRP of $349.99, will include the radio, standard battery, slim battery, AC power adaptor, headset antenna, ear buds, PC cable, My SIRIUS Studio™ software and Yahoo! Music Jukebox™ software.

Sirius tells SvenOnTech that the Stiletto 100 will be available “this month” so that should be by tomorrow, no?

Looks like Californians can now add yet another law to the books as all Wi-Fi manufactures will now have to either plaster a huge warning sticker on the box or add something in the software setup that Wi-Fi is dangerous. No, it won’t make you lose your fingers or stub your toe or make you anemic, but if you don’t lock up and lock it up good, then someone may do stuff like, you know, view illegal pictures on your connection and it’ll be your door knocked down by the FBI instead of your neighbors.

While I’m for better security and all, requiring companies to slap warnings on the box won’t help. I do this stuff as my day job and I can tell you right now, there are customers that know about this issue, they just don’t how to fix it. Maybe user education or easy setup would be the better thing for these companies to apply.

Don’t worry you war-drivers, I don’t see this having any effect on your free selection of wireless networks. Just take a look at all the smokers to see how well warnings work.

All the mom-and-pop coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi. In fact, most everyone does except Starbucks. The Seattle-based coffee house gets its hotspot piped in by T-Mobile. It’s been reported for years that store managers at Starbucks has been complaining to upper management for a while about losing business because customers don’t want to pay for their Internet after forking out $4 on a foo-foo drink. Whelp, looks like someone somewhere got through, because now T-Mobile is offering free weekend use of its Wi-Fi…kind of.

With T-Mobile, there always seems to be a catch and the catch for the free hotspot at Starbucks and other T-Mobile locations, such as Borders, is that you have to be a T-Mobile cellular customer.

To get started on your free Internet surfing this weekend, just visit T-Mobile’s Free Weekends site and fill out the form and then within a minute or two, your phone will receive an SMS message (which you get charged for) with a code to crack open that free surfing while at Starbucks.

Be prepared, my friend, to fend off many questions from others on just how you’re getting free access on your device. It may just be easier to say you hacked your way in.

Looking to see what’s causing interference to your Wi-Fi connection?  Need to see if it’s that pesky microwave of yours or bleeding signals from your neighbors?  How about problems coming from cordless phones?  Baby monitors can be an issue with the 2.4GHz range, too. 

So how does one fix this problem? Buy a multi-thousand dollar spectrum analyzer?  Nah, just get Wi-Spy for $99.  Plug it into your laptop or desktop and it’ll sniff the airwaves for you giving details on all those signals out there.  With instant view of amplitude, frequency, and time, you’ll have a great overview of what’s going on in no time.  You can analyze signal strength as well as channels of any Wi-Fi signal that is in your “view”. 

All this in a simple to use software package that allows you to save everything for later use. With support for Windows, Linux, and OS X, this may just be the right tool for IT pros to geeks.

Everyone’s seen the fake e-mail about Congress debating a bill to tax e-mail but now comes news of a real tax proposal that could effect ever laptop and home user with 802.11.  President Bush’s 2007 Budget has a measure in it to tax “un-auctioned” radio signals.  Auctioned signals are those sold off by the Federal government to businesses such as wireless carriers for cellular phones and radio stations.  Since Wi-Fi is not auctioned by the government for its use, the Bush Administration seems to think this would be a great revenue maker for the United States.

As to who would be levied the tax, this is unclear. It could be the manufacturer, like Linksys for example, or it could be the end user. Like walkie talkies that use frequencies that require payment for its use, individuals would have to pay similarly to use Wi-Fi on their computer.

Dude, looking to extend your wireless a bit further then a few hundred feet?  Really want to impress the entire block and dish out a free and insecure wireless signal for all to use?  What?  Forget the block, you want the neighborhood?!  Well my friend, head on over to QuickerTek cause they got a transceiver that will caress the air with broadband jumping signals for up to a mile.  Yes, ONE MILE.  Sweet, huh?  Calm down!  I haven’t even told you that it totally works for both the PC and the Mac.  They’ve even got a sweet hook up for the iMac and it’s so ready for the Tiger.  Would you stop jumping up and down?!  It’s also like $200.  Ya, two bills and you will be set, baby!

I wonder if Leo Laporte knows about this.  This is the perfect set up for his farm out there in Petaluma.

Who said Chi-town is the place to be in Illinois? Just a bit away from the windy city, Illinois third largest city, Rockford, will be going with a muni wireless network. Bringing two private companies, Airpath Wireless and ROC-net Services, in to make it all happen, Rockford will first spread the 8o2.11 signals to local local healthcare organizations, colleges and universities. Once the doctors and the students are surfing the web to get their latest news and information from SvenOnTech the appropriate sources, Rockford will work on moving outward from the eight square mile radius it starts out with.

The muni wireless service will be both free and a paid service. No details or pricing has been given, but once the service is lit, information will surely become available.

I’m sure Bob is happy.

[Via GigaOm]