TechCrunch » wireless

New Wifi Tech Could Double Your Phone’s Battery Life

Matylda Czarnecka — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:43:41 +0000

If you ever get the sense that someone on the wifi network you’re using is hogging all the juice, you may be right. Not only does sharing wifi with others downloading large files interfere with your enjoyment of the latest viral video, but it can majorly drain your battery as well.

A new solution from a Duke University computer science graduate student could alleviate your frustrations and potentially double your battery life by allowing your wifi device to “nap” until more bandwidth is available. This means you might have to wait a couple minutes to watch your video, but that could be a productivity boon anyway.

Justin Manwelier‘s SleepWell is a piece of software that helps maximize download efficiency by alerting the wifi device in your phone when a download is finished on a neighboring device. Most wifi devices have to “stay awake” while waiting for their turn to download, draining a good deal of battery in the process.

“The SleepWell-enabled wifi access points can stagger their activity cycles to minimally overlap with others, ultimately resulting in promising energy gains with negligible loss of performance,” Manwelier said in a statement.

The proximity of wireless devices affects their performance as well, with longer download times in more crowded areas, like cities. And, as cloud computing continues to grow, the reasons for connecting to wifi will increase. Putting a wifi-connected device on standby until a download from another device is complete increases both devices’ battery life.

No word yet on when SleepWell will be released, but once it is, we can all look forward to having more time to surf before seeking out an outlet.

Photo by Florian Boyd

Mobee Magic Bar Will Charge Your Wireless Apple Stuff Without Wires

John Biggs — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:51:34 +0000

This inductive charger allows you to replace the batteries in your Apple Wireless Keyboard or Trackpad. The charging bar sticks into your devices’ battery slot and when you slide the entire thing into the Magic Bar things get charged automatically. No more Apple-branded batteries to buy!

The Magic Bar will cost $59.90 when it’s available later this month.

Product Page via 9to5

Fujitsu Developing True Wireless Charging System

Contributor — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:02:58 +0000

While there’s been other attempts to create a truly convenient wireless charging solution, not all of them have been successful. Most require that your device be in physical contact with a charging station, which while more convenient then plugging a device in, can still be a pain to remember. Fujitsu is working on a system that doesn’t require a physical connection at all, and it looks like they may have been successful.

Fujitsu announced today that they have developed a system that works completely wirelessly, using a magnetic resonance method that will simultaneously charge multiple devices without requiring them to be in contact with anything. Fujitsu also reports that this new method will charge a device in 1/150th of the time previously required, meaning it may also be more efficient. Details are still sketchy at this time, but assuming the voltage requirements aren’t out of this world, the potential here is huge.

[via HotHardware]

Asus WX-Lamborghini Mouse Rolls Through FCC

Contributor — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:30:33 +0000

Asus just had a new Lamborghini labeled product get approved by the FCC, for better or worse. The new mouse joins an already varied and colorful line of ill-advised products. I mean, really? Who buys a Lamborghini licensed mouse or laptop? If you own the car, you probably buy something a bit more high end, and if don’t have the car, you shouldn’t use one. It’s like the Ferrari or Porsche jackets that were so popular in the 80′s. If you don’t own the car, you look like a wanker. All we really do know it that the Asus WX-Lamborghini is a branded wireless mouse, but we have no idea on the price or availability. Not that you should buy one anyway.

[Via Wireless Goodness]

HP Wireless TV Connect Streams Video To Your HDMI Laptop

Contributor — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:00:10 +0000

HP announced more then just laptops tonight, but this product is a bit of and odd man out. For whatever reason they’ve decided to come out with a wireless media streaming box. Makes sense, until you start reading up on exactly how it works. The video does stream at 1080p, so that’s cool; but after that, it just gets strange.

So for $199, you get a large black box that you plug your laptop into (via HDMI only, thank you DRM), that is then powered by the USB port. No external power supply, that makes sense. The box your laptop is plugged into then transmits whatever media you want to share with your home entertainment system. This means you can send video, audio, pictures, or even Blu-ray to your home TV without wires. Here’s the catch though: the HP Wireless TV connect cost $199.99, and will be available in October. A 10 foot HDMI cable on the other hand, will set you back $4.40. Plus shipping, of course. Sorry HP, it’s a cool idea, but no thank you.

Grace Digital Audio Lets You Rock Out(side) Wirelessly

Contributor — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 01:00:29 +0000

Grace Digital Audio just launched their latest, a line of wireless, waterproof outdoor speakers designed to work with almost any MP3 player, mobile phone, stereo, computer or CD player. The portable base unit supports up to 10 speakers, with a range of over 150 feet.

There are a couple different models of speaker available, the Schooner II has built in carrying handles and an automatic standby mode that shuts them off after 15 minutes of no audio. Average battery life is about 7 hours, more then enough for that Labor Day BBQ. The Mini Bullets II feature a 3″ speaker with bass boost, and can be powered with an adapter or 6 AA batteries. The Mini Bullets also have a built in mood light for your hot tub rendezvous. The Schooner II cost around $130, and the Mini Bullets are $99.99. Pick ‘em up at your favorite retailer or directly from Grace Digital Audio.

Review: Eye-Fi Pro X2 Wireless Camera Card

Scott Merrill — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:00:28 +0000

Short version: transfer the photos you take from your camera to your computer without hassles, and without wires, using the X2 Pro card from Eye-Fi. Add in the ability to automatically post photos to a growing number of online sites, geotagging, and “Endless Memory” and the Pro X2 card is a great buy at $149.

Features:

8 GB class 6 SDHC card
802.11 b/g/n wireless network support
supports transfer of JPEG, RAW and video files
automatically post to Flickr, Facebook, and many other photo and video sharing sites
MSRP $149

Pros:

Super simple configuration
SMS and email notification of file transfers
“Endless Memory” automatically deletes images from the card after they’re uploaded to your computer

Cons:

Inconsistent transfer speeds
Unreliable geotagging due to public hotspot IP configurations
Potential battery drain on older cameras

Review
It boggles my mind that something the size of a dime can not only hold thousands of digital photos or hours of digital video, but can also pack in a WiFi transmitter capable of sending those photos and videos to my computer. The X2 Pro card is super simple to use, and works perfectly.

Tip o’ the hat to Rick for filming, and letting me play with his Nikon D5000

The 8GB SDHC card is only one third of the equation, though. The other parts of the equation are the Eye-Fi Center which runs on your PC and the Eye-Fi servers. Before you can use the wireless functions of the EyeFi card, you need to tell it about the wireless networks to which the card will connect. Unfortunately, the card cannot connect to wireless networks unless it knows about them in advance, even if those networks are open networks. The exception is public AT&T hot spots, like those found at Starbuck’s and Barnes and Nobles, to which the Eye-Fi cards can connect automatically, but you need to enable that option in the Eye-Fi Center first. It’s important to remember that you need to pre-program the wireless networks: this means you can’t take your camera over to your buddy’s birthday party and expect to upload photos right away — you need to add your buddy’s wireless network to your Eye-Fi card configuration, first.

The Eye-Fi Center allows you to set different options for JPEG, RAW and video files. You select the destination on your computer — whether a specific directory, or a directory created by the Eye-Fi Center based on date, or your computer’s iPhoto library — and optionally configure one or more online services. You can mix and match options based on your needs, so that you upload photos to Flickr and Facebook, but upload videos to Facebook and YouTube. Or maybe you don’t want to share any videos online automatically. Whatever!

You can enable notifications from Eye-Fi, so that you know what’s happening with your photos. Notifications can be sent via email, SMS, Twitter or Facebook. SMS notifications are particularly helpful if you’re sitting in a coffee shop waiting for uploads from the card to finish.

The Eye-Fi cards also support geotagging photos. The Eye-Fi card does not include a GPS receiver, so the geotagging is done through some fancy trickery to identify the local WiFi network you’re using, and maybe the SSID of nearby WiFi networks. Photos get geotagged with the location from which they are uploaded, not necessarily the location from which the photo was taken. If you take a photo downtown, and then go back home to upload the photos, the photos will be geotagged with your home network’s location. When using my own network, the geotagging was way off, because I moved recently: my wireless network was last indexed at my previous address, so photos I geotagged showed that they were taken across town at my old address. Geotagging in the local Starbuck’s was way off, too: it reported that I was in a different state altogether!

The final option in the Eye-Fi Center is how to transfer photos and videos. The default setting is “Automatic”, which means that all photos and videos will be sent to both your computer and any online sharing sites you’ve defined. “Selective Share” mode will still send all photos and videos to your computer, but will not send them to sharing sites unless you specifically select to do so. To mark a photo or video for sharing online, simply use your camera’s protect function. By marking the photo as protected (or locked, or whatever term your camera uses), you’re telling the Eye-Fi card “Go ahead and post this online!” The final transfer option is “Selective Transfer”, which doesn’t transfer anything anywhere unless you tell it to do so. In “Selective Transfer” mode, all images and videos stay in the camera, and only those you mark as protected will be sent to your computer and any designated sharing sites.

One of the really nifty things about the Eye-Fi is support for “Endless Memory”. 8GB may seem like a lot, but if you’re shooting HD video you might run out of space sooner than you’d like. “Endless Memory” mode will delete from the card any items that have already been successfully uploaded. As long as you’re in range of a wireless network you’ve defined — or stop for a breather at the local Starbuck’s — you never need to worry about running out of space. The card will automatically purge items for you, giving your card effectively an infinite capacity!

So, once you’ve set all your card’s options and added the wireless networks on which you’ll use it, it’s time to start taking pictures! The card is plenty fast, and works just like any other SDHC card you might buy. If you’re shooting within range of a wireless network you’ve defined and you want the pictures to be transferred automatically you may need to disable your camera’s auto-off feature. Obviously, photos can’t be transferred if your camera shuts off. Some newer cameras have varying levels of support for Eye-Fi built into the camera firmware. If you have such a camera, the camera will delay shutoff until it knows the transfers have been completed. That’s handy.

The actual operation of the Eye-Fi card is interesting. When you turn on your camera, the card first scans the available WiFi networks to find any that you’ve programmed. If it finds one, it hooks onto it and starts looking for the Eye-Fi Center software running on your computer. If it finds that, then the card communicates directly to your PC, making transfers as fast as your local network. Images and videos go from your card to your computer. If you’ve enabled online sharing, then the images and videos go from your computer to the Eye-Fi servers, where they’re then posted to the sharing sites you’ve defined.

If the Eye-Fi Center software is not located on the network, or if you’re using a public hotspot, then the card communicates with the Eye-Fi servers. Once the images are uploaded to the server, they’ll eventually make their way down to your computer. If you have sharing enabled, the images will be sent directly from the Eye-Fi servers to the sharing sites you have configured. This means that you can leave your computer off while you take a weekend getaway trip to the coast, and upload and share all your photos and videos using a Starbuck’s hotspot.

The Pro X2 offers a unique feature in the Eye-Fi lineup: support for ad-hoc wireless networks. These still need to be defined manually in the Eye-Fi Center before they can be used, but it means you can transfer photos and videos to your laptop wherever you might be. Stick your laptop in your backpack and go on that safari! No need to worry about transferring photos from your camera. And whenever you get back into civilization, the Eye-Fi Center software will automatically send photos to your designated online sharing sites.

There are all sorts of creative uses for the Eye-Fi card. Whether it’s a studio photographer looking to “shoot tethered”, or quick and easy photo and video uploads to Facebook during your kid’s birthday party, or simply the ability to leave your laptop at home while you take pictures on your vacation, the Eye-Fi Pro X2 is a great addition to your camera bag.

Product Page: Eye-Fi Pro X2

PogoPlug drops the cable, and the price

Scott Merrill — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:38:35 +0000

I’m a big fan of PogoPlug devices. They’re super simple to use, and they’re pretty regularly updated with new features based on customer input. One of the most common customer requests is for a wireless PogoPlug model, so that you don’t need to locate the PogoPlug near your wireless router. Today that request is being (mostly) answered with a new 802.11 b/g/n wireless adapter for the PogoPlug. Current PogoPlug owners can get the adapter for free! Folks buying their first PogoPlug can add the wireless adapter for $30. Also today that official price of the PogoPlug is dropping to $99, which means you can buy the device and the wireless adapter for the same price as early adopters paid for just the device.

Pogoplug Gets a Wireless “Little Buddy”

Our #1 requested feature now resolved: Wireless Adapter enables Pogoplugs to be placed anywhere in the home; existing users can get it for free!
Pogoplug is giving people what they want. Our customers have bombarded us with requests to add wireless connectivity to the Pogoplug, and we heard the message, loud and clear. Starting today, anyone can pre-order the Pogoplug Wireless Extender that makes any existing Pogoplug fully WiFi-enabled. Now users can place the Pogoplug anywhere in their homes without having to permanently connect it to a network router or wired Ethernet port.
The Pogoplug Wireless Extender is compatible with all previous versions of Pogoplugs and the recently announced Pogoplug Biz. Other recent improvements we’ve added to the Pogoplug include cloud printing, the updated Pogoplug Android application, the ability to share and collaborate on documents directly on the Pogoplug, and a very simple system of email upload. We are constantly striving to make the Pogoplug even better, and we would love to hear what your experience has been and how we can improve it. Keep sending those emails!
The Pogoplug Wireless Extender will work on 802.11 b/g/n networks and is available for pre-order now for $29.
In addition to the introduction of the new Wireless Extender, we are reducing the price of the current Pogoplug from $129 to $99.
Because of this price move and as a thank you to existing Pogoplug owners there is a special limited time offer; any existing owner of a Pogoplug can receive a promo code to get the new Wireless Adapter for free. To find out how, visit our Facebook page or our website support page.
The standard model Pogoplug can be ordered starting today for $99 at www.pogoplug.com.

World of Warcraft headset available for purchase

Contributor — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:30:27 +0000

While we reviewed it a few weeks ago, Creative’s World of Warcraft headset hasn’t been available for purchase until today. Time to get your geek on!

Creative announced today that you can either order their new World of Warcraft headset from your favorite online retailer, or actually go an pick one up for $159.99. If you don’t want the wireless version, you can pick up the wired version for $119.99. Both include the interchangeable lenses, voice changing presets, and are compatible with both PC and Mac.

Et tu, Nokia?

Scott Merrill — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:30:35 +0000

In the US we have a somewhat myopic view of cell phones. We have iPhones and Blackberrys and now Androids and Nexuses for smartphones, and a whole bunch of feature phones from manufacturers like LG and Motorola and Samsung. Notably absent from most wireless stores in the U.S. are Nokia, which is odd since Nokia owns more of the global cell phone market than its next three competitors combined. Part of this discrepancy is no doubt due to the market differences between U.S. carriers and wireless carriers in the rest of the world. But a large part of this can be explained by Nokia’s sheer arrogance.

When I was at Nokia World in late 2008, I had a very nice chat at a party with a Nokia employee. I asked him about Nokia’s relative scarcity in the U.S., and he said quite frankly that the problem was Nokia’s management’s opinion of their company. Being the world’s largest cell phone maker can give you some strong opinions about yourself: if you’re doing so well in the rest of the world, why should you change your tactics to get traction in the U.S., of all places? According to this slightly inebriated man, Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo opened his negotiations with Verizon by stating “We don’t need you.” Not a lot of wiggle room in that position, and there’s really no where to go but backwards. Well, the carriers feel they don’t need Nokia. I guess both opinions are technically correct, since no one is going out of business. But Nokia is losing out on a tremendous market opportunity, and U.S. carriers are losing out on some great handsets.

Whether this anecdote is accurate or not, the fact remains that Nokia is the odd man out in the U.S. I think we can all forgive Apple’s walled garden approach with its iPhone and associated app store because Apple has been a computer and software maker for a long time: this is what they do, and they have the track record to prove that they do it well. I don’t know many people who really take Nokia’s Ovi initiatives very seriously, because it’s not a core strength of Nokia’s. They’re seen as a handset manufacturer, and the expertise therein does not prima facie allow them to build and maintain a kick ass software suite.

There’s a bit over at VentureBeat that digs into this a bit more. The basic premise is consistent with what the Nokia guy at the party told me.

Wi-REACH: Roll your own 3G hotspot

Contributor — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:00:59 +0000

So you like the idea of the MiFi but you already have a 3G USB stick, eh? The Wi-REACH aims to give you the best of both worlds with a $99 cradle that turns your 3G USB stick into a Wi-Fi hotspot.

It’s got a rechargeable battery good for 4-5 hours of use and can handle up to 10 simultaneous connections. The connection is automatically encrypted and password-protected so as to avoid nearby strangers glomming on to your network.

The list of supported modems is as follows:

HUAWEI EM660
HUAWEI EM770
HUAWEI EC1260 (E620 USB Modem)
HUAWEI EC169 (E620 USB Modem
ZTE AC580
ZTE MF622
ZTE MF626
ZTE MF636
ZTE MF637
ZTE AC2716
ZTE AC8710
ZTE AC2726
ZTE AC2736
ZTE AC8700 (EV-DO)
ZTE AC8710
ZTE HSDPA Z100M (ZTE AD3801)
iCON 225
DTmobile DTM6211
Longsung U5100
Longsung U6100
LongCheer U5300
Iridium Handset 9555
Siemens HC25
Motorola H24
Motorola C-Light
Motorola Phone (H24)
Motorola Phone (G24)

Full press release:

Connect One Delivers 3G/4G Personal Mobile Hotspot

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb 15, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Connect One™, the Device Networking Authority™, today unveiled Wi-REACH Classic, a compact, battery-operated, mobile, personal WiFi hotspot that delivers high-speed Internet connectivity for laptops and wireless devices such as cameras, PDAs, and multimedia players. Using 3G/4G mobile network technology, Wi-REACH Classic quickly and easily provides multi-connection Internet access wherever you are, whether at the beach, in the car, or on the train.

Wi-REACH Classic combines the connectivity of WiFi with the excellent mobile coverage of 3G/4G cellular. This wireless broadband device transforms an existing 3G USB modem into a personal Wi-Fi cloud that can be easily shared between as many as 10 Wi-Fi devices. Wi-REACH Classic is highly portable and completely cordless, fitting easily into a pocket. Its built-in rechargeable battery delivers four to five hours in normal use and can be recharged using the built-in USB connector.

Thanks to upgradeable software, Wi-REACH Classic is designed to support up and coming networks such as WiMAX and LTE. Users can migrate to 4G networks with a simple software upgrade by simply plugging their next-generation USB modem into Wi-REACH Classic.

“Wi-REACH Classis is portable, flexible and ready for the future,” noted Amir Friedman, Connect One’s CEO. “We designed Wi-REACH with ultimate flexibility in mind. It moves with you, moves between wireless networks, and keeps moving into the future.” Powered by ConnectOne’s low-power iChip technology, Wi-REACH Classic offers four-to-five hours of up time. Using a USB interface, Wi-REACH Classic supports the most universal and fastest growing wireless modem interface today. Future modems designed with the USB interface can plug into Wi-REACH Classic and keep it viable and current for many years to come.

At the heart of Wi-REACH Classic is Connect One’s CO2144 “router on a chip” communication engine already in use by hundreds of OEM customers worldwide.

Connect One’s Private Label Program allows operators, companies and distributors to private label Wi-REACH Classic and to embed Wi-REACH Classic functionality into new, innovative products. Detailed reference designs enable companies to build their own customized products.

Price and Availability Wi-REACH Classic is available from Connect One at a price of $99. For more information on purchasing Wi-REACH Classic or joining Connect One’s Private Label Program, please contact sales@connectone.com or visit www.connectone.com.

Wi-REACH 3G Personal Hotspot [ConnectOne via Engadget]

Wi-Fi school bus keeps kids quiet

Contributor — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:00:14 +0000

A school district in Arizona has outfitted one of its school buses with a $200 mobile 3G Wi-Fi router and $60-per-month access. And guess what? Instead of punching each other and yelling all the way to school, the kids quietly tap, tap, tap away on their laptops.

If you’ve ever been on a JetBlue flight, you can imagine that’s a similar kind of blissful silence. JetBlue’s planes are all outfitted with DirecTV, which placates the drooling masses like me on the three hour flights between Boston and Fort Myers.

The same principle applies on the internet-enabled school bus in Vail, Arizona. Granted, this school district’s particular bus ride is over an hour but according to the New York Times, “Wi-Fi access has transformed what was often a boisterous bus ride into a rolling study hall, and behavioral problems have virtually disappeared.”

Wi-Fi Turns Arizona Bus Ride Into a Rolling Study Hall [New York Times]

Review: Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 Wireless Speaker System

Contributor — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:00:09 +0000

The Short Version: You’ll be hard pressed to find a higher fidelity desktop audio rig than this. But the wireless capability is rather limited in its application, and the price runs a little high for a 2.1 system.

Features:

2 satellite speakers and 1 subwoofer
THX certified
2.4 GHz wireless transmitter
Aux in / headphone out ports
MSRP of $199.00

Pros:

Excellent sound quality
Wireless is plug-and-play
Independent volume and subwoofer control

Cons:

Wireless is a bit useless
Subwoofer only goes down to 31 Hz
Wall mounting doesn’t come stock

Review: Klipsch released these speakers back in 2000. This particular model however, is new this year. The only difference being the addition of wireless capability. The sound quality out of this rig is fantastic. The frequency response on the subwoofer only drops down to 31 Hz, so you won’t get that extreme rumble on the low end of the spectrum. But you’re not running a dance club on your desk are you?

Now “wireless” is a bit of a misnomer with speaker systems. There are still wires running from the satellites to the amplifier, which is in the subwoofer enclosure. So if you were hoping to reduce the wire clutter on your desk, you’re out of luck. This rig only eliminates one line from the monstrosity of cables you probably have to deal with. That being said, the wireless system is a breeze to set up. I just plugged in the wireless USB dongle, set my audio output to the new speakers, and I was bothering my roommates in no time. The dongle is slightly oversized though, so if your USB ports are horizontally configured, prepare to lose one. Good news though, is that it’ll work when connected to an unpowered hub.

If the wireless transmission inherently compresses your audio to stream it, it wasn’t immediately apparent to me. And if you’re playing MP3s, it wont make a difference anyway.

But do you really need wireless desk speakers? If you’re keeping your computer at your desk, absolutely not. The range on the transmitter is only 30 feet, and isn’t designed to go through walls. The only other place in my room I sit with my computer is on my bed, and having a USB dongle in is a bit annoying. Plus, moving anywhere away from your desk will put out of the sweet spot of the speakers. And if you want to wall mount these, be prepared to shell out another $22.

One thing I don’t like about this system is the preamp connector Klipsch decided to use. It’s an 8-pin jack that I’m not familiar with, and doesn’t have the sturdiest feel to it. It doesn’t seem to want to sit in the connector. This is what connects the controls on the satellite to the amplifier, so if you bend a pin or something, you’re out of luck.

If you’re a serious gamer, you probably have a surround sound system of some sort, be it speakers or headphones. So this system isn’t for you. If you just want great sounding desktop speakers, go find the non-wireless version of these. They’re exactly the same and go for something like 50 bucks since they’ve been around since the original Half-Life.

Product Page: ProMedia 2.1 Wireless Speaker System

The InFocus DisplayLink Wireless system cuts the cord between Macs and InFocus projectors

Contributor — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:30:09 +0000

One of the most frustrating things about using a projector is setting up all the cords. You have to connect the video, probably the audio (at least in a business setting) and get the whole thing up and running. If you have a Mac, life gets even more complicated due to the lack of an HDMI or DVI port, which is the industry standard for projectors. InFocus is fixing all that with their new DisplayLink wireless technology.

DisplayLink was just announced today, and will allow users to connect wirelessly to any InFocus DisplayLink enabled projector by just plugging in a USB dongle. DisplayLink compatible projectors and the associated USB dongles will be available for the Mac at the end of March 2010. No word on pricing at this time.

From the press release:

PORTLAND, Ore. and CAMPBELL, Calif., Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ — InFocus® Corporation, the industry pioneer in digital projection technology, today announced a major enhancement to its wireless solution that eliminates the need to have wired connections between laptops and select InFocus projectors, with support for Mac OS and audio.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100208/SF51089)

Based on wireless technology from Wisair, a leading provider of single-chip based UWB and Wireless USB solutions, the InFocus DisplayLink™ Wireless system, allows presenters to easily connect to InFocus DisplayLink-enabled projectors and share HD content on the big screen without wires.

Successfully launched in August 2009 with initial support for Windows OS platforms, the system is now made available for MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air platforms with audio support. These enhancements enable broader deployment of the InFocus DisplayLink Wireless system to educational and additional markets, where Mac platforms are widely used.

MacBook platforms do not have VGA or HDMI connectors, which are the most common connectors in Projectors. For a complete audio-video experience today, Mac users need to connect at least 3 cable adapters: (1) a mini-DisplayPort or mini-DVI to VGA adapter cable (2) a VGA cable that connects to the projector for the video and (3) yet another cable for the audio.

The new InFocus wireless solution allows Mac users to transfer video, audio and also the projector’s control, via a single wireless link with a single adapter that connects to a USB port, available in ALL MacBook platforms.

The system will be available with Mac OS support at the end of March 2010.

TDK announces wireless (Kleer) headphones

Serkan Toto — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:00:11 +0000

TDK‘s main business is producing not too sexy electronic materials and data-storage media, which means the company announcing [JP] new headphones today is a rare occasion. The TH-WR700, to be marketed under Imation‘s “TDK Life on Record” brand, are wireless headphones (2.4GHz) that are based on Kleer (not Bluetooth) technology.

TDK says they chose Kleer’s wireless solution over Bluetooth because the former technology produces less noise when listening to music (TDK has measured a difference of 40db on average). The TH-WR700 features 32Ω impedance, 20Hz–20kHz frequency response, and 108 dB/mW sensitivity.

It comes with a small transmitter that needs to be plugged into the player in question and makes sure you can listen to music from up to 10m away. TDK says that the unit is designed so that it can be used with the iPhone as well (the company isn’t specifying which iPhone models are supported).

The headphones go on sale in Japan on March 1 for $190. TDK hasn’t said anything yet about international sales plans.

Haier shows off wirelessly-powered TV

Contributor — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:00:30 +0000

The future will be wireless. That’s what they keep saying, anyway. And while smaller devices are relatively easy to charge inductively, this TV from Haier is actually being wirelessly powered altogether. The technology comes from MIT spinoff WiTricity, which specializes in “wireless electricity delivered over distance.”

In the case of this TV, there’s apparently “a coil that is approximately 1 x 1 foot (30.48 x 30.48cm) in size on its back, and 100W electricity can be supplied from a distance of about 1m,” according to Nikkei.

Video is also sent to the TV wirelessly using the Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI) which is capable of streaming 1080p video at 3Gbps from up to 100 feet away.

No word on a consumer version of this technology anytime soon but, hey, at least it works.

[CES] Haier Develops TV With No Power Plug [Tech On!]

Handheld PS3 device for fanbois to cuddle at night

Contributor — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:30:43 +0000

So here’s a somewhat interesting gadget. Instead of converting a PS3 into a hand-held device, a crafty modder named techknott built a custom transmitter. The transmitter allows a player to not only control their PS3 remotely, but also to view the output on a small video screen.

Essentially, you’re combining a controller with a wireless video device, and a small LCD screen. Sounds simple right? Well, it’s might be simple, but looking at the fabrication quality in the video, it’s obviously something that required quite a bit of time and effort.

[via GEARFUSE]

Verizon jumps on prepaid data bandwagon

Contributor — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:30:00 +0000

Oh pretty netbook lady, you go about your daily life with your face buried in the goings-on of your hectic corporate lifestyle, unwilling to avert your gaze from the tiny 10.1-inch screen that dictates your graceful movements for even a mere moment in time.

Look away, pretty netbook lady. Observe the world around you. I have a feeling that once you do, you may wonder how you ever let your life become about smart tweed jackets, tightly-pulled hairstyles, and monthly mobile data plans for the netbook that seems permanently attached to your delicate hand.

Take a step back from it all, pretty netbook lady. You don’t need to completely give up your corporate lifestyle, but it’s time for you to LIVE! damn it. LIVE! And in order for you to be able to immerse yourself back into the corporate world from time to time, Verizon now offers pre-paid wireless data plans for casual use.

Available in daily, weekly, and monthly increments, the plans aren’t cheap by any means. You’ll get 75MB for $15 (daily), $30 for 250MB (weekly), or 500MB for $50 (monthly) and Verizon will begin rolling out the service on November 15th, packaged with a USB modem for $130. You can afford it, pretty netbook lady. You can afford it.

Full press release:

Reliability Meets Flexibility With Prepaid Plans for Verizon Wireless’ Mobile Broadband Service

Customers Can Choose From Daily, Weekly or Monthly High-Speed Internet

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ – Verizon Wireless today announced three new Mobile Broadband plans that will be added to the company’s Prepaid portfolio. Customers will be able to get speed when they need it on the Verizon Wireless 3G network with pay-as-you-go plans for daily, weekly or monthly access. The new Prepaid options are ideal for those who need access for occasional or seasonal use whether on vacation, enjoying a weekend getaway or for students away at school. Verizon Wireless gives customers the following service options:

Daily – $15 for 75 MB
Weekly – $30 for 250 MB
Monthly – $50 for 500 MB

Prepaid Mobile Broadband will be sold in a convenient grab-and-go package with the Verizon Wireless USB760 modem for $129.99. The USB760 comes with a high-performance internal antenna, removable memory of up to 8 GB and support for Windows® 2000, XP, Vista and Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or 10.5 (Leopard) or Linux. Prepaid Mobile Broadband will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores beginning Nov. 15 and at select national retailers beginning Nov. 20.

Klipsch ProMedia speakers rock the wireless

Contributor — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:30:27 +0000

Klipsch announced their new ProMedia 2.1 speakers today. Designed for use with a laptop system in mind, these THX-certified speakers are ~~totally~~ mostly wireless.

So by mostly wireless, I mean that you still need to provide power. The subwoofer and speakers will need to be plugged in to work, just not into your computer. You will need to stick a dongle into your USB port however. This sounds ideal for a laptop user or college student, since you can bring your computer back to the speakers and not have to worry about the cables.

The Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 wireless speakers sell for $199, and are only available from the Klipsch website, and only in the U.S.

[via Dvice]

Nintendo considering adding Kindle-like wireless access to future DS

Nicholas Deleon — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t the Amazon Kindle the first device to launch with built-in wireless (that is, cellular data) access? You know, you pay for the device, and then you don’t have to pay monthly wireless access because it’s already included in the cost of the device? It’s pretty neat, I think I can say without too much grief, and is a model that’s been copied by other e-book readers. Now it looks like Nintendo is considering such a model for future versions of the Nintendo DS (and not necessarily the XL, mind you). Exciting!

So Nintendo’s president, Satoru Iwata, said at a recent briefing that he’s “interested” in the business model (wireless access that’s built into the cost of the device) because it’s new, and, well, it could help expand the popularity of DSi Ware. Right now, to access DSi Ware you need to be connected to Wi-Fi, which sorta limits its availability. What if you’re sitting on a park bench on a warm spring day and want to download Something? You can’t!

You can imagine other scenarios, I’m sure.

Iwata did express concern that Nintendo would have to be careful with such a model because Nintendo is, in his words, an “amusement company.” It’s not Apple in the sense that it can’t charge $LOTS for its products.

Such a move would also give this theoretical new DS an edge over the PSP Go, which you’ll recall only ships with 802.11b access. That’s a bad move on Sony’s part, yes.

Keep in mind that Iwata could have just been thinking out loud, and that none of this will ever see the light of day. So there’s that.

via Gamasutra