Filed under: Digital Cameras, Wireless

Not to keep harping on Fujifilm‘s newly-unveiled, fixed-zoom S9600 camera, but the company has apparently busted out a less-than-glamorous wireless attachment for the highly-touted prosumer model. While we knew the 10.7x zoom, 9 megapixel sensor, and tiltable LCD were on the docket, wireless transfers is definitely a new addition. Spotting WiFi on cameras isn’t too uncommon (heck, we’re even giving one away), but we’ve yet to see a dedicated wireless adapter for a camera of this stature. Reportedly, the demo was set up to photograph onlookers, and then pass the snapshot along (sans wires, of course) to a WiFi-enabled printer sitting nearby. Unfortunately, details concerning model numbers, pricing, or if this add-on will ever surface outside of the Photokina confines remains to be seen — but honestly, we hope the final design (should there be one at all) trims down a bit, as the current build sure looks to add a good deal of heft for just cutting the proverbial cord.

[Via Daily Wireless]

 

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Walmart has started promoting Zunes in their online store. Why is this so disturbing to us? Walmart has already defiled iPods and all sorts of other PMPs. Is it that we wanted something better for our new baby? Is it that Walmart and Microsoft together is the scariest wetdream ever to even the Gordoniest of Gekkos? Does this sit poorly in anyone else’s tummy out there? – Mark Wilson
Thanks Ben!

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wireless

Despite maybe, possibly being illegal in some parts (but not many), fearless DIY-er Adrian Smith has gone forth and out-MacGyvered all other cantenna makers with his steerable, WiFi-sniffing rig. Using the requisite tin can, along with a PIC microcontroller and a couple of servos, the cantenna is able to be controlled by a custom Visual Basic program that can automagically sniff out the strongest wireless signals and zero in on them (complete with satisfying bzzzzz, whizzzz sound effects, we’re sure). Unfortunately, he hasn’t provided detailed step-by-step plans for the more engineering-challenged among us, so you’ll need some reasonable skills of your own to put one of these to use “sharing” your neighbors’ bandwidth.

[Via Hack a Day]

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Filed under: Transportation, Wireless

Just because Boeing decided to pull the plug on its Connexion service doesn’t mean in-flight broadband has been grounded for good, with a company called ASiQ now promising to step in and fill the wireless void. ASiQ — who recently revealed plans for allowing consumers to use their regular cellphones while flying — has just announced an upcoming package based on an Inmarsat broadband link that will supposedly cost airlines just $5 to $15 to operate per flight (depending on the size of the aircraft) over a five year lease, meaning users should benefit from much lower fees than the typical $27 Boeing was charging for long-haul international trips. ASiQ will initially show off its attractively-priced system at Miami’s World Airlines Entertainment Association conference and exhibition in mid-September, and plans to begin rolling out the commercial service sometime next year. We’ll have to wait and see if the supposedly-lower infrastructure costs actually translate to cheap service for consumers, but if we can get our mid-air WiFi on for like five or ten bucks a flight, well, we can certainly envision this project really, um, “taking off.”

[Via Geekzone]

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Filed under: Peripherals, Wireless

We wouldn’t even think of buying a cellphone that didn’t incorporate both WiFi and Bluetooth, so you better believe we were excited to learn of semiconductor manufacturer Marvell’s new combo 802.11a/b/g – BT chip for portables, which is supposedly the first of its kind. The so-called 88W8688 — which supports Bluetooth 2.0 and hardware acceleration for UMA, IMS, etc. — has a footprint of less than 80-square-millimeters, or about half the size of current two-chip combinations. For consumers, this will mean smaller versions of all the gadgets we love, and most importantly for us, those super-functional-but-chunky smartphones that we feel naked without. Although the chip is currently shipping to select Marvell OEM partners, it has yet to announced which specific device categories will see the first implementations; our plea: get these puppies to HTC as quickly as possible!

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Filed under: Displays, Wireless

We all know that Sony’s been doing their LocationFree wireless TV gig for years, right? Still, that little fact won’t stop Samsung from stretching for yet another world’s first by introducing the SPD-50P7HDT which they call the “world’s first large-size HD-compatible wireless PDP TV.” Yeah, whutevs Sammy, if it makes you feel better then go ahead, call it. The new 50-inch Plasma Display Panel supports an unspecified high-def resolution and touts the inclusion of a wireless AV center to float the TV upon your wall (nearly) cable-free. Apparently, the AV center is the mystery box on the shelf below the PDP in the picture above which will magically bundle the various signals from your tethered devices such as DVD, set-top box, etc. and then feed ‘em up to the TV over 802.11a WiFi. Yeah, 802.11a — at least that’s what’s being reported in the digital rags. However, we’d love to see Samsung slip in a little UWB which we’ve already seen them playing around with as a more appropriate short-haul cable replacement. Maybe the official specs will hold a surprise once released… hey, we can dream can’t we? Suggested retail is about 4,800,000 South Korean Wan or about $5,000 of the green stuff if it this kit ever ships Stateside.

[Via Akihabara News]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Wireless

Looks like Nikon is intent on rocking the WiFi on its digital cameras, despite some pesky security concerns with the implementation on its Coolpix P1 and P2 digicams. This new WT-3 Wireless Transmitter that’s just gotten FCC approval, however, looks to be fairly substantial, so maybe it won’t be so easily susceptible to the same problems. It’s also quite a bit more capable, not only wirelessly transmitting photos to your PC, but directly to an FTP server or printer as well. The transmitter will also apparently let you control your camera from your computer, and works with 100BaseTx/10BaseT wired networks if WiFi’s not your thing. According to the FCC filings, the transmitter’s designed to work exclusively with Nikon’s D200 digital SLR, but it seems fairly likely that the same technology could be put to use with other cameras sooner or later.

[Via MobileMag]

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Filed under: Displays, Wireless

Toshiba unveiled their latest conference room projector today, the TDP-TW100U, an otherwise run-of-the-mill unit made a bit more notable thanks to the built-in wireless networking. Listing at a fairly reasonable $1,699, the DLP projector will pump out your presentations at 1024 x 768 resolution with 2,700 ANSI lumens and a respectable 2,000:1 contrast ratio, and it’ll do it with a minimum of cables, of course, thanks to that 802.11b/g WiFi. It comes up a bit short in terms of inputs though, with only one S-Video, one RCA composite, and two plain-old VGA ports, making it quite a bit less appealing for anyone thinking of using it for home theater purposes. It does, however, have a USB port that’ll let you deliver a full presentation with nothing more than a USB thumb drive. If that’s enough for ya, you can get your hands of one of these now.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Wireless

Nikon‘s WiFi-equipped Coolpix P1 introduced last year seemed to be a step in the right direction. Decent enough as a camera, the P1′s big selling point was its WiFi transfer capability — anything that lets us pull one more cable from our desk immediately gets our attention. And while we were hoping for some hacks to expand the functionality a bit, this isn’t exactly what we had in mind. According to Informit, in addition to sending your vacation pics flying through the air, the P1 can also open up your PC to a whole range of attacks, including DoS attacks and infected JPGs and executables, not to mention allowing others to potentially intercept your photos. The bad news, if that wasn’t bad enough, is that there apparently isn’t any easy fix outside just not installing Nikon’s WiFi software on your PC — thus killing the camera’s only wireless functionality. So, unless you can somehow scope out everyone with nefarious intent within WiFi range, you might wanna go back to that trusty SD card reader until further notice.

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Geared toward the paranoid or voyeuristic home and small business owner, the HNC290G WiFi camera lets you view wirelessly exactly what’s going on on your property anytime, anywhere. Well, there’s a wire for the AC adapter, but other than that, totally wireless.

The HNC290G supports 802.11b/g as well as 10/100 Ethernet, in case you want a more stable connection to the camera. Other features like UPnP, which allows auto-discovery from PCs, and URL configuration, which lets you access the configuration page from any computer on the network. Their setup wizard with UPnP also sets up port-forwarding on your router automatically, so people on the outside of your network—say your computer at work—can view the camera without figuring out difficult router settings.

It’s also got built-in motion detection and streams video at 30FPS. A good entry-level WiFi camera at $129.99. Buy one, hide it, and have proof your wife’s cheating on you with your brother, while you were making it with your dead cousin’s wife. Yes, I watch Rescue Me, why do you ask? – Jason Chen

Product Page [Hawking]

Filed under: Peripherals, Wireless

While we’re certainly not rushing out to snatch up Apple’s new Wireless Mighty Mouse, the heavy response to this Bluetooth-equipped rodent makes us think that a lot of you Macheads out there are eager to learn more before laying down your $70. With that in mind, we figured a full gallery of unboxing photos would be just the cure for your Mighty Mouse jones. Keep on reading for a few more pics — including a comparative shot with the wired version (spoiler: they look exactly alike, save for the “tail”) — and then hit up the Read link to check out the entire set…

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This BenQ-Siemens handset is sweet piece of kit, with its 3.2-megapixel camera, and 240 by 320 pixel screen. But it's more remarkable for its dock — a mighty throne that acts as a charger, PC sync cradle, speakerphone, and alert system that glows when you've missed a call or received a text message. Europe only, although it's tri-band GSM signal should work in the US if you can import one.

– Brian Lam

BenQ-Siemens SL91 [Slashphone]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wireless

Audiophiles, listen up. (Oh, how we do love saying that.) Slim Devices has got something you’ll want to check out if you’ve been on the hunt for a Sonos alternative: meet the Transporter (and we ain’t talking about Jason Statham). Slim’s new wireless audio distribution system moves your music (in WAV, AIFF, MP3, WMA, and FLAC up to 96KHz sample rates) via 802.11g or Ethernet, and outputs in XLR, with optical, S/PDIF, and coax ins and outs. But thats not all, you’ve also got RS-232, infrared, even a clock input port to make sure using and controlling the audio chugging through its Super Regulator-driven 120dB SNR AKM-built AK4396 DAC is a pleasurable experience. They’re not going to let you off easily though, this piece will set you back two grand when it debuts September 18th. Slim Devices will, however, throw you a bone for your hard earned thousands; pre-order the Transporter before it’s released and they’ll toss in a free Squeezebox to say thanks for skipping out on rent (yet again).

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Filed under: Gaming

If you’ve got a flair for retro gaming, or you just hate the design of the Xbox 360 controller, you’ll be interested in this clever adapter project that give your old Sega Saturn pad, which is revered by fans of 2D fighters, the ability to control your brand new 360 games. The job required a gutted wireless 360 controller – that’s right, it’s wireless – a few common electronic components and about 2.5 months of work. From the video provided in the thread, it looks to function solidly, avoiding expected problems like the nightmarish button lag that could’ve rendered the whole thing completely useless. We know not many of you are going to be rushing to your workshops to try this, but every 360 mod we see gives us a little more hope that the hack (and accompanying tutorial) we’ve all been waiting for is coming sooner than later. But, until then, you’ll have to watch out for this guy and his new rig on Xbox Live Arcade — unless you have one of these on your coffee table.

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Filed under: Laptops, Wireless

If you’re all worked up wondering if someone got their hands on the “$5,000 limited edition” version, you can calm down a bit. Nevertheless, we’re thrilled to finally see a review on the self-proclaimed “world’s most desirable laptop” even if it focuses on the slightly less expensive versions. The 2.2-pound Q2010 fared well, according to Laptop Mag, who praised the notebook’s styling cues and fresh looks, but frowned upon the cramped keyboard and atrocious battery life (1:39). This isn’t the first Fujitsu to draw complaints about a lack of juice, and it seems to be its all-too-common achilles heel on otherwise solid products. Amongst the specs on the low-end model is the 12.1-inch 1280 x 800 screen, which has a gorgeous glossy finish, and under the (“world’s thinnest”) hood is a meager 1.2GHz Intel Core Solo, 512MB of RAM, 30GB hard drive, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a space-hampered offering of ports with just two USB 2.0, one FireWire, and an SD reader. Higher-end versions keep the costs heading upwards by including 1GB of RAM and up to an 80GB HD. It’s worth noting that you can nearly triple your battery life by throwing in a $179 extended battery that pokes from the rear and adds 9 ounces of bulk, and you won’t have an optical drive without an external add-on or attaching the $299 docking solution (notice a trend?). The Q2010 is impressively thin at only 3/4-inches, but $1,999+ seems to be a bit much based on specs alone, but as we’ve seen before, style can come with a premium pricetag.

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Filed under: Wireless

So we’ve seen how cramming an incredible amount of information onto a small strip (ahem, RFID) is changing logistics and data processing functions, but the brains at HP have created something a bit more substantive. Cleverly named Memory Spot, their new wireless chip is the size of a grain of rice and can hold between 256k and 4MB of data (depending on its corresponding physical size); the Spot can disseminate information at 10Mbps to any reader-equipped device, such as a cell phone, notebook, or PDA. So what’s the need for yet another fancy microtransmitter system? Well, it’s the inherit storage capacity that makes the microscopic technology stand out over today’s more familiar NFC technologies; HP seems to believe that Memory Spots can be used in storing medical records on patient’s wristbands, adding audio clips to paintings, security passes, etc., eerily encouraging your imagination to go wild. (Just think of the dirt you could get on your mobile screen passing a bus-load of tagged inmates, yikes.) Howard Taub, VP of HP Labs, stated that these would go for 10-50 cents a piece when they’re released commercially in a couple years, after which we’re sure they’ll immediately be put to good use within HP’s management team.

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Unlike the other USB PC Lock, this PC lock locks your workstation from prying fingers, instead of just the USB drive.

When the USB receiver is plugged into your machine, as long as the transmitter is in range, your PC acts normally. As soon as you walk out of range—with the transmitter in your pocket—the receiver locks your PC to prevent unauthorized access to your machine. Useful at the office, where a trip to the bathroom may invite your co-workers to pull the old take-a-screenshot-and-set-it-as-your-desktop trick.

Available now for £19.99 ($34). – Jason Chen

Product Page [Gadgets.co.uk via Coolest Gadgets]

Filed under: Features, Peripherals, Wireless

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about the future of technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment:

During the spring CTIA conference of 2005, a Switched On column expressed hope for Bluetooth. Bluetooth phones were becoming more broadly available in the US and headsets were becoming more affordable, trends that have continued. However, the potential of Bluetooth has been cut short by carriers that have disabled or “crippled” parts of it functionality. The two most common profiles that carriers have disabled are DUN (dial-up networking) which lets you use your Bluetooth handset as a wireless modem, and OBEX (object exchange), which lets you wirelessly trade files between your handset and PC.

DUN is generally disabled to prevent users from taking advantage of data plans intended for the kind of relatively light data usage patterns of a smartphone, whereas some carriers disable OBEX to prevent circumventing cellular-based transfer services, like Verizon, for instance, and photos. While carriers have eased up on some of the profile disabling, the Sidekick 3, for example, supports only headset and file sharing functions.

Communicating Bluetooth compatibility has always offered a dilemma because the wireless technology encompasses several different benefits. Do you go the route of the WiFi Alliance and offer one logo that might leave out details such as operating frequency, and speed or do you go the PlaysForSure route and offer a confusing composite badge that details all the capabilities?

Be it via cost-cutting or carrier caprice, though, consumers are getting a warped idea of what Bluetooth is and what it can do. Putting aside newer features such as A2DP audio and EDR enhanced speed, the Bluetooth SIG needs to confront the issue of phones not supporting the expected features of DUN and OBEX — features that could conceivably interfere with carrier revenue models. That’s why it should reward carriers that support phones with these capabilities via a “True Bluetooth” certification.

“True Bluetooth” would tell consumers that a specific phone on a specific network offers the essential – if not full — promise of what a Bluetooth phone should be. Promotion of “True Bluetooth” would be done via the handset manufacturers that have been most aggressive in supporting Bluetooth such as Nokia and Sony Ericsson. These companies are motivated to have carriers support the features that they’ve spent valuable development time engineering.

Carriers would also benefit from “True Bluetooth” as they would have a simple way to distinguish phones where they support features such as DUN from those that don’t, and market the right handsets to advanced users who want to use these features without resorting to hacks. It’s high time the Bluetooth SIG put some teeth back in Bluetooth with “True Bluetooth” — the way to hold its standard to a higher one.

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Ross Rubin is director of industry analysis for consumer technology at market research and analysis firm The NPD Group and a contributing editor for LAPTOP. Views expressed in Switched On are his own. Feedback is welcome at fliptheswitch@gmail.com.

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Filed under: Wireless, Networking

For those in NYC, get ready to cut loose -- literally. In a city that isn't typically exposed to rollouts of this magnitude, NuVisions is, well, envisioning an ever growing "cloud" of WiFi over the metro areas. Their plan to dominate the airwaves with internet access begins with hardwiring buildings throughout the city with gigabit Ethernet (presumably via fiber), which is then distributed to tenants via short range powerline networking. Then the real fun begins. With every building that is hardwired for internet access, they light another WiFi zone on location. NuVision's CEO refers to it as "a virtual fiber optic network in the air." Pretty bold statement, we'd say, but until WiMAX is no longer a semi-distant fantasy, there isn't anyone who's more ready to see it happen than us. Well, aside from those waiting anxiously for NuVision to invade Chicago and San Francisco, the firm's next two targets. Unlimited access requires residing in a pre-wired building and costs $24.95 per month, not too shabby at all.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

We've had to sit on this one for a while, but it's about time we showed you guys at least one possible form Microsoft's Argo / Xbox-branded wireless portable media player could take. Sent to us from an insider working on the project, we're told the device pictured above is indeed a part of "Project Argo," and from what we can tell it definitely jibes from the blurry pics we caught a while back; though if the piece from earlier today is to be believed, this could just be one of numerous Microsoft portables. It's hard to tell just how much larger the screen on this thing actually is, but it does indeed appear to be a 4:3 aspect ratio display, and could be 3, even 3.5-inches wide. Keep your eyes peeled, you know we do our best to have this stuff as early as possible.

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Filed under: Multimedia, RIM

After reading United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2006/0146140, re-reading it, and reading it yet again, we’re still having trouble busting through the patent-speak to make heads or tails of what exactly RIM is trying to get at in the 2004 filing. To quote, the patent covers a digital camera and “and a wireless control apparatus. The digital camera wirelessly transmits the digital signal to the wireless control apparatus. The wireless control apparatus includes a display device, such as an LCD, for displaying a displayed image based on the digital signal.” The best we can figure is that RIM is looking to use a BlackBerry to control a digital camera, or possibly to use another device to control the camera within a future RIM device. Either way, we’re a little confused about the value of the feature (self portraits, maybe?), but it does jive with what RIM’s been saying lately, and as they say in the patent world — file now, ask questions later.

[Via BBHub]

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Filed under: Wireless, Networking

Hot on the heels of last week’s WiBro rollout in South Korea, Colombian long-distance operator Orbitel has teamed up with hardware manufacturer Siemens to deploy Latin America’s first WiMax network in the city of Cali. The long-range wireless network, which will be duplicated in fourteen other cities in the upcoming months, employs Siemens’ WayMax@dvantage (that’s not a typo) system of base stations, modems, and monitoring and control gear to ensure interoperability with future devices based on the IEEE’s 802.16e-2005 standard. WiMax is a particularly attractive option in countries whose wired infrastructures are still rather limited, allowing service providers to essentially leapfrog right over current broadband solutions and offer high-speed connections with considerably less capital expenditure. Orbitel is currently selling several service packages ranging from $39 to $325 per month, which supposedly buys you download speeds in the range of 2Mbps.

[Via GigaOm]

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Filed under: Wireless

It would seem you can’t keep a good use for a good municipal WiFi project down. Not long after news broke about Anaheim taking telephony to the 2.4GHz airwaves by way of EarthLink’s newly deployed WiFi network, more news broke that ten companies are standing behind a new Taiwanese initiative called Taipei Easy Call. From some accounts it sounds suspiciously like a UMA rollout, but apparently the Taipei city government plans to use WiFi VoIP calling service to replace more expensive fixed-line service at hundreds of schools, and city offices by as early as the end of August — while rolling out for general consumer use as well, of course. We assuming they’re gonna be using Taiwan’s big WiFi rollout to handle the Wifi haul; Taipei hopes to have as many as 200,000 citizens sign up for service with Taipei Easy Call, which we don’t think is at all unrealistic should software be developed for WiFi-enabled handsets, and assuming the local cellphone carriers don’t throw and severe hissy fits.

[Via GigaOM]

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Filed under: Wireless

Apparently entirely unafraid of being accused of cannibalizing their own MVNO business — at least in the fair town of Anaheim, California, anyway — Earthlink’s freshly rolled out WiFi network will take on a new charge providing wireless VoIP service, to offered on WiFi-only voice phones with calling plans between $10 and $25 per month. Of course your calling area is limited only to those portions of the Anaheim WiFi rollout currently complete (Earthlink plans to eventually have 50 square miles rolled out when the dust settles), but Earthlink VP says their test handsets are running handoffs at up to 40 miles per hour — which you know is remarkably fast if you’ve ever actually driven in Southern California. Still, with wireless Skype handsets, portable Vonage adapters, and all manner of VoIP software for WiFi-enabled cellphones, it seems like the early adopter crowd Earthlink has its sights on in Anaheim might need a little more incentive to drop a couple hundred on a handset that may or may not only make calls on Earthlink’s SoCal WiFi rollout.

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Filed under: Wireless, Networking

Intel and Motorola have decided to put their money where Craig O. McCaw's mouth is by investing $900 million dollars in his company, Clearwire, the WiMax provider that lost $140 million last year. Intel, having already made a smaller investment in the company back in 2004, is coughing up another $600 million cash, which sounds like a good indicator to us that their Centrino chips with WiMax are on the right development track. Motorola's smaller, but still substantial, $300 million dollar investment includes the purchase of NextNet, a Clearwire hardware subsidiary. All three companies are hoping that this deal brings us all one step closer to keeping us wired -- wirelessly of course -- no matter where we go, and that sounds good to us. As long as they can do it without making us all incredibly sick.

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