The HomeSync box itself is the size of a couple of stacked DVD cases, finished in metallic-effect plastic, and with nothing on the front bar an LED indicator. On the back, meanwhile, there’s a microUSB port, two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI output, and an S/PDIF digital audio output, along with an ethernet port. Inside there’s a 1.7GHz dualcore processor, together with a 1TB hard-drive, 8GB of space for apps the like, 2GB of RAM, and WiFi a/b/g/n (2.4/5GHz) plus Bluetooth 4.0.

That hard-drive is used for local storage, including offloading content from your phone or tablet, though as you’d imaging the HomeSync is also set up to stream from the cloud. It integrates with the AllShare app on Samsung mobile devices, too, for one-touch streaming, though we had a little trouble getting a Galaxy Note II to push photos and video directly to the connected TV.

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean is running under the hood, with a customized UI to suit the living room environment. An app on your Samsung phone turns it into a wireless keyboard and remote – the display can either be used as a traditional trackpad, or you can physically wave the phone around to move the on-screen mouse cursor – with NFC used to easily pair handset to STB.

From then, you can use screen mirroring, push Full HD content wirelessly through the HomeSync box to your TV, or use local software such as the gallery, video player, and YouTube player. Samsung tells us that you should be able to install any app in the Google Play store too, including Netflix, though we weren’t able to test that since the Netflix app itself wasn’t offered in the regional store the demo hardware was set to.

Up to eight individual user accounts will be supported, each with its own locked-down section of the 1TB drive. Those hunting more local storage will be able to use the USB 3.0 ports to add external drives.

Samsung says the HomeSync will hit the US in April, though is yet to confirm pricing.

For Apple device users, the new iOS functionality means that the Libratone Zipp’s PlayDirect technology – the device-to-device streaming we tested in our Zipp review - now works with the Live and Lounge speakers launched back in 2011. Enabled through a new app for iPhone and iPad, the new support means iOS devices can funnel music directly to the older speakers rather than requiring a WiFi network.

A Libratone Android app is also in the pipeline, expected to hit the Play store sometime in February. Libratone isn’t saying exactly what it will do, but we’d expect the same sort of functionality as iOS users get, such as tweaking equalizer settings along with the virtual surround sound features.

Finally, there’s some price trimming for Live and Lounge units, with the former down to £449.95 and the latter down to £1,099; new US pricing is yet to be confirmed. You can download the updated Libratone app for iOS here [iTunes link].

The Skifta app is able at launch to be able to play media to itself (in-app) or to a third party player from your many multiple media sources. It’s able to create virtual DLNA channels with connections like Soma Radio. You’ll be able to work with the same remote “shift” and remote access capabilities as the Android version of the app.

Perhaps the most important bit that’s different here in the iOS app is the ability to interact with AirPlay devices. You’ll be able to “talk” to AirPlay devices, accessing media from one source (like a NAS drive with DLNA capabilities) and play to an AirPlay-capable machine. The user interface is also extremely similar to the Android version, the team behind the app intending this to be a “ground-up” Apple mobile device app, but still sticking with much of the same design decisions in the way you’ll see and touch the app.

So you select a media source, you select a device with which to play the media you’ve got on that first device, and you play away! This app is available in the App Store now - have a peek!

The only catch is that you’ll have to wait a few months before you can get XBMC or DLNA support on your GameStick. The company will be releasing an optional firmware update in September 2013 that will include both of these features. The portable gaming console isn’t expected to ship until April 2013, so gamers will have to make do for several months.

GameStick is the latest Kickstarter success story, and the team quickly reached their $100,000 funding goal in only 30 hours, leaving 28 days left over to raise even more money. At the time of this writing, the GameStick has reached $144,350 in funding from 1,473 backers with 27 days left to go.

If you haven’t been keeping with the goings-on at Kickstarter, the GameStick is essentially a $79 portable gaming console powered by Android. It’s an HDMI dongle that you can plug into any HDTV, and when not in use, the dongle easily snaps into an accompanying controller. It’s currently taking on the OUYA gaming console, which has just recently began shipping out to developers.

Hardware

The MiFi Liberate takes what you want in the first place, AT&T’s 4G LTE network connectivity, and adds a few bells and whistles so you know you’re getting a unique device, not just a parred-down smartphone. This hotspot’s only competition on AT&T is the Sierra Wireless Elevate 4G, a device that also offers up 4G LTE. The Elevate also works with a microSD card slot and a 1.77-inch display with a 1,800 mAh battery. While the Elevate offers connectivity to 5 devices at once, the Mifi Liberate offers up to 10.

That’s where the Librate starts to look a lot more enticing. This device starts at $199.99 but the only way you’ll be able to buy it from AT&T is on a two-year contract, this reducing your price to $49.99, at which point it’s the data costs you’ll be looking at for the most part. The battery on the Mifi Liberate is a massive 2,900mAh, its touchscreen display is a 2.8-inch color TFT LCD, and the entire device measures in at 99.5 x 73.1 x 8.8mm, weighing 120 grams.

There’s a simple setup here with microUSB port on one side of the battery enclosure on the back, and a power button on the other. The back (underside) of the machine also has a couple of soft plastic bumpers so your device doesn’t get away from you and a rubbery cover for your microSD card slot (capable of carrying up to 32GB, mind you). You’ve also got access to your SIM card under the battery enclosure – all of this is easy to work and open yet securely fastened for on-the-move action.

User Interface

This machine is able to work with several “modes”, each of them having more or less wi-fi range and battery conservation. You’re able to receive text message updates for the device from AT&T, but because you’re not working with a keyboard, you’ll not be sending any outward. You can work with quite a few different security measures on this device including NAT Firewall, anti-CSRF, VPN pass-through, and of course wi-fi protected setup.

You’re also able to set up session timeouts for when you’re only planning on using the device for a short time but wont be able to reach in and tap the machine off (if it’s in your backpack for example). You can also create an admin password hash and block “retry” attempts from users making with the hack – no luck for them!

Data Speeds and Battery

While Novatel Wireless rates the battery time at 11 hours on this device, we’ve been hard pressed to empty the machine out. This is with AT&T’s 4G LTE network in both Minnesota (we’re in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul) as well as NYC (having traveled there recently during our review period), and we’re certainly not complaining. You’ll easily be able to bring this hotspot out to your local coffee shop and work for a good 8 hours online without worrying about the battery running out.

As for data speeds, we’re seeing pretty standard fare for AT&T’s 4G LTE network. Download speeds seemed to max out right around 16-19 Mbps on average and hit upload speeds of right around 9 Mpbs pretty constantly. Our most recent tests of devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S III yielded essentially the same results in the same testing areas.

Bonus Points

This machine works with GPS and DLNA. Isn’t that weird? What you’d use GPS for is connecting to your notebook computer to see where you are in the world should your notebook not com packed with such a feature. DLNA allows you to stream media wirelessly to your DLNA audio devices with ease. Interestingly you’ll be doing this via your web browser on a device that’s not the Mifi Liberate and not the speaker you’re streaming to – so in the rare occasion that you want to stream to a speaker with DLNA capabilities and don’t have that capability on your notebook, you can do it with a microSD card plugged in to your Mifi Liberate!

That’s the kind of fun connectivity we’re glad (if not a little baffled) to see on a wireless hotspot such as this – well done!

Wrap-up

While it’s difficult in general to get too excited about an internet delivery machine, I wouldn’t hesitate to say that the MiFi Liberate is easily the most awesome mobile hotspot I’ve had the pleasure of using. If you’re looking for the top mobile hotspot on AT&T’s network for 4G LTE, you’ve found it. Now you’ve got to decide if it’s work the extra few Hamiltons you’ll be paying for it over the one competitor it’s got – good luck deciding!

The service known as PlayOn collects 45 different brands together into one big batch, adding not just service like HBO Go and Amazon VOD to your television set through your Wii U, but your own videos from your Windows PC as well. Have a peek at the chart below to see the vast selection of connections you’ll be working with right out of the box – and note that the four selections in the upper left-hand corner are already on Wii U as their own app – daunting!

The PlayOn ecosystem is available with a one-time lifetime license cost of $39.99 – one time and you’re hooked up forever. Just like a real software build should be. Once you’re good to go, you’ll find that all of the services above are available to you on your Wii U as well as Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the original Wii as well! There’s also a massive amount of other devices that the PlayOn interface works with, and you can work with DLNA-compliant devices galore, too – have a peek at the full device list for compatibility – you’ll find the iPad, iPhone, Android phones with OS 2.2 and up, Google TV, and Roku appearing there as well.

The Wii U GamePad remote allows you to use your touchscreen controls to make selections and you’re able to watch videos on either your Gamepad or your TV. You can watch Hulu for free on your television (the free version) without a Hulu+ subscription where otherwise you’d not have been able to, but of course you’ll need a Netflix subscription to get on the Netflix train, and Amazon video needs the necessary costs to be the boss, too – but with all the rest of the massive amount of channels you’ve got here, you’ll have more than enough free video to go around!

The Wii U support page has gone live today – note that you will need a Windows PC or a Mac running some form of Windows virtualization to get this party started. Get that video right this minute!

That will help make those speaker systems more viable alternatives to Apple’s AirPlay, but also to whole-house streaming systems like Sonos. Bluetooth has made cheap wireless streaming to a single speaker straightforward, but it’s not ideal when sources and speakers are more numerous.

“Bluetooth is a great point-to-point solution” Tymphany chief development office Tom Jacoby told GigaOm, but he highlights how it falls short at dealing with online media services, storage connected via a WiFi router, or when trying to build playlists featuring content from multiple sources. That’s an area in which Skifta excels, laying a simple UI on top of DLNA – which has a reputation for being not exactly user-friendly – and turning phones and tablets into not only media remotes but sources of content too.

Qualcomm revealed its Skifta ambitions at the start of the year, showing off the prototype of its Audio Module which could hook up via WiFi, ethernet, or Powerline networking and be pretty much dropped straight into a third-party speaker product. What started out – and still exists – as a free app for iOS and Android would then become a platform in its own right, the company suggested, streaming not only music but photo and video content, depending on the device.

Wireless media solutions are commonplace, but few have attained the easy of use that Sonos and AirPlay are known for. That comes at a price, however, and neither is particularly suited to the budget buyer. If Tymphany can change that with more affordable brands like Vifa, Peerless, Logic, and Scan-Peek, we could finally see DLNA gain traction.

The listings for the mystery Samsung gadgets – here and here [pdf links] – aren’t particularly enlightening, and nor is the sparse description the Alliance gives. “Galaxy S2 GT-I9100 OS upgrade version derivative model – Icecream Sandwich version – Tablet” is the only hardware detail, the GT-I9100 being the Galaxy S II, but the tablet mention would seem to belie suggestions that it’s a simple upgrade.

According to AndroidSlash, there are indications that the GT-N5100/N5110 could be a 7-inch Note to slot in-between the current “phablet” and its full-sized tablet counterpart. That would take on the iPad mini and Nexus 7, though obviously provide pen input unlike either of those rivals.

Interestingly, the GT-5100 also passed through the Wi-Fi Alliance certification program recently as well, though there’s some confusion around certification IDs. According to Google’s copy of the record, the GT-5100 is described as a “WiFi and other” tablet with WiFi 1/b/g/n (2.4/5GHz) support and WiFi Direct, though the certificate itself [pdf link] is for the GT-T8025, a different tablet.

With no record to be found at the FCC, it’s hard to know whether the Note 7 would follow in the tablet-focussed footsteps of the Note 10.1, or attempt to be a phone too, like the Note II. The two variants – N5100 and N5110 – could well indicate WiFi-only and WiFi/cellular models for mobile data use.

[via IntoMobile; via SamMobile]

In fact, Kiko gets the same proprietary algorithms as the company’s far more expensive network media players – Linn famously opted-out of CDs, persisting with turntables until it jumped directly to streaming systems, and then set up its own high-bitrate record label, Linn Records, to sell digital music of the quality it believed was required -  which are applied to its range of inputs. You get three HDMI and one S/PDIF, RCA phono, and a TOSLINK digital optical, together with ethernet for streaming from an internet service or your networked PC/Mac/NAS.  There’s also a 3.5mm aux-in and a headphone socket on the front panel.

The output is to the matching Kiko speakers, which pairs each driver with a 33W RMS amp and use a digital crossover. There’s also an HDMI output for your TV or projector. Various free apps, such as Kinsky for iPhone and iPad [iTunes link] are offered for remote control, media selection, and more.

Of course, Linn’s main rival isn’t B&W or Bose, whose AirPlay-compatible systems start to look cheap in comparison to the Kiko, but brands like Bang & Olufsen. The Danish company’s BeoPlay A9, for instance, is far more outlandish in its appearance than the Linn system, but costs roughly the same (though doesn’t have the same flexibility in streaming or connectivity).

Does that make the Linn Kiko a bargain? At £2,500 in the UK and around $3,390 in the US, it doesn’t come cheap, though you’re getting the culmination of several years of R&D not to mention in-house production of the curved aluminum casings (available in six colors).

Behind the fabric front there are two 3/4-inch tweeters and two 3-inch midrange units, which each get an 80W class D amp of their own to power them. Bass is taken care of by an 8-inch unit with its own 160W class D amp,  and there’s a bass reflex design to emphasize that.

B&O programs the BeoPlay A9 with three different modes, depending on positioning, whether you’ve got the speaker stood in the corner or freestanding the middle of a room, or wall-mounted. Six fabric cover colors are offered – silver, white, black, red, green, and brown – and three leg finishes, including oak, beech, and teak.

The touch sensor allows you to swipe up or down to change volume, while covering it completely mutes the system. Track selection and playlist management are done via the iPhone, iPad, and Android apps, and there’s a line-in and USB ports underneath.

Unsurprisingly for B&O, none of this comes cheap. The BeoPlay A9 will be priced at a hefty $2,699 when it hits stores in the second half of November.

Samsung announced the AllShare Cast Dongle back at the Galaxy S III launch in May, a straightforward way to get photos, video and music off your phone or tablet and onto your big-screen TV. Although we’ve seen DLNA support on other devices, Samsung’s reskinned version aims to make the wireless streaming more simple, while the Dongle itself means older TVs can be upgraded rather than forcing the user to buy a new Smart TV.

Up to Full HD 1920 x 1080 video is supported, though there’s no ethernet option for those with wired networks, only WiFi a/b/g/n. Still, that should make it easier to hide the Dongle behind your display,

Samsung isn’t just keeping AllShare Cast to existing products, either; it’s a part of TouchWiz now, and so was included on the freshly-announced Galaxy Note II from last week and, potentially even more useful, the Galaxy Camera as well. There’s more on Samsung AllShare in our hands-on demo with the Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy S III.

What you’re about to see is some hands-on time with AllShare GroupCast, a system which allows several different kinds of media to be simultaneously displayed and interacted with on multiple devices at once. With the Samsung suite of devices that’s either out right now or will be popping up soon, you’ll have the opportunity to create a slide show that each of your friends can see on their devices instantly.

You’ll be flipping back and forth and making notes with near-perfect sync in no time! You can do this with the new Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, the Galaxy S III, and a large set of Samsung devices that’s not just limited to tablets and smartphones. AllShare is able to connect with your PC, with DLNA-connected devices, and in the future, with non-Samsung mobile devices as well.

Have a peek at AllShare on the Galaxy S III working with another Galaxy S III, AT&T to T-Mobile and back again.

Also dive into our AllShare portal to see a collection of Samsung devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Player 4.2 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 that also have AllShare on them right out of the box – it’s time to share!

The key feature of both routers is the mydlink Cloud Services functionality. Users will be able to monitor their networks from an iPhone, iPad, or Android devices thanks to the free mobile applications. Email notifications will alert owners to any new activity on the network, and mobile notifications will warn of any intrusion attempts and security updates.

Both routers include a USB port that will let users share content over a network, and DLNA support allows it to be streamed out to compatible devices. Wireless N is handled by dual-band antennas, with the fastest speeds taken care of with the 5Ghz band, and several Gigabit ethernet ports are included as well. D-Link say the N300 should retail for around £64.99 (~$100), while the N600 while cost around £84.99 (~$131).

The company has also introduced the ShareCenter 2-bay Cloud NAS. The enclosure supports 3.5-inch hard drives up to 3TB in size, and handles RAID 1 as well as Standard, JBOD, and RAID 0 modes. DLNA support is also onboard, and like the routers everything can be managed using the mydlink mobile app for iOS or Android. D-Link is saying the NAS acts as a “personal cloud”, with access not just across the home but also externally. The NAs should cost around £89.99 (~$139), and all the new products will be available for pre-order starting from July 16th.

If it sounds similar to Apple’s AirPlay, that’s pretty much exactly what it is, but with HTC’s devices instead. The company is hoping that in-home and car accessories will take advantage of the program, and we imagine it’ll take home a nice license fee in the process. HTC say that the latest One series will be the first phones to take advantage of Connect via a future software update.

As for launch partners, HTC say that Pioneer is the first to jump onboard. HTC Connect will be included as part of its new receivers and wireless speakers, and DLNA will be along for the ride too. HTC say that while the first products will be DLNA based, the program will extend to Bluetooth, NFC, and wireless speakers in the future.

AllShare Cast allows the Galaxy S III to wirelessly transmit its on-screen picture to a nearby TV, making for wireless gaming powered by the quadcore Exynos chipset. As for AllShare Play, that allows for far broader file sharing – across the web rather than using DLNA – to access and share files to tablets, phones, PCs and other TVs.

There’s also Group Cast, which shares the screen between multiple users on the same WiFi network. Any comments and changes are updated at real-time on all the screens.

The APIs and SDK will allow third-party developers to tie their own apps into the same sharing functionality that Samsung’s own apps have. Meanwhile, Samsung will also offer an HDMI DLNA dongle to turn regular TVs into smart-TVs that will work with AllShare.

Under the hood is DLNA, which has been around for years but is generally too fiddly and complex for everyday users to be bothered with. What Nokia has sensibly done – and, admittedly, others have tried before it – is dress DLNA up with a more straightforward UI.

Since this is an early beta, there are still some rough edges to be polished away. Currently Sony BRAVIA internet-connected TVs aren’t working properly with the app, for video at least, and right now there’s no Media Server support which means your Xbox 360 and PS3 won’t actually be able to see the device. Videos at higher resolutions are also supposedly causing problems.

Nokia says it’s working on the console issue for a future release, and it’ll likely take that before the app gains significant traction. Still, with Microsoft not yet entirely putting its money where its mouth is in terms of the interconnected Windows phone/PC/console ecosystem, Nokia has obviously decided to step up with a solution of its own.

[Thanks Carlos!]

Plug into your home or hotel broadband connection and the Optical SMART Hub works as a wireless router. Up to four devices can access content at any one time, and there’s a USB port for hooking up external drives too. Allshare DLNA support streams direct to compatible TVs and other gadgets, and you can remotely burn CDs and DVDs from your PC, Mac or laptop.

If you’ve been considering carrying an external optical drive for your ultrabook, MacBook Air or other ultraportable, then Samsung’s option might well kill a few birds with one glossy white stone. The Samsung Optical SMART Hub SE-208BW will gon on sale this quarter, priced at $129.99.

If you haven’t got a wireless-enabled device, then you can either hook up via the analog composite input or the USB port. The latter also recognizes memory sticks, PMPs and hard-drives loaded with MP3, WMA and WAV files.

As for the Samsung Audio Dock DA-E670, that has a 40W amp – though no vacuum tube tech – driving a 2.1 speaker system. Connectivity includes an aux-in port and Bluetooth, along with a USB port, AllShare and AirPlay just like its more complex sibling.

No word on pricing or availability at this stage, though we’ll know more at CES next week.

For those not familiar, DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) is a standard used to share content with other devices on a home network. By adding DLNA support to the MiFi 2372, users can now stream content on the microSD card to any other DLNA device in the home. This would include streaming movies, music, or photos. Many household devices can be purchased with DLNA, not just PC’s and laptops. Many TVs, smartphones, and tablets come with a DLNA option.

Anyone that already has an AT&T MiFi 2372 simply needs to update their software to take advantage of the new functionality. The new DLNA is not really a game changer, it is adding additional value to the product offering. If you are considering a mobile hotspot, DLNA compatibility may be worth considering. If all your appliances and electronics are from 1989, then you might not be too worried about DLNA compatibility.

[via Bgr]

The VSX-40 kicks things off with 80W x 7 channels, four HDMI inputs and one output, 1080p support and two zone audio support. The VSX-50 upgrades that to 90W per channel, adds DLNA, throws in Pioneer’s Advanced Video Adjust – which automatically tweaks the picture to suit LCD, plasma or rear-projection displays – while the VSX-51 gets six HDMI inputs instead of four.

Moving on the VSX-52 has seven HDMI inputs, 110W per channel, adds Pandora, Rhapsody and SiriusXM streaming support, various image processing tech like Marvell’s Qdeo, and video output to the second audio zone. Finally, the VSX-53 has seven HDMI inputs and two outputs, three zone audio out and two zone video out, and, like the VSX-52, is THX Select Plus certified.

Air Jam, meanwhile, allows up to four iPad/iPod touch/iPhones running Pioneer’s free app to hook up to one of the receivers via the optional $99 AS-BT200 Bluetooth adapter, each streaming music to a group playlist. All five will go on sale this summer, priced at $450 for the VSX-40, $600 for the VSX-50, $700 for the VSX-51, $900 for the VSX-52 and finally $1,100 for the VSX-53.

Press Release:

PIONEER’S NEW GENERATION OF ELITE RECEIVERS EXPAND
ON CONTROL AND CONNECTIVITY

AirPlay and iControlAV2 App Enhance the Home Theater Experience for iPad, iPhone & iPod touch

LONG BEACH, CA – (June 7, 2011) – Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today unveiled its new line of Elite® branded AV receivers designed to meet the needs of today’s connected consumers and their portable devices. The five new Elite models, consisting of the VSX-40 ($450), VSX-50 ($600), VSX-51($700), VSX-52($900) and VSX-53($1,100), incorporate state-of-the-art performance and specifications based on Pioneer’s uncompromising standards of engineering and manufacturing. All five new receivers utilize the renowned Elite audio and video technology and the VSX-50 and up have advanced network features like Pioneer’s proprietary iPhone and iPad apps including iControlAV2¹ and Air Jam², as well as Apple’s AirPlay, DLNA Certified® (1.5) and Internet radio to become the hub of a consumer’s home network and entertainment system.

“By expanding on networked features such as AirPlay and DLNA, and combining them with exclusive control functions such as iControlAV2 and Air Jam, Pioneer’s new line of Elite receivers is making it easy for consumers to integrate their portable devices while still providing them with superior audio and video performance they expect from our brand,” said Chris Walker, director AV marketing and product planning for the home entertainment division of Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.

The Power of Connectivity
Starting with the VSX-50 and up, each Elite receiver is network capable, offering Ethernet connectivity to provide consumers with a wide range of new content, set-up and control of their home theater system. Features and apps that consumers can take advantage of with the new line of Elite receivers include:

AirPlay – Elite consumers have complete access, control and playback of their entire iTunes music library wirelessly through their home theater system. The AS-WL300, optional wireless LAN converter from Pioneer (sold separately), is available to simplify the connection process. Users can quickly and easily enjoy all their music with song information and album art simultaneously displayed on a connected monitor/TV. AirPlay requires iTunes 10.1 or later and iPad, iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 4.2.

Air Jam – Encouraging social connectivity via entertainment devices, Pioneer’s free Air Jam App is available from the App store for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch or at www.apple.com/itunes/. Compatible with four of the five Elite receivers, the app allows pairing of up to four devices via Bluetooth (optional AS-BT200 Bluetooth adapter required). Once linked, each individual can cue songs from their own music libraries to create a shared playlist to play back on the AV Receiver. Each connected device also displays the list of songs added by all the users and which device a song plays from. The Air Jam App conveniently stores the lists of songs created for each session for future purchases at the iTunes Store.

DLNA Certified (1.5) – The new line of Elite receivers are also DLNA Certified (1.5), allowing music content to be shared from a PC to the receiver via the consumers’ home network. Through Ethernet or the optional AS-WL300 wireless LAN converter (sold separately), each receiver can access and play high resolution music (up to 192kHz/24-Bit). Audio can also be streamed and controlled through the Elite receivers using a device that supports UPnP / DLNA media servers and renderers, enabling an entirely new way for consumers to share and play their music collection.

Bluetooth Audio Streaming – With the optional Bluetooth adapter, the entire lineup of receivers features wireless Bluetooth transfer of audio content from any A2DP Bluetooth wireless enabled mobile device or personal computer. Pioneer’s AS-BT200 ($99) Bluetooth adapter allows listeners to keep their phone close to them while they enjoy music through their home theater system. And, with Pioneer’s exclusive Sound Retriever AIR technology, specifically designed to enhance Bluetooth audio transmissions, music playback delivered through Bluetooth is near-CD sound quality.

vTuner – The line also brings thousands of high quality Internet radio stations into the living room with vTuner for endless music entertainment. The feature is further enhanced on the VSX-52 and VSX-53 with the addition of other Internet radio based music services such as PANDORA.

Growing Mobility
Portable devices such as the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch are becoming exciting and ever-expanding components of home entertainment systems. Pioneer’s Elite receivers are designed to utilize the wealth of content from these types of devices as well as provide a larger emotional experience of high definition multi-channel home theater.

Each receiver in the lineup is “Made for iPad, iPhone and iPod” and comes with a free USB/video cable to provide an “out of the box plug-and-play” convenience. Consumers can enjoy audio, video and photos stored on their mobile device with no “optional dock required,” in addition to charging while plugged into the receivers.

iControlAV2 – Pioneer is placing even more home entertainment control in the hands of enthusiasts with its iControlAV2 App enabling an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch to control four out of the five Elite receivers. Available free from the App store for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch or www.apple.com/itunes/, the iControlAV2 App controls volume, bass, balance and room settings as well as the ability for the user to choose Internet radio stations and music files from network-attached storage (NAS) on a home network. For iPad users, the iControlAV2 integrates all four app controls into an intuitive single screen. The app also includes control for Pioneer Blu-ray Disc players. Additional features include sound adjustments that enable users to create their own equalizer settings by simply drawing their desired equalizer curve on the screen and for iPad consumers, detailed graphic representations of before and after Pioneer’s MCACC room calibration feature.

Maximize Television Performance
Taking advantage of Pioneer Elite’s long history as an industry leader in high performance video processing, the 2011 Elite receivers use proprietary enhancing technologies to maximize the user’s television performance with video conversion and scaling, image enhancement, and video adjustment for detail, sharpness, brightness, contrast, chroma level and black level for individual video sources. To enhance the video performance from any source connected, Elite receivers convert analog signals to HDMI and scale both analog and digital signals to 1080p resolution for a highly improved visual experience. Additional technologies include Marvell™ Qdeo™ processing, Advanced Video Adjust and Stream Smoother to enhance the picture quality of any source.

Marvell Qdeo video processors – The top Elite models, the VSX-52 and VSX-53, offer high quality video processing for maximum performance and flexibility powered by Marvell’s award-winning Qdeo technology. Marvell Qdeo offers a truly immersive viewing experience by capturing, processing and rendering a wider variety of video signals ranging from high definition Blu-ray Disc to portable video sources such as smartphones.

Advanced Video Adjust – Available on the VSX-50 and up, Pioneer’s new Advanced Video Adjust technology automatically optimizes video signals by the type of display (selected manually) connected to the receivers, such as Plasma, LCD and Front Projector. For example, the receivers can reproduce a detailed and virtually noiseless image on Plasma panels, enhance the black level of LCD displays, and produce sharper, more vivid image matching for front projectors. The receivers can further adjust and enhance images based on the user’s viewing distance from their display by utilizing the distance information established during MCACC (Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration System) calibration to determine how much adjustment is necessary.
Stream Smoother – Pioneer is among the first to create its own technology to enhance compressed video files with Stream Smoother, available on the VSX-52 and VSX-53 models. The feature automatically calibrates images coming from the Internet via other devices such as Blu-ray Disc players reducing compression noise and establishing more detailed, finer images. The technology is especially helpful with low bit-rate video sources originally intended for viewing on small screens.

AVNavigator (Interactive Assistance)
Wiring Navi – Pioneer is making the installation process for each receiver simple by providing consumers an interactive guide application with the use of a Window-based PC. Users simply answer a series of questions about the hardware connected to the system and the application will automatically update the receiver with the correct settings.

Interactive Manual – Once the receiver is connected using the Wiring Navi application set up, the Interactive Manual application provides a linked two-way interactive manual giving users a way to quickly learn about all of the new features of each AV receiver (i.e. a push of the ALC button on the front of the receiver will take the user directly to the portion of the manual that explains the Automatic Level Control feature). Alternately, users can click on a section of the owner’s manual and the feature of the receiver will automatically activate (i.e. when the user clicks on the FL Dimmer section of the owner’s manual, the Front Panel Display of the receiver will dim).

The new line of Elite AV receiver models will be available in the summer of 2011.

That media could be music – bypassing limited space on cellphones – or it could include photos or video; Novatel suggests shooting video on a phone then switching the microSD card into the MiFi so that multiple viewers could access it. More on the MiFi 2372 in the full SlashGear review.

Press Release:

Novatel Wireless MiFi® DLNA Server Receives Certification for Seamlessly
Sharing of Digital Media Across Multiple Platforms

SAN DIEGO ­March 21, 2011 ­ Novatel Wireless (NASDAQ: NVTL), a leading
provider of wireless broadband solutions, today announced that it has been
granted certification from the Digital Living Network Alliance® (DLNA) for
its MiFi® 2372 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot.
The MiFi DLNA® Server resides on the MiFi 2372 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot
and runs on the MiFi OS as an application to provide simple, hassle-free
media sharing. The MiFi DLNA Server enables users to browse, play and share
movies, music and photos anywhere, anytime, on any DLNA-compatible device.
Users effortlessly access their media stored on a microSDHC card inserted
in the MiFi device, stream to their screen of choice, and enjoy.
³The DLNA CERTIFIED® MiFi 2372 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot improves the end
user experience by allowing mobile access to a users personal content such
as video, music or pictures and allowing that content to be shared across
multiple devices,² said Rob Hadley, CMO of Novatel Wireless. ² We are
excited to see the rapid adoption of DLNA Certified devices and believe our
MiFi DLNA Server is a great application to empower consumers to share and
communicate anywhere with industry leading ease-of-use².

The MiFi 2372 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot will be the first DLNA Certified®
device commercially available. AT&T will be the first wireless carrier to
offer this service with the MiFi 2372 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot.

The MiFi DLNA Server enables seamless access to digital content on
DLNA-compatible DVD and Blu-Ray players, game consoles, televisions,
tablets, mobile devices, computers, audio video systems, digital frames,
home theater devices and more. The MiFi DLNA server makes it easy to share
both user-generated and syndicated digital content without complicated
configuration and without having to copy, move and synch media files on
multiple devices.
User scenarios with the MiFi DLNA Server include:
€ Stream movies to your laptop and/or watch directly on your living room TV
€ Listen to music stored on a microSDHC card on your home sound system
€ In the van, let the kids watch one video on a Galaxy Tab® and another on
an iPod Touch®
€ Share vacation photos on the grandparents¹ TV using their Blu-Ray® player
€ Film the wedding reception, slip the microSDHC card into the MiFi device,
and share the movie instantly on an iPad®
According to ABI Research there were more than 440 million DLNA Certified
devices already installed in users¹ homes at the end of 2010. ABI Research
estimates there will be nearly two billion DLNA Certified devices in homes
worldwide by 2014.
Novatel Wireless will demonstrate its MiFi® 2372 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot
with its MiFi DLNA Server at CTIA Wireless in Orlando on March 22-24, 2011
at booth #3416.

While home automation gateways aren’t uncommon, HCL reckons it can push pricing down significantly by its combination of low-cost chips and flexible support for different standards, allowing OEMs to pick and choose the connectivity of their preference. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait for those OEMs to show some interest; HCL is looking for partners to bring Aegis to market.

Press Release:

HCL Launches Home Automation Gateway, AEGIS, at CES 2011 Makes the Smart Home a Reality

Las Vegas, Nevada, January 6, 2011—HCL Technologies Ltd. (HCL), a leading IT and Engineering services provider, unveiled Aegis – a platform agnostic Home Automation Gateway solution which can empower end users to control all home appliances and devices from their mobile technologies.

HCL will demonstrate their AEGIS solution, its functionality and discuss its scalability to handle more complex use cases at booth number MP 25363 in South Hall 2 LVCC at CES 2011.

The Aegis solution enables interconnectivity between multiple devices linked via Wifi, ZigBee, DLNA and HomePlug networks. The user interface of the Home Automation Gateway can be developed for any mobile operating system – Android, iOS (Apple products) and Symbian (Nokia products). HCL has also developed a mobile application which can be used to control the gateway through all Android phones. Leading Consumer Electronics OEMs are adapting this technology, for their unique specifications, to launch cutting edge products in the market.

Sandeep Kishore, Executive Vice President & Global Head Sales and Practice, Engineering and R&D Services, HCL said, “the AEGIS solution is part of our ongoing efforts to take a productized solution approach to provide a critical time to market advantage to our customers. We can adapt and deploy AEGIS to a broad range of use cases, which Consumer Electronic OEM’s can take to market as cutting edge products.”

The architecture of the Aegis solution provides the flexibility to create systems in many form factors and support numerous applications like Home Security, Alarm Notification, Home Electrical controls, Appliance Control, Energy Management and Digital Content access and storage.

“Current Home Automation gateway solutions are expensive, require high configuration and cannot interconnect all home appliances due to the existence of various protocols. There is a definite demand for a low configuration, low cost home automation gateway, which enables connectivity to diverse protocols. Since the Aegis solution is adaptable to many user cases, our customers have a immense flexibility to define the functionality they desire,” added Sandeep.

Aegis has been developed with the flexibility to be designed around any low configuration processors like the Texas Instruments-OMAP. Currently, Home Automation Gateway systems are marketed at a price point of 500 USD or more. Deploying AEGIS creates an opportunity to significantly reduce the price of such systems.

There are two ways to learn more:
1. Meet with HCL executives including Sandeep Kishore, Executive Vice President, Engineering and R&D Services, HCL America, at HCL’s booth during CES 2011
2. Listen to Shashidhar K– Head, Convergence Practice at HCL on the panel ‘Anytime, Anywhere Entertainment’ at Parks Associates’ Connections summit at 2:45pm on January 6th

About HCL Enterprise
HCL is a $5.5 billion leading global technology and IT enterprise comprising two companies listed in India – HCL Technologies and HCL Infosystems. Founded in 1976, HCL is one of India’s original IT garage start-ups. A pioneer of modern computing, HCL is a global transformational enterprise today. Its range of offerings includes product engineering, custom & package applications, BPO, IT infrastructure services, IT hardware, systems integration, and distribution of information and communications technology (ICT) products across a wide range of focused industry verticals. The HCL team consists of over 77,000 professionals of diverse nationalities, who operate from 29 countries including over 500 points of presence in India. HCL has partnerships with several leading Global 1000 firms, including leading IT and technology firms. For more information, please visit http://www.hcl.com.

That caters for local content and ethernet streaming, but you can also access LG’s premium – i.e. paid – content and stream that to your TV. In addition there are LG Apps, the company’s suite of widgets to pull in weather and news updates, among other things.

It’s a concept that falls somewhere between an Apple TV and HTC’s Media Link, and if LG gets the pricing right then the Smart TV Upgrader ST600 might be an upgrade plenty of people will consider. It’ll hit the market in Q2 2011.

Press Release:

LG Smart TV Upgrader makes every TV smarter

ST600 Smart TV Upgrader Lets Users Enjoy Web Browser and Premium Content on Their Regular TV Sets

SEOUL, Dec. 30, 2010 — At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, LG Electronics (LG) will be unveiling the Smart TV Upgrader (ST600) that makes it easy for viewers to transform their regular TVs into Smart TVs at an affordable price. Embracing all the benefits of internet connectivity, the Upgrader gives regular TV owners access to all of LG’s Smart TV functions including premium online content, Smart Share and the full range of LG Apps.

“The market for Smart TVs is set to take off this year, and the ST600 offers a perfect entry point,” said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Home Entertainment Company. “With the LG Smart TV Upgrader, we’re taking the excitement and convenience of Smart TV and adding in LG’s trademark ease-of-use because we see a significant audience who are interested but not interested enough to buy a whole new TV.”

By connecting the ST600 to a regular TV set, users can access a vast range of premium content from global providers, as well as the best locally sourced shows and movies to cater to different tastes around the world. The ST600 also connects users to the growing range of LG Apps, which are custom designed for use on TVs and offer everything from language classes to games.

LG makes the viewing experience more compelling still with its superb compatibility, which lets users simply and wirelessly transfer content from their Digital Living Network Alliance(DLNA)-compatible PCs and other compatible devices for viewing on the big screen.

LG’s Smart TV Upgrader will be unveiled at CES 2011 in Las Vegas and rolled-out to TV owners in the second quarter of 2011.

Specifications:
Main CPU: BCM7615
DDR 384MB, 1GB Flash
LG Add-on Architecture + Web Browser
AC 100-240V, 50/60 Hz
Wi-Fi, Ethernet, DLNA (DMP)
USB: 1EA (USB mouse, external storage)
Input Devices
- Finger Touch RCU
Premium Content
LG Apps
Size: 11cm x 11cm

The two home theater setups have USB inputs for creating MP3s from CDs (you’re bound to get a few in your Christmas stocking) along with dual HDMI inputs, WiFi, ethernet and an iPod/iPhone dock. The HX996TS packs 7.2-channel speakers and a 1280W amp, while the HB906SB makes do with 5.1-channel and 1100W.

As for the BD960, that has a 250GB hard-drive, 3D Blu-ray support and WiFi, and can act as both a DLNA client and server for wireless media streaming. Like the two home theater systems it supports LG’s Mobile Remote App, and all three units get access to the company’s LG App Store and streaming content. No word on pricing, but all three should go on sale in early 2011.

Press Release:

LG to unveil complete range of superior 3D AV devices at CES 2011

New 3D Home Theater Systems and Network Blu-ray 3D Disc™ Players Deliver Optimum Technology for Complete 3D Entertainment Experience

SEOUL, Dec. 23, 2010 –- LG Electronics (LG) is set to greatly expand the 3D home entertainment experience as it unveils a full range of 3D AV devices at CES 2011 in Las Vegas. The showpiece 3D devices include the HX996TS, a Real 3D Sound Home Theater System; the HB906SB, a premium Blu-ray 3D DiscTM Home Theater System; and the BD690, a Network Blu-ray 3D Disc™ Player that delivers the perfect 3D entertainment experience for every occasion and setting.

“3D entertainment is set to explode in the year ahead and LG is setting the pace with our new 3D AV line-up,” said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Home Entertainment Company. “From picture to connectivity to sound, we’ve tailored all our products to produce the best 3D home entertainment experience possible and we’re eager to show these off at the largest consumer electronics show in the world.”

The HX996TS, LG’s Real 3D Sound Home Theater System, complements 3D home entertainment with a sound as deep and lifelike as any 3D image. Its innovative new approach to audio includes the Vertical 3D Effect Channel, which works by emitting sound through the tops of the system’s four Tallboy Speakers. The resulting audio waves completely fill the space above viewers’ heads, creating the illusion that they’re right in the middle of the movie. The HX996TS was the recipient of a 2011 CES Innovations Honoree Awards.

The HB906SB, a premium Blu-ray 3D Disc™ Home Theater System, is the ideal platform for bringing 3D films to life. Boasting 1,100 watts of output, the HB906SB’s lush, powerful sound can be tailored to users’ needs with the seven different modes of LG’s signature Sound Gallery, which is further strengthened by LG’s new Digital
Signal Processing (DSP).

Both of LG’s new Home Theater Systems have superb connectivity with full support for USB recordings and HDMI. They also support built-in Wi-Fi applications, iPod/iPhone dock cradle, and a number of options for providing superior sound for 3D HDTVs and a other home entertainment devices.

Lastly, the BD690, a Network Blu-ray 3D Disc™ Player, provides the ultimate companion to HDTV with Blu-ray 2D and 3D Disc™ playback and an on-board digital media library. Additionally, the BP650 Network Blu-ray 3D Disc™ Player is a great portable option, with its compact design and internet and HDMI connectivity.

All of LG’s new 3D AV devices complement their first-class technology with slim and innovative designs. Audio files in most major markets will be able to experience LG’s new 3D AV devices starting in early 2011.

HX996TS Specifications:
· 7.2ch 1280W total output power with 3D sound
· LG Sound Gallery with parabolic speaker
· USB recording (MP3 file creation from music CD)
· 2 HDMI In (HDMI 1.4), ARC (Audio Return Channel)
· Firmware upgrade for advanced function and services
· External HDD playback (DivX HD, MKV)
· Music ID capture and streaming (Gracenote)
· iPod / iPhone cradle
· Wi-Fi direct, Ethernet, DLNA compliant
· Smart TV Technology: Premium Content and LG App. Store
· Mobile Remote App.

HB906SB Specifications:
· 5.1ch 1100W total output power
· LG Sound Gallery with parabolic speaker
· USB recording (MP3 file creation from music CD)
· 2 HDMI In (HDMI 1.4), ARC (Audio Return Channel)
· Firmware upgrade for advanced function and services
· External HDD playback (DivX HD, MKV)
· Music ID capture and streaming (Gracenote)
· iPod / iPhone cradle
· Wi-Fi direct, Ethernet, DLNA compliant
· Smart TV Technology: Premium Content and LG App. Store
· Mobile Remote App.

BD690 Specifications:
· Smart TV Technology: Premium Content and LG App. Store
· Store Digital Media in Built-in HDD (250GB)
- Audio CD Archiving
- Photo Download
- User Made Contents Copy to HDD
· Blu-ray 3D Playback
· Built-in Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) / Wi-Fi Direct
· Stored Contents Sharing
- Bi-Directional Content Sharing (DLNA Server and Client)
· Mobile Remote App.

Unboxing video after the cut

It’s an unassuming box, and smaller than we imagined it would be. Measuring 70 x 45 x 8 mm, the only ports are a microUSB for power and micro HDMI for hooking up a TV. On the front is a standby/power button with a status LED. HTC bundle an HDMI cable along with a USB cable and regular USB power adapter; we prefer that to a fixed adapter, since it means you can use the same charger for your phone with the Media Link.

HTC Media Link Unboxing:

The Media Link uses WiFi to stream content from a phone, tablet, laptop or other DLNA-compliant device, and it can either hook up wirelessly to your existing home network or create its own WiFi network to which devices can link directly. HTC also offers an app for their phones to turn them into a remote control, though you don’t necessarily need it.

We’ll be putting the HTC Media Link through its paces in the best way we know how: boring friends and family with all the wireless media we can find from the various DLNA-compliant devices we insist on carrying around with us during the holidays. Will the Media Link’s appeal pale before our relatives scream for mercy? We’ll let you know in the full review.

Unfortunately there are no details beyond that, nor any photos of the handset. Verizon’s version of the Samsung Galaxy S, the Verizon Fascinate, is model SCH-i500, so there’s speculation that this Samsung Stealth V could be a successor to that device or a companion scaled to take on the HTC Desire HD.

[via Android Community and via GSMArena]

Hardware

Unlike its more sober – and expensive – siblings from the Synology line-up, the DS211 comes with a crisp white chassis and a bright LED panel on the fascia. At 161 x 218 x 88 mm it’s not too large to sit in the corner on your desk, and Synology include the necessary AC adapter, installation kit and a 2m ethernet cable to get you wired up. You’ll also need at least one hard-drive: the DS211 will take either 2.5- or 3.5-inch drives, each up to 2TB, for a total of 4TB altogether.

Ports include a single gigabit ethernet, two USB 2.0 on the back and a single USB 2.0 on the front. There are indicator lights for overall status, network status, each drive and power. Like the DS411+ NAS we reviewed back in July, fitting the drives requires opening up the chassis rather than simply slotting in a couple of caddies at the back; a pair of screws hold the casing in place. A single 70mm fan keeps everything cool, including the 1.6GHz processor paired with 256MB of memory.

Software

The DS211 runs Synology’s DiskStation Manager 3.0 (DSM 3.0) OS, and it’s a comprehensive platform that covers more than just multi-PC backup. As with most network-attached devices, setup and control is managed via your browser; however, DSM 3.0 gets a new, multitasking UI with various independently draggable windows that can be viewed in a single browser tab. The whole thing looks like a blend of Windows 7 and OS X, complete with drop-down task menus and desktop icons, and it’s even possible to reskin it with different color themes.

While having a more aesthetically-pleasing NAS UI might not seem the best use of Synology’s resources, it does make using the DS211′s media functionality more pleasant. Load your multimedia, and the NAS has its own audio player that also supports internet radio; meanwhile there’s also DLNA/UPnP streaming to funnel that content around your home to compatible computers, HDTVs and STBs.

By default, with two drives the DS211 will set up a mirrored array that provides redundancy for your data: should one drive die, the other will still keep the data safe. Alternatively you can choose to bypass redundancy and set the two up as a single volume. With only two bays – unlike Synology’s larger NAS units – there’s no more complex arrays possible; however, you can add external drives via USB, or use the DS211 as a print server with a USB printer.

For backups, Synology provide their Data Replicator for PC users and Time Machine compatibility for Mac OS X. The front panel USB port has a Copy button which automatically pulls backs-up the contents of any camera, USB drive or memory stick you plug in. An app on the NAS itself makes for straightforward secondary backups, copying all the data on the array over to a local USB drive or a remote DiskStation or rsync station. Unlike with Data Robotics’ DroboProFS, you can remotely back-up to any server, not just an identical NAS.

There are many more apps on offer, including standalone BitTorrent downloads, photo and video slideshows – with companion apps for iPhone and Android – and SqueezeCenter compatibility for those using Logitech’s streaming audio system. Small office users, meanwhile, get the same security camera monitoring, virtual web host, PHP/MySQL, mail server and other business-friendly options as in Synology’s more expensive models. We were able to easily set up media streaming, simply by loading some audio files into a folder and ticking a few boxes, and even creating a web server was surprisingly straightforward.

Performance

Despite the relatively low amount of RAM Synology has outfitted the DiskStation DS211 with, we had no issues with performance. Set up as a RAID 1 array, the DS211 managed 101.37 MB/sec read rates and 56.12 MB/sec write rates, when tested with a 1.5GB file. That makes it roughly on a par with the DS411+ when it comes to read speeds, though around half as fast when writing data.

Wrap-Up

There’s a huge amount to like about the Synology DiskStation DS211. Not only is the NAS well made and compact, the DiskStation Manager 3.0 software stands head and shoulders above rivals for not only ease of initial setup but for ongoing use.

We’d like to have seen integrated wireless, too, though Synology do provide a list of compatible third-party USB WiFi adapters that can be used. Still, having it fitted as standard – even with the ensuing throughput limitations – would make for more flexible placement for home users willing to sacrifice some speed.

The data transfer speeds may not match Synology’s faster models, but then the DS211 is also half the price of the DS411+. Small businesses may want to look to models with more drive bays for greater future-proofing – and still get DSM 3.0 – but home users wanting not only data security but stable media access and more should definitely have the DiskStation DS211 on their shortlist.

Once hooked up, it’s possible to transfer media from your PC or smartphone to the TV, view media from your PC on your device, or even use your device as a controller for the media streaming from the PC to the TV. Some of that functionality will require an HTC device, however, but we’re guessing the more generic DLNA abilities will work cross-platform.

Official availability for the HTC DG H100 Media Link is unknown at this stage, though HTC has previously confirmed that it’s due sometime this quarter. However, retailer HTCDirect is claiming UK stock will arrive on December 10 2010.

The little box has a mini HDMI port and a microUSB port on the back. Engadget has spied the device making its way through the FCC on the way to its official launch in Q4 2010. We still think that the miniUSB port the thing has is not for connecting the smartphones to the box but for powering the Media Link device.

The phone connects to the Media Link device and acts as the remote control for managing the stuff on your big screen. As the thing made its way through the FCC, it was testing for its 802.11n connectivity in 2.4GHz and 5GHz modes.

If you’re familiar with the NETGEAR ReadyNAS Ultra series, and you were impressed with the performance therein, then the Ultra Plus series will blow your mind. NETGEAR has revealed that the new series will offer up 30% more performance versus the Ultra series before it. Not only that, but the 2-bay model for the ReadyNAS Ultra family will also be made available later this year, worldwide.

NETGEAR is positioning the new Ultra Plus line-up of devices as not only a stand-alone media streaming device, which includes local or remote handhelds, video game consoles, and desktops, but also a supplemental device to the likes of TiVo users. Features like Orb transcoding means that you’ll have support for multiple media formats, based on the type of screen you’re playing it on. While Skifta will shift your movies and music onto any DLNA-certified device. Not only that, but there’s also a remote file access application available in the Apple App Store for $2.99.

What’s more, NETGEAR has officially achieved DLNA certification for several of its devices, including the Ultra Pro line-up. The other device is the N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router, model number WNDR3700. With the DLNA certification, it means that these new NETGEAR devices will effortlessly connect, and stream media with other DLNA-certified devices, making your streaming needs all that much easier.

The ReadyNAS Ultra Plus and Ultra 2 series devices will be made available in late November. You’ll be able to pick up the Ultra 2 Plus for $449.99; the Ultra 4 Plus for $699.99; and the Ultra 6 Plus for $999.99. The Ultra 2 will cost you $399.99; the Ultra 2 with 2TB of storage for $549.99; and the Ultra 2 with 4TB of storage for $699.99. Check out the full press release below for more information.

Press Release

NETGEAR Releases World’s Fastest Home Media Servers

New additions to the ReadyNAS Ultra family deliver stunning home media streaming experiences

SAN JOSE, Calif. – November 5, 2010 – NETGEAR®, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR), a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and Internet service providers, today released four new additions to its ReadyNAS® Ultra family of home media servers. The new ReadyNAS Ultra Plus series delivers approximately 30% more performance over the ReadyNAS Ultra series, offering the world’s best streaming media experience for music, movies, photos and files. In addition, the 2-bay model of the ReadyNAS Ultra family will soon be available worldwide.

The ReadyNAS Ultra Plus series transforms home media networks, delivering media content to local or remote handhelds, desktops and game consoles. NETGEAR’s industry-leading partnerships deliver expanded media experiences at home and away from home. TiVo™ users may use the ReadyNAS Ultra Plus to tremendously expand their DVR capacity. Orb™ transcoding support puts the right media formats on the right screens, streaming movies on handhelds in any connected location. Skifta™ shifts movies and music onto any DLNA networked screen. Remote file access is now available for iPhone users with the new ReadyNAS Remote iPhone App.

“The explosion of digital content has resulted in large personal media collections that are often unmanaged and scattered. As media collections grow, so has the demand for home media servers. Consumers want simplicity and flexibility,” said Norm Bogen, industry analyst at In-Stat. “And the NETGEAR
ReadyNAS Ultra family delivers. With a ReadyNAS Ultra or Ultra Plus at the center of the home network, consumers can consolidate and organize their content in a secure, expandable place that’s accessible anywhere.”

“The ReadyNAS Ultra family brings cutting-edge partnerships and applications to the home media server market. The new Ultra Plus series is now the most powerful home storage available,” said Tiffany Pham, Product Line Manager for Prosumer Storage at NETGEAR. “Now users can do more with their digital media collections than ever before.”

Pricing and Availability

The ReadyNAS Ultra Plus series will be available online in late November 2010 from leading direct marketers and ecommerce sites at the following estimated street prices:
• RNDP200U – Ultra 2 Plus (Diskless 2-bay), $449.99 USD
• RNDP400U – Ultra 4 Plus (Diskless 4-bay), $699.99 USD
• RNDP600U – Ultra 6 Plus (Diskless 6-bay), $999.99 USD

The ReadyNAS Ultra 2 will be available online in late November 2010 from leading direct marketers and ecommerce sites at the following estimated street prices:
• RNDU2000 – Ultra 2 (Diskless 2-bay), $399.99 USD
• RNDU2120 – Ultra 2 (2TB: 1 x 2TB), $549.99 USD
• RNDU2220 – Ultra 2 (4TB: 2 x 2TB), $699.99 USD

The ReadyNAS Remote iPhone app is available on Apple’s App Store for $2.99 USD

For more information, please visit: www.netgear.com/ultra

About NETGEAR, Inc.
NETGEAR (NASDAQGM: NTGR) is a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and Internet service providers. For consumers, the company makes high performance, dependable and easy home networking, storage and digital media products to connect people with the Internet and their content and devices. For businesses, NETGEAR provides networking, storage and security solutions without the cost and complexity of Big IT. The company also supplies all of the top Internet service providers with retail proven, whole home solutions for their customers. NETGEAR products are built on a variety of proven technologies such as wireless, Ethernet and powerline, with a focus on reliability and ease-of-use. NETGEAR products are sold in over 27,000 retail locations around the globe, and through more than 36,000 value-added resellers. The company’s headquarters are in San Jose, Calif., with additional offices in 25 countries. NETGEAR is an ENERGY STAR® partner. More information is available at http://www.NETGEAR.com or by calling (408) 907-8000. Connect with NETGEAR at http://twitter.com/NETGEAR and http://www.facebook.com/NETGEAR.

You can also stream content directly from the Liquid Metal via UPnP/DLNA over its WiFi connection.  Acer has thrown in Dolby Surround sound, their Breeze UI replacement and SocialJogger Facebook and Twitter aggregator too, and there’s a trackwheel for speedy navigation.

The usual Froyo 3G mobile hotspot and USB tethering are supported, and there’ll be two colors: silver and brown.  Acer says the Liquid Metal will drop – in brown – in November 2010, priced at £299 ($475) in the UK, with the silver version following on in early December.

[via Android Community]

Press Release:

Acer Liquid Metal: Pure technology combing power and style

London, 29th October 2010 – The Acer Liquid Metal is the latest generation of Acer smartphones, featuring the best solutions currently available on the mobile market. Designed for all those who live a modern, dynamic, and fully integrated lifestyle, this is the perfect tool to meet the growing need to be connected anytime and anywhere. Thanks to extremely quick web surfing and an incomparable use of multimedia contents, these dreams become reality.

When we speak about technological evolution, Acer is always one step ahead thanks to its proven capacity to translate the most sophisticated technological innovations into products that are easy to use. Moulding the most advanced technologies and integrating them into the latest smartphone is the logical consequence.

Style and elegance characterise the soft, sinuous, and curvy design for the perfect grip. Liquid Metal is equipped with a rounded 3.6” display especially studied to grant a truly sensational visualization. The materials selected, like the stainless steel of the battery cover, are solid and resistant and the chrome trims give a sense of high quality for extreme tactile and visual pleasure. As in the entire Acer Liquid series, we find the LED signals on the upper part of the telephone notify the user of missed calls, the need to charge the battery, and new incoming messages clearly.

Liquid Metal steps on the gas, ensuring higher speed in all activities, especially in navigating the web, thanks to the combination of:
- the Qualcomm 7230 800 MHz process for lightning fast navigation
- Android Froyo that responds at a speed 5 times faster than earlier versions
- the new browser that enables you to open Internet pages more quickly, thanks to Flash support and the optimization of the JavaScript engine
- Connectivity that is super fast both at home or while travelling, thanks to the WiFi n[1] and HSDPA 14.4Mbps[2]
- with the multitouch function, resizing web pages, photos, or maps is easier than ever.

Liquid Metal also brings the best multimedia experience and entertainment.
- Record video in HD at 720p (30fps) and watch more high-resolution videos in Xvid format
- Take photos with the 5MP A/F camera enhanced with LED flash, image stabilizer, and facial and smile recognition
- Enjoy the thrilling audio brought by the Dolby Surround technology and customize the sound you hear with the EQ profiles and Dynamic Bass Boost.

Liquid Metal shows its excellence not only in its style and power, but brings delightful user experience by the intuitive interface and software developed by Acer.
- Breeze, the new Acer user interface was developed to manage applications even more easily. Information is visible even when the screen is locked; view the application history and quickly start up your most used appliations; customize your homescreen as you like it and re-arrange the way you access your favourite applications according to your own specific needs
- Acer SocialJogger Application aggregates your Facebook and Twitter feeds, allowing you to surf through the updates with the trackwheel, receive updates directly through the dedicated widget on the homescreen, and comment or share directly from the user-friendly interface.

Liquid Metal is transformed into a true wireless server for all your home devices through DLNA/UPnP technology. All the multimedia content memorized on the smartphone can be shared with your PC, TV or game console. Moreover, it is capable of providing your computer an Internet connection via USB. This is truly useful for travelling by train or when on vacation. The Acer EasyLink PC software is free of charge and even enables a protected Internet connection (https).
Do you want even more? This smartphone of the latest generation can become a WiFi hotspot for all enabled devices, so as to connect them to the Internet via the Liquid Metal 3G connection.

[1] With WiFi n, Liquid Metal is 10 times faster than previous devices

2 With HSDPA, Liquid Metal is 2 times faster than previous devices

The Liquid Metal will be offered in two colours: silver and brown for a SRRP of £299 inc Vat. The brown will be available first from mid November with the silver arriving in early December.

Wester Digital throw a remote control into the box as well, and there’s support for DLNA and UPnP streaming so you should be able to squirt content to the TV Live Hub from your PC, Mac or smartphone.  In fact the only thing missing for your $199.99 is integrated WiFi, though the company will happily sell you a WiFi dongle.

The team over at DesktopReview has been putting the WD TV Live Hub through its paces, and they seem more than impressed, particularly given a WD 1TB standalone drive on its own is around $129.99.  They criticize the absence of third-party apps but generally can’t fault it; however, they also say that Western Digital has been making suspicious noises over Google TV, and while the company won’t confirm they have such a box in the works, that’s certainly what it sounds like.

[Thanks Kevin!]

Press Release:

WD’S NEW HD MEDIA CENTER STREAMS POPULAR MOVIES AND THE BROADEST RANGE OF PERSONAL CONTENT

WD TV® Live Hub™ Media Center With 1 TB Storage Allows Users to Centralize Video, Music and Photos and Play Full-HD 1080p Video on HD TVs Throughout the Home

LAKE FOREST, Calif. – Oct. 26., 2010 – Western Digital® (NYSE: WDC), the world’s leader in external storage solutions and maker of the popular WD TV media player family, today introduced the WD TV® Live Hub™ media center (photo), a Full-HD 1080p media player with a 1 terabyte (TB) built-in network hard drive that gives users the freedom to play all their personal media on any screen in the home. The WD TV Live Hub media center brings new experiences to the WD TV family, including instantly renting or purchasing the newest releases through the Blockbuster On Demand® service, the same day as DVD/Blu-ray release, as well as interacting with personal Facebook® communities. In the U.S., the WD TV Live Hub media center is initially available exclusively at Best Buy online and at all 1,093 Best Buy stores nationwide.

The WD TV Live Hub media center plays a wide variety of media file types, including popular Full-HD 1080p video formats such as .mkv, .mp4 and .mov. The integrated, compact and quiet 1 TB hard drive enables users to centralize their digital media from multiple sources for smooth, glitch-free playback of even the highest resolution videos. Digital media can be easily transferred to the internal drive from shared folders on PCs and Mac®s on the network or directly from external hard drives, thumb drives, camcorders or cameras connected via one of the two USB ports. Users also can stream videos from home network drives with a DLNA/UPnP™ server such as the recently announced My Book® Live™ home network drive.

The WD TV Live Hub media center also is a media server: HD video, music and photos can be streamed from the onboard hard drive to any DLNA/UPnP-compatible TV or multimedia device, anywhere in the connected home, including the WD TV Live Plus HD media player, connected TVs, Blu-ray Disc™ players, Xbox 360®, and PlayStation® 3 game consoles. Users also can stream content from their WD TV Live Hub media center to iPads™, iPhones® or Android™ smartphones using third-party applications.

The WD TV Live Hub media center offers unique Facebook integration, which lets users upload photos and videos, share their status, view their wall and get the latest newsfeed from their network of friends – all on the big screen TV. In addition, the WD TV Live Hub media center provides viewing of Netflix® for movie streaming, YouTube™ for user-generated videos and Flickr® for photo sharing, as well as listening to Pandora®, a personalized Internet radio service. Additional content includes local and international weather forecasts from AccuWeather.com®, and MediaFly® daily video podcasts from CNN®, NBC®, MTV® and ESPN®.

The customizable WD TV Live Hub media center’s user interface enables personalization of screen backgrounds and user interface themes, as well as setting of favorites and content ratings. Standard wired or wireless USB keyboards can be used for simpler text input for activities such as searches of local content and YouTube and Facebook interaction.

“The WD TV Live Hub media center lets users create a personalized media jukebox that brings your entire personal content collection and the best of Internet content to the biggest screen in the house,” said Dale Pistilli, vice president of marketing for WD’s branded products group. “With the WD TV Live Hub media center, consumers can take their home entertainment experience to the next level, streaming personal content to multiple rooms at the same time, so they can play a Netflix video on their HDTV screen in the family room, while sharing vacation slideshows on the computer in their home office.”

“People are looking for a versatile, easy-to-use media player that gives them a smooth streaming experience regardless of where they are in the home and whether they’re viewing Internet content or personal media content. That’s exactly what the WD TV Live Hub media center delivers,” said Frank Bedo, merchandise director in computing at Best Buy®. “We are excited to collaborate with WD on this innovative entertainment product.”

“Connected media players are an exciting new category that is helping to redefine home entertainment,” said Wendy Fritz, senior vice president, computing, at Best Buy. “The WD TV media player series’ broad ability with personal content has made it a leading seller. Add to that the premium content services, and the new WD TV Live Hub media center is bringing a whole new dimension to home entertainment.”

Other key features of the WD TV Live Hub media center include:

Compatibility with virtually all TV sets thanks to an HDMI 1.4, composite video and component video output;
Automatic sync of shared digital media folders from PCs and Macs on the network with the internal hard drive to provide easy playback of new content;
Customizable user interface and programmable remote;
Ultra-compact design that easily fits into almost any entertainment center;
Two USB ports that allow seamless media playback from USB drives, camcorders and digital cameras;
WiFi-readiness (with adapter); and,
A 1-year limited warranty in PanAm.

The full set of features and list of file compatibility is available on WD’s website.

Capacity and Compatibility
The WD TV Live Hub media center is available in 1 TB storage capacity and supports a large variety of the most popular file formats, including HD camcorder video formats. It is also compatible with Windows® 7, including the Windows 7 Play To feature, and any DLNA/UPnP-enabled device.

Price and Availability
The WD TV Live Hub media center is available worldwide (Netflix, Blockbuster and Pandora services are available only in the U.S.) and can be purchased in the U.S. exclusively at Best Buy and online at wdstore.com. MSRP for the WD TV Live Hub media center is $199.99 USD.

Not to get your hopes up, but other than giving you some of the specs this TV has to offer, there are no confirmed reports out there as to how much it will cost and how soon (if ever) it will land in the U.S. But if it does, the 72LEX9 features a full LED Backlight, a 480Hz True-Motion panel, DLNA support and Web TV features. Hopefully this amazon of a television will make its way across the big blue ocean and grace us with its presence before the end of the year.

[via akihabaranews]

Samsung has also confirmed that the Galaxy Tab will work with its existing Media Gateway WMG160, the DLNA adapter that was announced back at the Samsung Galaxy S launch.  The UK version of the tablet isn’t expected until November 1st 2010.

[via Carrypad and via Android Community]

Press Release:

Launch: Samsung Galaxy Tab now available in Germany

7-inch display and 380 grams for full functionality. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is a reliable business partner as well as an accomplished entertainer on the go

Schwalbach / Ts. 11 October 2010 – The Galaxy Tab Samsung, Samsung Smart Media Device from his first. Its low weight, handy size and a large TFT display Samsung qualify the Galaxy Tab primarily as a constant companion. With Android ™ v2.2 makes it easier for the business with helpful business applications, and enriches the life with a variety of entertainment and information options. The Samsung Galaxy Tab offers voice and video telephony and full access to the Android Market ™.

With 190 x 121 x 11.98 mm is the ideal sized Samsung Galaxy Tab to get it in the jacket – or bag always and everywhere to carry. The large screen with a diagonal of 17.8 inches guarantees a comfortable viewing of web pages, videos and e-books, without going into a compromise on mobility.

Whether with a headset or via speakerphone – the user can talk with the Samsung Galaxy Tab as with a conventional mobile phone. Video calls are possible by the 1.3-megapixel camera on the housing front.

Unlimited possibilities with Android ™ v2.2
Whether you need an overview of the first train connections, or the time would drive to a computer game: the Android Market ™ is full of applications that make users’ lives easier. The Samsung Galaxy Tab granted the Android ™ operating system v2.2 full access to this offer, and gives users the opportunity to the Samsung Galaxy Tab fully match your needs.
Adobe ® Flash ® Player 10.1 provides a common picture while surfing the web. All web content is presented in the same extent that the user is from a home PC used to. take you with HSDPA up to 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA at up to 5.76 Mbit / s the user has to purchase without waiting times.

The pre-installed application “Reader’s Hub” opens the doors to a large and well clear of books, magazines and newspapers from around the world. The well-stocked library offers interesting stories of different genres that are on the large display of the Samsung Galaxy Tab to read.
Also installed is the video game “Let’s Golf by Gameloft. 63 holes can be played with four different characters in four different locations in 3D. For use on the Samsung Galaxy Tab Let’s golf has been adapted to the big screen.

Complete equipment for full functionality
Android ™ brings several useful Google ™ services with them. With Google Maps ™ Navigation is a complete navigation solution on board, which steers clear voice guidance with the optimal path. A satellite view gives you extra guidance and with the real-time traffic view, you avoid the jams. Searches, this Samsung Galaxy Tab ™ including via Google Voice Search, the typing of goals is no longer necessary. The processor of the Samsung Galaxy Tab provides a Gigahertz performance, providing a normal operation of the device safe even when multiple applications are running in parallel. For a long operation ensures the 4,000 mAh battery strong. This gives the user up to 1,500 hours of standby or up to 16.7 hours talk time. Complete in the fastest WiFi n Bluetooth 3.0 standard and the features.

Accessories for Samsung Galaxy Tab: more opportunities, more style
Protection against dust and scratches different, tailored bags for the Galaxy Table Though be entered quickly thanks Swype ® texts, the real key of the keyboard dock is more practical for many writers. Like the docking station and the car cradle, it has a charging function and 3.5 mm jack for connecting speakers and sound systems. For wireless transmission of the Galaxy Tab to DLNA ™ compatible devices, makes the Media Gateway WMG160 older televisions and sound systems fit for WiFi multimedia streaming.

The Samsung Galaxy tab is now available in Germany. The suggested retail price is 799 euros.

The Droid Pro, just as we have heard in the past, is a global device, and will feature connectivity options for than 220 countries, and provide data coverage in more than 200. As for the other features, you will find Android 2.2 on the handset, with Motorola’s customized, proprietary Blur User Interface. You’ll also get full access to Flash Player 10.1, and have the 3G Mobile Hotspot feature that’s been prominent on previous handsets. There’s a 5MP camera on the back, with autofocus, and you also get a dual LED flash as well.

As with the Droid X and Droid 2, you also get WiFi-enabled DLNA support, so you can share your pictures and videos wirelessly to other DLNA supported devices. Unfortunately, while Verizon came clean on the device, there’s no word on an exact launch date. All they say is that it will be available “in the coming weeks.” They also confirm that the price will be revealed closer to the launch date. Check out the full press release below for all the details.

Press Release

DROID DOES BUSINESS: DROID PRO BY MOTOROLA DESIGNED FOR WORK AND PLAY ON THE NATION’S LARGEST AND MOST RELIABLE 3G NETWORK

Global Android Smartphone from Verizon Wireless Combines Rich Business and Personal Mobile Experiences

SAN FRANCISCO – From CTIA Enterprise & Applications™ 2010, Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation’s largest and most reliable wireless 3G network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today unveiled DROID PRO, a new, powerful, stronger and faster solution designed to meet both business and personal needs. The first Android™-based smartphone optimized for business use, DROID PRO is also a global-ready Android smartphone from Verizon Wireless, allowing customers to enjoy wireless voice service in more than 220 countries and data coverage in more than 200 countries.

DROID PRO meets employers’ and employees’ needs by addressing the productivity tools businesses require, including corporate connectivity and security; full push corporate e-mail with corporate level security; unified calendar with additional work features; pre-loaded Quickoffice Mobile Suite, a powerful 1 GHz processor; 4 GB of memory (2 GB internal; and 2 GB removable) and a QWERTY keyboard designed for speed and convenience.

“DROID PRO combines the feature-packed, high-level user experience that customers look for in an Android smartphone plus the security that enterprises require, all with the reliability of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network,” said Mike Lanman, president – Enterprise and Government Markets for Verizon Wireless. “DROID PRO builds on our commitment to deliver the best Android experience to the marketplace as well as to our enterprise customers.”

“The DROID PRO is an advanced business-ready solution that provides users with the full smartphone experience, redefined by delivering the power of a DROID,” said Sanjay Jha, chief executive officer of Motorola Mobility. “The DROID PRO consolidates users’ work and personal needs. This is just another reason the DROID PRO is setting a new standard for enterprise, allowing users to enjoy all the benefits of a smartphone with full push delivery of corporate e-mail and corporate level security.”

Key features and specifications:
· Support for both Exchange e-mail and Gmail™ for business

· Corporate directory look-up, unified calendar for Enterprise and sync with Google Calendar™

· PC-like browsing with Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 on a full, multi-touch, 3.1-inch brilliant display built on Android 2.2

· View, edit and share documents, including Microsoft Excel® spreadsheets, PowerPoint® presentations and Word® documents

· Built-in security features, including AuthenTec IPSec multi-headed VPN integration, remote wipe of device and SD card, and complex password support. Device and SD card encryption will be available in early 2011

· 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities – Allows customers to connect up to five other Wi-Fi®-enabled devices and laptops

· Live widgets that stream e-mail messages to the home screen; customers can filter the widgets to separate work and home e-mail

· 5-megapixel camera with auto focus and dual LED flash as well as DVD-quality video

· 3G diversity antennae provides customers with enhanced data speeds and range

· Wi-Fi®-enabled DNLA® connectivity

· Android Market™ – Provides customers with access to more than 80,000 applications

· My Verizon and Backup AssistantSM support – Allows customers to manage their wireless accounts or their contacts from their phones

Pricing and availability:
· DROID PRO will be available at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in the coming weeks. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.

· For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Media can access high-resolution images of DROID PRO in the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.)

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 92 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About Motorola
Motorola is known around the world for innovation in communications and is focused on advancing the way the world connects. From broadband communications infrastructure, enterprise mobility and public safety solutions to high-definition video and mobile devices, Motorola is leading the next wave of innovations that enable people, enterprises and governments to be more connected and more mobile. Motorola (NYSE: MOT) had sales of US $22 billion in 2009. For more information, please visit www.motorola.com.

MOTOROLA, the Stylized M Logo and MOTOBLUR are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Used under license. The Bluetooth trademarks are owned by their proprietor and used under license. All other product and service names are the property of their respective owners. © 2010 Motorola Mobility, Inc. All rights reserved.

Android, Gmail, Google Calendar, and Android Market are trademarks of Google Inc.

The Media Link box itself looks to be relatively straightforward, with a mini HDMI port and a microUSB port on the back – the latter, we’re guessing, for power rather than data – and a power button with indicator light on the front.  Since there’s no obvious wired network connection it looks like WiFi (probably b/g/n to match the phones) is the only way to hook things up.

Once connected, we know that the smartphone acts as a remote control for managing what media is played back through the HDTV – that could be video (up to 720p HD), audio or photos you’ve sideloaded, or alternatively 720p HD video you’ve recorded with the phones’ own cameras.

Unfortunately HTC’s press release was light on any reference to the Media Link, and beyond its brief flash onscreen during the presentation no further detail was given.  The company tells us that it will be available globally in Q4 2010, but doesn’t have pricing information right now.

There’s a pretty considerable list of supported codecs and containers, too – the full spec sheet is in the gallery below, but highlights include Xvid, ISO, AVCHD, DivX, MP4 and MKV for video and various audio and video options too.  You can also plug in an external Blu-ray drive via the USB 2.0 or eSATA ports for playback from optical media.

Meanwhile the new Powerline adapters save stringing ethernet cable across your lounge.  Entry-level is the XAVNB2001 Powerline AV 200 Wireless-N Extender Kit, supporting up to 200Mbps data rates, while the XAV5001 Powerline AV 500 Adapter (and the XAVB5001 Kit) and XAV5501 Powerline AV+ 500 Adapter (and XAVB5501 Kit) boost speed to a theoretical 500Mbps.  The “+” versions also provide a pass-through filtered AC socket so you can still plug in an appliance.

The Netgear NeoTV 550 will be priced at $219.99 (or €199.99 in Europe, though it’s already showing up for preorder at around £139); no MRSP for the NeoTV 350, but that’s up for UK preorder at around £88 ($136).  As for the Powerline adapters, the AV 200 will drop in early October for $169, followed by the AV 500 Adapter Kit later that month for $159.  The standalone AV 500 Adapter ($89) and AV+ 500 Adapter Kit ($179) will arrive in early November, with the standalone AV+ Adapter ($99) bringing up the rear later that month.

This isn’t the first time we’ve looked at one of HP’s Data Vaults; back in November 2009 we reviewed the X510, a business-centric version of the MediaSmart EX487. The biggest changes are inside, with the StorageWorks X300 throwing out the Celeron and Pentium processors of its siblings and replacing it with a frugal dual-core Intel Atom CPU running at 1.6GHz. That’s paired with 2GB of RAM and four 3.5-inch SATA drive bays, all in a short tower case. Along the bottom front edge are the clear status lights, showing drive health for each HDD, power and network status, and overall Home Server health.

OS is Microsoft’s Windows Home Server, a straightforward system for sharing files, managing various user accounts – with differing degrees of access – and handling media streaming for iTunes libraries and via Windows Media Connector. The 1TB version of the StorageWorks X300, the X310 (using a single 1TB hard-drive) has a street price of $349.99, around $240 less than their X510. Connectivity includes four USB 2.0 ports and a single eSATA port, all of which can be used to attach external drives; altogether, a single X300/X310 system can offer 17TB.

That’s plenty, considering you can have up to ten PC users (and unlimited Mac clients); after all, those with more ambitious demands are expected to look to the more expensive units. HP’s focus is data protection and disaster recovery (with the X300 paired with their KeepVault online backup service); they provide their own HP Control Center app which, when installed onto each client machine, can be used to perform automated backups, folder duplications and online synchronisation. The X300 will also work with Apple’s Time Machine backup system.

Also bundled is a year’s subscription to an online file access system, which offers a custom domain for logging in and checking your files wherever there’s an internet connection and browser. Unlike a regular RAID array, Windows Home Server uses Microsoft’s own “Drive Extender” technology: that’s not standardized, but it it does allow for non-identical HDDs to be used, plus external drives being included in the overall array. Setup is straightforward, with WHS automatically establishing the data pool, and you can selectively pick which files or folders are duplicated across multiple HDDs or designate an entire drive as an automatic backup mirror.

Unlike some servers, the X300 only has a single gigabit ethernet port for network connectivity; still, with normal backup use and media streaming we found other network bottlenecks were generally more of an impediment to speed than the StorageWorks’ one port. We were able to quickly set up user accounts with varying degrees of access privileges: anything from full read/write through read-only to no-access, individually selectable to different folders if necessary.

As with previous HP WHS products we’ve tested, there’s a reasonable range of online and local media sharing options, including the ability to automatically publish photos to an online gallery, and serve up images, video and music to consoles like the Xbox 360 or PS3. However, the automatic media collector and video convertor we used on the X510 has been removed, as has the Twonky DLNA Media Server functionality, and it’s now no longer possible to easily stream content to web or iPhone clients. That’s part of HP’s focus on backup, it seems, though you can add in third-party plugins to introduce alternative functionality.

In practice, the StorageWorks X300 kept up with the several simultaneous backup jobs we asked of it, shuffling across files from a number of PCs and Macs at the same time. However Windows Media Connector is only really of use if you have a PC, and we missed broader DLNA support for streaming content simply to our Mac. At HP’s $520 MRSP we perhaps wouldn’t be convinced, but with the street price being $170 less than that it pushes the StorageWorks X300 into regular NAS territory. In that sort of arena, Windows Home Server holds its own as a capable piece of software, and with some careful add-in planning it’s possible to easily tailor the X300 into an affordable and flexible backup and media server system.

Meanwhile the Samsung BD-C7900 and BD-C6800 Blu-ray players each have 1GB of internal storage, integrated WiFi, Samsung AllShare support and Samsung Apps support.  They’ll be $399.99 and $279.99 respectively.  The BD-C5900 has 3D, AllShare, WiFi and Apps, with an entry level price of $229.99.  Finally, their portable counterpart, the Samsung BD-C8000, is a 10.3-inch portable Blu-ray player with WiFi, AllShare and Samsung Apps, and will be priced at $499.99.

In surround sound, meanwhile, the Samsung HT-C9550W, HT-C6900W and HT-C6600 all support 3D; the C9550W has 7.1 surround while the other two make do with 5.1.  Both the C9550W and C6900W have wireless rear speakers and WiFi; all three support AllShare and Samsung Apps.  They’ll be $1,799.99, $699.99 and $599.99 respectively.

Press Release:

SAMSUNG UNVEILS WORLD’S FIRST PORTABLE BLU-RAY PLAYER WITH 3D CAPABILITY; FURTHER EXPANDS 3D PRODUCT LINE-UP

New Blu-Ray Players and Home Theater Systems Offer Immersive 3D Experience At Home

RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ, August 11, 2010 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today announced the U.S. availability of the world’s first portable Blu-ray player with 3D capability. The Samsung BD-C8000 delivers true 1080p HD video, enables 3D playback when connected to a 3D-capable TV and used with 3D glasses, and features a brilliant 10.3-inch screen. It includes built-in Wi-Fi for easy access to advanced connectivity features, including an expanding library of content and applications via Samsung Apps and HDMI 1.4a support. With three hours of battery life, the Samsung BD-C8000 is the perfect travel companion for anyone who wants an outstanding entertainment experience while on the go.

Samsung also introduced three additional standalone Blu-ray players and three new Blu-ray Home Theater Systems that deliver crystal-clear picture and sound quality with new features that will excite both the first-time owner and the audiophile.

“Blu-ray has raised the bar for video and audio quality that consumers expect to see at home. We led the way in 3D TVs and are excited to do the same for 3D Blu-ray players and Home Theater Systems. With the industry’s broadest line-up of 3D capable home entertainment products, there is a product to suit every home and wallet,” said John Revie, senior vice president of Home Entertainment at Samsung Electronics America Inc.

Expanded Range of 3D-Capable Blu-ray Players Helps Future-Proof Entertainment Options

Samsung’s latest Blu-ray players bring the wonder of 3D entertainment into the home. The Samsung BD-C7900 Blu-ray player is designed for the HD guru. With two HDMI outputs, the BD-C7900 makes it easy to connect multiple HD sources to experience a full 1080p picture and digital surround sound. The two HDMI outputs also allow for support of legacy receivers so there is no need to upgrade to a new HDMI 1.4 receiver; the user can simply connect their receiver to the HDMI 1.3 output for rich, lifelike surround sound audio. This sleek and stylish device offers built-in WiFi for seamless connectivity to Samsung Apps. It also features Samsung’s proprietary AllShare™, which allows people to wirelessly sync digital devices so that they can enjoy music, movies and photos directly from their DLNA certified PC, camera and mobile devices to their Samsung TV screen.

For those looking for a versatile home entertainment experience, Samsung’s BD-C6800 Blu-ray player includes built-in WiFi enabling it to wirelessly receive web-based content via Samsung Apps and playback media files from DLNA certified devices via Samsung’s AllShare™. The entry-level BD-C5900 is designed for those looking for a high-performing yet affordable 3D Blu-ray player.

All Samsung Blu-ray players support a wide range of media formats and access to an expanding library of applications through Samsung Apps, the first HDTV-based applications store. These new 3D Blu-ray players deliver a premium experience with both 2D and 3D content and allow consumers to future-proof their living rooms for when they are ready to purchase a 3D HDTV.

Series/Model Estimated Selling Price Estimated Availability
BD-C8000 $499.99 July 2010
BD-C7900 $399.99 July 2010
BD-C6800 $279.99 July 2010
BD-C5900 $229.99 July 2010

Powerful New Blu-ray Home Theater Systems Deliver Immersive 3D Experience
The Samsung HT-C9950W is the ultimate combination of beauty, design and performance. It features a modern metallic finish and is the perfect complement to Samsung’s award-winning 9000 series LED TV. It delivers jaw-dropping home theater picture quality, and engaging, life-like and immersive entertainment experience that will please anyone looking for the best in home cinema. The HT-C9950W is as feature-rich as it is stylish – with slot-in disc loading, organic touch control buttons and a premium volume wheel. The 7.1 channel 3D surround sound system consists of four floor-standing speakers, two satellite speakers, one center channel unit, an anti-vibration subwoofer, iPod/iPhone dock, two HDMI inputs, and it comes with a dongle for wireless Internet connectivity so that you can easily access new content everyday via Samsung Apps, or use Samsung’s AllShare™ to watch content from your DLNA certified devices on the TV.

With the introduction of the HT-C6900W and HT-C6600, Samsung brings together the unsurpassed picture quality of 3D Blu-ray players with vibrant surround-sound audio, all in the perfect home theater package for small spaces.

The Samsung HT-C6600 offers an impressive slate of features – a Blu-ray player with built-in 3D, support for HDMI 1.4, access to Samsung Apps and WiFi dongle for wireless connectivity. In addition, the HT-C6600’s patented, high-performance Crystal Amp Pro technology dramatically enhances sound quality through its multi-variable feedback technology to deliver a complete immersive audio experience. The Samsung HT-C6900W offers all the features of the HT-C6600, plus wireless rear speakers, built-in WiFi, and a two-way center channel speaker for enhanced sound quality.

Press Release:

SAMSUNG ANNOUNCES “FREE THE TV CHALLENGE” APPS CONTEST;
DOUBLES APPS LIBRARY CONTENT

Reinforces market leadership in smart TV segment with new content and experiences

RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ, August 11, 2010 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today kicks off its Free the TV Challenge to find the most innovative applications for IPTVs, Blu-ray players and Blu-ray Home Theater Systems. With a total prize value of half a million dollars, the Challenge is open to all developers in the US starting today.

Samsung also announced that the number of applications available through Samsung Apps, the world’s first HDTV-based application store, has more than doubled since its launch five months ago. Beginning today, people can choose from a wide range of unique and premium apps across five categories – video, gaming, social media, sports and kids – including apps from ESPN and Hulu which are currently exclusive to Samsung. They can also download and enjoy the world’s first 3D video on-demand app to view trailers of 3D movies.

“We are thrilled that content owners continue to embrace Samsung Apps and that we have doubled the number of applications available to owners of Samsung 2010 connected TVs and Blu-ray devices,” said Eric Anderson, vice president of content and product solutions, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. “The Free the TV Challenge will continue that momentum by opening up these TVs to even more developers across the US who want to distribute their content on the biggest screen in the home. People want a connected entertainment experience with their devices and we encourage developers to free the TV by bringing new concepts, as well as existing apps from many platforms, to the TV.”

Samsung Free the TV Challenge Opens Today
With the Free the TV Challenge, Samsung is unlocking a new era in smart TV by helping free the TV for developers, who can now tap into the expanding market for TV applications. Developers can go to www.FreeTheTVChallenge.com to register for the contest, starting today. To be eligible, developers must live in the United States, submit the final app and provide a video that showcases how the app works to Samsung by November 11, 2010. The contest will be administered by New York-based startup ChallengePost, and entries will be judged based on the quality of the idea, functional implementation, and visual appeal. Total prize value is US$500,000. Roelof Botha from Sequoia, Mike Maples from Floodgate, Bob Borchers from Opus Capital and Jeremy Levine from Bessemer will serve as judges. Consumers will also have an opportunity to cast their vote online for the “People’s Choice Award.” Samsung will announce the overall winner at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV.

In addition, select applications submitted to the Free the TV Challenge will be made available to the large and growing community of Samsung Apps users. Samsung Apps is accessible on all 2010 Samsung Blu-ray players, Blu-ray Home Theater Systems and the majority of HDTVs with screen sizes 40” or larger.

Built with the developer in mind, Samsung Apps supports common web standards, like Javascript, XML and support for Adobe Flash Lite 3.1, and uses a single SDK for apps that runs across HDTVs, Blu-ray players and Blu-ray Home Theater systems. This eliminates many of the barriers to development by allowing applications to be written once and deployed across several platforms, ultimately enabling more versatile monetization for developers and a consistent, intuitive experience for consumers.

To further support developers, Samsung is launching a series of Free the TV Developer Days, where developers will get hands-on demonstrations of the Samsung Apps platform and a tutorial on the Samsung SDK, as well as participate in a Q&A session with Samsung engineers. The first session will be held on August 31, 2010 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, CA, and Pandora Founder Tim Westergren will speak at the event.

More information on Samsung’s Developer Days and registration for the Free the TV Challenge is available at www.FreeTheTVChallenge.com.

New Apps Demonstrate Diversity of Content and Services
Samsung continues to see explosive growth in smart TV and has more than doubled the number of available applications in its library within five months. In addition to various free apps, Samsung today expanded its library of apps with the addition of ESPN’s Next Level application, as well as a variety of other premium apps that offer a variety of 3D, sports, casual gaming, weather and family-oriented content at the touch of a button.

The new ESPN Next Level app, available as a free download exclusively through Samsung Apps, is expected to be a hit with sports fans. With four main sections, the app will allow fans to access in-depth looks at sports events and players in the news; predictive picks of the day’s games across all major sports; research nuggets from the ESPN Research team; and insights from Peter Keating, Senior Writer at ESPN The Magazine, who gives his unique perspective on a variety of statistical subjects. Samsung and ESPN plan to introduce a ScoreCenter app in the Fall of 2010, based on the popular app currently available on mobile devices.

Samsung will soon launch the world’s first 3D Video On-Demand app which offers viewers sneak previews of upcoming 3D movies. All apps are available from today and can be downloaded directly on the TV via their Internet-connected HDTV, Blu-ray player or Blu-ray Home Theater System*.

Samsung, the market leader in smart TV, is committed to expanding the types of experiences available to consumers. In 2008, the company was the first to deliver text-based RSS feeds, bringing news, weather and stock information directly to the TV with its InfoLink feature. In 2009, Samsung added Yahoo! widgets to the smart TV experience, as well as streaming video services with providers like Blockbuster and Amazon video-on-demand. With the launch of Samsung Apps this year, Samsung is broadening the smart TV experience, bringing services such as text-based information, casual games, sports, communications, social and location services, and HD and 3D video to consumers. The addition of these new premium apps underscores momentum around the platform as leading content providers continue to recognize the platform’s flexibility in delivering the growing types of content that meet consumers’ demand. Today, more than 60 industry-leading partners have made personalized, easy to use smart TV experiences available to consumers through Samsung Apps, including exclusive HDTV-based apps content from ESPN and Hulu Plus, among other leading brands like Blockbuster, Facebook, Google, Netflix, Pandora, Twitter, USA TODAY and Vudu.

Meanwhile the car dock holds the Galaxy S in either portrait or landscape orientation and has a microUSB input for charging the smartphone.  It’s intended to be used with the Android in-car UI, together with voice search.

Interestingly, the press release also mentions the “Samsung WMG160 Wi-Fi HD streaming device”, seemingly a DLNA-compliant TV adapter.  That would presumably allow for direct streaming from the Galaxy S’ “AllShare” app to your HDTV; however we can find no mention of the adapter on Samsung’s site.  We’re waiting on official pricing details from Samsung themselves.

Update: The desk cradle is $39.99 while the Battery Charger is $49.99.  As for the WMG160, that’s yet to be added to Samsung’s site but they’ve sent us product details which you can see in the gallery below.

Press Release:

SAMSUNG MOBILE UNVEILS PREMIUM GALAXY S SMART PHONE ACCESSORIES

New class of smart phone accessories feature compact desktop dock, convenient portable vehicle dock, and affordable spare battery charging solution to help make the Galaxy S smart phone experience brilliant

DALLAS, August 11, 2010 — Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile)1, the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S., today announced a line of premium accessories for the Android™-powered Galaxy S smart phone portfolio. The lineup of premium Galaxy S accessories, including a convenient desktop dock, vehicle dock and backup battery charging system, will provide users with an enhanced mobile experience for each of the Galaxy S smart phones.

The Samsung Galaxy S accessory lineup includes a small, compact desktop dock providing consumers an easy-to-use option to view their favorite movies, listen to music, display as a digital picture frame and use the desktop speakerphone when making hands-free calls while at a desk or in a home office. The Galaxy S desktop dock, which also doubles as a charger, allows for useful application downloads and internet browsing features such as Google Search™ by Voice, which allows users to speak their search query. Users can download the Desk Home application from the Android marketplace by searching for “desk home Samsung”. The Desk Home application can switch brightness levels from day to night and provides one-touch access to the Daily Briefing, alarm clock, music, pictures, movie gallery and local weather so that you can always stay up-to-date with daily activities.

The Galaxy S portable vehicle dock allows users to mount their device to a car windshield or dashboard and display turn-by-turn instructions for a safe, hands-free GPS navigation experience. Users can receive and display the latest traffic alerts, location-based information and activate the Google Search™ by Voice features when the Galaxy S smart phone is in the vehicle dock. The lightweight vehicle dock rotates freely between landscape and portrait modes and is attachable to either the windshield or car dashboard. The vehicle dock also contains a micro USB connection to conveniently charge a phone while in-use.

The Samsung Galaxy S accessories lineup offers an affordable charging solution that includes three components such as an extra 1500 mAh battery, a spare battery charger with phone stand and a wall charger for charging your phone and spare battery separately. The backup charger is small enough to fit in a pocket, purse or briefcase to transport and protect a charged backup battery allowing users smart phones to always stay powered-up while on-the-go.

Customers can also personalize Galaxy S smart phones with multiple protective case options, available in a variety of colors, patterns and fabrics to fit the needs of each consumer’s personal style. Additional Galaxy S accessories include a three-pack screen protector set with anti-scratch, mirror, and privacy screens as well as the Samsung WMG1602 Wi-Fi HD streaming device. The Samsung WMG160 allows users to stream movies, music, and photos directly from a Galaxy S smart phone to an HDTV.

For more information on retail availability and a complete list of Galaxy S accessories, visit www.samsung.com.

1 Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, Q1 2010 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports.
2 Also compatible with other DLNA compliant devices such as laptops or cameras. Check device compatibility at www.dlna.org/products.