The flaw was first discovered and reported on in January by a blog called Console Cowboys, which revealed that by simply appending a specific code to a camera’s IP address, the password requirement could be bypassed. The blog posted detailed instructions on how to breach Trendnet cameras, resulting in links being posted to various message boards.

Offices, children’s bedrooms, and even someone’s bathroom were viewable among the list of video feeds exposed. A list of 679 web addresses to exposed video feeds were posted to a message board within two days with more listings revealed that were also associated with Google Maps locations.

Trendnet is scrambling to release firmware updates to fix the problem, but estimates that there are 26 camera models that are affected. To see if your camera model could be a spy cam, check out the full list here. Also, be sure to check Trendnet’s download page for firmware updates.

[via PC Mag]

However, ThinFilm has apparently been in talks with automotive suppliers about alternative uses of the technology, including tracking the wear on brakes and sending out warnings as to when they need to be replaced. Entertainment is also a possibility, with interactive toys using the inexpensive labels already in the pipeline.

The functionality will be much improved when wireless mesh networking is added, something ThinFilm expects to happen in 2013 or 2014. That would allow NFC communication between the tags and smartphones, for instance, or the central processor in a car.

Roughly 3 x 1.5 inches in size and consisting of five layers sandwiched in a roll-to-roll production process, the ThinFilm labels use the company’s own ferroelectric polymer technology for storing information. Chains of non-toxic polymers can be flipped between two orientations – representing binary “0″ and “1″ – to store non-volatile data; by adding in PARC printed transistors, meanwhile, the tags can collect information themselves and process it.

Cost per tag is around 30 cents, according to the company, which argues that’s cheaper – along with being more accurate – than using alarms in shipping containers for more generic monitoring of perishable goods. They’ll first be deployed in South Africa, but could soon be linking more devices up with the internet of things.

[via CNET]

Both kits boast easy setup: one plug adapter slots into the wall near your router, hooking up via an ethernet cable to spare socket, while the other adapter goes next to your PC, A/V rack or whatever other device you want to get online. 128-bit security is offered between each adapter, and there’s no software to install.

As for the Linksys PLW400 Powerline AV 1-Port Wireless Extender, that will drop in March and offer a way to create a distant WiFi b/g/n bubble somewhere in your Powerline network. It will be priced at $119.99, while the AV 1-Port (PLEK400) and AV 4-Port (PLSK400) are $99.99 and $119.99 respectively.

An ExaFLOP/s capable computer – a quintillion computer operations per second – would be a hundred times faster than current supercomputers, Intel points out, and demand each possible source of latency and delay to be ironed out. To do this, rather than using switched networks as in ethernet connections, InfiniBand relies on switched fabric network topology, spreading traffic over a number of links simultaneously. There’s more on InfiniBand tech at Wikipedia.

QLogic says that shedding its InfiniBand business will allow it to concentrate on its other networking and interconnect specialisms, including “converged networking, enterprise Ethernet, and storage area networking products.” Intel has extended job offers to “a significant number” of QLogic employees from the acquired division.

The SMILE Plug was developed in collaboration with Stanford University and works in tandem with the Stanford Mobile Inquiry Based Learning Environment program to create highly interactive learning environments. The device acts like a small server and is powered by a Marvell Armada 300 CPU and equipped with Marvell’s Avastar 88W8764 WiFi chip. It can connect up to 60 devices at a time, allowing students to interact over a secure and reliable micro cloud controlled by the teacher.

The device can connect to laptops, smartphones, and tablets, such as the recently announced OLPC XO-3 tablet that’s powered by Marvell’s ARMADA PXA619 processor. The 8-inch tablet is designed for educational environments with an affordable sub-$100 price aimed at classrooms in emerging markets as part of the One Laptop Per Child project.

Additionally, the SMILE Plug runs on an Arch Linux-based open platform, the Plugmin administration app and the Stanford SMILE Junction Server. It also includes a 5V Lithium-Ion polymer battery for back-up power. The device is expected to ship this spring.

[via Marvell]

The Powerline 500 Nano (XAVB51010) provides consumers a simple plug-and-play networking solution when connecting a single device that converts a standard electrical wall outlet into a high-speed network connection. To connect multiple devices in a room, NETGEAR offers a new N900 Video and Gaming 4-Port WiFi Adapter (WNCE4004) that can simultaneously connect to up to four wired devices to your WiFi router.

The Universal Dual Band WiFi Range Extender (WN2500RP) boosts dual band WiFi coverage in home networks to allow users to enjoy fast WiFi speeds at longer distances. It extends both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, reducing WiFi interference. It’s easy to setup, no need for a CD or Ethernet cable, and it’s ideal for homes with a mix of high bandwidth video streaming devices sch as Smart Tvs and network DVRs.

The Media Storage Router (WNDR4700) is a high-speed wireless router that offers 2TB of hard drive storage that makes it simple and secure to store and stream HD content and other media over a high-speed WiFi network.

Additionally, NETGEAR is debuting the N900 Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter (WNDA4100) that provides a high speed connection between a notebook or desktop computer and a wireless network. It delivers up to 450 Mbps WiFi speeds and complements the N900 Dual Band Wireless Router (WNDR4500) and the previously mentioned Media Storage Router.

Hardware

This isn’t your regular router: at 93 x 70 x 25 mm it’s a palm-sized glossy black plastic box sitting on four grippy rubber feet. Bigger than a regular mobile hotspot, but the upshot is connectivity: as well as sharing out your USB modem’s connection with up to five WiFi devices, it has a pair of 10/100 ethernet ports on the back for wired devices too. That’s useful if you’re trying to share your connection in a WiFi-saturated environment, where wireless links can often become unstable.

On top is a rotating USB port for your modem, as well as four indicator LEDs for power, WLAN, PPP and WPS status. The back offers two buttons – WPS for easy connections with Windows-based computers, along with power – the two ethernet ports, each with activity LEDs, and a DC power input.

Unfortunately there’s no internal battery for true portable use, so you’ll have to find space in your bag for the included AC adapter. That’s frustratingly bulkier than the Hub itself; ZTE really needs to learn a lesson from the ultra-compact wall warts supplied with recent handsets from Nokia, HTC and Apple.

Software

Unlike USB modems, which generally require an app be installed on your laptop, it’s possible to use the WiFi Hub without any software bother whatsoever. Once your modem is in place and the connection has stabilized, it’s a simple matter of searching for the preset SSID on your tablet/laptop/phone/console and punching in the PIN, both of which are printed on the bottom of the Hub itself. Wired connections are even easier: just plug in your ethernet cable.

ZTE ships the Hub preconfigured to use WEP security, the weakest option but the one with the broadest compatibility. Most users will want to step up to WPA or, preferably, WPA2, (though a fully open WiFi connection is also possible) and that requires logging into the browser-based settings page. That’s found at 192.168.1.1 and logging in with the default username and password (which can be easily changed).

There’s actually a fair range of options available, if you’re of the tinkering mindset. The basics – SSID and security – can be altered, as well as the APN settings for the USB modem, DHCP settings for automatically assigning IP addresses, MAC and IP filtering, URL filtering to limit which sites can be connected to, and port forwarding. There’s also a firewall, with optional DMZ bypass.

Obviously it’s up to the user how deeply they dig through the settings; it’s possible to treat the WiFi Hub as plug-and-play, or get pretty granular with your control.

Performance

We saw no difference in download speeds from Three’s normal performance when using the WiFi Hub, though being able to position the modem near a window meant we could hunt down the best signal at any one time. WiFi range proved sufficient to cover our (admittedly bijou) London flat, with two solid wood doors in-between, with maximum strength showing in OS X.

Unfortunately, our attempts to get the WiFi Hub working with USB modems from other providers than Three failed, even when the modem was unlocked. The settings page refused to recognize that a modem was plugged in, and no connection was automatically made. Three tells us that other operators’ modems should work, but obviously won’t help you out if – like us – you can’t get the Hub to recognize them. It would also be useful if you could plug a wired WAN connection, such as in a hotel room, into one of the ethernet ports, and share it with the Hub.

Wrap-Up

There’s no denying the Three WiFi Hub works, nor that it’s useful. The wireless connection is solid, and the two ethernet ports are a particular bonus over regular mobile hotspots. Ease of use – with a Three USB modem – is another strength, though we wish ZTE had opted for better security with WPA2 by default.

Unfortunately the absence of a battery – even to just power wireless use – significantly limits the usefulness of the WiFi Hub when on the move. Forget dropping it onto the table at your nearest coffee shop or in an airport lounge and getting online in seconds: you need to make sure there’s a power point nearby. For hotel rooms or spur-of-the-moment meeting room connections that shouldn’t be too great a drawback, however.

That power limitation, compounded by the unnecessarily chunky AC adapter, are our main criticisms of the Three WiFi Hub. Those with modems from other providers should also be wary, as compatibility isn’t assured and you’re on your own to figure out any problems. Still, at £39.99, if you’re a Three data modem user who blanches at hotel and conference wireless fees and has enough bag space for the power adapter, the WiFi Hub makes an inexpensive way to get multiple people online.

The 304E was a bulkier solution and the new device has a more compact housing making it easier to place in a crowded outlet. The device has a 200Mbps max speed and will work with the power lines in your home. The adapters also use a secure network automatically with no configuration needed of the network.

The encryption the adapters use is AES and a single press of the sync button shares the encryption key for the network. The adapter is shipping right now for $129.99 in a pair and for $69 for single adapters. Powerline networking is a great way to network your home if WiFi doesn’t work in all areas. Back in September I mentioned the TPL-306E adapter that lacks an outlet and appears to be sized along the lines of the new 307E adapter.

The E2100 chipset will be inside the Gigabyte G1.Assassin 2 mainboards that use the Intel X79 chipset. The E2100 is a high performance Gigabit Ethernet controller that handles game networking traffic and handles networking for all traffic types, not just gaming traffic. The chipset has advanced stream detect, visual bandwidth control, and application priority.

The stream detect technology is one of the key bits and gives the chipset its ability to identify online gaming and video transmissions and give them network priority. The visual bandwidth control portion allows the user to see what programs are consuming the most bandwidth and end them if needed. This will make for a very nice motherboard for gamers. Qualcomm is also putting the E2100 platform into boards from Asus and VisionTek as well.

Google itself consistently declines to comment on the Google X lab specifically, though its spokespeople confirm that some of the R&D budget goes to projects that might be seen as outlandish. Much of the momentum of Google X – which employs engineers from such illustrious backgrounds as Microsoft, MIT and Nokia Labs – is apparently from company co-founder Sergey Brin, described as “deeply involved” and responsible, along with Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, for the original list of research topics underway.

Even if autonomous data-gathering robot cars don’t start handing the Street View team their pink slips, they could end up on the road sooner rather than later. Google is apparently considering manufacturing the self-driving cars in the US, making cash by selling location-based advertising for nearby stores and restaurants. Domestic-scale versions could find roles in homes and offices, meanwhile, and would likely be easier for Google to get through safety testing.

Other home- and office-based projects include ubiquitous networking, with Google apparently hoping to internet-enable all manner of devices and even clothing so that they can tweet your habits, learn your routines and helpfully fill in the gaps such as ordering groceries as and when you run out of them. It all seems terribly practical when viewed alongside space elevators – a fond favorite of sci-fi authors – as a potential way to dramatically reduce the cost of delivering payloads beyond the atmosphere by sending them up a tethered cable that ends in orbit.

Synology spent time making the new NAS device quiet so it won’t bother people in the home. According to the firm, the device puts out 18.3dB of sound. It is also looks to be greener with power consumption of 17.6W under full load and when in hibernation mode it uses 5.5W of power.

This new version of the device uses DiskStation Manager 3.2 as the OS. This is a new versions of the OS made for ease of use and to be intuitive with a web-based interface. The device can also stream video to game consoles and more. The DS212j is shipping globally right now.

Hardware

Netgear’s chassis is sober but sturdy, with a blocky metal casing that’s larger than some rivals thanks to its use of regular 3.5-inch desktop hard-drives rather than smaller – generally more expensive and lower capacity – 2.5-inch mobile drives. Up front there’s a USB 2.0 port with a dedicated “backup” button that pulls the content of any removable storage plugged in off and to a preset folder, along with a power button, activity and drive lights.

As the Duo name suggests, this particular ReadyNAS supports a pair of HDDs which are hot-swappable. Storage can be set up as either RAID 0 “striped” for speed without redundancy, or RAID 1 “mirrored” for data redundancy but half the capacity. However, extra capacity can be added using the two USB 3.0 ports on the back of the ReadyNAS, a welcome update over the more typical USB 2.0 connections.

Inside, Netgear has updated the processor to a 1.6GHz Marvell chip paired with 256MB of RAM. The company reckons that makes the Duo v2 twice as fast as its predecessor, with file transfers and higher-bitrate media streaming each said to benefit from the extra performance.

Netgear will offer three versions of the ReadyNAS Duo v2. Cheapest is the empty, barebones shell, intended for those wanting to use their own hard-drives, and priced at $199. Then there are 1TB and 2TB versions – each with a single drive – at $269 and $299 respectively. Our review unit was supplied with two 1TB Hitachi HDS721010CLA332 7K1000.C SATA 3.0Gb/s drives, spinning at 7,200 rpm with 32MB of cache.

Software

Backup isn’t really sexy, and so a home NAS needs to be easy to use if owners are going to stick with it through not only setup but taking advantage of the various value-adds Netgear and others throw in. The ReadyNAS Duo v2 gets a double-whammy: Netgear has updated its RAIDiator 5 setup software to reduce complexity, and throws in a three year warranty too. For the first 90 days users get access to 24/7 customer service to help them set the NAS up; after that, three years of 24/7 support and hardware replacement is $99. If that seems too rich, three years of hardware replacement alone – within seven business days of a fault being diagnosed – is $29.

We didn’t need to call for help, however, and we doubt most reasonably confident home users would need to either. Once the ReadyNAS boots for the first time, a simple browser-based setup wizard walks you through formatting your drives in either RAID 0 or 1, and then drops you in a straightforward GUI.

As well as access to documentation and Netgear’s online support, RAIDiator 5 consists of various panes for setting up user accounts and shared folders, monitoring the “health” of the NAS including temperature and fan-speed, and checking which “Add-ons” have been installed. For most, the latter will consist of ReadyNAS Remote, which allows you to use Netgear’s iOS and Android apps to log in from your smartphone, browse through folders and download content, and ReadyNAS Photos II, for hosting your own Flickr alternative directly from the NAS.

The Remote app works well, though since you’re accessing your files from your own “personal” cloud – i.e. through your home broadband connection – the speed at which they filter through to your smartphone (or indeed the standalone OS X and Windows software) depends on your home upload speed. That’s less of an issue for photos and most documents, but may make accessing video and higher-bitrate music files a struggle. Still, being able to remotely grab a missing file while you’re at the office or in a meeting can be a very useful thing.

ReadyNAS Photos II bills itself as a free, more controllable alternative to Flickr: since the storage is all on your end there are no hosting fees, and it’s entirely private. Only those you share the link with can access them, and there are various options for limiting visibility to those with accounts or opening them to unregistered guests.

Finally there’s native UPnP/DLNA streaming support, meaning the ReadyNAS Duo v2 can send multimedia across your network to an Xbox 360 or PS3, your digital TV set-top box streamer, iTunes, SONOS kit or Logitech’s Squeezbox platform. Netgear has over 100 different Add-ons – some of its own creation, others from third-party developers – to download, allowing owners to enhance the capabilities of their NAS. Power users may prefer the more advanced “desktop” layout of Synology’s DSM software, which allows multiple add-ons and other windows to be seen simultaneously, but home users will likely find the simple panes of the Netgear interface easily navigable.

Performance

We started off testing the ReadyNAS Duo v2 with a single drive installed. Transferring a single 5GB file to and from the system saw 36.5 MB/s write rates and 100 MB/s read rates. Transferring 5GB worth of 20MB files saw write speeds stay the same, at 36.5 MB/s, but read rates dropped to 85.6 MB/s.

We then installed the second drive in a RAID 1 “mirroring” array, which basically provides drive redundancy. With the 5GB single file, write speed rose slightly to 39 MB/s, though read speed dipped to 94.4 MB/s. For the 5GB of 20MB files, writes took place at 36.2 MB/s and reads at 84.8 MB/s.

Finally, we used the two drives as a RAID 0 “striped” array, which bypasses data redundancy in the name of speed. In this setup, the 5GB single file wrote at 41.3 MB/s and read at 90 MB/s, while the 5GB of 20MB files wrote at 40 MB/s and read at 79.4 MB/s.

Given the relative price and capacity of 3.5-inch drives (compared to 2.5-inch drives) we’d recommend most home users opt for RAID 1 with as big a pair of drives as they can afford. That will provide the best balance of data security and speed.

Wrap-Up

Persuading home users to invest in backup can be difficult, and so the Netgear ReadyNAS Duo v2′s sub-$200 – albeit drive-free – sets the NAS off to a good start. The company’s home user focus extends to the straightforward setup and the reassurance of the helpdesk support, and those looking for more sophisticated functionality, such as remote access, can have that too thanks to the iOS and Android apps.

The only real potential pain-point is the speed, with the ReadyNAS Duo v2 falling behind what we saw from the Synology DiskStation DS211 (With Diskstation V3.x). Still, Synology’s barebones DS211 is around $100 more expensive than the Netgear, and for general backup and media access many home users won’t particularly notice the difference.

Compromises, then, but acceptable ones when you consider the overall package. Small business and more advanced home users may want to look elsewhere where more expensive NAS offer stronger performance, but for its balance of usability and accessibility the Netgear ReadyNAS Duo v2 hits the consumer spot.

Each accepts 3.5-inch desktop hard-drives, and comes with a front USB 2.0 port (with a dedicated copy button) along with two USB 3.0 ports on the rear for adding extra external storage. Although most home users are unlikely to have the network bandwidth to take advantage of USB 3.0 versus USB 2.0 data rates, Netgear tells us the new NAS should be its entry-level options for at least 12-18 months, and expects home networking speeds to catch up somewhat in that period. A single gigabit ethernet port hooks the ReadyNAS to your router.

Netgear has refreshed its setup wizard and browser-based UI, RAIDiator 5, and now claims it’s less than eight steps from plugging in to being up and running. Up to 96 MBps read rates and 60 MBps write rates are claimed – for real-world performance testing, check out our ReadyNAS Duo v2 review – with hot-swappable drive bays allowing you to replace a faulty drive or add a new one without powering down the NAS. The X-RAID2 software can automatically expand your RAID volume if a new drive is added, with no downtime.

Netgear is particularly keen on its ReadyNAS Photos II app, which basically allows you to turn your “personal cloud” into a private Flickr or Picasa. Custom URLs can be created, to invite friends and family to view certain galleries, or you can throw open the door to public access. Because you’re hosting it, not somebody else’s servers, you can offer full resolution pictures – something many sites demand subscription fees for – though, as ReadyNAS senior product marketing manager Matt Pahnke explained to us, what viewers actually see will depend on their device and connection.

“Photos II automatically optimizes resolution based on the network speed of the consuming device” Pahnke told us. “The goal here is to provide all users with an efficient way to enjoy the photos stored on the ReadyNAS without having to endure lengthy download times. If a user with a sub-optimal connection would like to view the photos at a higher resolution, they do have the option of overriding the optimization.”

There’s also a Remote Access app, available for Windows, OS X, Android and iOS, allowing for browsing and downloading over a secure VPN connection to your ReadyNAS at home. In the future, Pahnke confirmed, Netgear intends to add support for its Netgear Vault cloud storage service (already available for the company’s more advanced NAS) so that ReadyNAS owners will be able to mirror some or all of their content in true cloud backup.

The ReadyNAS Duo v2 will be priced at $199 as a diskless drive, or at $269 pre-fitted with a single 1TB drive. A version with a single 2TB drive will be $299. As for the ReadyNAS NV+ v2, that will be $399 diskless, $499 for a 2TB version and $599 for a 4TB version. Netgear says that, while the cost of hard-drives may rise as supplies grow temporarily scarce, it has secured storage to cater for estimated demand this quarter and will only be passing on its own increased costs, nothing more (the diskless models will remain the same price). They’re all available from today.

The new additions include the PowerLine AV Mini Adapter (DHP-310AV), which is a single adapter unit that can be added to any existing PowerLine Network. There’s also the PowerLine AV Mini Adapter Starter Kit (DHP-311AV) that comes with two units and the PowerLine AV 4-Port Switch Mini Adapter Starter Kit (DHP-348AV) that lets you setup a new PowerLine Network right out of the box.

The mini adapters can deliver up to 200Mbps speeds over existing electrical wiring, making it a great solution for high-bandwidth applications such as when used with the Boxee Box, Blu-Ray players, or gaming consoles. The single Mini Adapter is priced at $59.99, the double starter kit is $109.99 and the 4-Port Switch Mini Adapter starter kit is $129.99.

The SmartBeam works by continually surveying the signal strength of your wireless network’s connected devices. Featuring the SmartBeam technology, the DIR-645 Wireless N Router will be able to detect and deliver concentrated signals to where you most need it. It is an ideal solution for households that stream HD movies and games, where you don’t want to worry about interrupted downloads. It’s also great for connecting multiple devices with a strong and consistent signal whether they are up in the loft or down in the basement.

D-Link’s new Wireless N DIR-657 HD Media Router is optimized for streaming HD movies and games. It has built-in DLNA support, meaning you can easily connect a USB hard drive for the router to start streaming music, movies, pictures, and more onto a compatible media player, such as a Boxee Box. It also offers an SD memory card slot.

Pricing for the DIR-645 Wireless N Router with SmartBeam starts at a RRP of £79.99 or about $109. The DIR-657 Wireless N HD Media Router is priced at a RRP of £89.99 or about $122. More specs for each router is shown below.

DIR-645 Wireless N Router with SmartBeam Technology:

· 300 Mbps Wireless N
· Improved coverage with SmartBeam™ technology
· Gigabit ports for the fastest wired speeds
· Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) to encrypt a wireless network at the touch of a button
· SharePort™ to share printers, USB hard drives on a home network
· D-Link Green: power-saving technology
· IPv6 ready for the future Internet standard

DIR-657 Wireless N HD Media Router

· 300 Mbps Wireless N
· Gigabit ports for the fastest wired speeds
· SD Card slot to share files and media over the network
· Built-in DLNA certified Media Server
· Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) to encrypt a wireless network at the touch of a button
· Free Dynamic Parental Control to filter web content by category
· SharePort™ Plus to share printers, USB hard drives, or a 3G data connection
· IPv6 ready for the future Internet standard
· D-Link Green: power-saving technology

We’re guessing that the airline will price its service similar to existing providers like Gogo, which asks from $12.95 for individual flights over 3hrs. Alternatively Gogo offers a $34.95 monthly plan for blanket access whenever you travel, something we can imagine Japan Airlines will consider doing as well.

The WiFi system will first start showing up on the company’s Boeing 777 fleet, before being expanded to cover the entire long-range fleet and then the rest of its international network. No timescale for that to take place, however.

[via JapanToday]

In the video conferencing demo, one laptop was hooked up to a custom light fitting via ethernet cable, and another was connected to a receiver box. The light used LED to transfer data to the receiver, and then the receiver beamed back its own data using infrared for bi-directional communication. Put your hand in-between the sensors and the conversation froze; remove it and it automatically resumed.

Fraunhofer bi-directional visible light communication demo:

Fraunhofer’s second system demonstrated mono-directional communication, a laptop that could receive a streaming video from customized light fitting installations. As the motorized demo platform shifted from under one light to another, the connection dropped and then automatically re-established. Although in that situation you don’t have two-way comms, it does make for a situation where one emitter can talk to as many devices as can fit within light range.

Fraunhofer mono-directional demo:

It’s also potentially more secure. While it’s tricky to limit the range of RF wireless systems like WiFi, or at least in a directional sense, with light it’s a simple matter of blocking off where the communications signal shines and where it doesn’t. Right now Fraunhofer’s mono-directional prototype is a roughly mouse-sized box and USB bus powered (the bi-directional unit is roughly shoebox-sized) but the goal is something more akin to a USB memory stick. The research institute has no plans to commercialize the technology itself, but tells SlashGear that there are several prototype reference designs in the wild with potentially interested manufacturers.

As with the Fraunhofer Institute LED networking system we wrote about earlier this month, D-Light relies on a tiny photo diode in the receiving gadget that can decode the flickering message from the light itself. Haas suggests that the integrated cameras found in many mobile devices – such as phones and laptops – could be upgraded to support faster refresh times, and thus double as photoreceptors for the D-Light system.

Currently, the D-Light demo runs at 10 MBit/sec, but Haas expects that to scale to 100 MBit/s by the end of this year and possibly up to 1 GBit/s in the future. Although it demands line-of-sight, the researcher bills that as a potential security benefit: since you can see where the light is reaching, it’s easy to adjust coverage so that data is only transmitted where you want it to go, unlike the more blanket approach of WiFi.

As for positioning and location, Haas suggests that the relatively small coverage area of each light network node means an embedded identity code – transmitted along with the other data – would be more useful for indicating where a device was physically. Signal strength (light intensity) and time-of-arrival calculations (where three simultaneously-transmitted signals arrive at the device at slightly different points, based on where you stand in relation to those transmitters) could then pinpoint the location of the receiver, and even the height. Alternatively angle-of-reception could be used.

Unlike GPS, D-Light based positioning could be used indoors and also be a source of network connectivity. Haas sees anything with lighting being upgraded, not so much replacing WiFi in our smartphones and laptops but adding interconnectivity between traffic lights and car lights, between hospital equipment, and turning each streetlamp into a “Li-Fi” access point. When VLC will actually begin shipping products remains to be seen, however.

[via Google+]

It’s the handiwork of the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI in Berlin, Germany, where researchers have been looking at communications alternatives as part of the EU’s OMEGA Home Gigabit Access project. The lighting units – which rely on normal LEDs and a simple modulator to control the flickering – each have a roughly 90 square foot range, while any gadget wanting to receive the signal is outfitted with a simple photo diode.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen LED lighting used for line-of-sight networking. Back in 2008, the US Science Foundation gave an $18.5m grant to researchers at the University of Boston, who were experimenting with something similar. The overall appeal is obvious: the lights can apparently be modified to suit networking at little cost and with only minor adjustment, and can be used in places where traditional radio or wired networking is less feasible, such as in hospitals, on planes or in circumstances where running cables isn’t a possibility. There’s also no limit on the number of recipients of the data: basically, as many photo diodes as can maintain line-of-sight with the transmitter.

On the flip side, however, the researchers admit that the signal can be easily blocked if the photo diode is covered or shaded. They suggest it would work best as a companion to, rather than a replacement for, existing WiFi, 3G or other methods:

“It is best suited as an additional option for data transfer where radio transmission networks are not desired or not possible – without needing new cables or equipment in the house. Combinations are also possible, such as optical WLAN in one direction and PowerLAN for the return channel. Films can be transferred to the PC like this and also played there, or they can be sent on to another computer.”

The next step is boosting transmission speed, with researchers working on increasing the data rate eightfold. “Using red-blue-green-white light LEDs, we were able to transmit 800 Mbit/s in the lab” team member Klaus-Dieter Langer suggests.

The bridge supports WiFi a/b/g/n and has a trio of antennas inside its black plastic chassis. All the usual encryption types are offered, along with WPS for easier setup, and Linksys is pretty keen on its quality-of-service software which promises stutter-free HD video.

If all that sounds alluring then the Linksys WES610N is available now, priced at $129.99. The company also offers a different version, the WET610N, which has the same wireless connectivity but offers only a single 10/100 ethernet port; you lose on sockets, but you save $30.

The D-Link Amplifi family of products includes the HD Media Router 1000 with HD Fuel, the Whole Home Router 1000, Wi-Fi Booster with exclusive SmartBeam, and PowerLine products. Together, they allow for high bandwidth HD traffic and streaming.

The Amplifi HD Media Router with HD Fuel manages traffic and optimizes connections with a speed up to 300Mbps to give priority to high-bandwidth entertainment. The Amplifi Wi-Fi Booster enhances your existing router’s wireless signal to help push the signal to the farthest corners of your home.

Amplifi Whole Home routers optimize home wireless network bandwidth to handle HD video streams, large media file downloads and online gaming for multiple devices at the same time from anywhere in your home. The PowerLine products uses existing electrical wiring in your home to deliver extra bandwidth and works simply by plugging the device into any conventional power outlet.

More information on D-Link’s Amplifi products is available on their product page. The family of products will be available through their online store as well as through retailers such as Fry’s and Micro Center. Below is the pricing for the individual Amplifi products:

· HD Media Router 1000 (DIR-657) – available now for $149.99

· Wi-Fi Booster (DAP-1525) – available now for $159.99

· Whole Home Router 1000 (DIR-645) – available in August for $119.99

· DHP-500AV Adapter – available now for $99.99

· DHP-501AV Starter Kit (two adapters) – available now for $159.99

· DHP-540 Four-Port Gigabit Switch – available now for $199.99

According to the source, the new Airport Extreme will come in only one configuration. The Time Capsule network storage devices will come in a 2TB configuration that has been around in the previous models and will get a new 3TB version of the first time to expand the storage for those needing more. Interestingly all three of the products will get price breaks compared to the older hardware. I would not be happy about recently buying a Time Capsule or AirPort Extreme right about now.

It’s worth a note that 9to5Mac still lists the Time Capsule update caching feature as a rumor despite the fact that there was code in the update I mentioned before that cited the update cache feature. The single 5th generation AirPort Extreme 802.11n device is part number MD031LL/A. The Time Capsule in 2TB is MD032LL/A and the 3TB version is MD033LL/A. Naturally there is no way at this time to confirm that the part numbers are legit.

[via 9to5mac]

The confirmation comes from the source code of the new Airport Utility update. The geeks over at 9to5Mac were perusing the source code and noted references to new Time Capsule 802.11n 4th generation and AirPort Extreme 802.11n 5th generation devices. Further down in the update they also noted the code in the image with the white background.

That code confirms the update caching on the devices. The code also notes that the updates will be offered to anyone on the wireless network that the Time Capsule or Airport Extreme reside on. The only details we need now are the launch date and how much the devices will cost.

[via 9to5Mac]

We got to spend some time with the Iomega Home Media Network Hard Drive, Cloud Edition, and have to say the idea is compelling. If you have a large amount of data, you get to quickly store and back it up locally to the Iomega NAS without bandwidth limitations that could make uploading all your data to an actual cloud storage extremely time consuming. But what makes this Iomega “Cloud Edition” hard drive special is that it can be setup as your “personal cloud.” And by this, we mean that the drive can be shared and accessed from anywhere there’s an internet connection, much like you can with a typical cloud solution. So again, the idea is great, but the execution could use some improvement and the entire setup and operation could run smoother.

Hardware

The build of the Iomega Home Media Cloud Edition is fairly basic. The upright case is entirely black with metal all around and a vented front. The front face has the Iomega logo and four LED status lights, a “QuikTransfer” button, and one USB port. The back side offers a smaller vent with a power button, reset button, DC plug, a USB 2.0 port, and a LAN RJ45 ethernet port. The device measures 7.8 x 4.9 x 1.6 inches and weighs 2.5 pounds. Inside is a dual-core processor with one 3.5-inch SATA-II Hard Disk Drive. Overall, the black enclosure isn’t fussy and should blend in well with any home office.

Setup

Software setup is pretty straightforward. After we installed the Storage Manager software, it self-discovered the NAS and took roughly 40 seconds to locate and display folders on the Mac Pro we were using. Next, we were prompted to configure it into a cloud network drive, and that part wasn’t as straightforward. It required a small tweak to our router to establish connection by port forwarding the device’s IP address. Once configured, reapplying the setting again triggered the application to check if the NAS was ready. If you’re unfamiliar with networking, here’s the step-by-step instructions on setting up your router.

For advanced settings, users with an admin role will get access to a huge list of features including security, shares, backups, drive management, social media and many more settings you don’t normally expect from a consumer NAS drive. The “personal cloud” feature of the drive gives you remote access from the internet as well as from mobile apps for the iPad and iPhone. To enable a free one year TZO DNS service you’ll need to turn on Remote Access and enable UPnP on your router. We had a hard time establishing the connection as the Airport Extreme doesn’t support UPnP, so tough luck if you have one of those shiny Mac routers. A 5-year old Linksys came to the rescue eventually, and we were able to place TZO Dynamic DNS in service with UPnP feature turned on.

If you plan on sharing the personal cloud with a friend or just having it setup so that you can have access from your laptop, you will need to setup clients on each computer needing access to the drive. Invitations to join the personal cloud are sent via email with a unique and self-generated key code. The email will contain a link from where to download the client for installation. Upon signing in with the key code, shared drives appear instantly on the desktop or home portal view, which also provides an in-browser photo slide show if you have photos stored. Image content in the slideshow can be changed, removed, or turned off from the admin settings. Your shared folders will appear in a tree-view.

Software

The software interface is fairly intuitive and provides a couple of options when it comes to sharing folders. At the most basic level, sharing is set so that every invited user can access every shared folder. If you need to set different permissions per user, settings can be changed to account-based access where each user will have to enter a username and password.

As for backups, we setup a job to copy a folder from the device onto an attached external hard drive. With a press of the QuikTransfer button located on the front of the device, we were able to trigger the backup job immediately. You can also create more than one backup job and set different schedules for automatic backups.

iPhone/iPad App

We were given a beta version of the iPhone/iPad Universal app for preview called IomegaLink. Much like the Iomega Superhero iPhone app, it’s fairly basic in terms of features. You can back up and restore photos and contacts to and from the drive, but unlike Superhero, connectivity is via WiFi instead of USB. That means there’s no speed restriction by iAP (iPod Access Protocol) but the transfer speed will depend entirely on your WiFi speed. Furthermore, the app supports multitasking, meaning it will be able to run in the background should you need to take a call or access another app.

On first load, it searched for the NAS drive in auto discovery mode. If the server and mobile client are connected within the local WiFi network, auto discovery should pick up the server instantly. However, for remote access, the router must have UPnP feature enabled and you would need to set the server preference manually.

Uploading photos is fast. Unfortunately, there’s no cancel function to abort the long uploading progress. This can be trouble if you have a batch of large images on a slow network. You do have the option to select individual photos for upload, but if you accidentally select uploading an entire album, you won’t be able to abandon the process. Also, images that are transferred to the NAS show up in the Backups folder.

On the iPhone app, we encountered a couple of issues that were quite irritating. On batch upload, the task wouldn’t complete even though all images were successfully residing on the server. As mentioned above, since there’s no cancel button to terminate the progress, to get back to the app, you will be forced to reboot your phone to restart the app. Unfortunately, this is a common issue for iOS apps with a resume feature. It was fine on selective single images though. Also, video streaming on big or small files failed to load content, it will stay on loading and then crash after a long wait.

At the time of our testing, the app is still in beta. Iomega told us a much more stable version of the app would address most of the kinks when it’s available on iTunes sometime this month. For Android users, it’s on the roadmap, so be patient.

Performance

Within the local network, we did a test to hard measure file transfer speed. A 4GB chunk of test files were written at the rate of 8.32 MB/s to the NAS while read speed was recorded twice as slow at 3.87MB/s.

On Xbench, we are getting about 7MB/s uncached random and sequential write speed [256K blocks].

Issues

During our tests, we experienced some quirky issues with the device. After we left the device idle for a few days, it would become unresponsive, requiring a hard reset to bring it back to life. We were also unable to connect to the device on a number of occasions. Login failed to authenticate and a soft restart was required.

Most of the hiccups we experienced were easily solved with resetting the NAS, especially if it resulted from the device sitting idle for a few days. Although a system reboot is all that’s needed, it does take slightly over 6 minutes and 30 seconds to come back online. Also, TZO DNS service was hit and miss. The system would indicate router-connecting problem and then come back to life on a good day.

One incident that was truly frustrating was not being able to launch the Storage Manager software. It would shut off on boot, despite reinstating the software. A closer look revealed “IomegaStorageManager-[user]” user preference file was created on the root of the user folder and we were able to get things running again by dumping the file in the trash bin.

If the device malfunctions, such as shutting down improperly, it sends out an email notification accordingly. That part did work correctly; we have had to hard reset a number of times.

Again, Iomega informed us an updated version of the Storage Manager 3.1.2 for HMNHD-CE should be around July, and could bring some new improvements.

Wrap-Up

Overall, the Iomega Home Media Hard Drive, Cloud Edition is a promising NAS for personal use that is feature-rich, but still has several kinks to be worked out. The buggy issues we experienced with the device becoming unresponsive after a period of idle time should be resolved by a software update to version 3.1.2 scheduled for release in July. The iPhone and iPad apps will also be getting an update that should fix most of the issues we’ve raised. Otherwise, the device is very easy to use and can be simple to setup if you don’t run into similar router issues as we did, and the pricing is very affordable. The 1TB model is listed at $169.99 while the 3TB is at $349.99. However, a quick search around the web reveals that the 1TB model is being listed as low as $130.

That integration will allow cars from the German marques to intelligently take advantage of off-peak or low-rate energy supplies, negotiate for charging slots so as not to overload the system, and give feedback on performance and other data. Since it will use the same charging ports as the cars rely on for power, it will make getting connected – using regular IP standards – more straightforward too.

We’re guessing manufacturers will also be able to collect more up-to-date feedback on the car’s status, such as whether it requires servicing and the health of the batteries, rather than rely on systems checks when the vehicle is brought in (or using some sort of embedded cellular connection, which adds cost). No word on when the first 911 with a Powerline plug will pull off the forecourt.

Press Release:

HomePlug® Powerline Alliance Announces Support from Global German Auto Manufacturers for HomePlug GP Specification

Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche and Volkswagen Line Up Behind HomePlug Green PHY for Electric Vehicle Charging Technology Standard

Taipei, Taiwan – June 1, 2011 – At its event at COMPUTEX Taipei today, the HomePlug® Powerline Alliance (www.homeplug.org) announced support from Germany’s major car manufacturers – Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche and Volkswagen – for its HomePlug Technology.

After intense case studies and tests, the five German car manufacturers – working together as the Coordination Office Charging Interface – chose to support HomePlug’s IEEE 1901 Profile Green PHY (GP) as the technology for the charging interface of electric vehicles. Additionally, HomePlug has invited the participation of these auto manufacturers in developing the HomePlug Green PHY certification program. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance serves as a compliance and certification body for IEEE 1901 and manages the largest compliance and interoperability certification program for powerline networking products.

“For electric vehicles to be widely accepted, they must integrate into existing and emerging charging infrastructures, connected to the smart grid,” noted Dr. Heiko Doerr, Manager of Coordination Office Charging Interface. “For charging electric vehicles, the communication interface is established via the charging connector, and the HomePlug Green PHY provides a common communications standard to support all modes of AC and DC charging.”

The HomePlug GP specification, finalized in June 2010, is a low power, highly reliable and cost-optimized powerline networking specification which targets “Smart Grid” applications such as appliances, smart meters, climate control, and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles. Utility companies and manufacturers are looking to adopt communications and networking technologies, such as HomePlug GP, to help consumers and businesses monitor and reduce their energy consumption. More details about HomePlug GP can be found at http://www.homeplug.org/tech/homeplug_gp. HomePlug GP is a key component of the HomePlug technology portfolio, along with HomePlug AV broadband powerline technology and the upcoming HomePlug AV2 specification. HomePlug AV is the baseline technology for the IEEE 1901 powerline standard. All three specifications are fully interoperable with each other and with IEEE’s 1901 powerline standard, and they are designed to make it easier for multiple chip suppliers and manufacturers to deliver products to support IP networking.

“The endorsement and support of these world class manufacturers is a significant step in establishing robust technology standards to deliver on the smart grid promise,” commented Rob Ranck, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. “We are delighted with their decision and look forward to working with them to develop the product certification process.”

The announcement comes on the heels of recent research reports from In-Stat, Infonetics and Pike Research pointing to the continued leadership of the HomePlug technology standard around the world. Pike Research analyst Bob Gohn commented, “The adoption of standards is a key driver to widespread smart appliance adoption, and our research indicates that HomePlug Green PHY is likely to be the power line standard that gives manufacturers the confidence to rollout products in increasingly greater numbers.”

COMPUTEX Taipei Event – June 1, 9 AM – 12 Noon
COMPUTEX is Asia’s largest IT exhibition and conference, and second largest in the world to CeBit in Germany. Today, the HomePlug Powerline Alliance will host an industry “Meet and Greet” event during the show at the Taipei International Convention Center. It will be held at 2F, Room 201 (A+B) and is open to all interested parties attending the exhibition.

During this informal seminar, HomePlug President Rob Ranck and several Board of Directors representatives will provide updates on the Alliance’s current initiatives: HomePlug AV (IEEE P1901), HomePlug Green PHY and the new HomePlug AV2 standard.

About the HomePlug® Powerline Alliance
With HomePlug technology, the electrical wires in the home can now distribute broadband Internet, HD video, digital music and smart energy applications. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance, Inc. (www.homeplug.org) is an industry-led initiative with 65 member companies that creates specifications, marketing and certification programs to accelerate worldwide adoption of powerline networking with HomePlug technology.

Sponsor members include Broadcom Corporation (BRCM); Cisco (CSCO); Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK); GE Energy, an affiliate of General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE); Qualcomm Atheros (QCOM); Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723); SPiDCOM Technologies; and STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM).

Now, it’s worth noting that those two bands can’t be simultaneously active: it’s either 2.4GHz, for greater compatibility with existing network hardware, or the 5GHz band for what’s usually faster speeds. There’s Intelligent Quality of Service tech inside too, which can supposedly pick through your network traffic and prioritize what it reckons is more important; so, your gaming connection shouldn’t lag just because someone else is copying some files across.

It’ll also work as a network extender, bridging your wireless connection into areas your existing router can’t quite reach. The D-Link DAP-1513 is available now, priced at $119.99.

Press Release:

D-Link Announces Wireless N Dual Band MediaBridge® For Simple and Easy Expansion of a Wireless Home Network

Wireless Bridge Enables Consumers to Add Up to Four Devices to a Home Wireless Network

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – May 25, 2011 – D-Link® today announced its new Wireless N Dual Band MediaBridge® (DAP-1513), allowing consumers to easily expand a home network by wirelessly connecting up to four devices. Equipped with 802.11n technology, 2.4 GHz and 5GHz dual-band, for an enhanced media experience and a four-port Fast Ethernet switch, the DAP-1513 is ideal for connecting a wide range of network-ready devices for streaming HD videos, playing online games and sharing music, photos, movies, and more within a home network.

Featuring selectable dual-band to offer flexibility on how to best connect to the home network, the DAP-1513 can bridge a wireless signal from either a 2.4GHz or 5GHz network. Consumers can choose from the 5GHz band, ensuring smooth video streaming or online gaming with less interference, or the 2.4GHz band, ideal for surfing the Web or sharing photos. In addition, Intelligent Quality of Service (QoS) automatically organizes and prioritizes network traffic according to bandwidth needs to ensure a smooth connection over both wired and wireless networks.

“The Wireless N Dual Band MediaBridge allows consumers to quickly and easily expand their home wireless networks to connect PCs, game consoles, media players, and more without running any messy cables,” says Daniel Kelley, associate vice president of consumer marketing, D-Link North America. “And, dual-band connectivity makes it ideal for streaming HD video content, whether you’re watching your favorite shows or battling with friends in an online game.”

The DAP-1513 offers four Fast Ethernet 10/100 ports for fast wired connectivity, supports WPA™ and WPA2® security standards and features Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) for push-button security and top-of-the-line encryption from possible Internet threats. And with 24-hour support for basic installation available seven days a week, it’s never been easier to expand a home network.

Availability and Pricing
The DAP-1513 Wireless N Dual Band MediaBridge is now available for an MSRP of $119.99 (U.S.) and $99.99 (Canada) throughout D-Link’s vast network of retail and e-tail outlets in North America, including Fry’s and Micro Center, and at the company’s online store, http://www.dlinkshop.com.

The parental controls enable for control of all devices on a network including Windows PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets. Parents can be secure in the knowledge that their kids are safely surfing the internet and prevented from visiting suspect sites. The Broadband usage meter can be set to automatically notify when data consumption is about to surpass any monthly limits set by the service provider, thereby saving on expensive data overage fees. And guests can access the Internet and the home network without access to other computers, storage drives or other devices on the home network.

But the hallmark feature is the N750 ‘s transmission of wireless signals over a lesser used 5Ghz band, which means less congestion and faster data transfer rates. Users can watch HD movies, play live networked gaming, and have video chats with multiple users while the router handles traffic seamlessly at 450 mbps, while running more traffic on the lower 2.4 Ghz traffic at 300 mbps. The N750 is available now for around $179.99 msrp.

Press Release

NETGEAR Tops Off Product Portfolio with New Flagship Router

The NETGEAR N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router speeds through intense tasks such as HD video streaming, multiplayer gaming and large file transfers

SAN JOSE, Calif. – April XX, 2011 — NETGEAR®, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR),a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and service providers, today announced worldwide availability of the N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router (WNDR4000), the newest top of the line router from the industry’s market leader. The N750 powers through intense wireless tasks such as streaming HD video, multiplayer gaming and large file transfers thanks to a an aggregate combined data rate of up to 750 megabits per second (Mbps) while operating simultaneously in both wireless N bands: up to 450 Mbps in the 5 GHz band and up to 300 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band.

But the N750 isn’t just about speed – the router offers a full range of premium features including flexible parental controls and a broadband usage meter, as well as DLNA Media Server support for streaming video, music and photos from any storage device plugged into its USB port to DLNA-enabled devices throughout the home such as some newer televisions and game consoles.

The N750 takes the wireless N standard to new levels with performance of up to 450 Mbps in the 5 GHz band, where there is less interference than the 2.4 GHz band. This higher frequency band can provide smoother, more consistent streaming to newer laptops, video game consoles and other dual-band wireless N devices for a superior user experience. The N750 also operates at up to 300 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band, supporting both the older 802.11g standard and the newer 802.11n standard. This provides maximum range and more capacity when multiple devices are using a mix of the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands on a single home wireless network. Overcrowding and delays are minimized during data-intensive activities such as HD video streaming and multiplayer online gaming.

The N750 is also an intelligent home gateway that helps consumers get the most from their network and connected devices.

NETGEAR Live Parental Controls, for example, provide a centralized, flexible and reliable parental control solution for all devices on the network, including Windows PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets, giving children and teenagers a safer environment for online activities – with no subscription required!

The broadband usage meter can be set to automatically notify consumers when data consumption is reaching monthly limits set by their service provider, avoiding costly overage fees for those with metered service plans.

Among the additional premium features of the N750 are:

* Guest network access, allowing visitors to go online without having to be given the home network password and without gaining access to computers, printers, storage drives and other devices on the home network.
* NETGEAR ReadyShare™ technology, for connecting a standard USB hard drive to the router to share storage and a media library across the home network.
* DLNA Media Server, for streaming media to DLNA HDTVs, Blu-ray™ players and game consoles.
* Four high-speed gigabit Ethernet ports for ultra-fast wired connections.
* IPv6 ready, for future-proof compatibility with the emerging IPv6 standard for Internet addresses.

“Home networks are no longer limited to low-bandwidth tasks such as reading email or looking at static web pages. Instead, today’s home networks are gateways to movies, television, music, games, video chat and much more,” said Som Pal Choudhury, NETGEAR director of product marketing. “No wireless router on the market today is faster or better prepared to deliver these next-generation online experiences to everyone in the family than the N750.”

Pricing and Availability
The NETGEAR N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router (WNDR4000) is now available worldwide from major retailers – in stores and online – at $179.99 in the United States.

More information
To learn more about the NETGEAR N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router, please visit http://www.netgear.com/MaxWiFi

About NETGEAR, Inc.
NETGEAR (NASDAQGM: NTGR) is a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and service providers. For consumers, the company makes high performance, dependable and easy to use 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 top 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 28,000 retail locations around the globe, and through more than 37,000 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.

©2011 NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR, the NETGEAR logo, and ReadyShare are trademarks or registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved.

Note: Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual data throughput will vary from maximum signal rates stipulated. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for NETGEAR, Inc.:
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Specifically, statements concerning NETGEAR’s business and the expected performance characteristics, specifications, reliability, market acceptance, market growth, specific uses, user feedback and market position of NETGEAR’s products and technology are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the following: the actual price, performance and ease of use of NETGEAR’s products may not meet the price, performance and ease of use requirements of customers; product performance may be adversely affected by real world operating conditions; failure of products may under certain circumstances cause permanent loss of end user data; new viruses or Internet threats may develop that challenge the effectiveness of security features in NETGEAR’s products; the ability of NETGEAR to market and sell its products and technology; the impact and pricing of competing products; and the introduction of alternative technological solutions. Further information on potential risk factors that could affect NETGEAR and its business are detailed in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, those risks and uncertainties listed in the section entitled “Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors,” pages 11 through 29, in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2011. NETGEAR undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
# # #

“Considering the ongoing demand for IP addresses, this date effectively represents IPv4 exhaustion for many of the current operators in the Asia Pacific region,” Wilson, the director of APNIC, said. “From this day onwards, IPv6 is mandatory for building new Internet networks and services.” This might to slow internet based economic development for a short time in Asia while companies deploy IPv6 solutions. But it’s not even a roadblock, barely a speedbump. Don’t panic.

For most people, this isn’t really going to matter. All of these issues are taken care of on the backend. IPv6 is pretty cool though, instead of a boring IP address like 45.87.256.19 you’ll have all of the style and grace of hexadecimal notation, 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334.

[via ZDNet]

This included not only the Pure Digital team which started and successfully built the Flip business but also the retail and channel relationship’s Pure Digital had acquired. There may have been some technology aspirations with Cisco’s networking efforts but the consumer expertise Flip brought to Cisco was the real value.

That being said the shutting down of the Flip business by Cisco shows how difficult it is to succeed in consumer markets. Especially when consumers aren’t your core business. Cisco has made a comfortable living as a solutions provider for networking infrastructure. How you orient and design your business to go after certain verticals is no trivial thing and Cisco was built to sell to big business not to consumers.

The move also shows the declining market for stand alone video camera’s. In a world where technology is being integrated at a rapid level into nearly everything we touch stand alone devices are falling by the way side. Could this be a sign for E-Readers?

One other element factoring into the decision is what several other analysts have speculated around the desire for Cisco to begin a renewed focus on their core markets. Cisco has seen their core business threatened by HP in particular. By returning resources back to the core business Cisco can begin to ward of threats with a renewed focus and vigor.

We have seen time and time again in this industry how hard it is to be successful selling to both enterprises and consumers. The tried and true strategy continues to be: Focus on a customer base and build your business to cater to their needs.

The TS-112 is the baby of the range, a single-drive box which can be expanded via USB or eSATA, and works as a home file server, DLNA/UPnP streamer, USB printer sharer – for up to three printers – and SqueezeServer functionality. There’s also optional standalone wireless use, with a USB WiFi dongle, together with a gigabit ethernet port.

The TS-212 does much the same as the TS-112 but accommodates two drives with data protection. It has the same feature set as the one-drive version, including Full HD 1080p movie streaming. Finally, the TS-412 packs a full four drive bays and offers a choice of Single Disk, JBOD, RAID 0/ 1/ 5/ 6/ 5 + hot spare setups. No word on pricing at this stage, but all three will go on sale in February 2011.

Press Release:

QNAP Debuts New Affordable High Performance Turbo NAS Server Family for Emerging HOME, SOHO, and Prosumer Users

New TS-x12 Lineup Includes 1, 2, and 4-drive Models Featuring Embedded Marvell 1.2GHz CPU and 256MB of DDRII RAM, Delivering Great All-around Performance, Low Power Consumption, and a Wealth of Applications for Home Networks.

Taipei, Taiwan, January, 2011 – QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer of world class NAS servers, NVR Video Surveillance Systems, and Network-based Media Players today announced the TS-x12 lineup of affordable high performance Turbo NAS servers intended for the fast-growing home and SOHO market segment. The new models utilize the latest Marvell 1.2GHz processor and include 256MB of DDRII memory and Gigabit LAN ports, offering up to 8TB of networked storage with a unique blend of solid performance, high reliability, and advanced features at very affordable price points. The TS-x12 series includes the 1-drive TS-112, 2-drive TS-212, and 4-drive TS-412.

NAS is becoming a popular addition to home networks as they solve the problem of how to centrally store and share digital content among computers in the home – especially in mixed Windows/Mac networks. QNAP’s new TS-x12 models are easy to attach to existing networks and provides easy file sharing within the network, centralized backup of all networked computers, website hosting, printer sharing, even recording of surveillance video from IP cameras.

“The new TS-x12 series Turbo NAS servers offer affordable high performance coupled with ultra-low power consumption and virtually noise-free operation,” said Tony Lu, Product Manager from QNAP. “Home users no longer need to sacrifice performance for lower cost NAS; and the new TS-x12 series offers advanced features like RAID and iSCSI support, making them an incredible value for the money.”

The new TS-x12 models also improve the multimedia experience and capabilities for home users. The built-in UPnP media server (TwonkyMedia) feature of the TS-x12 series supports numerous UPnP-compliant media players such as the Sony® PS3 and Microsoft® Xbox 360 gaming consoles. Users can even use their iPhone and Android phone to stream music and video or view digital photos stored on the NAS in real-time from anywhere they have a Wi-Fi or 3G connection.

Availability
The TS-x12 series will be available starting in February through popular commercial distributors, resellers, and retailers globally.

There’s also a USB port for hooking up external storage or a printer and sharing that with the network, together with an on-board UPnP server for streamed music. Come the spring, Cisco expect to add IPv6 support to the E4200 too.

The Linksys E4200 is available now from Best Buy and Linksys direct, priced at $179.99; it’ll be available through other channels later in the year. All well and good, but with the number of network-ready devices proliferating, when are we going to see a home router with more than just four gigabit ethernet ports?

Press Release:

Cisco Supercharges Home Networking with New Linksys Maximum Performance Wireless Router

New Linksys E4200 Dual-Band Router with Innovative Design Gives Consumers the Speed and Range for the Ultimate Wireless Entertainment Experience

San Francisco, CA – Cisco today unveiled its best-in-class wireless home router – the Linksys® E4200 Maximum Performance Dual-Band Wireless-N Router. Designed for optimum home theater performance, the E4200 works seamlessly with the latest entertainment devices, including Internet TVs, iPad tablets, game consoles, smart phones, e-readers, and VoIP devices. This new router not only helps boost performance and range in the home, it provides industry-leading speed of up to 450 Mbps* for smooth streaming of video and music and uninterrupted gaming.

Building on the decade of leadership and innovation from Linksys, this latest state of the art router features simultaneous dual-band wireless-N, four gigabit ports, and a 3×3 antenna configuration that help give it unparalleled speed and range. Additionally, a combination of internal and external amplifiers coupled with six antennas help increase the signal strength across greater distances, providing improved home network coverage and reducing dead spots. The E4200 also features a next-generation industrial design that combines sleek contours with advanced functionality.

“Cisco’s Linksys line continues to lead the industry with innovative technology for the growing number of wireless-enabled homes”, said Simon Fleming-Wood, vice president of marketing, Cisco Consumer Products. “The new Linksys E4200 router is ideal for home entertainment enthusiasts who want to equip their homes with the latest wireless technology or anyone who wants the reassurance of outfitting their home with the best router on the market today.”
The research firm, IDC reports that worldwide shipments of wireless-N routers are expected to grow 158% from 2010 – 2014 and the number of household with multimedia networks will grow 103% over the same time period. (IDC, Worldwide Home Networking 2010-2014 Forecast Update, Doc.# 225479, Nov. 2010) These growth projections emphasize the need for high performance routers like the Linksys E4200 that will provide the speed and range connectivity throughout the home.

New Features for Storage, Sharing, and Simple Setup
The E4200’s new USB feature makes it easy to add external storage to the network and since it is an UPnP Media server as well, consumers can easily store, share and stream movies, music and games to other devices around the home. The USB port also has plans for converting to a Virtual USB port which will also enable printers to easily connect to the network so all users in the home can print wirelessly. The included Cisco Connect software continues to provide simple three-step setup and network management tools such as parental controls and guest access.

Product Details
Performance:
· Maximum performance of up to 300 Mbps (2.4) and up to 450 Mbps (5.0GHz)*
· Simultaneous dual-band (2.4 and 5.0 GHz) with four 10/100/100 gigabit ports
· 3X3 internal MIMO special stream configuration on the 5.0 Ghz band for ideal performance for streaming HD videos, gaming and voice
· Internal and external amplifiers for maximum speed at greater distances for added in-home mobility
· Six antennas for maximum range

Features:
· Quality of Service (QoS) for prioritizing bandwidth for movies, voice or music
· UPnP media server for adding on storage to serve your Internet-enabled TVs or media server PCs
· USB port for easily adding external storage drives
· New design

Software:
· Advanced security: WPA and WPA2 and Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) Firewall
· Plans to support IPv6 in the spring
· Cisco Connect software for enabling simple setup, network management tools (parental controls, guest access) and optional advanced settings

Pricing and Availability:
The Linksys E4200 Maximum Performance Dual-Band Wireless-N Router is immediately available for an MSRP of $179.99 at Best Buy, Best Buy.com and the Linksys store at http://homestore.cisco.com. The E4200 will roll out to other retail and online retailers over the next few months.

For more information about Linksys and the E4200, please visit: http://home.cisco.com/4200

The new home theater networking kit is called the Netgear 3DHD and has part number WNHDB3004. To support high-speed streaming for homes with multiple walls between the router and the home theater the networking kit uses four transmitters and four receivers inside the wireless router for 4×4 MIMO. The result is longer range and more reliability when it comes to streaming content.

The device also has dynamic beam forming to steer and target WiFi signals to the receiver to boost range. The router also has Space Time block Coding tech that allows the device to send multiple redundant copies of the same data across different paths to minimize packet loss and improve video reliability. The kit with two adapters will sell for $259 and individual adapters will cost $129 with both shipping in the middle of November.

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, the Pogoplug now supports printing. So, if you’ve got your mobile device that can access the Pogoplug’s home server interface, then you get your printing on. And considering most of those mobile devices can access full documents, even ones stared in a Dropbox or on Google Docs, you’ve got plenty of options out there for your printing needs. Printer side, you’ll need an HP or Epson-manufactured device from the year 2005 or newer to get your printing on. The firmware upgrade is rolling out right now, so get ready.

As for that previously announced 802.11 b/g/n wireless adapter, the company has come clean that the device is now shipping. And, surprisingly enough, so is the Pogoplug Biz model, which is focused on the whole Enterprise market. For your reading pleasure, we’ve included the press release below.

Press Release

Pogoplug Gains Two New Products and Enables Web Printing!
A series of new Pogoplug features and products go live today!

Today we are delighted to begin rolling out a new firmware update to our customers that activates a number of new features we have announced in recent months, including our new cloud printing feature. In addition, both the Pogoplug Wireless Extender and
Pogoplug Biz are now shipping.

The print feature that we announced at the beginning of summer allows users to print from iPhones, iPads, Android devices, and any other Internet enabled device from anywhere in the world! The setup is simple; all users need to do is plug any HP or Epson printer made since 2005 into a USB port on the Pogoplug, or if it’s a network printer, simply have it on the same network as the Pogoplug. The firmware update begins rolling out to Pogoplug users today, and all users should have the update by the end of the week.

Our newest product, the Pogoplug Wireless Extender, allows users to place the Pogoplug anywhere in their homes where there is wireless internet access, without having to connect it to a network router or wired Ethernet port. The Pogoplug Wireless Extender begins shipping today.

Pogoplug Biz is an all-new version of Pogoplug specifically for businesses that gives business owners all the great features from the original Pogoplug, along with business specific features like customizable emails, a custom look and feel, file download and access statistics, and multiple users.

If you haven’t already, order your Pogoplug Biz and Wireless Extender now!

Find out how to get a free Pogoplug Wireless Extender after the cut

To celebrate the price reduction, Pogoplug are offering existing owners a free Wireless Extender dongle.  To find out more, check out the company’s Facebook page; basically, you email them with your purchase details from a registered Pogoplug device address.

We’re checking on when the Pogoplug Wireless Extender will begin shipping, and the company tells us the price reduction on the Pogoplug itself should take place online sometime later today.  More details on the Pogoplug in our review.

Press Release:

Pogoplug Gets a Wireless “Little Buddy”

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

In short, it’s all about making Pogoplug more serious, and making sure the files you share with others – via the straightforward email invite system – look like they’ve come from your company rather than Pogoplug’s generic site.  That includes adding in company logos and backgrounds, together with adding custom email addresses so that clients can send files directly to the Pogoplug Biz.

There’s also a web-only sharing feature, which Pogoplug say is intended for artists and the like who want to give clients a preview of a file but not let them download the original (though we guess they could always take a screenshot if they were really determined not to pay you).  The Pogoplug Biz is available for preorder today, priced at $299 with no ongoing fees.

Press Release:

Cloud Engines Launches New Pogoplug Biz for Business Users

Pogoplug Biz is the secure and inexpensive way for a business to access, share and send files over the Internet

Cloud Engines, Inc, announces today the introduction of the Pogoplug Biz, a new version of the company’s award-winning Pogoplug specifically designed for business use. The Pogoplug Biz offers safe and secure remotely accessible storage and a flexible system for controlling access to video, audio, photos, and documents from anywhere on the Internet.

The product installs in 60 seconds and requires no modification to network or firewall settings. Pogoplug Biz lets business owners use their own domain name(s) and customize (or “skin”) the user interface and email templates, enabling users to seamlessly represent their company whenever they share files online. A Pogoplug Biz, combined with one or more USB hard drives provides businesses with an extensible cloud storage solution with no monthly fees.

Pogoplug Biz features include:

- Usage Statistics and Auditing: quickly access a summary of how many times a file or folder has been viewed, streamed or downloaded. Keep track of the number of views, streams, and downloads.

- Customization: customize the look and feel of the Pogoplug interface, including the color, logo, domain name and background image. Customize the look and feel of emails that are sent when you share files.

- Custom Email Addresses: claim your own custom email addresses and let your clients email files to your Pogoplug. Create an unlimited number of custom upload folders and give them each a unique email address to share with your clients.

- Cloud/Mobile Printing: print from any mobile device, including the iPhone and iPad. Print to any printer connected to Pogoplug, from anywhere.

- Web View-Only Sharing: share viewable files over the web while preventing them from being downloaded. Web View is perfect for creative professionals and photographers who want to show clients previews of work but not allow them to download the files.

- Multiple Users: allows an administrator to set access levels and storage quotas for individual users.

- Remote backup: continuously mirror all or part of your Pogoplug storage to a second Pogoplug in a remote location.

“Businesses need online storage and sharing solutions that aren’t encumbered by fees or limitations,” said Daniel Putterman, CEO of Cloud Engines, Inc. “Pogoplug Biz gives companies a secure, private and customizable solution to solve this problem.”

The Pogoplug Biz is available for preorder at Pogoplug.com/buy. Pogoplug Biz costs $299 with lifetime Pogoplug service.

Useful Links
Pogoplug web site: www.pogoplug.com
Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/pogoplug
Pogoplug online community: www.pogoplugged.com

About the Pogoplug Biz

The Pogoplug Biz is a device that connects up to 4 external hard drives to the Internet. It is designed for businesses that need to share remote storage of a variety of file types via the Internet to co-workers and customers anywhere in the world. Robust customization allows the Pogoplug Biz to represent your company or brand effectively while maintaining Pogoplug’s famously easy set-up and use.

About Cloud Engines, Inc.
Founded in 2007 by experienced entrepreneurs from the digital media and security industries, Cloud Engines is located in San Francisco, California. The company was formed with a mission to change the way personal content is stored and distributed over the Internet. The Cloud Engines philosophy is that by making a product simple, open and affordable, the community will participate in making it better. For more information, please visit, www.cloudengines.com andwww.pogoplug.com

The consultancy consists of 35 people, and it looks like they’ll be mostly involved with Cisco’s consumer ranges.  That means more work on Flip as well as likely having a hand in future Linksys brand networking equipment.  The company also have a wireless media system, though its fallen into the background in the face of competition from Sonos and Logitech’s Squeezebox line.

Cisco aren’t confirming how much they spent to acquire MOTO, but it’s expected to be finalised by Q4 of the company’s 2010 financial year.  At that point the MOTO team will become part of the Cisco Consumer Products team led by Kaplan.

Press Release:

Cisco Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire MOTO

SAN JOSE, Calif. – May 18, 2010 – Cisco today announced its intent to acquire privately held MOTO Development Group, a design consulting firm that develops products and product strategies for the consumer industry. Based in San Francisco, MOTO’s talent base will complement Cisco’s and enable Cisco to rapidly enhance its consumer product development road map.

“Consumers have embraced our Flip VideoTM, ValetTM and Linksys® product lines because they deliver on the promise of making video and home networking simple, affordable and fun,” said Jonathan Kaplan, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco® Consumer Products. “MOTO’s design and engineering teams have deep consumer expertise that will accelerate our ability to continue to deliver great products and expand Cisco’s consumer business.”

MOTO brings to Cisco an accomplished team of more than 35 consultants with a proven track record in the consumer product industry. The MOTO team has been instrumental in the development of innovative products from startups to Fortune 500 companies, including Cisco’s industry-leading Flip video product family. MOTO’s multidisciplinary team drives innovation across the product life cycle to create engaging products and consumer experiences.

MOTO’s philosophy directly aligns with Cisco’s consumer strategy to use devices, software and the network to deliver transformational product experiences that delight consumers. As the consumer market evolves, Cisco will continue to focus on helping people live a connected life that is more personal, more social and more visual. Like the acquisition of Pure Digital in 2009, the acquisition of MOTO is another step toward embedding consumer design and ease of use into Cisco products for the consumer market.

Financial terms of the transaction are undisclosed. The acquisition is subject to various standard closing conditions and is expected to be complete in the fourth quarter of Cisco’s fiscal year 2010. Upon the closing of the acquisition, MOTO employees will become part of the Cisco Consumer Products team led by Kaplan.

To demonstrate the system, researchers showed a laptop – with no wired or WiFi network connection – playing smooth streaming internet video that was transmitted via the lighting network.  The team reckons concerns over the impact of electromagnetic waves on the human body will leave users open to alternative carriers, such as lighting.

As for the lights themselves, the pulses are so rapid that the human eye sees the LEDs as consistently lit.  In addition to regular internet connections, the system could be used for “smart” appliances, such as updating clock accuracy automatically, advising home automation systems as to switch statuses, and sending out updates from devices like printers and fax machines when they need more ink.

[Image from previous LED networking research from Boston University]

The Killer 2100 claims to be the world’s fastest online gaming network card. It uses Game Networking DNA technology that includes a dedicated network processor, Advanced Game Detect, Windows stack bypass, and Visual Bandwidth control features. These features claim to reduce stuttering, freezing, and other issues commonly associated with lag.

The Killer 2100 can operate on 10/100/1000 Ethernet networks and uses the PCIe x1 slot. The network processor is 400MHz and the card has 128MB of RAM. It will work in machines running Windows 7, Vista, and XP SP2.

Installation looks straightforward, though it’s not quite as plug-and-play as a regular USB WiFi adapter; instead it works more as an ethernet bridge, with two connections: one for power and the other plugging into the Premiere’s ethernet port.  While it’s billed as a TiVo Premiere accessory it will in fact work with all TiVo DVRs bar the DIRECTV DVR with TiVo.

The TiVo Wireless N Network Adapter is available to buy online from the company’s webstore now, priced at $89.99.  It’s also expected to land in Best Buy stores later on this week.

[via Zatz Not Funny]

Compared to the sober first-gen Pogoplug adapter, which looked little more than a wall-wart AC adapter with a couple of ports, this second-gen hardware is quite the departure. Around the size of a thick hardback book standing on its edge, it’s a distinctive combination of white and clear plastic with a bight pink stand-cum-cable-tidy. Where the original had a single USB 2.0 port, this model has four: one on the front panel, above the status indicator LED, and three on the back above the gigabit ethernet port. The AC power brick has been subsumed into the main body of the Pogoplug, which is a neat touch, and with no fans it’s a silent box that, even powered on 24/7, doesn’t get more than warm.

Where regular NAS boxes integrate one or more drive bays into a single box, as well as the network connectivity, the Pogoplug keeps things more modular. Reasonably inexpensive USB external drives are used instead, or even USB memory sticks, and while there are four ports to choose from you can also throw in a USB hub and hook up even more storage. The benefit is that you can repurpose existing HDDs and make them network-visible, while adding capacity is the simple matter of plugging in another drive rather than having to open up a NAS chassis.

Pogoplug promises a 60-second installation, and while we weren’t quite that fast it was nonetheless straightforward getting set up. The Pogoplug hooks up to your router via the included ethernet cable, to the mains with the power cable, and then you plug in at least one USB 2.0 drive. The company’s setup site automatically recognises the drive and prompts you to create a username and password, before giving you access to the online control panel.

It’s all reasonably intuitive, with the system automatically scanning for movie, photo and music content on any attached drives and lumping them together under straightforward headings. Alternatively you can browse by files added or modified today, from the past week or past month, or go into specific volumes (including separate partitions on individual drives) and browse in a more granular fashion. It’s also possible to upload new files directly to one of the attached drives, though you can’t drag & drop across from a local folder to the web UI.

More usable, then, is the local software app, available for Windows or Mac, and which mounts the Pogoplug volumes as simple drives which can be navigated, copied to and from, and generally handled as normal. Our only issue with the local app was when online with our test MacBook Pro while outside the home network; whenever we attempted to use a photo upload service (unconnected with Pogoplug) the browser would hang. We soon realised this was due to the upload tool trying to check the Pogoplug drives every time; shut down the local app and the problem went away.

Pogoplug also promises to make sharing more straightforward, and there’s a prominent “Share This” button which, when clicked, allows you to invite people via email to look at the contents of the folder(s). There’s an address book for dealing with frequent contacts (though it doesn’t link into your computer’s address book) and you can add a personal message before sending the invite. Alternatively you can set the folder to automatically publish to one or more social networks, including Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, as an RSS feed, or as a public folder which doesn’t require a specific invite. Finally there’s an option to resend an invite whenever the contents of the folder changes.

The most obvious use is sharing multimedia content with friends and family. Rather than emailing out a huge ZIP of holiday photos, add them to a shared Pogoplug folder and invite people to view them remotely; keep a single folder of baby photos and let Pogoplug automatically alert grandparents whenever there’s a new batch to be coo’d over. Best of all, rather than a barebones FTP interface, contacts are presented with a dynamic gallery, streaming photos, audio and video straight into their browser. The online UI has a simple “Files I Share” pane to show what you’re offering at any one time, and there’s also a “Shared With Me” pane which, if you know someone with another Pogoplug, displays content from those remote drives. The latter could be useful if you have a Pogoplug at home and at work, for browsing media and documents from a single UI rather than logging in and out of two accounts.

There’s also sharing functionality for home use, with one of the recent Pogoplug firmware updates adding PS3 and Xbox 360 media streaming. A console on the same local network or connected remotely can see the drives automatically. The same update also brought with it updates to Active Copy, which is a basic folder/drive duplication tool. Originally, Active Copy used the Windows/OS X app to monitor one or more folders on your computer and automatically duplicate any new files to folder(s) on a Pogoplug drive. Now, in addition to that, you can have folders be automatically duplicated between Pogoplug-attached drives, plus if you’ve more than one Pogoplug you can have an attached drive (or a folder on a drive) be automatically copied from one Pogoplug to the other, handy for remote backups.

It’s useful, certainly, but it falls short of the kind of data security a proper RAID array would offer. RAID – where, in most configurations, drives are mirrored so that should one experience hardware failure the data is preserved on at least one other disk – is quicker at duplication, thanks to not having the USB 2.0 bottleneck to contend with, and it’s automatic across the whole volume, rather than being on a selective folder-by-folder basis. Of course, the benefit to Pogoplug’s system is that you can choose to duplicate only certain, particularly important folders, and the drives don’t – unlike RAID – need to be the same size. You could feasibly set up the Pogoplug to automatically copy any files on a USB memory stick plugged into the front panel port to a bigger HDD, for instance, offloading day to day documentation. There’s also nothing stopping you from plugging in a USB RAID array, which are rarer than NAS RAID storage but not impossible to find.

We touched on the USB 2.0 bottleneck, and that’s a point worth returning to. While it’s theoretically capable of 480 Mbits/s, in day to day use USB 2.0 is unlikely to ever get that high. That means transferring large files (or large numbers of smaller files) will take longer than on a regular NAS, and it’s worth pointing out that, when we tried to move around a few particularly large videos, the system froze and required a power-cycle. You’ll also probably want to make sure your router has gigabit ethernet ports, too, if the drives are likely to be accessed by several people simultaneously. It’s disappointing that the Pogoplug only has USB 2.0 and not FireWire, eSATA or even USB 3.0 connections, but perhaps that’s asking too much for the $129 sticker price (and, arguably, unlikely to be required by the mainstream consumer who is a big part of Pogoplug’s target audience). The takeaway message is that if you’re looking for the fastest way to backup or access files across a network, or to stream high-definition content, then you should probably choose a more normal NAS.

Most “normal” NAS don’t come with a range of mobile clients, however, and that’s another big plus in the Pogoplug’s favour. Currently there are iPhone and Android apps (the former being compatible with the iPod touch and the iPad) which allow you to log into your Pogoplug from the handset, browse folders, view video, audio and photo slideshows, and even – handset depending – upload files like photos directly to the remote storage. The apps work well, though we did have a couple of crashes on the Android version, but it’s worth noting that there’s currently no iPad-formatted version. Instead you can either use the regular iPhone app, doubled in size, or log directly into the online control panel which Pogoplug have – as an interim measure of sorts – made fully HTML5 compliant so you can still stream video and audio despite the lack of Flash support. We’re guessing there’s a native iPad version on the way, though there’s no public timescale for its availability. Still, if your media gallery exceeds the storage capacity of your mobile device then it’s a handy way of having access to masses of content with very little headache.

“Very little headache” is actually a good way to describe the Pogoplug. If you’re looking for a set-and-forget backup system then it’s not quite ideal – RAID duplicates everything on the drive, after all, whereas you’ll need to make sure your Active Copy folders are set up correctly on the Pogoplug – and the freedom to use regular USB drives comes with a sacrifice in speed. However, for most home users (and perhaps some small business ones too), network backup is only part of what they’re expecting from a NAS-style solution, with media sharing, painless online access and an affordable entry price all carrying equal import. On those fronts the Pogoplug does much better, with a straightforward UI and a sharing feature that should be usable by all but the most tech-phobic grandparents.

Our guess is that a USB 3.0 version is on the cards somewhere down Pogoplug’s roadmap, but that’s likely far off in the distance and, for the moment, USB 2.0 is probably fast enough for home users. It’s the ease of use that makes the Pogoplug such a success, though; if you’re a netbook user, have picked up an iPad or iPhone with limited onboard storage but still want a big catalog of video to choose from, or simply prefer to keep your files locked up at home rather than on a notebook or memory stick that could be lost or stolen, Pogoplug represents a straightforward workaround. And hey, if you really do find the color that offensive, you can always hide it under the desk.