The Network Before the Internet

The network started to breathe in the 70's. Above, the first ethernet cable, found in PARC's labs by Boing Boing Gadgets. Dag Spicer, numero uno Curator at the Computer History Museum, tells us more: More »

Promise SmartStor NS4600 Network Storage with Time Machine Support Review

The Gadget: A RAID-enabled, four drive, DLNA supporting, internet streaming, Apple Time Machine supporting NAS that, while not a Windows Home Server, has tons of functionality built into the tiny box. More »

LaCie 5big Takes Networked Storage to 10TB

With the upgraded 5big Network array, LaCie gives users the ability to go into double-digits with regard to terabyte storage capacity—10 TB to be exact. More »

Elettronico Faucet: Touchscreen Controls, Connects to a Plumbing Network

We are only talking about a sink here, but I must admit that I am a sucker for a captivating design. That having been said, the Elettronico Faucet by Carlo Frattini definitely caught my eye. The allure of the system centers around an LCD display that can be used to turn the faucet on and off, control flow rate, temperature and even other faucets / showers in the house. Essentially, the Elettronico would be part of a plumbing network that would give you command over everything from one screen. It is the most exciting thing to happen to pipes since...uh, wait. Nevermind. Unfortunately, there is no word on pricing or availability at the moment. More »

Lightning Review: Logitech's Squeezebox Boom All-in-One Network Audio Player

The Gadget: The Squeezebox Boom from Logitech streams music from your PC or the internet via an 802.11b/g or Ethernet connection. Unlike previous Squeezeboxes, the Boom also throws in a pair of 30-watt speakers. The Price: $300 The Verdict: This is one awesome little Wi-Fi radio. It is super-compact, versatile, set-up was nearly effortless and it sounds great. The device can handle just about any non-DRM format including MP3, FLAC, WMA, WMA Lossless, AAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, and AIFF and it accessed music seamlessly from my iTunes account thanks to the SqueezeCenter software (works with Windows, Mac and Linux). The device integrates with Logitec's SqueezeNetwork to tap into internet radio and manage subscriptions from Pandora, Rhapsody, Sirius, Last.fm, Slacker, MP3tunes, RadioTime, Radio IO and Live365. Again, setting up an account and integrating the service with the Squeezebox itself was easy, and navigating between all of the options wasn't too much of a problem using the remote and the simplified display (although the fact that you can only view one menu option at a time can be a bit frustrating). The sleek design also had a couple nice extras, like a magnetized remote that can be stuck to the top of the unit—or to your fridge if you prefer. It also has an alarm clock function and an auto-dimming display that automatically adjusts to the ambient light. As mentioned earlier, I was surprised at how well the Squeezebox Boom sounds. I didn't notice any major artifacts or distortion and it handles bass-heavy songs superbly—cranking out a crisp, heavy sound. Very impressive for Wi-Fi. The bottom line is that there isn't much to complain about with the Squeezebox Boom. I mean, it beats the hell out of an iPod dock, that's for sure. The UI could have been a bit better and it may be a bit pricey for some at $300, but all in all this is a great little machine. [Logitech]

San Francisco Hunting For "Mystery Device" on City Network

San Francisco is continuing to untangle the mess created by the notorious Terry Childs after his attempt to bring down the city network. According to estimates, the cleanup has cost taxpayers $1 million so far, with an additional $800,000 set aside for unforeseen problems. The latest development in the saga occurred late last month when investigators discovered a mysterious hidden networking device referred to as "a terminal server" that appears to provide remote access to the city's Fiber WAN network. The password is unknown—but the login is accompanied by a warning message stating: "This system is the personal property of Terry S. Childs." More »