Using two Linksys routers, he rammed the MacBook's parts, along with the iSight camera and microphone in the joined-up cases, loaded Leopard and after slaving over it in the workshop for a few weeks, he was able to connect it to his monitor successfully.

Sure does beat having several broken routers in the attic like I do. [Phantomdev via Gearfuse]

Update: Apparently Time Warner has put a "temporary patch" into place while they figure out a permanent solution. [Wired]

• The D-Link DIR-685 router/media server/digital photo frame is out today. You can check out Jason's review for his full impressions. In essence he found the router to be "very interesting and very promising," but not without fault. His complaints? It's a bit pricey, and the fan can be loud when a 2.5" hard drive is installed (Update: Dlink wrote to tell us that they've toned down the fan noise, so it may not be an issue any more). Still, it's an intriguing package, and the extra cost over a standard router may be worth it for anyone looking to cut down on networked gear clutter. Ships today for $300. [Product Page]

• Pioneer's new professional Blu-ray player might be pricey, but at least it's not missing any crucial features like BD-Live. The BDP-V6000 is labeled as a professional player based on the inclusion of a serial interface that pro home installers can use, and the its ability to decode both PAL and NTSC material.

What I don't understand is how it's taken these "professional" players so long to catch up to standard consumer players in terms of some no-brainer features. If I'm going to drop a grand on a Blu-ray player, it damn well better have BD-Live built in. Luckily, unlike some other stupid expensive players, the BDP-V6000 does. But it's still not enough to get me to pay $1,000 for a Blu-ray player. That's just me, though. If you're so inclined, you can grab one today for, you guessed it, $1,000. [Product Page]

It seems funny to me that wireless N is finally coming around despite the fact that I have been using it for years. But what about you? What Wi-Fi standard do you use at home?

It's a wireless router from Logitec—not Logitech, which is known as Logicool in Japan—that's 7mm thin at its skinniest point, ballooning out to 24mm at its fattest. Except for its uncanny Sony style, it seems fairly unexceptional, but man, it got me good for a second. [Akihabara News]

These are the four routers that spawned from the idea.

• The Route O'Clock concept will tell you how much bandwidth is available depending on the time of day (hence the clock design).
• The Hybrid Router concept turns your router into a mid-century piece of furniture that puts aesthetics over functionality.
• The energy saving router uses keyhooks to determine how many people are in the house. When there are no keys on the hook, it will shut itself down.
• Last is the Jelly Fish router, pictured up top. That thing is meant to be a social hub of sorts, offering a link to the web from each of its eight tentacles, and using a fluorescent glow effect to denote signal strength. It's meant to be the focal point of a room. It also just looks amazing.

TalkTalk is currently conducting a poll to see which router is the fan favorite, and said they might consider producing which ever one takes the vote. [Gizmag]

A re-refresher, from last time they dropped new hardware:

All Fonera routers are open to all Fonera users, meaning that in exchange for providing Wi-Fi to the occasional Fonera-owning passerby, you get to tap into other Fonera users' connections whenever you're away from home. It's a pretty cool idea, but it's not clear that there are enough Foneras in existence for the concept to work in practice, at least in the US.

The company also has telco partners (albeit mostly overseas), who essentially subcontract hotspots to Fonera users. It's an interesting concept even if it's a little cultlike, and for the price—about $70—the Fonera 2n is a solid deal in strict hardware terms.

The company says the product is now out in "major retailers" in the US, though perhaps tellingly doesn't name any. A full feature list below: [Fonera via Ryan Block's Twitter]

Caters to Web 2.0 with Faster WiFi, Home Network Access, and Manages File Uploads/Downloads - Even With Your PC Off

MADRID, July 14 /PRNewswire/ — FON today introduced the Fonera 2.0n WiFi router in the US market, combining FON's revolutionary WiFi sharing and money making features with seamless integration and management of popular Web 2.0 services such as YouTube, Facebook, Picasa, Flickr, BitTorrent, RapidShare, and other content — even while users' PCs are off. The Fonera 2.0n is on sale now at major retailers. This announcement is significant because anyone can now upload, download and synch ALL of their web apps while away from home, without getting stuck for hours waiting for something to load.

"If there's one annoying aspect of the otherwise great internet, it's the time it takes to upload videos, pictures, or download movies, tv series, games, and software from the internet," said Martin Varsavsky, FON CEO. "The Fonera 2.0n is the first WiFi router that frees up your computer from those tasks. Close your computer, continue uploading and downloading!"

Built around the faster 802.11n standard, Fonera 2.0n has a greater WiFi reach and faster throughput than 802.11g routers, and its more powerful processors and sophisticated software enable it to run parallel applications and simultaneous uploads and downloads. A built-in USB hub and Fonera 2.0 management software allows users to connect external hard drives and other USB devices. This enables users to share data wirelessly, upload videos or photos automatically to YouTube, Flickr, Picasa and Facebook, or download* torrents or files directly from BitTorrent, RapidShare, and Megaupload without a computer running at the same time. Additional features include the ability to backup files to a hard drive, print, or access a remote webcam via WiFi, and convert an HSDPA or 3G dongle to WiFi.

Fonera 2.0n can also help users save money on energy and reduce their CO2 output. A Fonera 2.0n router consumes less than four watts while downloading, instead of a PC that averages 100 watts, so users can reduce their CO2 emissions by 273Kg a year — equivalent to driving an SUV more than 1,500km per year. **

"The deep integration of online file sharing, social networks, and other Web 2.0 content into our already busy daily lives translates into more hours spent at the computer, greater energy use and more greenhouse emissions," said Varsavsky. "By enabling users to handle basic computing tasks from the router instead of the PC, we're taking a small step towards reducing power consumption without limiting functionality."

Fonera 2.0 also maintains all the features of previous FON WiFi routers. Once connected, it creates two WiFi signals, one private and one public, that allow for a secure, wireless Internet connection at home and free access at FON Spots worldwide. Fonera owners can also choose to make money*** by selling FON WiFi access passes or letting guests roam at their FON Spot.

Fonera 2.0n is based on open source and developers are encouraged to create and share additional applications.

For further information about the Fonera 2.0, visit www.fon.com.

About FON:

FON started the free WiFi revolution in 2006 with the first Fonera WiFi router and the goal of free, ubiquitous WiFi for everyone. Today, FON has more than 350,000 FON Spots, over 1.3 million registered foneros, and a growing list of Telco partners who add FON functionality to their ADSL modems. Google, eBay, British Telecom, Index Ventures and Sequoia Capital are investors in FON.

To clarify what that means, a little Fonera refresher: All Fonera routers are open to all Fonera users, meaning that in exchange for providing Wi-Fi to the occasional Fonera-owning passerby, you get to tap into other Fonera users' connections whenever you're away from home. It's a pretty cool idea, but it's not clear that there are enough Foneras in existence for the concept to work in practice, at least in the US.

But the new Fonera 2 hardware is attractive in its own right. It is equipped to turn into a NAS with any external HDD, and even supports Time Machine. USB 3G dongles can be plugged in to share a cellular connection over Wi-Fi, and an inbuilt BitTorrent client rounds out the banner features (but there's plenty more to see here, and in the above video). The Fonera will run a reasonable €50 ($70) when it launches in Europe this month and worldwide in May. [Gadget Lab via Slashdot]

For the end user, this means a few things. As expected, the dual-band feature broadcasts on both 2.4GHz (802.11b/g/n) and 5GHz (802.11a/n) frequencies, allowing client devices to connect to whichever standard suits them without forcing the whole access point one way or the other. In other words, different devices could be connected to both g and n network simultaneously.

Guest Networking is a clever feature that essentially sets up a walled, parallel hotspot that provides only internet access, keeping the rest of your network private from connected users—perfect if you share your wi-fi with neighbors, or just run a particularly promiscuous access point.

Otherwise, the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule are almost exactly the same—Time Capsule storage options remain at 500GB and 1TB, for which the prices stay at $300 and $500, respectively. The AirPort Extreme still hovers at a lofty $180, a blow only slightly mitigated by the new features. Both are shipping right now, to the rich. [Apple]

Home Network Defender previously existed as an application for PCs that more or less did the same thing. But now that it's installed on the router, any PC connected to the network will be protected. It's not so much software to detect and clean viruses, since that would cause a certain amount of router lag, but instead a way to filter out dangerous sites before they reach your computer (they have, however, hinted at more advanced network monitoring coming in the future).

The software will basically deny access to any site it deems unsafe based on a set of predetermined criteria and constantly talks to Trend Micro's server to determine how secure a site is. But you can adjust the sensitivity level of the filter and/or filter out specific sites as you see fit. And if there's a site deemed unsafe you think shouldn't be, you can notify Linksys for consideration.

Home Network Defender will first be available preloaded on new Linksys WRT310N and WRT610N routers, and also available as an upgrade for those who already own these same models. Pricing runs at $60/year (with a special $10 discount for the first 60 days) for the service and includes 4 free copies of Trend Micro's AntiVirus software, which will keep Windows machines disease-free.

Cisco and Trend Micro Help to Revolutionize Home Internet Security

Home Network Defender includes parental controls, virus protection and network activity reporting that help ensure home network security

February 17, 2009 — Cisco® and Trend Micro have teamed up to help keep families safe by integrating Trend Micro's Internet security software into Linksys by Cisco wireless routers. This multi-layered security offering helps provide network protection for family PCs and other home-network devices, such as online game consoles, Wi-Fi enabled phones, and personal media players. This collaboration has led to the introduction of Home Network Defender, an Internet security service that features Safe Web Surfing capabilities, parental controls, and user-activity reporting embedded on select Linksys by Cisco wireless-N home routers. Home Network Defender helps to detect and eradicate Web threats such as online fraud, scams, phishing schemes, predators and viruses before they enter the home network.

Facts/Highlights:

With tools to identify malicious Web sites and content at the router level, Home Network Defender redefines online freedom and security for the entire family, helping parents to manage individual network activity from both within and outside the home. Features of Home Network Defender include:

*Safe Web Surfing – Helps protect against Web threats by evaluating security risk in real-time and blocks sites and links identified as malicious. By choosing one of three security level settings, Home Network Defender helps users reduce online phishing scams that try to steal credit card or bank account numbers. Continuous updates identify the latest risky Web sites—and even legitimate ones that contain threats. This is especially effective for game consoles with Internet browsers that on their own may have weak Internet security.

*Parental Controls –Help family members view appropriate Web site content based on the customized rules set by the parent, and can even restrict access at specific times. Unlike other products with some of these features, Home Network Defender acts at the router level, outsmarting even the most tech-savvy kids from altering controls on their PCs while helping to protect Internet users from inadvertently visiting compromising sites or revealing personal information to predators who operate over the Web.

* Network Activity Reports – Allow parents or network administrators to monitor network devices and activities, prompting instant detection and prevention of intruding devices on the home or small-business network, as well as reports of parental control violations by users. Administrators can view their network reports from anywhere in the world with their unique password.

*Antivirus- Includes four licenses of Trend Micro™ AntiVirus plus AntiSpyware to complement the Internet security protection on the routers, providing a true multi-layer protection solution.

*Less complex to use-With Internet security software housed directly on the router, there is no need to install it separately on each PC. Linksys Easy Link Advisor (LELA) application assists in setup of parental controls on a device by simply clicking on graphical icon of the device and providing the desired settings.

Supporting Quotes

"Our leading Internet security software paired with top-of-the-line Linksys by Cisco routers delivers a powerful solution for home network security," said Carol Carpenter, vice president of global marketing for Trend Micro's consumer business unit. "We are pleased to be able to offer smart and effective Internet protection for the home so that families can receive the strongest real-time protection against the latest Internet threats while enjoying online activities to the fullest."

"Home Network Defender helps provide revolutionary, not evolutionary, protection from Internet threats before they reach the home while increasing awareness for parents of the activities specific to each family member. This product helps protect not only PCs but any connected device and is a must for anyone concerned with Internet safety for their family," said Greg Memo, Vice President and General Manager, Products, Cisco Consumer Business Group.

Market Watch

*The growth of Web threats has increased by nearly 2000 percent since 2005, 50 percent of which were downloaded by users surfing unknown or malicious Web sites. (Trend Micro Threat Research, 2009)

*34 percent of teens said they experienced unwanted exposure to pornography while online, 40 percent of which came from online searches, 17 percent from links within other Web sites, 12 percent from mistyping Web addresses. (Wolak, Finkelhor, Mitchell 2006)

*79 percent of teens say they use the Internet with little parental supervision. (Childnet International, 2007)

Pricing and Availability

The Home Network Defender is a software service that is housed on select Linksys by Cisco wireless-N routers and helps provide Internet security management and protection on IP-enabled devices on a home network. MSRP will be US$59.99 for the yearly service with a 30-day complimentary trial. For the next 60 days, there will be a special price of US$49.99. Existing Linksys by Cisco router users can also take advantage of this offer and update their firmware currently by going to:

http://www.linksysbycisco.com/LinksysByCisco/en/promo/Home-Network-Defender

Home Network Defender will be available for select N routers and is embedded in new WRT310N and WRT610N Linksys by Cisco routers, with a 30-day complimentary trial. This price and the router model availability are specific to North America.

The GlobeSurfer features a built-in screen that'll let you control its various options, and impressive speeds: download is 7.2 Mbps and upload is 5.76 Mbps. It's got a USB port for networked peripherals as well. Unfortunately, it does require a power supply, so it may not be great for camping trips, but it's a nice proof of concept. Pricing and release date haven't been released, but it shouldn't be far off. [Electronista]

Sidecut Reports spotted the little rig (in prototype form here) at Clearwire's Portland WiMax launch. It's basically a Cradlepoint device (it may even be made by them, as this Sprint EV-DO router is), and it will supposedly be on sale for around $125 by February in Clearwire's launch markets.

But don't believe the marketing hooey from Clearwire though that they're the only network provider encouraging such uses—he obviously hasn't seen Sprint's Cradlepoint. [Sidecut Reports via Electronista]

I'd say it falls under the drunk/brilliant category. According to Einfach Eee website (Varning! German!) the box will include an Atom processor, 2GB of RAM, a 1-4TB HDD, and 802.11n MIMO, and slot-loading DVD burner, a router and a touchscreen.

The intent of including the touchscreen is simple: it negates the need to either pipe into the NAS over the network or connection an external display, mouse and keyboard. Simple tasks, such as configuring the access point, moving files, setting permissions and burning DVDs (and hopefully direct media playback and torrent controls—with its DVI port, this could make a pretty amazing media PC) should all be manageable through the touchscreen.

To top it off, the $600 reported price is surprisingly low. ASUS says the D200 will ship in Q1 '09. For more pics and specs, head over to [Einfach Eee.—Thanks, Johannes]

Measuring 2.5 inches wide by 3.25 inches long by 0.75 inches high (slightly smaller than the AirPort Express), Trendnet's router claims to pack speeds up to 300Mbps (a significant upgrade from the current crop at 54Mbps). The carrying case comes with a thin 3-foot Ethernet cable, an electrical adapter and an alternate USB cable—allowing you the convenience of powering up via your computer. If you travel a lot, and it works as advertised, this little router would be well worth the $90 price tag when it is released in March. [Trendnet via CNET]

The router looks like any other Netgear device in design, but it has a USB port for the dongle and (presumably) you configure all the settings through the router page. There's even an optional car power adapter so you can take your show on the road. The 3G Mobile Broadband router will be available in Q1 of this year for $130.

And for consumers and professionals on-the-go, NETGEAR’s 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router
(MBR624GU) creates an instant WiFi hotspot using 3G mobile broadband access service for broadband
access virtually anywhere, simply by plugging in any compatible 3G USB modem to the router. Mobile
users thus have the flexibility to create a WiFi network whether in a satellite office, construction site,
emergency center, vacation home, at an offsite event or campsite, or even from a moving recreational
vehicle. The 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router features auto detection of compatible 3G USB
modems and associated mobile carrier networks to have broadband access almost instantly. It supports
SPI, intrusion logging and reporting, denial-of-service (DoS) protection, up to five IPsec VPN endpoints,
and NAT. With Push ‘N’ Connect with WPS, energy saving features, and an optional car power adapter
to power the router while on the move, NETGEAR’s 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router is ideal for
sharing a 3G broadband Internet connection practically anywhere with friends, colleagues and family
members. More information can be found at
(http://www.netgear.com/Products/RoutersandGateways/3GMobileBroadband/mbr624gu.aspx).

3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router (MBR624GU)
•
Compatible with extensive range of 3G USB Modems and networks.
•
Four Ethernet ports for LAN connectivity; USB 2.0 Host WAN port.
•
SPI, DoS, NAT, and supports up to 5 VPN endpoints.
•
“Push ‘N’ Connect” button based on WPS.
•
WiFi on/off button and Power on/off button to save energy while not in use.
•
Auto detection and installation process for easy setup.
•
Repeater configurable and static routing feature.
•
Advanced application based on QoS.

The unit sits upright, showing off digital photos, streaming video and weather on its 3.2-inch LCD while users can share a printer and any other USB devices of choice through its open ports in the back. Those interested in networked storage can squeeze in a 2.5" hard drive for sharing files over the network or just downloading BitTorrent fun.

We're not seeing a price or release date yet, but if it only had a screen the size of its case, we'd be sitting in a cold puddle of drool.

The year winds to an end and every product worth a damn has already hit store shelves—there's not going to be any new shiny coolness until next month's CES. We were lucky enough to have a look at most of the best gear out there, and we've passed judgment on all that we saw. Here's a complete list of great products, yanked from our first looks, reviews, and epic Battlemodos:

TV & HOME THEATER
TVs:
Panasonic 65VX100U Plasma
Pioneer Kuro Elite PRO-111FD Plasma
Sony Bravia XBR8 LCD
Panasonic PZ850 Series Plasma
Samsung 650 and 750 Series LCD
Honorable mention for value: Toshiba Regza RV535 Series LCD

Surround Bar:
Yamaha YSP-3050 Sound Bar

Blu-ray Player:
Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD
Samsung Netflix BD-P2500
Sony PlayStation 3

Blu-ray Movies (with iTunes/WMV Digital Copy):
The Dark Knight
Wall-E

CAMERAS & CAMCORDERS
DSLR Cameras:
Nikon D300 and D700
Canon EOS 5D Mark II with HD video
Nikon D90 with HD video
Canon Rebel XSi and Rebel XS
Honorable mention for value: Sony Alpha A900 and Alpha A300

Point and Shoot Camera:
Canon SD790

Crazy Hybrid Camera/Camcorder:
Casio Exilim EX-F1

Mini Camcorders:
Kodak Zi6 HD
Pure Digital Flip Ultra

COMPUTERS & ACCESSORIES
Laptops:
MacBook/MacBook Pro
Lenovo X300
MSI Wind

All-In-One PC:
Vaio LV

Routers:
Linksys WRT610N Dual N-Band Wireless Router

Router/NAS:
Apple Time Capsule

NAS:
HP MediaVault mv2120

Mouse:
Logitech MX 1100 Mouse

Keyboard:
SteelSeries 7G Pro Gaming Keyboard

iPod/iPhone USB Dock:
Griffin Simplifi iPod-iPhone Dock/Card Reader/USB Hub

PHONES & PORTABLE DEVICES
Phones:
Apple iPhone 3G @ AT&T
Sidekick 2008 @ T-Mobile
Samsung Instinct @ Sprint (after firmware update, it's officially better than Verizon's LG Dare)
LG Decoy with docking Bluetooth earpiece @ Verizon
Sony Ericsson W890i @ Europe only; unlocked may be available

Phone Stereo Headsets:
Maximo iMetal iP-HS2 Isolators
Shure Music Phone Adapter to use with your current earphones

In-Ear Headphones:
Etymotics hf5
Shure SE110
Ultimate Ears metro.fi 2

Pico Projector:
Aiptek PocketCinema V10

GPS:
Garmin Nuvi 785T with lane guidance
Garmin Nuvi 880 with speech recognition

ASSORTED CRAZY STUFF
Flashlights:
Wicked Lasers Torch Flashlight
Duracell Daylite CR123

Toy Robot:
U-Command Wall-E

Cheap Night Vision Goggles:
Jakks Pacific EyeClops

Unmanned Vehicle:
Draganfly X6 UAV

Spy Gadget Book:
Spycraft by Robert Wallace and H. Keith Melton

Water Guns:
Super Soaker Sneak Attack 4-Way

—With reporting by Erica Ho

No. The bottleneck in a setup like this is the centralized wireless controller chipset architecture that routes all of the data coming in and out. Proxim's solution, instead, uses a new distributed wireless architecture for which enables it to smartly share the burden over the two radios. It uses two standard Atheros 802.11n radio chips and a controller processor from Freescale. This is also different from the many dual-band routers out there that use two radios, but only for each band individually—not combined into a single bandwidth pipe.

Of course, your computer only has one radio, so you won't see double the speeds on your local machine. This just helps cram more data onto a huge enterprise network without bringing it down, but an interesting strategy that could, theoretically, find its way into more consumer-type gear. The dual-radio AP-8000 costs $1,099, and also looks like a Dungeness crab after I've eaten four delicious legs already. Sold! [Product Page via GigaOM]