Aqua Connect and Ashbourne Technology Group have announced a new partnership designed to provide hosted services on the Mac platform. The Aqua Connect Terminal Server previously had been unavailable as a hosted service, however the new offering will allow customers to take advantage of the Mac terminal services without purchasing a dedicated server.
Internet phone company Ooma on Friday began shipping its Telo handset and has introduced a new International Calling Bundle for Premier subscribers for savings on international calls. This follows the release of the Ooma Telo home base nearly two months ago. Each Ooma Telo base can support up to four handsets, with each handset having access to Ooma Telo's full range of features and services.
Despite promising to release its Via HDTVs with Wi-Fi and network connections this fall, Vizio has officially said it will delay the launch until January of 2010, according to a Friday CNET report. Other promised features of the Via TVs include local LED backlighting dimming for deeper black level reproduction and interactive add-ons as well as a Bluetooth remote with a QWERTY keyboard to navigate and manage it all.
T-Mobile's US branch may land a deal with another carrier to grow its network much more rapidly, a rumor maintained on Friday. Sources for the German paper Handelsblatt claimed that Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile's parent, is in the "early stages" of looking for a partner that would help it build out the network through a cash infusion. The top candidates so far include budget carrier MetroPCS, WiMAX-based Clearwire and even AT&T, any of whom could get a small stake in T-Mobile in return for the investment.
Cloud Engines on Friday introduced the second-generation Pogoplug, along with a variety of new features for storing and sharing multimedia. The hardware features the same plug-and-play capability of the original, but adds several USB ports to allow connection of up to four external hard drives without using a dedicated USB hub.
Sony on Thursday introduced plans to launch an online portal for music, movies, books, and other content such as applications, according to BusinessWeek. The market, named Sony Online Service, is expected to fulfill CEO Howard Stringer's goals and help the company compete against alternatives such as iTunes.
Twitter today added its promised geolocation feature for tweets. The addition gives any app using the API, but not the Twitter site itself, the option of tagging posts with a location as well as to automatically draw on the location for position-based features, such as finding tweets in a certain area. It isn't exclusive to GPS-equipped devices and will work with Wi-Fi and other methods that can generate the relevant data.
Microsoft announced on Thursday it will soon release Power Pack 3 for Windows Home Server. The update is meant to improve the integration of Windows Home Server with Windows 7 and Windows Media Center by allowing backup and restore of Windows 7 comptuers, Windows 7 Libraries integration, new features in Media Center and added support for netbooks. Windows Home Server is meant for network-attached storage devices.
Olive has introduced a new home music server with its Olive 4 HD which sports a 2TB capacity and the ability to rip music CDs. Compared to the earlier and similar looking Opus N°4, there is a digital to analog converter (DAC) and all the ports are now gold-plated. The DAC is a high resolution unit in the form of Texas Instrument's 192kHz/24-bit Burr-Brown PCM1792A.
Germany's Sharkoon is coming out with a USB 3.0 hard drive dock that allows users to plug in any IDE or SATA hard drives and transfer data through a fast USB 3.0 connection. The Quickport Combo is an upright drive station that can support 2.5- and 3.5-inch IDE or SATA hard drives as well as optical 5.25-inch IDE drives. SATA hard drives can be plugged directly into the top-facing dock, while IDE devices are connected via the dedicated front connector.
Apple may have delayed the launch of its repeatedly rumored tablet line to incorporate newer parts that could include an OLED touchscreen, a purported leak claims today. While an often mentioned 10.6-inch version with an LCD is still deemed on tap, the entire line may have been moved to the second half of 2010 to accommodate a 9.7-inch OLED from LG Display. The company may be delaying the launch to wait for OLED prices to fall, as a panel costs $500 today where Apple could save $200 to $300 just by waiting several months.
Google's frequently rumored self-branded Android phone could skirt around its partners' worries by using only Internet service if a source is true. The still unknown device would primarily be intended for data and would use VoIP for its calls. At least AT&T has expressed interest in supplying the network for the phone and could let customers pay as little as $20 per month for access, although TechCrunch understands that "conditions" may be involved at that price.
Qualcomm chief Paul Jacobs in an interview today said his company has been talking with Apple about providing chips for the iPhone. He didn't provide specifics but tried to downplay the significance for Bloomberg, explaining that Qualcomm's size means it talks to "everybody." He also pointed out that company "haven't made [a deal] yet" with Apple and didn't say what progress if any had been achieved.
Swindon Borough Council is planning on offering free Wi-Fi to the entire population of its town by April of next year, says a Tuesday report. The UK town's 186,000 residents will not have to pay any connection charges or subscription fees for the service, due to be called Signal. The project will cost the equivalent of about $1.68 million and is run by newly formed Digital City UK Ltd, 35 percent of which is owned by Swindon's city council.
Developer David Kocher has introduced an update to his Mac FTP client, Cyberduck 3.3. The new version has been rebuilt using the Rococoa framework, in order to provide both Snow Leopard and 64-bit support. Other changes include a new application icon, restored PowerPC support, and an Octal input field for permissions.
Amazon today gave the green light to selling the Kindle 2 in Canada. The reader is the same international version sold elsewhere and will give Canadians the same access to the Kindle bookstore as Americans. Some Canadian publications, such as the Globe and Mail and the Ottawa Citizen, are also available in subscription form for the e-book reader.
Dell's Streak tablet will launch in the US with a carrier deal for 3G, Taiwan's Commercial Times newspaper said on Tuesday. The normally PC-focused builder is reportedly working "in cooperation" with AT&T to launch the mobile Internet device next year on its network. It may also not be the only model as local manufacturer Qisda is tapped for a "lineup" and not just the one device.
Mad Catz today dipped into networking with its own wireless bridge. Meant as an alternative to the official Xbox adapter, the Wireless-N Gaming Adapter takes the Ethernet connection from an Xbox 360, 20GB PlayStation 3 or any computer and turns it into an 802.11n Wi-Fi signal. The peripheral doesn't reach full 802.11n speeds but can still peak at 150Mbps.
Samsung today confirmed plans to launch a new femtocell for those on CDMA phone networks. The 3G UbiCell still creates a local cell for CDMA phones to make calls over a home Internet connection but also adds EVDO Rev A so that 3G phones without Wi-Fi can still get online when reception would be poor. The UbiCell plugs in through Ethernet and has GPS to provide 911 and other mapping features.
Hitachi on Monday added a new range of SimpleDrive external desktop hard drives available in up to a 2TB capacity. In addition to the new capacity, the disks have a Turbo USB 2.0 interface that is said to be 25 percent faster than the traditional spec. Hitachi includes its Fabrik backup software, which automatically copies over selected files from the host PC and includes 2GB of free online backup.
Sprint on Monday launched its 4G mobile broadband in two Texas cities, Austin, and San Antonio. As before, the WiMAX network promises speeds between 3Mbps to 6Mbps for downloads in real-world use, which should bring VoIP, video and other tasks that are normally too data-intensive for 3G networks. Sprint's 4G mobile broadband network is already available in regions such as Chicago, Dallas and North Carolina.
(Updated with pricing) AT&T added to its netbook range with its first Samsung model. The Go is a rebadge of the NC310 that comes with 3G for the carrier's network as well as Windows 7 Starter Edition in place of Windows XP. Samsung promises about four hours of battery life using the stock battery pack.
Comcast at the NewTeeVee Live conference said it will launch its On Demand Online on demand TV service as soon as December, according to a Thursday ConnectedHome2Go report. The cable provider added at the event that subscribers won't be charged extra and will have access to it on as many as three devices.
The RIAA confirmed late Thursday that Verizon has agreed to test notices of alleged copyright infringement to its subscribers. Each notice, which is relayed to Verizon first, will alert downloaders that they're believed to have pirated material and that the act is illegal. The warnings should already be enroute to customers, but it's unknown when the trial would stop.
AT&T has turned to direct communication in order to discourage customers from believing recent Verizon TV ads. The carrier has issued a new memo, claiming the ads are "so blatantly false and misleading" that it has to "set the record straight" about data coverage. It notes for instance that roughly 233 million Americans should have access to AT&T 3G, while 301 million can fall back to EDGE (2.5G) service, and 303 million have at least GPRS.
Newcomer ICD late yesterday confirmed first details of a tablet design that promises to be one of the first in a new category of large media devices. Previously teased by NVIDIA's CEO, the Vega has a large 15.6-inch, 1366x768 resistive touchscreen and will have the performance to drive it through an NVIDIA Tegra chipset. Besides faster rendering, it should theoretically give the Vega 720p video playback at full resolution.
Qualcomm at its investor conference today showed what should be one of the first production smartbooks. The Lenovo design (pictured) would sit in between netbooks and smartphones in size and will run one of Qualcomm's own Snapdragon processors. It's similarly expected to use AT&T-based 3G for Internet access beyond Wi-Fi.
Boxee today confirmed talk that it would produce its own hardware. The media center startup now says it has partnered with an unnamed home electronics company to make its own set-top box and that a mockup as well as further details will be shown at an already-planned December 7th event that was to mark the Boxee software entering beta. Most details aren't known, but Boxee stresses that the device will still let users choose from a wide variety of sources rather than a narrow channel.
Qualcomm today updated its MDM family of cellular chipsets with some of the first anywhere to support dual, advanced 3G and 4G formats. The MSM7630 supports GSM, HSPA and HSPA+ standards but will also work on CDMA phone networks and support up to EVDO Revision B for 3G on those services. The addition would let a phone work on a CDMA carrier like Sprint or Verizon but still work with AT&T or T-Mobile and roam at speeds of up to 21Mbps on networks from Rogers, other international carriers, and eventually T-Mobile USA.
AT&T late Wednesday amended its lawsuit against Verizon to demand its rival pull its ads. The new version of the complaint asks the Federal Court to block all Verizon ads attacking AT&T's 3G coverage and would silence much of Verizon's marketing campaign for the holidays. AT&T acknowledges that the coverage map itself is accurate for 3G but implies no coverage in many of the areas AT&T still services with 2G.
Eye-Fi has recently announced its Share Video, Explore Video and Pro memory cards are now capable of uploading directly to personal or corporate FTP sites. While only JPEG photos and videos can be uploaded, it supports both regular FTP and secure FTPS protocols. The feature should be especially useful to working photographers and livebloggers, who can upload photos before their deadlines to a company's FTP site.
HP in a late afternoon update said it had bought 3Com in a cash deal the equivalent of $2.7 billion. The deal is meant to help HP's involvement in the server and networking businesses and turns the PC builder into a near-total source for datacenters and other large-scale server environments. The two partners are still waiting on government approval but hope to complete the deal sometime in the first half of next year.
Minnesota Democrat Senator Amy Klobuchar said on Monday that she will introduce a measure to prevent US cellular carriers from raising their early termination fees (ETFs) quickly. The move is a direct reaction to Verizon's decision to double ETF rates for "advanced devices" like the Droid to deter customers from exiting their service early. Klobuchar claims the rate hike has "little to no relation" to the cost of the phone and that it punishes those who depend on cellphones and have to quit for honest reasons, such as moving into regions that don't have coverage.
Over the past few days, Electronista has had the opportunity to test Rogers' new HSPA+ 3G service to see whether or not it lives up to the cellular provider's claims and see what T-Mobile USA users can expect in the near future. With peak speeds of about 21Mbps, it's theoretically three times faster than the best anyone has to offer on a national level. We'll find out whether that's the case with Rogers' only USB modem for the service and provide an important tip for Mac OS X Snow Leopard users looking to sign on.
Google today extended its free holiday Wi-Fi deal to include 47 airports. Major stops in common destinations such as Boston, Las Vegas, Orlando and San Jose will have unrestricted wireless Internet access starting from today and lasting through to January 15th. Two of the airports, in Burbank and Seattle, will have the Wi-Fi permanently.
After a premature release, Microsoft's 802.11n Wi-Fi adapter is now on sale through Newegg. It provides multiple times more bandwidth than the original 802.11g adapter and uses MIMO (multiple in, multiple out) through twin antennas to both provide a more reliable signal as well as to extend range. Microsoft claims up to twice the range of the earlier technology.
ARRIS, the recent owner of Digeo and its Moxi-branded DVRs, announced on Monday it has overhauled the Moxi line and given it new features. This includes adding a three-tuner version of the Moxi HD DVR and introducing a new Moxi multi-room package that includes the new three-tuner Moxi. At the same time, ARRIS has dropped the price of its existing dual-tuner Moxi HD DVR. The new three-tuner Moxi HD DVR lets users record up to three channels at the same time and watch a program already recorded.
UK carrier O2 has announced a new "Bolt On" option for iPhone subscribers, the Total Connectivity package. The plan combines O2's £9.79, 3GB per month tethering Bolt On with a standard O2 Home Broadband connection, at no extra cost. The deal is explicitly associated with the iPhone 3G however, and will be available only between November 10th and December 31st.
AT&T this morning added just its second Sierra Wireless device in recent memory with a new USB 3G modem. The USBConnect Lightning (shown soon) supports the carrier's faster 7.2Mbps HSPA network where it's active and is also slightly more advanced than most with a hinge design to fit oddly-shaped notebooks and a lit-up faceplate. It continues to support regular 3.6Mbps HSPA as well as legacy GPRS and EDGE.
Apple is still preventing the use of 3G VoIP on iPhones, according to observers. While Wi-Fi has always been an option for Skype and other iPhone VoIP apps, 3G calling has typically been blocked out of bandwidth concerns, and the potential for depriving cellphone carriers -- namely AT&T -- of voice revenue. In regions with unlimited data, 3G VoIP could effectively circumvent minute limitations.
Verizon late Thursday confirmed that it would add tethering to the Motorola Droid but clarified its plans. Contradicting a prior statement, it now says tethering when ready will cost $30 in addition to the phone's existing voice and data plans. It will also have a 5GB bandwidth cap before overage fees begin, though the tethering rate will be separate from the Droid's regular data.
A recent FCC filing indicates that TiVo is readying an 802.11n accessory. The device, listed as the AN0100 Wireless 11n AP, appears to be a successor to the current AG0100 Wireless G USB network adapter the company sells for connecting its DVRs to a home network. The current model supports TiVoToGo, multi-room viewing, music, photos, and online scheduling.
Apple is allegedly working on several iPhone prototypes that integrate RFID readers, according to Near Field Communications World. The report originated from a "highly reliable source" who contacted Einar Rosenberg, the CTO of Narian Technologies. Although Apple has submitted for several patents involving iPhone RFID, the report claims the technology is likely to be utilized in the next-generation handset.
Microsoft's 802.11n adapter for the Xbox 360 has surfaced in Costco's online store for a slightly discounted price of $88. The accessory previously popped up in GameStop's inventory slated for November 3rd, although the listing was later removed. Costco claims the adapter is scheduled for shipment a week later on November 10th.
(Update clarifying timing) Comcast in a new FCC notice (PDF) revealed that it has already begun implementing a new throttling system. The approach is now service-agnostic and will lower the priority of any data packets if a user's cable modem either tops 70 percent of download or upload bandwidth for more than 15 minutes or else is flagged as bogging down the CMTS node, which manages a neighborhood's cable modem traffic.
On Thursday, Verizon Wireless said it has added three new prepaid mobile broadband data plans. Users can now opt for a $15 daily data allowance that includes 75MB of data, a $30 weekly package that includes 250MB of data and a $50 monthly offering with 500MB of data. These will be sold alongside a Verizon Wireless USB760 modem, priced at $130.
The European Parliament today agreed on a new set of legal protections for those threatened with losing Internet access under anti-piracy rules. The new measure in the EU's Telecoms Reform Package considers Internet access a "fundamental" right and will require that EU countries implement a "fair and impartial" process if their laws allow for disconnecting alleged pirates. It will also permit those facing a disconnection to legally dispute their case, though this won't necessarily be part of the regular process.
Young startup Isabella Products today unveiled a new digital photo frame that it hopes will make Internet access an always-available feature. The Vizit uses AT&T's cellular network to go online and, even more so than Wi-Fi, is ready to send and receive photos. It can send and receive photos through an online Vizit gallery or through e-mail but can also take photos sent by MMS.
Telus this morning took its turn at launching its own HSPA+ network and new devices, including the iPhone. It sells the iPhone 3G and both the 16GB and 32GB iPhone 3GS units at the same $100, $200 and $300 prices as at Bell and Rogers on a three-year contract. The plans are slightly different than Bell's and start with a $50 Clear Choice iPhone plan that provides 150 minutes, unlimited evenings and weekends after 9PM and 500MB of data with tethering but supplies the perk of either unlimited local calls and MMS/SMS messaging to five numbers, double the minutes, or 1,000 outbound (unlimited inbound) messages.
Orange UK has begun publicly responding to criticisms of its upcoming iPhone plans. At the center of complaints is the company's unlimited data provision, attached to each iPhone subscription. In reality data use is restricted by a 750MB "fair usage" policy, in sharp contrast to other iPhone carriers, such as O2 UK and AT&T.
