April 5 - 2:55pm EDT   MacWireless recently unveiled several new antennas and boosters for Apple's Time Capsule, offering users increased range control in a variety of forms. The antennas are available in a number of types: omni-directional, uni-directional, 90-degree corner, ceiling mounted, whip, and MIMO. The antennas are passive focusing systems since they do not use power to operate, and are available from MacWireless, ranging from $6 to $60, depending on the style of antenna. [full story]

March 27 - 11:25pm EDT   Apple today unveiled two updates, one for its Airport drivers under Mac OS X 10.4.x Tiger, and a firmware update for the Mac Pro (Early 2008), bringing the firmware to version 1.3. The AirPort Extreme Update 2008-001 for Tiger is recommended for all users with Intel-based Macs equipped with Tiger, and is said to enhance the reliability of AirPort connections. The update is 1.3MB, and is available from Software Update, as well as Apple's support page. [full story]

March 26 - 10:15pm EDT   Garmin today unveiled the GPSMAP 495, a feature-rich trimmed down version of the GPSMAP 496, providing pilots with SafeTaxi airport diagrams, Smart Airspace, AOPA Airport directory data, and several other features. Garmin bills the device as an intermediary model to the 296 and 496, combining features from the 496 but maintaining a price close to the 296. Garmin is currently selling the GPSMAP 495 for $1600, and will be shipping in early April. [full story]

March 22 - 4:25pm EDT   On March 19th, Apple released a nonspecific update regarding its Airport ecosystem and Time Machine – simply stating optimizations and driver fixes – but it is revealed to allow Time Capsule-like functionality with standard Airport Extreme Base Stations. According to Macworld, the update allows users to back up using Time Machine to a standard USB hard drive that is connected to an Airport Extreme Base Station. [full story]

March 19 - 5:20pm EDT   Apple today released a combination update for Time Machine, bundling with it Airport driver fixes. What the update actually fixes is unclear, simply stating "This update is recommended for all users and includes compatibility improvements for using Time Machine with Time Capsule, as well as AirPort driver fixes." The update is available through Software Update under the Apple menu, but Apple has not released its typical accompanying web pages on its support site. [full story]

March 17 - 5:45pm EDT   QuickerTek today unveiled the Time Capsule Antenna Array, a 3dBi tri-antenna which can be positioned anywhere to improve broadcast range and speed. The company advertises that the antenna boosts broadcast depth by up to 50-percent, allowing users to backup from a more distant location. The kit is available for both the 500GB and 1TB versions of Time Capsule, starting at $130 for a self-install kit, or $200 as installed by QuickerTek. [full story]

March 17 - 9:00am EDT   Confirming some earlier rumors, Apple has officially updated the AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n Wi-Fi. The technology is claimed to be as much as five times faster than the 802.11g used on the previous generation of AirPort, with twice the range. The update compliments 802.11n upgrades to other Apple products, including the AirPort Extreme router and its most recent Mac computers. [full story]

March 11 - 5:30pm EDT  Apple on Tuesday issued an update to its BaseStation software for its wireless devices, including the AirPort Express Base Station, AirPort Extreme Base Station, and its recently introduced Time Capsule backup device (see our First Look). The update, which first appeared as "AirPort Base Station Update 2008-001" via the Software Update, includes general fixes and compatibility updates for AirPort Utility, AirPort Disk Utility, and AirPort Base Station Agent; however, it is now available as AirPort Utility v5.3.1 and is described by Apple as "the setup and management utility" offering a variety of options for each device. The 8.8MB update is available for both Tiger and Leopard (and Windows). [full story]

March 10 - 12:00pm EDT   The MacBook Air's thin design is causing some confusion for the technically ignorant, according to one blogger who says that the ultra-portable caused him to miss his flight. When going through the TSA airport security checkpoint, blogger Michael Nygard was held up as security staff gathered around his MacBook Air, trying to make sense of the slender laptop. One of the less technically knowledgeable staff points out the lack of standard features as cause for alarm. [full story]

February 20 - 2:10pm EST   Rogue Amoeba has announced Airfoil 3.1, a new release of its AirPort Express extender for Mac OS X. This version includes complete support for sending audio to the Apple TV and Airfoil Speakers for Windows. The Take 2 update from Apple enables the Apple TV to appear as an AirTunes device, just like an AirPort Express, meaning iTunes can send audio to it. Now Airfoil opens the device up to receiving any audio. It can stream media players like QuickTime Player or Realplayer to web-based content like Pandora, Last.fm, Sirius or XM, [full story]

February 19 - 10:05am EST   QuickerTek today unveiled the Dualy Extreme, a range extender for the Airport Extreme Base Station, which can help the device broadcast up to five times the standard wireless range. The Dualy Extreme features twin 3dBi antennas, coupled with either two 500mW receivers or two 1W receivers. When upgraded, the Base Station uses the full 2.4GHz range with high-speed MIMO capability. The Dualy Extreme is available starting from $350 for the user-installed, 500mW kit, with the 1W kit selling for $500. [full story]

December 26 - 9:20am EST   The Airport Extreme base station has been temporarily removed from sale at Apple UK's online storefront, checks show. While still listed under wireless accessories, the Extreme's status has been changed to "not available," and accordingly no price is mentioned either. The disappearance is also apparently unique to the UK, as the American, Canadian and French online stores still have the wireless router in stock. No official explanation has been issued. [full story]

December 21 - 12:00pm EST   QuickerTek has announced that its Quicky Mac wireless booster is now shipping with a stronger case, answering customer requests to make the device more rugged. The Quicky expands the wireless reception of any MacBook, iBook, or PowerBook from Apple's built-in 30mW AirPort card to 500mW. The device is priced at $225 and comes with a 1-year warranty on parts and labor. [full story]

November 28 - 7:30pm EST   A month has passed since Apple introduced Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, and the upgrade still has several problems to address despite an early patch that fixed numerous others. Time Machine and AirPort Extreme connectivity issues remain unsolved, even as Time Machine and Aperture data corruption plague Leopard users alongside windows that seem to vanish when using the new 'Spaces' feature. Failed installation attempts resulting from partitioning issues also still stand, as well as the potential for forced reinstalls after attempting to use Migration Assistant to recover data from a cloned disk backup using a utility called 'SuperDuper.' [full story]

November 26 - 7:20pm EST   Some users are experiencing less-than-satisfactory network performance since their upgrade to Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, or from the 10.5.1 update, and are seeking help on Apple's forums (1 | 2 | 3 | 4). The reports vary in circumstance, with some users having troubles on third-party network equipment while others that use the same hardware deny having any issues. Most of the complaints revolve around poor network reception, low speed, and a high ping rate – a type of network command that displays network latency in milliseconds. Most users with the problem seem to believe that it is a problem related to DNS entries, and some are turning to DNS hosting services such as ... [full story]