In other words, a computer or other wireless device that taps into the Vi-Fi system would select one base station at a time as an anchor. Using a complex algorithm, the system will calculate the probability that a packet received by an auxiliary base station was not received by the anchor. If the probability is high, the auxiliary will relay the packet to the anchor as a backup.

Microsoft hopes that their research will lead to the first truly reliable Wi-Fi system for vehicles, and recent tests conducted on their campus have been extremely successful. The next step is to scale up the project around the campus, but how or when a Vi-Fi system could be implemented in the real world has not been determined. Of course, one major hurdle would have to be that a serious municipal Wi-Fi infrastructure would be required to get the project off the ground. [SeattlePi via DailyTech via Newlaunches]

FREMONT, Calif. – Aug. 28, 2008 — Today, Logitech (SWX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) unveiled the Logitech® Squeezebox™ Boom all-in-one network music player, featuring an integrated amplifier, high-performance speakers and a simplified setup. Now, it’s easier than ever before to bring digital music to any room in your home.

“The network music player will be the CD player of the 21st century, and Squeezebox Boom is the first player in its class to deliver high-quality audio in a compact, all-in-one design,” said Robin Selden, vice president and general manager of Logitech’s Streaming Media business unit. “From the streamlined setup to the breakthrough acoustics, the Squeezebox Boom is an entirely new type of network music player. Just plug it in and you’re ready to rock the house.”

No Additional Audio Gear, Wires Needed
With the Logitech Squeezebox Boom all-in-one network music player, you can listen to your digital music in the kitchen, the bedroom or any other room in your home – without needing to attach external speakers. Just plug the new Logitech network music player into a power outlet – there are no additional wires to connect. Then, using your existing home network, you can listen to the music you love from the personal collection on your computer, your favorite Internet radio stations, and subscription services such as Rhapsody®, Last.FM, Slacker, Pandora® and Sirius – even when the computer is off.

Adding Squeezebox Boom to your network is simple. The new Logitech player will automatically detect the available networks. Once you select your network, simply enter your password – for your convenience, Squeezebox Boom automatically remembers it for future use.

For different music in another room of your home, you can easily expand your Squeezebox network music system. Simply add additional Squeezebox Boom players in any room you like or, if you already have an existing stereo system, add another player from the Squeezebox family to your network music setup, including the Logitech® Squeezebox™ Duet network music system.

Listen to Thousands of Internet Radio Stations on High-Performance Speakers
Upon registering your Squeezebox Boom network music player, you can access thousands of radio stations and millions of songs, aggregated by SqueezeNetwork™ – Logitech’s free, online service – without having to remember Internet addresses or passwords. So you enjoy an optimized wireless-network speed and a secure connection, Squeezebox Boom uses true 802.11g wireless technology and dual internal antennas.

To fill your room with sound, the Squeezebox Boom network music player offers an integrated, all-digital 30-watt amplifier accompanied by two ¾-inch, high-definition, soft-dome tweeters and two 3-inch, high-power, long-throw woofers. A bi-amplified design – which includes a high-performance signal processor, class-D amplifier and digital crossover – delivers crystal clear sound with minimal noise and distortion. For bass lovers, the Squeezebox Boom even includes a subwoofer connection. And if you want to listen to music in private, the 3.5 mm jack lets you plug in your headphones.

The Logitech Squeezebox Boom network music player works as an alarm clock and can wake you up to your favorite tunes. Six preset buttons, located under the display, make it easy to get to your favorite song, Internet radio station or playlist.

The included remote control gives you control of the Squeezebox Boom from across the room. And the remote includes a tiny magnet that lets you easily attach it to the top of the Squeezebox Boom or, for example, your refrigerator.

The Squeezebox Family
The new Squeezebox Boom is part of the Squeezebox family of products, which includes the award-winning Logitech Squeezebox Duet network music system, Logitech® Squeezebox™ network music player, as well as the audiophiles’ choice, the Logitech® Transporter™ network music player.

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Squeezebox Boom network music player is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in September for a suggested retail price of $299.99 (U.S.).

Technical profile:
WCDMA 850/1900 (HSDPA)
GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
4 x 2.2 x 0.7-inches (local depth up to 0.8-inches)
4.4 ounces
2.8-inch QVGA Display (240 x 320 pixels) with up to 16 million colors
Nokia BL-5F battery, 950 mAh

Media:
16 MB on-board memory
Expandable via microSD slot
MPEG-4/SP MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
Up to 30 fps, up to VGA resolution
(scaled max QVGA on device, SDT on TV-out)
Windows Media (WMV9) up to CIF @ 30fps
Flash Lite 3.0 / Flash Video in browser
MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, WMA

Main Camera:
Carl Zeiss Tessar lens
Up to 5 megapixels (2592 x 1944) JPEG/EXIF
MPEG-4 VGA (640 x 380) at up to 30 fps
F.28 Aperture
5.2mm Focal length
Dual LED camera flash and video light

Operating Times:
Talk time Up to 160 mins (3G), 230 mins (GSM)
Standby time Up to 200 hrs (3G), 230 hrs (GSM)
Video playback Up to 5 hours (offline mode)
Music playback Up to 14 hours (offline mode)

Connectivity & Data Services:
WLAN IEEE 802.11 b/g with UPnP support
Micro-USB connector, hi-speed USB 2.0
3.5mm stereo headphone plug and TV-out support (PAL/NTSC)
Bluetooth wireless technology 2.0 with A2DP stereo audio,
enhanced data rates
GPS receiver with support for assisted GPS (A-GPS)

The Gadget: Logitech's MX 1100 cordless laser mouse, which is a combination of the MX1000 (which we've used for years) and the slightly newer MX Revolution. It's wireless, which is great for most everyone, and contoured to your hand for extra comfort. There's also an on-board DPI toggle for sensitivity and the ability to switch between regular scrolling and super speedy scrolling.

The Price: $80

The Verdict: Our favorite mouse yet. The exterior is totally molded to fit your hand with very cozy grooves for the thumb, ring and pinkie. Like the MX Revolution, it's missing the fast scroll buttons found in the MX1000, but makes up for it with the fast scroll/regular scroll wheel toggle that lets you switch between standard scrolling and the super fast turbo spin that shoots through 10,000 lines of Excel in seven seconds. Then there are the other buttons.

The exterior DPI toggle can adjust sensitivity on the fly without opening up the control app and the "body" thumb button is good for whatever function (Exposé on Mac or Flip 3D on Vista) you want to assign. The forward and back thumb buttons are still there, and are still nice and soft, and the right and left mouse clicks have just the perfect amount of feedback to balance out feeling solid, being quiet and feeling satisfying. It also solves the flaw Logitech mice have had the past few years where it's hard to middle click the scroll wheel because it would tilt to either side, activating the side scrolling.

The two questionable design decisions are its use of AA batteries, which means it's not natively rechargeable, and the fact that lefties will feel even more uncomfortable using this than with previous ergonomically-shaped mice. We're right handed, but a few of our friends (we call them leftovers) wish they could use these along with us. Maybe make a left-handed version with all the internal pieces mirrored, but only 1/20 the production count? As for the batteries, this might be better, since our experience with Logitech mice is that the contacts between it and the docking station always get worn out, which leads to an inability to charge after a few years.

If you're like us and can see past these very minor quirks, you'll definitely be happy picking one up for daily use. At $80, it's not on the absolute highest side of the mice scale, plus it's actually still cheaper than the $99 MX Revolution, so power users will definitely be happy using this for years;or at least until Logitech decides to refine their design even more. [(Logitech (MX 1100) and Logitech (MX Revolution)]

Intel's work builds on the progress MIT has made with transmitting power through resonant magnetic fields. But where the MIT team, led by Marin Soljacic, has only achieved 50% efficiency over a range of a few feet, Intel is said to have recently zapped up to 60 watts over the same distance at an efficiency of 75%, which is quite a leap forward.

Intel also is extrapolating potential uses of the tech for supercapicitors—basically giant electrochemical "batteries" that recharge almost instantly compared to Li-ion and store over a thousand times more juice than standard capacitors.

Sounds good. We'll keep you posted on any developments from IDF today. UPDATE: Intel didn't tell us anything we didn't know already in their IDF demo today, which lit a lightbulb from a distance of a few feet by passing electricity between two coils. We were assured, though, that being in the middle of the electrically charge resonant magnetic field doesn't hurt one bit.

[New York Times, Photos: John Herrman]

LOGITECH INTRODUCES FIRST FORCE FEEDBACK WHEEL FOR WII
Logitech Speed Force Wireless Racing Wheel Works With EA's Highly Anticipated Racing Game Need for Speed™ Undercover

FREMONT, Calif. — Aug. 21, 2008 — To give you a more realistic driving experience on your Wii™, Logitech (SWX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) today announced the Logitech® Speed Force Wireless™ racing wheel – the first force feedback wheel for the popular gaming platform. Licensed by Nintendo®, Logitech's newest force feedback wheel works with Electronic Arts' Need for Speed™ Undercover and paves the way for more force feedback racing titles on the Wii.
"We're excited to team up with Nintendo and Electronic Arts to bring driving realism to the Wii and Need for Speed Undercover," said Ruben Mookerjee, Logitech's director of product marketing for gaming. "Logitech has been at the forefront of force feedback technology for more than a decade, and we're confident that our driving platform will be an indispensable part of the racing experience on Wii as more titles that support it become available."

"As the world's most popular racing franchise, Need for Speed is committed to delivering players superior racing experiences," said Larry LaPierre, Vice President at Black Box, developer of Need for Speed. "This November, Wii gamers can fully experience the thrill of the chase in Need for Speed Undercover with Logitech's force feedback realism."

Easy to set up and store, the Logitech Speed Force Wireless features a one-piece design that is convenient to use whether you're sitting on your couch, arm chair or living room floor. The built-in gas and brake controls are located on the wheel itself and the expandable lap rest is easily adjusted – allowing for comfortable game play without the need to use a table or a desk. Plus, familiar Wii controls make navigating game menus a snap.

To help you minimize clutter, the Logitech Speed Force Wireless eliminates the console cable. With Logitech's 2.4 GHz wireless technology, you can enjoy lag-free racing from up to 30 feet away from the console. To start racing, just connect the USB receiver to the Wii, plug in the wheel's power cord, put in Need for Speed: Undercover, adjust the lap rest to a comfortable position and wait for the race to begin. There's no mounting or assembly involved. And when you're ready to put it away, the USB receiver can be stowed in a convenient compartment on the bottom of the wheel.

Logitech Force Feedback Technology
Having introduced its first force feedback products in 1998, the company has designed 19 models of force feedback wheels. And more than 100 racing titles have supported Logitech force feedback technology on a variety of game platforms.

When you're playing a racing game, standard controllers don't let you feel all the excitement that makes racing with force feedback technology the closest you can get to the real thing. Force feedback, unlike vibration feedback or rumble technology, creates directionally precise, tactile feedback that accurately simulates forces experienced in the game. Through the use of advanced software and electronics, force feedback moves a steering wheel as if the device were subject to real external forces.

About Need for Speed Undercover

Need for Speed Undercover takes players back to the franchise's roots and re-introduces break-neck cop chases and spectacular highway battles. Players discover a world of high-stakes and high-speed action in some of the world's hottest cars. The all-new Heroic Driving Engine propels the action forward as players experience the dramatic story through spectacular Hollywood-style live-action in-game movies.

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Speed Force Wireless racing wheel is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in November for a suggested retail price of $99.99 (U.S.).

Need for Speed Undercover is being developed by Black Box in Vancouver, B.C. and is slated to ship this November. It will be available for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and Wii™ as well as the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS™, PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) handheld entertainment system, PC and mobile. More information can be found at www.needforspeed.com.

The Price: $200

The Verdict: It has been a long time since I last shopped for a printer, and if Brother's new addition to their Professional Series line is any indicator, consumers are getting a lot more for their buck these days. For less than $200 you can expect a 4-in-1 device that does all of its tasks exceedingly well.

Setting up the device on a home network was no problem at all, and exchanging / printing files between multiple computers, media cards and USB drives was a smooth process. The print quality for both documents and photos was impressive for its class (6000 x 1200 dpi printing /19200 dpi on scans) and it cranks them out at a good clip (35ppm black and 28ppm color on printing / 23cpm black, 20cpm color on scans ). It also has some useful added features like scan to JPEG, TIFF and PDF as well as the ability to print on 11x17 ledger size paper, which means you won't have to make a trip to Kinkos if you need to print something on that scale. Plus, it has a decent 150 sheet paper capacity for large printing projects.

On the negative side, it isn't the smallest or sturdiest printer out there, and you will have to factor in the cost of a pricey four cartridge ink system down the line (available in standard an high yield versions). It is also compatible with 802.11b/g networks only, so if you are running draft-N you are out of luck. The software wasn't anything to write home about either—I found myself doing most of the work directly on the flip-up 3.3-inch color LCD display. At any rate, these are not huge problems in the overall scheme of things, so the Brother MFC-5890CN is definitely something to look into if you have a small business or a need for a more feature-rich printer at a relatively low price point. Expect to see it on store shelves starting on August 27th.

The move shouldn't be all that surprising if you kept up with the 700 MHz spectrum auction earlier this year. During the auction, Cox dropped $304 million for its piece of the wireless pie. Esser noted that the company plans on investing a total of $500 million in wireless spectrum before all is said and done. No doubt they will need every penny (and probably more) if they want to make a mark in the highly competitive wireless business. [PC Mag]

A Cisco fiber switch (top) handles all of the traffic on the 20 megabit internet link, and the whole thing runs behind an OpenBSD firewall. Around 40 Aruba AP-70 access points distribute the network, which are basically only radios hooked to AC power; they receive all configuration info from the main network system to prevent WAP takeovers:

The whole thing sits behind this padlocked chain fence, which is manned by a 24/7 armed security guard.

Hit up Threat Level for the full set, including a portrait of Tomoe the German Shepherd, the Goons' last line of defense. [Threat Level photos by Dave Bullock via /.]

VISUAL VOICE MAIL FROM VERIZON WIRELESS GIVES CUSTOMERS A NEW WAY TO MANAGE THEIR MESSAGES

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – The company with the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network today introduced Visual Voice Mail, a new application that lets customers manage their voice mail on their phones. Available today on the Voyager™ by LG, Visual Voice Mail provides an easy-to-use display screen with one-touch access to listen to voice mail messages. Customers can also delete, reply and forward their voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions, making Visual Voice Mail ideal for busy professionals who want a more effective way to manage and respond to messages.

Visual Voice Mail allows customers to see a list of all of their voice mail messages with important information, such as date and time of receipt, as well as message duration, in order to prioritize and efficiently manage their voice mail messages directly from their phones. When a caller leaves a new voice mail message, the Visual Voice Mail application pops up, alerting the customer that a new voice mail message has been received. From the phone display, customers can select from a number of options, including call back, reply, forward, add to contacts, and archive message (to internal or external memory).

Customers can store up to 40 messages for 40 days – double the storage capacity and nearly double the retention time of Basic Voice Mail. In addition, customers can create up to 10 greetings, as well as up to 20 distribution lists and 50 distribution members to receive messages.

"Verizon Wireless recognizes that voice mail plays a large role in how customers conduct business and manage the balance between their personal and professional lives," said Mike Willsey, executive director for marketing, Verizon Wireless. "With Visual Voice Mail, we're able to offer customers more options to help them better prioritize voice mail messages from family, friends, colleagues, and business partners in a more timely and effective manner."

Technology Providers

Verizon Wireless' Visual Voice Mail service is powered by Alcatel-Lucent and Comverse. Alcatel-Lucent, a leading provider of messaging solutions worldwide, is deploying the Alcatel-Lucent 5150 Messaging Applications Broker (MAB) which provides enhanced notification and content delivery services for voice, text and video messages through an intuitive visual interface. Visual Voice Mail eliminates the need to dial-in and listen to messages in sequential order, making it easier for customers to manage messages. Alcatel-Lucent is also providing network integration services for Visual Voice Mail.

Comverse is a pioneer and market leader in Visual Voice Mail services, which are deployed over its InSight Next-Generation Voicemail Platform. Visual Voice Mail improves the customer experience with solutions for today's diverse lifestyles and different technologies. New messages are delivered to the handset for one-click access, and message details are displayed at a glance.

Availability and Pricing

Verizon Wireless customers can find the Visual Voice Mail application on the Messaging menu under option 6 on their Voyager by LG phones. Visual Voice Mail is available for $2.99 monthly access, per line, plus airtime or megabyte charges and messaging fees, depending on a customer's plan. Customers should take their Voyager by LG phones to any Verizon Wireless Communications Store to receive the free software update. Verizon Wireless expects to offer Visual Voice Mail on additional devices in the coming months.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 68.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 70,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

The Price: $159 with $20 promo code (DS220)

The Verdict: Not too bad. The speakers themselves are adequate, though not as good as their previous wireless iPod dock effort. The 220 functions decently well as an iPod dock, but what you really want this for is its wireless speaker functions.

Imagine plugging in the USB dongle to your laptop—which doesn't have very good speakers—and beaming all audio to the wireless unit across the room. It's a fairly elegant solution to get around the fact that your laptop has less than optimal speakers and aren't easy to substitute by plugging into better ones when you're lounging on the couch.

The only note we have is that the 2.4GHz frequency the dongle uses to communicate is prone to interference, and if you use it on your laptop, you're going to get some intermittent audio. Everything was fine when we worked off an Ethernet connection, but when we fired up our wireless on the laptop, you could definitely tell some interference was going on when music keeps dropping out. Also (on at least the Mac version) you can't control volume via your computer; you have to use the wireless remote.

In the end, $159 isn't too steep a price to pay for wireless speakers that you can easily sync up to your laptop. If they'd fix the wireless interference and add volume control on your computer, we'd be able to recommend this fully. [Mint]

FREMONT, Calif. —(Business Wire)— Aug. 6, 2008 Logitech (SWX:LOGN) (NASDAQ:LOGI) today announced the perfect keyboard to complement your Mac(R) computer. The Logitech(R) diNovo Edge(TM), Mac(R) Edition is the newest addition to Logitech's line of award-winning diNovo keyboards and the first diNovo keyboard specially designed for the Mac.

"We're truly delighted to offer discerning Mac enthusiasts our highest quality in keyboard design and performance," said Denis Pavillard, vice president of product marketing for Logitech's keyboards and desktops. "From the piano-black finish to its built-in TouchDisc(TM) touch pad, the diNovo Edge can make it a pleasure for you to type, control music or launch your favorite applications."

Since the introduction of the original diNovo(TM) Media Desktop(R) in 2004, Logitech's diNovo line of distinctive keyboards has garnered many awards in response to its blend of design and performance. The newest diNovo keyboard is exceptionally thin (1/2 inch or 11.05 mm) with a high-gloss, semi-translucent Plexiglas(R) frame, sharp angles and soft-orange backlighting. The aluminum palm rest with anodized-silver finish looks good with any Mac computer, including the iMac(R) and the MacBook(R) Pro.

In addition to its design, the diNovo Edge, Mac Edition features optimized Mac keys for one-touch access to Mail, Safari(TM) and iTunes(R), as well as many other Mac-specific applications. The new Logitech keyboard even offers a Power button that turns your Mac computer on and off, while the TouchDisc allows you to scroll and navigate from your keyboard. Moving a finger up and down or across the disc moves the cursor on the computer screen, and moving the finger in a circular motion around the perimeter of the TouchDisc enables you to scroll horizontally and vertically through documents. (Logitech Control Center software installation is required for some features.)

For a typing experience that's comfortable, fluid and silent, the new Logitech keyboard features the Logitech PerfectStroke(TM) key system. PerfectStroke is designed to create longer key travel - 3.2 mm compared to 2.2 mm - than that of typical notebook keyboards, which means that the distance your fingers have to travel to activate a key is optimized for your comfort. And because micro-scissors distribute force evenly across key surfaces, even if you strike the edge of a key, the key stroke still feels the same.

An included charging base eliminates the hassle of changing batteries, with a four-hour charge giving you up to one month of battery life. A 10-minute power charge provides one day of use.

So you can get started right away, the new Logitech keyboard connects directly to a Mac computer through Bluetooth(R) wireless technology, providing a range of up to 30 feet.

Pricing and Availability

The Logitech diNovo Edge, Mac Edition cordless keyboard is expected to be available in the U.S. beginning this month. The suggested retail price in the U.S. is $159.99.

It works exactly the way it works for Tom Cruise: As you climb, work, drive or bike, both your hands remain busy with what they’re supposed to be doing. And yet you’re also in constant two-way conversation with whoever is wearing the other earpiece. It feels natural and creepy at the same time, as if you have one of those little angels (or devils) sitting on your shoulder feeding advice or wisecracks directly into your head. And it’s free forever. No air time, no minutes, no monthly bill.

Unfortunately for the SM100, its standard Bluetooth connection keeps those conversations limited to 30 feet or less. The Dragon, however, is Bluetooth Class 1, and as such got to about 250 feet before the static started to kick in on Pogue and his son.

As a bonus, the Dragon can also pair up with two sources at once (are we sensing the winner yet?). This means you can have your easy listening tracks playing on your PC, and when a call comes in the Dragon switches automatically, and vice versa.

Further boosting the Dragon's spy cred is the accompanying Phoenix device, sold separately for $300, which sits on a table top and expands your network to up to five earpieces at once. We think it's a small price to pay for keeping your team of spy guy super geeks connected, informed, and ready to respond to a flamebait blog post at a moment's notice. [New York Times]

The Price: $240

The Verdict: Works mostly as advertised, but at a price of $240, we expect a bit more polish to the unit.

The 10-inch display is roomy, but its 800x480 resolution looks somewhat pixelated when you get up close. Loading photos from its internal memory and USB slot (or SD slot) works just as well as you'd expect, which is nice. However, 1GB of built-in memory is pretty tiny for something that costs $240.

You can also stream photos from various online photo sharing networks, which works pretty well over its 802.11g connection or its 10/100 Ethernet port (you really want to use the Wi-Fi to make this truly wireless, but seeing as there's a mandatory AC adapter, that's pretty much an impossibility anyway).

One of the goofs we find is that the default setting on FrameChannel.com, the online utility you use to manage all your internet feeds, sets the default photos at a maximum of 5, so you only get 5 pics in your rotation at once. Easy enough to fix if you know where to look, but your parents would have to call you first. Again, for $240 we expect the kind of user interface that you can actually tweak settings on without having to use a separate computer.

Is it fairly solid? Yes. Would we recommend this to our parents? Probably not. We'll wait for the second-gen (or is it fifth-gen now) photo frames—something we can give to our parents and have them figure out themselves. [D-Link]

[Price Comparison]

One thing he unfortunately doesn't take a position on is the disturbing trend of data caps from most of the major ISPs, which are technically net neutral, and satisfy his current mantra of full disclosure (i.e., your ISP can rape you, as long as they tell you first). Om has a pretty dire (but probably correct) take on Martin's position (or lack thereof).

We might see some rules over on the cable side to force them to open a bit more, if they don't do it of their own volition though:

"The cable operators won’t license a device that integrates Internet video content with their content,” he said. “I’m saying that’s wrong, and I am trying to get the other commissioners to address it.”

He hates the cable industry so, so much, and I kind of love him for it (even if it is a smokescreen). If you care at all about the future of the internet, cable or wireless, read the interview, there's a lot there. [Bits]

The Price: $250 for the base unit and one satellite, $130 for each additional satellite.

The Verdict: Dreamy. The ability to put music in five separate rooms simultaneously (base + 4 sats) is a dream we've had since we were in elementary school planning on buying our first house. (That's right, other kids wanted to be astronauts, we wanted to be Bruce Wayne, homeowner and bad ass crimefighter.) The base unit has excellent sound, great bass response and SRS WOW! sound enhancement. The satellites are a bit lower quality, but definitely listenable. As a bonus, it also supports all the way back to the 3rd generation iPods—in our opinion, one of the best iPods ever made. Rocktastic.

Shooting iPod music everywhere was cool, but we discovered something way cooler. Step one was plugging our iTunes output from our Mac/PC into the base unit and switching it to AUX input. Step two was using our iPhone and the new Remote app so we could control our iTunes from anywhere inside the house. It's as close to an ultimate audio setup as we could get with equipment this easy and plug-and-play.

Is it worth $250 + $130 for satellites? Think of it as an investment. As long as you're alright with the sound quality and your home isn't any taller than three stories (just about the limit we found for the sound to not cut in and out all the time) you'll be able to use this as a home-wide music solution for years. [EOS Wireless]

Apparently they don't use any network management for the wireless broadband network, meaning there's nothing in place that'll slow down or stop P2P (or any other bandwidth-hogging app). It looks like this P2P ban applies to the iPhone as well (waiting for confirmation on that), despite statements earlier that its unlimited data usage was truly unlimited—so don't hold your breath for a video P2P app (like Joost or something) on your iPhone. Below is AT&T's official rationale.

Mobile wireless broadband service relies on shared network resources. With any shared network, some limitations on uses of individual subscribers are inherently necessary to ensure that all customers collectively receive an acceptable level of service.

Unlike wired broadband networks where the maximum number of potential simultaneous users in a given neighborhood is known in advance, the maximum number of potential mobile wireless broadband users that may simultaneously seek to access a given cell site at any particular time – and thus the collective service experience for all users at that site, for both data and voice services – is far less predictable due to the inherently nomadic nature of mobile wireless users.

In order to provide quality service to all our customers, our terms of service for mobile wireless broadband do prohibit uses that may cause extreme network capacity issues, including P2P file sharing.

Our terms of service are similar to those of other wireless providers.

Use of a P2P file sharing application would be a breach of contract that would allow us to terminate a user’s service. That said, since the vast majority of customers abide by their contracts, we have so far found it unnecessary to terminate anyone’s service for this reason.

[Multichannel]

The rationale behind AT&T's petition is basically that the deal requires more scrutiny. Their official statement on the matter, sent to us by an AT&T spokesman, is that, "While AT&T does not fundamentally oppose the underlying transaction, Sprint and Clearwire should be required to demonstrate that its merger serves the public interest just like any other providers would have to do." Specifically, a significant chunk of the 2.5GHz spectrum their network will run on is actually leased from the schools and non-profits (which use it for the Educational Broadband Service).

According to Ars, AT&T is arguing that if you count the spectrum holdings Sprint and Clearwire lease from the EBS license holders, they pass the threshold requiring a "competitive analysis" of what the spectrum landscape would look like post-merger, which they don't have in their merger filings. Even though, as Ars points out, when AT&T bought Dobson Communications last year, they said EBS spectrum didn't really count.

So, it has to be asked—is AT&T finally scared of WiMax? [Ars Technica]

The change in range is due to the chunk of spectrum being used (5GHz for WHDI and anywhere from 3.1 to 10.6 GHz for UWB). UWB is a low-power, short-range broadcast because it has to play nice with the other protocols found on the wide breadth of spectrum it calls home. (For better or worse, Monster's wireless HD kit is wireless up until the point it needs to use your home's coax wiring to gain whole-house coverage).

WHDI, however, is camped out in a chunk of unlicensed 5GHz spectrum just like 802.11n Wi-Fi, meaning it must be able to tolerate the reasonable levels of interference only from other devices that use the same frequencies, and can broadcast at higher power levels than UWB—enough for a range of "over 100 feet." WirelessHD, a third major spec also funded by Samsung and Sony, plus Panasonic, Toshiba, LG and NEC, uses the 60GHz band, and apparently has problems unless the transmitter and receiver are within line-of-sight.

Components will be paired through menu systems using a pass-key, like Bluetooth. The spectrum can hold around six streams of 1080p video at a time, although real-world interference may vary. A likely scenario would be streaming from a WHDI cable box or Blu-ray player downstairs to 3 TVs throughout your house while still having room for HD gaming in the den.

The fact that a few heavies like Panasonic are still notably missing could mean another standards battle is on the horizon. While WirelessHD already claims a published 1.0 spec, and Monster's UWB product should be out by the fall, the WHDI spec is due to be finalized at the end of the year, with products hopefully popping up in time for CES '09. Stay tuned until then—as one format war ends, another begins.

"We have not made any announcement regarding free Wi-Fi and iPhone. The webpage was posted in error and is being removed. Wi-Fi is a real differentiator for AT&T and it is our intention to make it available to as many customers as possible, but we have no announcement at this time."

Can you just make up your mind then? [GigaOm]

Tokyo, July 17, 2008 - Sony Corporation, Canon Inc., Eastman Kodak Company, Hitachi Ltd., Victor Company of Japan, KDDI Corporation, Kenwood Corporation, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic), Nikon Corporation, Olympus Imaging Corporation, Pioneer Corporation, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Seiko Epson Corporation, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, Toshiba Corporation today announced an agreement to form a consortium to develop specifications for interconnecting products using “TransferJet” a new interoperable wireless transfer technology that enables rapid transfer of high resolution video, music and images. The “TransferJet Consortium” (www.transferjet.org) plans to promote a wide range of products and services incorporating TransferJet technology with the aim of accelerating its adoption throughout the consumer electronics industry.

TransferJet wireless technology enables a high speed data transmission rate of 560Mbps, while eliminating the need for complex setup and operation. Directly touching two compliant electronic products together allows files to be transferred automatically, without the need for an access point. For example, touching a TV with a digital camera enables photos to be instantaneously displayed on the TV screen. Alternatively, downloaded music content can be easily enjoyed by touching a mobile phone to a portable audio player. TransferJet can be used as a universal interface across all consumer electronics devices.

The “TransferJet Consortium” will develop specifications and guidelines ensuring interoperability between products incorporating the technology, establish licensing schemes and administer the use of the TransferJet logo. The Consortium will also promote the advantages across industries and to consumers. Through these initiatives, the Consortium will aim to create and expand the market for TransferJet products.

"TransferJet Consortium" Members (as of July 17 2008 )

Sony Corporation ("TransferJet Consortium" Administration)
Canon Inc.
Eastman Kodak Company
Hitachi Ltd.,
Victor Company of Japan
KDDI Corporation
Kenwood Corporation
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd (Panasonic)
Nikon Corporation
Olympus Imaging Corporation
Pioneer Corporation
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Seiko Epson Corporation
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications
Toshiba Corporation