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Cisco Releases New Linksys Routers And Switches

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 05:36 AM PDT

In the world of high tech, routers and switches are the oft-ignored, older, awkward step-sisters of CE design. It is thus no longer. Cisco has just released a plethora of routers and switches, ranging from $60 to $160 on the wireless side and $29 to $74 on the switch side, that look like little alien racecars.

The new models in the E-Series come with the standard junk – 10/100 Mbps wired ports and 300 Mbps wireless access – and a few even have a special virtual USB system that allows you to connect distant devices just as if they were on your local USB bus. Exciting stuff, to be sure.

Most of this stuff is available now. Why not take one of these wallflowers for a spin?

Product Page

Cisco Announces Next-Generation Linksys Wireless Routers and Switches

Home Wireless Leader Unveils Sleek New Design with Unmatched Performance
for Premium Video, Gaming, and Entertainment Experiences

San Francisco, CA April 5, 2011 – Cisco® today continued its legacy of leadership in home networking with the launch of its new Linksys® E-Series family − a complete suite of powerful and easy-to-use next-generation wireless-n routers and switches. With sales of wireless-enabled products such as tablets and game consoles steadily growing and Internet video usage exploding, consumers are seeking greater performance, reliability and simplicity from their home wireless networks. The new Linksys wireless–n routers and switches, available today, offer a complete range of options that set a new standard for speed, range, and ease-of-use, while also sporting a visually-appealing new design.

The new Linksys E-Series lineup includes five routers, each with the latest technology in home wireless for a multitude of home entertainment experiences. The new routers not only provide the performance needed for today’s connected home, but also help to future-proof for new and emerging media technologies that are gaining traction with consumers, such as Internet-enabled TVs and Cisco’s ūmi telepresence. Designed with faster speeds (up to 450 Mbps*), other key features for select routers in the line include a 3×3 spatial stream configuration for improved coverage, external power amplifiers to maintain signal strength over a greater distance and reduce dead spots, and virtual USB technology** to connect USB printers, storage and devices to the network. The full line also boasts a new industrial design that combines sleek contours and advanced functionality − recently earning the prestigious 2011 Red Dot Product Design Award for product design, innovation and quality.

“With more than 70 million routers sold, Linksys brings a decade of leadership and innovation to create products that consumers trust for the best wireless quality, performance and experience,” said Simon Fleming-Wood, vice president of marketing, Cisco Consumer Products. “Our new Linksys line offers an array of solutions for the needs of today’s home networking consumer – from basic Internet surfing to video and music streaming, to gaming.”

According to industry research group IDC, only 39% of US homes have wireless, while only 11% are using wireless-n technology. Over the next five years wireless-n adoption is expected to nearly double due to the growth of wireless connected devices such as tablets, smartphones, and Internet-enabled TVs that require the latest wireless technology for optimal performance. (IDC, Worldwide Home Networking 2010-2014 Forecast Update, Doc.# 225479, Nov. 2010)

Cisco Connect Software Enables Easy Setup and Network Management

Each of the Linksys E-series routers include the acclaimed Cisco Connect software that makes it easy for consumers to set up and manage their wireless home network effortlessly. Unlike other wireless products that require 20 to 30 complicated steps to set up a single computer, Cisco Connect takes you through three simple steps from start to finish. The included Cisco Connect software makes it easy to: 1) add additional devices to the network, 2) set parental controls, 3) provide Internet access for guests on a separate guest network and 4) customize personal security settings such as passwords. Advanced users can also configure and manage their routers via the web browser.

The new routers feature the latest version of Cisco Connect, which now includes an Internet Speed Test that can check the bandwidth and speed of a user’s Internet connection.

New Switches Enable Easy Network Expansion and Power Saving Modes

The three new Linksys switches enable faster and simpler wired connections. New features include plug and play of Ethernet-enabled devices, Quality of Service (QoS) for traffic prioritization, auto-sensing ports, and power saving features.

Pricing and Availability

There are eight new products in the Linksys family — five routers and three switches. The suggested retail prices for the routers range from $59.99 to $179.99. Prices of the switches range from $29.99 to $74.99. The full line of Linksys routers and switches are available starting today at retailers nationwide or by visiting the Linksys website at www.linksys.com/store.

Sony Says The NGP/PSP2 Won’t Be Delayed (But Rather Arrive This Year)

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 04:26 AM PDT

Yesterday, Bloomberg reported that Sony is considering pushing back the release of the NGP, aka the PSP2 (we followed up right after the report was published). As a reason for the possible delay, Jack Tretton (president of Sony Computer Entertainment of America) was quoted as saying his company is seeing production problems.

But today The Nikkei, “Japan’s Wall Street Journal”, is reporting that this statement isn’t true. The paper asked Satoshi Fukuoka, spokesman for Sony Computer Entertainment proper, who said the quake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11 won’t push out the launch of their new game machine to 2012.

According to Fukuoka, Sony will rather stick to their original plan to begin releasing the device in different markets “in steps” later this year (and not focus on just one region for the launch).

Seeing how successful the 3DS has been so far, Sony should bring the PSP2 to market as soon as they can.

Daily Crunch: Jump Man Edition

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 12:00 AM PDT

Nikon Announces ME-1 DSLR-Style Mic For Your New D5100

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 09:01 PM PDT


So Nikon just put out its new T3i for consumers looking for both great stills and cinematic video. But a problem DSLRs face with video is the poor sound quality — they generally have weak little pinhole mics that suck wind and sound worse than cell phones. You can get a third-party mic, but it looks like Nikon wants to keep it all in the family, so they’re putting out a DSLR microphone of their own: the ME-1.”

It’s designed to filter out autofocus noise and wind, and it’s totally powered by the camera. It attaches to the hot shoe, so you won’t be able to put an external monitor or LED rig there, but eh, not that big of a deal. Camera-mounted lighting is a pain anyway.

It’ll cost you $180, which if you ask me is a bit much. You can get some pretty decent gear for under that if you spend a little time trolling the forums and specialty review sites. I’d wait until the ME-1 gets thoroughly tested before trusting it with the audio of your magnum opus.

Nikon’s D5100 DSLR: Swivel-LCD, In-Camera HD Movie Filters, $800

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 08:59 PM PDT


The DSLR wars continue, and Nikon may have taken the lead against Canon today with the new D5100, which more than matches Canon’s similarly-priced T3i on features. It has the swiveling LCD we saw leaked back in March, and the specs that Nikon Romania posted by mistake today appear to have been accurate. Here are the vital statistics (the full specs are at the bottom of the post):

  • 16 megapixel APS-C sensor
  • 3″ 640×480 (921k dot) swiveling LCD
  • ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 25600)
  • HD: 1080/720@24/30p
  • In-camera effects on movies
  • Available in “Mid-April” for $799.95 or $899.95 with kit lens

Only tests will show performance, of course, but Nikon seems to be leaning on its sensor and image processor pretty hard here, so I’m guessing they’re confident in this model’s capabilities.

The new in-camera effects on movies thing was compelling when I first read it, but that was because I thought it was live. But no, you can only put effects on after shooting. If it were live, that would be killer, but as it is, I don’t really trust cameras to do serious color correction or effects, especially on HD video, where details are so important and cheap effects really stand out.

I would have liked more framerates on the video. I’m not sure how encumbered the various standards are, but it’d be nice to at least have 48 and 60fps available. Incidentally, I’d advise Nikon to remove the “D” branding from its movies, since “D” really isn’t associated with Nikon by many consumers, and anyway it makes the movies sound worse than B-movies.

Then there is the ridiculous “night vision” mode that boosts the ISO to 102,400. I mean really now. That’s four times the maximum boosted ISO in normal mode. If you can’t take a decent shot at 25600, you need to start thinking about your lens and lighting setup. That said, only tests will tell if this mode is a joke or something actually useful.

Here are the full specs, for the curious:

How does it compare to the T3i? Favorably, but it’s not a knockout. The Canon has 18 megapixels, but that really doesn’t matter. Tests will show image quality and ISO differences (I suspect Nikon might jump ahead here), but Canon also offers more framerates in video — the screen is also slightly more high-resolution (720×480). I’ll see if I can get them both sent my way for a real comparison; in the mean time, I’ll keep an eye on the photo-centric sites and update if I see anything interesting.

Metal Gear Solid Now Has A Clothing Line

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 07:47 PM PDT


Now, you could of course always get promotional shirts and stuff with Solid Snake (or whoever he is) on them — I vaguely remember something like that for the original NES game. But now, my friend, now you can get Metal Gear inspired clothing. Like, clothing the guys in the games might have worn. This just saved me a lot of work on my “Metal Gear Throwaway Enemy” cosplay project.

I’m not really loving the shirt with the diagonal pockets, but the raincoat looks all right (if you’re into that) and the grey FOXHOUND shirt is actually pretty understated and attractive. The good part is most people would probably just think it’s for some obscure band or something. Only the truly nerdy will know how much of a nerd you are. That’s the best kind of nerdy clothing (I have a great N.E.R.V. shirt that fills this role).

All this gear is actually based on only the Peace Walker game, which I haven’t played, but I supposed if it takes off they’ll expand to other games. Probably not Snake Eater, though, we all know where to get camo if we need it.

Check out the line over at Silicon Era. It’ll be available online starting April 11th – no word on pricing or whether it’ll be out here in the states. My guess? You’ll have to import.

[via 1up]

Order now! Nu-Screen Is A Screen Protector In Chapstick Form

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 07:16 PM PDT

I have to say I’m skeptical of a product that is not only inadequately described on its own page, but clearly can’t be removed, but hey. Maybe it works! This Nu-Screen stuff appears to be a coating you put on your mobile’s screen (or anything else, I suppose) that protects against scratches and helps dirt and oil wash off. But wait! There’s more!

Continue reading, or don’t, I’ll understand…

Want To Buy The UK’s Oldest Working Television? You Can!

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 05:03 PM PDT


Here’s something fun to have around the house. The world’s (or maybe just the UK’s) oldest working television! I thought we had the world’s oldest TV at my dad’s house when I was a kid (10 buttons, one for every channel we got), but it turns out there actually is one more aged. This 1936 model produced by Marconi (yes, that Marconi) is on the block at auctioneer Bonham’s, where it’s expected to go for £5000 at the very least. That’s if everyone doesn’t use up all their money on this full-sized polar bear automaton.

Yes, even without HDMI, 1080p, local dimming LED backlighting, or Netflix support, this thing is going to sell for twice the price of TVs ten times the size. Why? Oh yeah, because it’s awesome.

The owner, Londoner GB Davis, bought it the week after TV transmissions began in the UK (in November ’36) for £99, 15s. Tragically, the Crystal Palace that housed the TV transmitter burned down only days later, and the device wasn’t in use again until 1946. It’s an incredibly rare variety of TV, as appraiser Laurence Fisher notes:

This is being sold by the late owner’s family and is the oldest working TV set in Britain. These sets were really a side effect of our secret radar research and they are very similar inside to the radar. Logie Baird and Marconi had separate companies but used the same people to make the sets, but Marconi became the most popular maker. Baird made the first mechanical television in 1926 and this was the first electronic version. I’ve handled 38 pre-war tells and this is the finest and even comes with the original invoice.

It’ll be sold on April 19th at Knightsbridge. They expect it to pull in quite a few pounds. Sterling, that is.

[via The Telegraph and Dvice]

Drink-Making Unit 2.0 Makes Mixology Into Actual Science

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 04:20 PM PDT


Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories put together an impressive automatic drink-making machine last year which they called the Drink-Making Unit. This year they’ve reinvented it with a whole new style and twice as many ingredient options. And in keeping with the descriptive style of naming, it is known as the Drink-Making Unit 2.0.

The design is based on the “deer chaser” model, which you may have encountered in Japan or Japanese media: liquid is poured into a cylinder that gradually fills until the balance changes, tipping the container and pouring out the contents. In order to make it science-y, EMSL made its deer chasers out of graduated cylinders. Liquor is pulled out of flasks and poured into these, and when it reaches the measure necessary (an ounce, I suppose), in it goes to the central funnel.

The flasks are filled with the liquor of choice and sealed; liquid is expelled from the bottom of the flask by pumping air into the top. It’s all direct by a little microcontroller that takes input from a panel of buttons and keeps track of liquor supply and timing of pours.

Although part of the draw of getting a drink made is, of course, the human element, this little bot would no doubt be a hit even at the high-end cocktail-science bars in Seattle like the Zig Zag and Liberty. Lots more info can be found at EMSL’s site, and more pictures at their Flickr page.

[via Hack a Day]

App-Related Privacy Concerns Being Looked Into By The Feds

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 04:19 PM PDT

When Pandora was filing its IPO papers, it noted that it had been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury for documentation of its information sharing practices. The purpose of the grand jury wasn’t officially stated, but Pandora (who knows what type information was requested) suspects it to be related to “sharing processes of certain popular applications that run on the Apple and Android mobile platforms.” This is actually quite reassuring.

Continue reading, unless you’re creeped out by Santa Claus…

Make Your iPad 2′s Collar And Cuffs Match With AviiQ’s Smart Case

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 03:30 PM PDT


Love that baby blue Smart Cover, but think it looks weird against the plain back of your iPad? The solution (apart from getting a grey Smart Cover, of course) is as simple as putting a matching rear end on the thing. For example, this one from AViiQ.

These little cases don’t offer much in the way of protection, but they are aluminum and color-matched to the Smart Case colors. If you’re compulsively fashion-conscious, this could save you from a number of potential faux-pas.

Doesn’t come in tan (eh) or that navy blue color (damn!), though. Oh well! Costs $50, which seems a bit much to me, but what do I know?

Comprehend This, If You Can: Super Mario Bros 1, 2, 3, and Lost Levels Played Simultaneously

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 03:00 PM PDT

All these games are being played by one (virtual) controller sending the same controls to four different (virtual) systems. This video, and others like it, is mind-blowing in the truest sense. My brain can’t really even compass what’s going on at any one time, but I know there’s a system behind this madness.


WHAT

The repository for these “tool-assisted” gameplay videos, TASVideos, is down at the moment (likely being hammered as a result of this video being posted around the net), but if it weren’t, it would probably tell you this:

This is a movie made for entertainment, and utilizes all kinds of shortcuts, input hacks, and so on to achieve a performance not reproducible by human hands, which is kind of the point (though they can be roboticized). And it’s worth noting that although the controller output was likely engineered frame by frame, these are the original games running on faithful emulators, no “cheating” apart from sending a recorded controller signal to each one. If you want real people beating games quickly, skilfully, and authentically, you want Speed Demos Archive.

Just thought some of our retro-gaming-loving readership might appreciate this. Fun fact: I used to do TASes, even had the record for Snake Rattle & Roll and Ninja Gaiden II for a while way back when.

[via Metafilter]

Sony’s NGP/PSP2 May Only Hit One Region In 2011

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 02:30 PM PDT


One of the many side effects of the catastrophic quake and tsunami that hit Japan last month (you can still donate) was an interruption of the normal operations of tech manufacturers. With schedules put off by months and factories disrupted and possibly damaged, high-profile projects like Sony’s NGP, AKA the PSP2, are at risk of being delayed. SCEA President Jack Tretton said recently that the disaster may have pushed the worldwide release of the device out to 2012.

“It may be the straw that says 'maybe we get to just one market by the end of the year’,” said Tretton. Whether that market would be Japan (likely) or the US (not as likely) wasn’t addressed.

That could further damage the handheld’s chances at making a serious dent in Nintendo’s (and, increasingly, Apple’s) share of the mobile gaming market. As powerful as it is, if it comes to market 8 months after the 3DS and six months after the iPhone 5, a lot of their potential customers will have gotten tired of waiting

Watch McKay and Woosley On Tonight’s Stargate Universe

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 02:00 PM PDT


Things are unfortunately wrapping up for Stargate Universe. The show is coming to an end while it was just getting good. Oh well, at least tonight’s episode should make Atlantis fans happy with both Meredith and Richard appearing on tonight’s episode. The trailer is embedded after the jump, but if you’re anything like me, you’re not going to watch it because of the spoilers.

Don’t Think Android Fragmentation Is A Problem? Most Developers Disagree.

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 02:00 PM PDT

Having done a good bit of development with Android (some folks make scrapbooks on the weekend; I fight semicolons.), I’ve seen my fair share of Android’s fragmentation issues. Though they’re generally more annoying (a resolution quirk here, a touchscreen behavior oddity there) than they are insurmountable or deal-breaking, they’re definitely not non-existent.

But don’t take my word for it — I’m just a hobbyist. Baird Research polled 250 working developers (the dudes who do this for a living) on the matter, asking them straight up: “Do You View Android Fragmentation As A Problem?”

Turns out, the vast majority most of’em do.
Read the rest at MobileCrunch >>

Tired Of Waiting For The Big Windows Phone 7 Update? Get Your Hack On!

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 01:52 PM PDT

After a mishap or two with their early update process, Microsoft and the carriers are taking their sweet time in rolling out Windows Phone 7′s copy/paste update. Don’t want to wait anymore? Feeling a bit adventurous? An ingenious handset hacker has thrown together a solution that should bring just about any Windows Phone 7 handset up to date.

Read the rest at MobileCrunch >>

iOS 4.3.1 Gets A More Convenient Jailbreak Method

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 01:51 PM PDT

Would-be Jailbreakers on iOS 4.3.1: time to party!

A jailbreak has been available for iOS 4.3.1 for a few weeks now — but up until this point, it’s been “tethered”. (Geek-speak translator: it was a somewhat inferior jailbreak, in that it was undone any time the handset was reset). At an absurdly early hour this morning, the iPhone Dev-Team released a new build of their redsn0w jailbreaking tool. The big bullet point? Untethered jailbreaking for iOS 4.3.1.

Read the rest at MobileCrunch >>

Think AT&T’s Bandwidth Cap Is Bad? Try Living Down Under.

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 01:30 PM PDT

Bottle Caps

Bandwidth caps. We all love 'em. Wait, no, we hate 'em. Sorry. But even as AT&T gears up to impose bandwidth caps on its DSL subscribers, it should be pointed out that it's hardly the only ISP that does so. You might even say that other countries have it worse.

Look at the UK, home to foul-mouthed footballers and giant Michael Jackson statues. BT's lowest tier tops out at 10GB per month, while its top tier, BT Infinity Option 2, offers "unlimited" bandwidth, but the fine print notes that once you fly past 300GB the company reserves the right to slow down your download speeds.

Virgin has similar plans, but it goes to great lengths to say that it's unlimited plans are truly unlimited—until you run afoul of its acceptable use policies.

On to Australia, home to perhaps the world's silliest content ratings board. They're basically living in the stone age down there. The top tier there taps out at 200GB, and after you reach that you're connection is slowed down to 256kbps.

"I'll never use 200GB per month!" you might shout. (Why are you shouting?) And maybe so—for now. All it takes is a few Steam downloads, perhaps a lossless album here and there, and you could very quickly find yourself brushing up against that kind of cap. That's why Netflix recently lowered its default bitrate for Canadian users, so as to help prevent people from mistakenly going overboard.

You can always stick to shiny plastic discs if all of this bandwidth nonsense has you down.

Lensbaby’s Composer Pro Offers Metal Construction, Better Focus

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 01:00 PM PDT


I’ve only played with one of the cheaper Lensbaby models, and the plastic, creaky construction made me nervous, although it was fun to play with. Their new Composer Pro is supposed to be the best-constructed yet, though.

It boasts metal construction and a better focus mechanism, which will feel better under the fingers of a pro photographer who’s used to heavyweight accessories and L lenses. It’s compatible with the existing “optics,” and costs $300 with the default “double optic” or $400 with a Sweet 35, the popular new wide-angle optic.

If that seems a little expensive, reflect: it has pro in its name.

Space Jam Causes NASA To Push Final Endeavour Launch By 10 Days

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 12:30 PM PDT

The final Endeavour launch — which could be the final space shuttle launch — was slated for April 19th but had to be moved 10 days primarily because of a scheduling conflict. The Russian resupply space vehicle is also scheduled to be docked at the International Space Station during that time and the station is not outfitted to support two docked vehicles. Apparently Russia doesn’t know how to share Google Calendars.

The delay also allows NASA to repair slight damage recent Florida storms caused to the protective foam on the shuttle’s external fuel tank. But if all goes as planned, the youngest of all the Space Shuttles is set to blast off from the Kennedy Space Station for the very last time on April 29th. Sad.

Image from Wikipedia and here’s a link to a massive version in case you want to make a poster.
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