Data Robotics answers common iSCSI questions

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, PC / Laptop, Storage, Videos

Data Robotics, the peeps behind the Drobo and DroboPro, have put up a video answering some common questions about the DroboPro’s iSCSI interface. If you’ve been considering a DroboPro, and were wondering about this spec (which, by all accounts, is fantastic,) check out the video above.

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Newegg Deal: Linksys WRT54GL broadband router

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, Hot Deals, Wireless / WiFi

Newegg‘s got a deal on the Linksys WRT54GL 802.11b/g router for $49.95, selling it for $30 less than retail from now through June 15. This is a router that is a dream for DIYers, as it works great with a lot of different custom firmware packages, making it easy to set up your own VPN, Samba, and FTP servers. It can also boost existing wireless signals, act as a Radius server, and more. Take a look at the Linksys WRT54GL on Newegg, and use promo code ROUTER685 to get the savings.

As always, you can find all sorts of Newegg promo codes and deals on our forums.

Read More | Newegg: Linksys WRT54GL

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Exclusive: Upcoming Verizon FiOS TV features

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, Features, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Internet

As most of you know, we are big fans of Verizon FiOS here at Gear Live. The actual Internet and television services are stellar, and it’s pretty hard to find fault with things, especially since downtime is almost nonexistent.  Sure, we’ve had our issues, but those are all fixed, and at this point it is pretty much smooth sailing.

Today we were inviting to a media briefing at the main hub in Everett, WA, to get a look at some of the current and upcoming features of the Verizon FiOS TV service. We were able to sit down with Eric Rabe, Senior VP of Media Relations for Verizon to get the full scoop. Of course, being who we are, we had to make sure we got questions answered about FiOS Internet and phone services as well, just to be thorough. We will just go through these in no particular order - some of this you already know, while other parts are definitely new:

HD Content: FiOS TV is completely uncompressed through Verizon. They get the signal, and pass it straight through to the subscribers box the way they received it from one of two providers (depending on where you are located.) Every market has a minimum of 100 dedicated HD channels. The caveat here (and it’s a small one) is that the cable box does not have a mode that simply passes through the content to your receiver or television the way it comes in. This means you have to set the FiOS TV cable box to display either 1080i or 720p, and it will either up-convert or down-convert depending on what you choose. I let them know it would be nice to have boxes that just passed through the resolution without any conversion taking place. Of course, if you have a TiVo Series3 or TiVo HD with a FiOS CableCARD, you don’t have this issue.

I also asked about 1080p content, since satellite is currently offering HD content in 1080p. Unfortunately, their answer is that they are a couple of software revisions away from being able to offer that, so no timeline there.

Click to continue reading Exclusive: Upcoming Verizon FiOS TV features

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Time Warner Cable Backs Off From Metered Service

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Broadband, Corporate News, Internet

After users loudly complained both online and off, Time Warner Cable has announced it will stop their proposed metered broadband services. Interestingly enough, even Twitter, the site of few words, was used to argue the case. There were so many complaints that Congressman Eric Massa tried to push for legislature to ban “unfair pricing structures.” We suspect that this will not be the end of it, but its about time the little people won one.

Read More | Consumer Affairs

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Sprint Simply Everything + MB Plan

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Broadband, Cell Phones, Corporate News, USB

Sprint’s Simply Everything $99.99 deal has grown to + Mobile Broadband plan. For $149.99 a month, the company includes EV-DO service as well as the previously offered unlimited text, picture and video messaging, GPS, email and surfing with 5 GB of Internet access. If you switch over there is no contract extension but if you are a newbie you will need a two-year agreement per line. Jump at the deal now and you also get a free Sierra Wireless 598U USB modem. Find more details on their “no wires” site.

Read More | Sprint No Wires

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Mobile Connections Hit 4 Billion Mark

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Broadband, Cell Phones, Internet

The first cellular network was launched in Japan in 1979 by NTT. Twenty three years later the planet passed its 4th billion mobile connection. Mobile broadband accounts for about a quarter of that figure. Other connections in such countries as China, India, Indonesia and Pakistan added to unconnected devices gives us an estimate that by 2013, this figure will hit 6 billion. Considering there only 6.7 billion humans on the planet now, this definitely proves it’s a mobile world out there.

Read More | Gizmag

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Netflix streaming hits VIZIO Connected HDTV [UPDATED]

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, CES, CES 2009, Corporate News, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Movies

VIZIO is launching a new platform that they’re calling “Conneced HDTV,” and with it comes confirmation of the second Netflix direct-to-TV partnership. VIZIO’s Connected HDTV platform is designed to compliment traditional television viewing. You just connect the television to your home network, and if there’s nothing good on, you can go into Netflix, and I am sure there will be other services (YouTube? Hulu?) that you’ll be able to pull up as well. This is a trend we are definitely liking, let’s eliminate set-top boxes while providing more viewing options for the consumer.

EDIT: Okay, we just got more details on this. Aside from Netflix, the VIZIO Connected HDTV platform also brings Amazon Video on Demand, Pandora, Flickr, Blockbuster OnDemand, Rhapsody, Adobe Flash content, games from Accedo Broadband, and the Yahoo! widget engine. Very, very interesting!

Read More | MarketWatch

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BUG Labs announces five new BUGmodules at CES

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Broadband, CES, CES 2009, Handhelds, Portable Audio / Video, Science, Wireless / WiFi

We are big fans of BUG Labs, so we are naturally excited about the news this morning coming out of CES that they are set to release a total of five new BUGmodules. If you are unfamiliar with what BUG Labs and the BUGbase is all about, check out our video from last year’s CES after the break. Anyhow, here’s a list of the new BUGmodules:

• BUG3g: Gives you phone and/or data connectivity
• BUGwifi: Give you 802.11b/g Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR capabilities
• BUGbee: An 802.15.4 antenna to be used with ZigBee home automation setups
• BUGsound: Give you a 20mm speaker jack, four 3.5mm jacks, and an omnidirectional microphone
• BUGprojector: An integrated DLP Pico projector which outputs at 480x320 resolution

None of these have been priced, or have even been stamped with a specific release date, but you can expect them to ship before the end of the quarter.

Click to continue reading BUG Labs announces five new BUGmodules at CES

Read More | PR Newswire

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AT&T iPhone tethering plan to launch this week?

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Broadband, Cell Phones, Rumors, Wireless / WiFi

It seems that the days of silly iPhone tethering workarounds may be coming to an end (for those who are willing to pay for it.) Rumor has it that AT&T might finally launch an iPhone tethering plan, which would allow owners of the iPhone 3G to use the phone as an Internet access point. Now, we know that MacWorld 2009 kicks off tomorrow, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the tethering plan will be announced there, but as our friends at Ars bring up, the functionality would likely require an iPhone OS update, and that in and of itself might be newsworthy enough to be mentioned tomorrow morning, if all of this comes to fruition.

The costs may outweigh the benefits, depending on your travel schedule and how much you’d plan on using the tethering option, as we are expecting the cost to be at or around $30 per month. A little spendy, we think, unless you plan on using it frequently - but then the issue of the iPhone battery comes in to play. Sure, you can plug it in to a USB port, but unless your notebook is plugged in to a power source, then you are using up extra notebook battery life. Or, you could just use a Mophie Juice Pack.

The fact that there was never an official tethering plan for the iPhone has always been odd to us, since other AT&T smart phones have those plans ready from the get go. Let’s hope this rumor rings true.

Read More | TUAW

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Verizon Rolling Out 4G LTE Mobile Broadband In 2009

Posted by Patrick Phelps Categories: Broadband, Cell Phones, Corporate News, Wireless / WiFi

Verizon Wireless is taking a stand - in the race to deploy 4G LTE mobile broadband service, they don’t want to come in second to AT&T or Japan’s NTT DoCoMo, the latter of which said it would offer such a network commercially in 2010. According to executive vice president and chief technology officer of Verizon Communications, Dick Lynch, they plan to begin rolling the enhanced network capabilities out by about this time next year, ahead of the original 2010 timetable.

The original plan called for initial rollouts in 2010, with a wide commercial launch in 2011 and true mass availability coming shortly after. But according to an IDC analyst, Verizon’s new, more aggressive deployment schedule was likely inspired by the threat of launching after another company. Verizon wants to be first! Can you blame them? They don’t have the iPhone...

If you’re wondering what LTE is, it’s a fourth-generation wireless data system expected to be the next step up in speed and capacity for carriers using the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) platform, which is dominant in most of the world. Like Sprint Nextel’s already deployed (in one city) WiMax, it should deliver multiple megabits per second of throughput.

After introducing LTE, Verizon plans to offer subscribers small in-home base stations known as femtocells, which will extend the signal indoors - likely including built-in Wi-Fi, which will allow newer personal electronics such as cameras to automatically exchange information over the air. Imagine getting home from a trip and having your pictures automatically upload to the internet once you walk through the door. This may be a reality sooner than you think.

Read More | Yahoo!

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