GadgetReview

A home’s standard WiFi network is usually sufficient, that is assuming you live in a house with limited square footage, walls and floors.  But what is one to do if you live in a mansion with 1000s of square footage?  You could prewire your home with Cat5 cable, that is assuming you have the foresight and don’t purchase a historic or already completed house.

Introduced today, the Belkin Gigabit Powerline HD Starter Kit provides up to 1000Mbps data speeds throughout your home by utilizing the existing electrical wiring to form a network.  Just plug in the sender adapter into your router and the receive adapater into the wall, run an Ethernet cord to the appropriate device and you’ll be in business.  Unfortuanately, I’ve heard that these types of systems tend to be senstive to interference, old wiring and provide spotty connections over long distances.  It’s available now and start at $149.99.

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Today Microsoft officially announced the Zune HD to thousands of screaming fans.  While possibly too little too late, the Zune HD will attempt to steal some iPod Touch thunder with the inclusion of such features as:  A built in HD radio receiver, HD video capabilities, OLED touch screen, and WiFi.  What also will be of mass importance is the addition of Xbox Live’s MarketPlace, where you can go for movies and TV programs.  No word on whether or not games or apps are on the horizon, but I’m sure someone somewhere in the Microsoft matrix is gargling on about it.  E3 will have more to say about the Zune HD and will demonstrate the Xbox Live lovechild.  Is this cool?  Does anyone care? …Continue reading: Zune HD Gets Officialized: In Cahoots With Xbox Live

Verizon just announced the launch date and pricing of Novatel’s 3G Mifi 2200 router on their network.  Now Sprint is looking to take a bit of wind out of their sail by launching the exact same product, albeit a few weeks later (sometime early June).   The hardware is exactly the same, except Sprint has enabled its GPS functionality and is offering a Simply Everything plan for $149.99/month that includes 5GB of data and presumably unlimited minutes.  The carrier will also offer a $59.99/month plan that will include 5GB of data.  When it launches next month expect to drop $99.99 after a 2-year contract signing and $50 mail-in-rebate.

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Verizon Wireless is apparently big on increasing their Mobile Broadband subscribership and to boost the line of service to all new levels on May 17th is the introduction of the MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot from Novatel. Unlike some other 3G routers we’ve seen, the MiFi features a built-in 3G modem as well as 802.11 b/g connectivity to create a WiFi hotspot that can be shared with up to 5 users as one time.

Read the rest of this post at PhoneDig.

Unlike some of the other 3G routers we’ve seen in months passed, the LevelOne MobilSpot Portable Wireless HotSpot accepts both 3G USB dongles and Card Bus datacards.  But the verstility don’t stop there.  It does triple time as a standard home router.  So you could obstensably take it to the coffee shop and hook up some friends with ‘free WiFi’ or use it at home and depend on the 3G connection as a backup in the event your broadband cable suddenly drops out.  Unfortunately, it is limited to 100Mbps and lacks 802.11n, but hey, you can’t have everything.

[via Crunchgear]

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And you thought pocket protectors were geeky.  In fact, the WiFi Detecting Ball Point is the perfect compliment to any gadget geeks lust for gear.  Hit a button and the pen’s LED will light up if there is a WiFi hotspot in proximity.  The greater the signal strength the more LED lights displayed; up to 4.  Works with WiFi b/g only and won’t indicate if the network is locked, but it’s only $14.

[via Ohgizmo]

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Samsung, whom is making it a habit of leaking out imagery of upcoming products but providing little to no detail, finally firmed up some details about their Wimax dedicated device, the Mondi MID.  Packed inside is a 4.3-inch touchscreen display, Windows Mobile 6.1, 4GB of RAM, slide out QWERTY keyboard, 3MP camera, GPS, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR and an HDMI out (this one seems odd).    Anyway, there is still no word on a price or street date, but since CTIA is in full swing I’m sure they’ll drop that info in the days to come.

[TFTS]

T-Mobile has plans to increase their 3G coverage from 130 cities in the US to 230 by the end of the year.  If you recall, until very recently T-Mobile only offered a 2G or EDGE network to their customers.  And in a further attempt to keep pace with other telecoms - which by the way are already moving on to 4G - T-Mobile is also rolling out a USB Data Stick from Huawei Technologies (they’re calling it the WebConnect Laptop Stick) that will enable laptop users to connect to their data network and surf from any where in the US, unless of course you live in Los Angeles, where T-Mobile’s coverage is spotty at best.

Oh and it doubles as a microSD card reader.

Specs of WebConnect Laptop Stick after the ‘leap’ …Continue reading: T-Mobile WebConnect Laptop Stick Gets Real, To Compliment Increased 3G Service

Launching later this month Eye-Fi is releasing two new models: The Eye-Fi 4GB SDHC Share Video and the Eye-Fi 4GB SDHC Explore video.  These new models will effectively bring down the price of the original models to $49 for 2 GB Home and $59 for 2 GB Share.  The entry level Explore is being discontinued.  Also to be released soon will be an iPhone app that owners of Eye-Fi cards will be able to download for free.  The app will provide users the chance to send photos from their iPhones to the 25 Eye-Fi affiliated sharing sites.  Sounds pointless actually.  Here’s a quick rundown and pre order links:

Eye-Fi Share Video

• 4GB SDHC memory card with built-in Wi-Fi
• Effortlessly uploads JPG photos and videos to your computer
• Includes unlimited WebShare service to automatically upload to your favorite sharing website
• Compatible with SDHC-labeled cameras
• Pre Order for $79

Eye-Fi Explore Video

• 4GB SDHC memory card with built-in Wi-Fi
• Unlimited Geotagging
• WebShare to upload photos to online sharing site
• Hotspot Access for 1 year
• Wireless JPG photo and video uploads to computer and web
• Upload photos and videos wirelessly from over 10,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across the nation
• Compatible with SDHC-labeled cameras
• Pre Order for $99

[Electronista]

If you happen to commute from Seattle to San Jose during the day via Alaska Airlines, you are going to be treated to their 60 day Wi-Fi trial. In development for over two years the service by Row 44 will use specialized Boeing 737-700 passenger jets.  Hoping to determine a pricing structure through customer feedback over the 60 day trial, those customers better say free!  The basic features include:  Email, web browsing, online music, games, IM, and Virtual Private Networks.  Upon logging onto the service you will be greeted by AA’s in flight splash page that has live news, music, shopping and links to practical services on Alaska’s website. AA isn’t the only airline to have this brewing so we should expect more to pop up very soon.

[Electronista]