June 30th, 2007
By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
After getting my Dell XPS M1710 late last year, and noting that it had a built-in 802.11n mini-PCI card, I decided to make the jump to Draft n. Now, I’d already heard that 802.11n had problems with stomping on your neighbor’s older wifi, but I’d also heard the Draft 2.0 spec was supposed to take care of that. However, it seems things may not be quite up to snuff yet.
I spent a few days last week testing a D-Link DIR-655 router and DWA-652 Cardbus card, which are based on Atheros XSPAN silicon. These are the first products to have firmware and drivers posted that allegedly implement 11n Draft 2.0 compliance. My primary focus was to see whether the legacy protection mechanisms added in 802.11n Draft 2.0 were working in actual product.
My initial tests didn’t look very promising and after some back-and-forth with D-Link, I’m even less encouraged. I’ll have full details in an upcoming review, but basically I see no sign that the Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) mechanism added in Draft 2.0 is working properly. Source: SmallNetBuilder
We Say: Basically if a legacy device is detected on the extension channel (n uses an extension channel to get higher throughput), the router is supposed to back off to using the legacy-friendly 20 MHz channel mode. According to the tests in the article, it’s not yet doing that. Well, I haven’t gotten any complaints yet, even though my router has not yet been certified or received a firmware upgrade to Draft 2.0. And I see plenty of wi-fi networks in my neighborhood. Hopefully I’m not affecting anyone, though I’m not going to tell you where I live, just in case … 
June 30th, 2007
By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Yep, even Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, is so entranced by the device that he was willing to stand in line for it.
Steve Wozniak arrived at the Apple store at Valley Fair Mall in San Jose at 4 a.m. to begin the wait wearing a button that read, “The line starts here. Woz #1.”
In fact, he hadn’t been the first to show up but in deference, Apple fans stepped aside to give him the first space. Source: SFGate
We Say: Looks like all this waiting was a waste of time. There were so many iPhones available that 90 minutes after the stores opened at 6PM, you could just walk in with a minimal wait. And there are still plenty! I have a friend at work who was worried about it; I hope she managed to get one as it shouldn’t have been a problem.
June 29th, 2007
By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Insane, insane. I suppose if you have enough disposable income, and couldn’t wait … the iPhone went on sale about an hour ago on the East Coast, but if you couldn’t get to a store, there’s always eBay.
As you can see from above, there was an auction with a BuyItNow price of $1299. And it sold.
We Say: Shoot, he didn’t even get free shipping ($14.99) and no shipping insurance? The auction didn’t say insurance was included in the shipping, either. And here’s the kicker (from the auction):
“If for any reason I don’t get the iPHONE I will refund the payment to the winner first thing Saturday morning 6/30.”
June 29th, 2007
By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Finally … no, I don’t mean finally a non-iPhone story. I mean finally an online mapping service that allows you to drag-and-drop to re-route your directions, in case you know there’s a roadblock due to construction, or perhaps you know a shortcut and want to map it out and print it for a friend. Google Maps has just added this feature.
It might not sound like much given its dead simple interface, but the results are jaw-dropping — and very useful. Not only does this make plotting multi-stop trips and custom routes much easier, when coupled with the “traffic” maps it can help users find faster, less congested routes.
And these features work in nearly all areas and handle things like ferries, bridges, toll roads and other elements seamlessly. Source: Wired News
We Say: It’s cool, but when I tried to get it to understand my shortcut to get from work to home, it became hopelessly lost and gave me a maze-like set of directions. Still not fully there … well, at least for me … but still pretty useful, especially in congested urban areas.
June 29th, 2007
By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
I feel like this has been the period leading up to the Super Bowl, with all the iPhone stories. But it all ends today (OK, OK, probably not, as there will be many more AFTER they go on sale) as the iPhone goes on sale today at 6PM. That means you really oughta head for the East Coast if you want to be the first to get one.
Anyway, for those of you with friends at Apple, don’t be expecting them to be able to help you out. Apparently they don’t get much of a discount. Apple was looking to license a photo for a wallpaper, bringing up the option of a employee discount as payment.
Joan wrote back on May 9: “We are actually only looking for jellyfish images at this time. As for the discount in exchange for the right to your imagery…I don’t think you want our discount. It’ll be comparable to the tax on the product. No joke.” Source: News.com
We Say: On the other hand, Jobs is giving all Apple employees an iPhone, so who needs a discount? Sigh. How much longer before this is over?
June 29th, 2007
By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
It’s not as good as the Lost in Space robot and his electric bolts, but it’s something! Taser and iRobot have formed a strategic alliance which will develop robot which are finally armed, for police and military use.
The two companies have already integrated a Taser X26 stun gun–also known as “an electronic control device,” in Taser talk–on to an iRobot PackBot, the mobile military robot created by the company. PackBots have been used to perform reconnaissance in the caves of Afghanistan during combat situations and to investigate potential roadside bombs in Iraq, among other assignments. Source: News.com
We Say: So, since police generally warn suspects before firing on them, will this robot say “Warning, Warning!” before it let’s loose with a Taser blast? (If you havent seen Lost in Space the TV show, you will have NO idea what I’m talking about).
June 28th, 2007
By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
If you want more than one iPhone on launch day … well, you better not want more than two, cuz that’s the most you can get (sorry eBayers!). And you can only get that at an Apple store.
Attention iPhone line sitters: you can forget about hording devices for later sale on eBay. Apple announced this morning that iPhone sales will be limited to two per person, max. Interestingly, that’s one more than the AT&T stores will allow you to buy. Source: News.com
We Say: Don’t ask me why AT&T will only let you have one while Apple will let you have two. Weird. Apple also has this handy tool to check if your neighborhood store has any left, BTW. But it will only say “yea” or “nay”, not how many.
June 28th, 2007
By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
An article at News.com caught my eye today. It wasn’t so much the subject itself, rather the implication. The title of the story is “Can cryptography prevent printer-ink piracy?” The gist of the article is using cryptography tech to make it more difficult for printers to use cheaper ink from “unauthorized sources”. What got my goat was the way they said it:
Cryptography Research Inc. (CRI), a San Francisco company, is developing chip technology aimed at helping printer manufacturers protect this primary source of profit. The company’s chips use cryptography designed to make it harder for printers to use off-brand and counterfeit cartridges.
“We’re not saying we can end piracy (emphasis mine), but our system is designed to recover from failure,” said Kit Rodgers, CRI’s vice president of business development. Source: News.com
We Say: I understand they are focusing on cartridges that try to pretend they are new when they are not, or those that masquerade as a certain manufacturer’s when they are not … but this tech could also make it more difficult for legitimate refillers and recyclers as well. I mean, the majority of the money in the printer biz is in the consumables. Limiting my choice to expensive cartridges direct from, say HP, is good for them, but bad for consumers. Whenever I tried to use refilled cartridges in my old HP inkjet, for example, I would have problems. I switched to a Canon as they don’t use such chips.
Take a look at the comments on the story; most are really hot about this topic. While the article does address the legitimate refilling industry in latter parts, I can see this being used, if printer manufacturers want to, in the same way HP has used their expiration chips. And that would be great for their bottom line, but bad for our wallets.
