Amped Wireless, following the REA20 extender launched back in August, has announced the first long-range high-powered AC1900 WiFi router and WiFi extender, the RTA30 and the REA33. Both devices are … Continue reading
Be it PCs, phones, televisions or wearables, if it can go wireless, Broadcom wants in on the action. Today the company has added one more category to that list, and it’s the car. Indeed, its new line of wireless chips is specifically catered for automotive use, and is decked out with the latest 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth Smart Ready technologies for smoother streaming between mobile devices and in-car displays. But the technology’s scope doesn’t stop there. You could also use it for smartphone remote control of your vehicle’s settings, high-speed connectivity via LTE hot spots, vehicle-to-infrastructure communications and even the syncing of biometric data to make sure the driver isn’t fatigued or drunk when he or she’s behind the wheel.
Broadcom’s current automotive portfolio consists of the BCM89335 5G WiFi / Bluetooth Smart Ready combo chip and the BCM89071 Bluetooth and Bluetooth Smart Ready chip, which are now in the sampling stage. Of course, as this is still in development, we’re not sure just which cars will incorporate such tech just yet. Seeing as how more cars are getting connected, however, you’ll probably see it in action at your local auto dealership sooner than you think. For more on Broadcom’s automotive initiative, check out the press release after the break.
Filed under: Transportation
Source: Broadcom
Apple announced today an update to its iMac computers, improving performance through faster processors, WiFi, graphics and storage options.
The 21.5 inch and 27 inch models of the iMac both will come equipped with Intel’s faster, Haswell fourth generation quad-core processors. They will also both support the 802.11ac WiFi standard (if you have an 802.11ac base station to connect to, of course) for data transfer speeds boasted as much as three times faster than the previous WiFi generation. Apple has also added in PCIe-based storage to both models to support faster Flash storage and Apple’s Fusion Drive configurations even quicker.
Apple is offering the entry level 21.5 inch model for $1,299 with a 2.7GHz quad-core i5 processor, 8GB of memory and a 1TB hard drive. The 27 inch model is listed starting at $1,799 and comes with the slightly larger 3.2GHz quad-core i5 processor, 8GB of memory and a 1TB hard drive.
DisplayLink’s been wringing all kinds of connectivity out of our computer’s USB ports for years, turning one connection into many. It should come as no surprise, then, that the company’s using its considerable compression expertise to send high-resolution 4K video through that very same pipe. Ideally, the system shoots video over USB 3.0, while still giving users the full connectivity options of any compatible DisplayLink device — but it can also function using USB 2.0, though the dynamically compensating data compression at work may cause some frames to drop.
We chatted with Displaylink’s Director of Marketing, Andy Davis, about the feature and he informed us that the new 4K capability comes courtesy of a chip design first revealed back at CES that, while upping the max resolution of transmitted video, has no trouble driving multiple displays. In theory,the number of 4K screens the chip can drive is only limited by the graphics drivers and video decoding capabilities of the computer it’s connected to. And, the new architecture also enables wireless streaming of 4K video using 802.11ad and can stream 1080p video over 802.11ac (4K over 802.11ac is in the works). We got to see a brief demo of the technology in action, and the video played back flawlessly over USB 3.0 for the few minutes we saw it work. Using 2.0, we noticed a slight flicker once or twice during playback, but the feed was still quite watchable. All in all, its a nice addition to the DisplayLink feature set. Now if they’d just let us know when we’ll actually see it implemented in something we can buy.
Amped Wireless will be releasing a new product tomorrow, the REA20 High Power 700mW Dual Band AC Wi-Fi Range Extender. It’s the first to come to market that features 802.11ac tech, expanding the reach of wireless communication further for both home and office applications while offering speeds previously unseen in range extenders of this type. […]
BearExtender has been making signal extenders for Macs for a few years now, such as the n3 WiFi adapter we reviewed back in 2010. Now the company has unveiled its latest two offerings, the 1200 being an 802.11n receiver and the Turbo being slated for 802.11AC. The 1200 has already been put up for pre-order […]
On July 8, Amped Wireless put its 700mW 802.11AC dual-band Wi-Fi router up for pre-order, and now it has announced the same for its ACA1 500mW dual-band AC Wifi USB adapter. The device is currently available for pre-order from Amped’s website for $89.99, with the shipping date being pegged as July 22. On an unspecified date later this month, it will also be launched in retail stores.
The ACA1 is being hailed as the first long-range 802.11AC adapter to be compatible with Mac OS X in addition to Windows, and is specifically optimized to work with its 700mW AC router we mentioned above. The device is likewise compatible with all other wireless networks, and is also the first of its kind to feature high-gain dual-band antennas and amplifiers.
There are two high-gain dual-band antennas on the ACA1, as well as four amplifiers that offer a combined power of up to 500mW. This is opposed to the 100mW or so you’re find from a regular Wi-Fi adapter, which also lack the range extension features of Amped Wireless’s offering. This works out to a range increase over standard adapters of about 3x.
The adapter connects to devices via USB 3.0, and as with the related router and other Amped Wireless products, features the Wi-Fi Analytic Tool Apps. The software works by enabling “advanced software” options for network analysis and optimization. You can find out more about the device in the video above.
Amped Wireless’s CEO Jason Owen said: “Operating in the 5GHz band, 802.11ac devices suffer from the poor range inherent with the 5GHz band. With the ACA1, users can extend their 802.11ac connections to download HD videos and transfer data files throughout their homes, backyards and offices. The ACA1 allows Mac and Windows users to freely use their computers and enjoy the full benefits that come with 802.11ac speeds.”
SOURCE: Amped Wireless
Amped Wireless ACA1 500mW dual-band AC WiFi adapter available for pre-order is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
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“It’s not me, it’s you,” scolds the distant WiFi hotspot as your connection drops for the ninth time in an hour. As much as you may dream of buying a 20 meter Ethernet cable, Amped Wireless is determined to curtail that flirtation with its latest piece of 802.11ac hardware, the ACA1. The USB 3.0-powered unit clips to Windows and OS X machines, utilizing the company’s long-range mojo to ensure that you’ll be the envy of frustrated tweeters on the periphery of a public router. The gear arrives on July 22nd, but pre-orders begin today with $89.99 securing you a piece of the action — and if the idea of that big Ethernet lead still appeals, we’ve got a video to convince you otherwise after the break.
Filed under: Wireless
Source: Amped Wireless
Over the last few days we’ve been hearing from several of our readers about WiFi instability on new Haswell-equipped MacBook Airs, which also happen to be Apple’s first computers with 802.11ac. Despite those rare reports, the company’s new laptops impressed us in our recent review with solid performance and incredible battery life. Today 9to5Mac learned that Apple is supposedly aware of the issue and working on a fix, while some customers have also reported getting their systems replaced. In the meantime, the company’s apparently directed its Genius Bar employees to “capture” machines experiencing the problem — i.e. return them to Cupertino for testing. We’ve contacted Apple for comment and will keep you posted if there’s any official response.
Source: 9to5Mac
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