WD intros HomePlug-compatible powerline networking package

Western Digital’s bread and butter is (and will likely remain) storage, but as we all know, all the storage in the world is useless if you can’t access it. It only makes sense, then, that the company would get behind the HomePlug bandwagon for networking all your connected devices over your home’s existing electrical power lines. The WD Livewire Powerline AV Network Kit includes two HomePlug AV adapters with four Ethernet ports each, boasting data transfer speeds up to 200 megabits per second. And it’s HomePlug compatible, meaning your previous investments in the technology won’t go to waste. Available now for $140. PR after the break.

Continue reading WD intros HomePlug-compatible powerline networking package

WD intros HomePlug-compatible powerline networking package originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel acquires McAfee for $7.68 billion

Well, we got our copy of McAfee Antivirus for $29, but it looks like Intel had something a little more substantial in mind. The latter has picked up the Santa Clara-based security / antivirus company for a cool $7.68 billion, which works out to $48 per share in cash. Intel informs us that it will function as a wholly owned subsidiary (under the control of its Software and Services group). This comes hot on the heels of the company’s acquisition of TI’s cable modem unit, and possibly signals a new focus on security for connected devices. “The cyber threat landscape has changed dramatically over the past few years, with millions of new threats appearing every month,” said McAfee CEO Dave DeWalt.”We believe this acquisition will result in our ability to deliver a safer, more secure and trusted Internet-enabled device experience.” This has added a wonderful new phrase to the Engadget lexicon (and possibly even a name for our new garage band): Cyber Threat Landscape. PR after the break.

Continue reading Intel acquires McAfee for $7.68 billion

Intel acquires McAfee for $7.68 billion originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T likes Google & Verizon’s wired-only net neutrality stance, Time Warner Cable doesn’t

'Wireless is different' says AT&T, likes Google & Verizon's wired-only net neutrality stance

Network neutrality is the battle to keep companies from filtering your access to whatever you want on those great, united internets. But, as we explored in depth last week, Google and Verizon think they should only have to play nice when it comes to wired broadband — that wireless should be exempt from neutrality-related FCC regulation. The FCC wasn’t too pleased with that sentiment, but we found someone who is: AT&T VP Joan Marsh, who posted a lengthy statement entitled: “Wireless is Different.” In it she continues the theme of explaining how meeting demand on a wireless network is much more difficult than on wired, even going so far as to place some of the blame on local communities:

We are constantly striving to increase the efficiency of our spectrum resources, but the amount of available spectrum in any given market is finite. And while we regularly split cell sectors and add additional cell towers, there are very real limits placed on cell site construction by zoning and local approval boards.

This is surely a real problem, but what we haven’t heard yet is just how letting companies like Verizon and AT&T create premium tiers for wireless content will do anything other than allow them to make more money while still complaining about the same ‘ol problems.

Meanwhile, a company that has virtually no skin in the wireless game, Time Warner Cable, isn’t so keen on this stance regarding traditional, wired broadband. CEO Glenn Britt says his company would never throttle content in a way that would violate net neutrality, but still doesn’t want more rules put in place that would prevent them from doing so. Funny how everyone likes net neutrality until it threatens to cramp their style, isn’t it?

AT&T likes Google & Verizon’s wired-only net neutrality stance, Time Warner Cable doesn’t originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink ars technica  |  sourceAT&T Public Policy Blog, Wall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

Verizon can almost serve GigE on existing FiOS platform, which means you’ll soon be relocating

It’s not like we’re holding Verizon to its word or anything, but the company purportedly decided to shelve all future FiOS rollout plans back in March. Since then, however, Big Red has been talking up its fiber-based services, leaving us to wonder why it would put a stop to laying more of it. Whatever the case, the company is now gloating about hitting “near Gigabit-per-second” speeds on the existing FiOS GPON platform. For those who aren’t as technically savvy, that means that FiOS can essentially saturate your Gigabit Ethernet jack, and if things got much faster, you’d need a port that’s not even available on consumer machines to handle the extra data. The nitty-gritty details of the test are just past the break, but the long and short of it is this — Verizon saw speeds of 925Mbps to a local server and over 800Mbps to a regional speed test server located some 400 miles away. Better still, this black magic was all done with very little magic at all, requiring just minor tweaks to the system in order to uncap all sorts of extra headroom. Meanwhile, your YouTube upload is being capped by Time Warner Cable at a speed too sluggish to mention. Awesome.

Continue reading Verizon can almost serve GigE on existing FiOS platform, which means you’ll soon be relocating

Verizon can almost serve GigE on existing FiOS platform, which means you’ll soon be relocating originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pew study finds majority of Americans don’t want government to prioritize affordable broadband

We hold great respect for the Pew Internet and American Life Project, whose statistical practices are transparent, robust and rarely filled with logical holes, but we have to wonder why the organization decided to ask if Americans would support affordable high-speed internet using their tax dollars. 53% of 2,252 telephoned adults said it shouldn’t be a major priority, which is significant, to be sure, but when Pew’s 2009 study showed that most individuals without broadband don’t want it, and their 2008 survey confirmed that 62 percent of dial-up users were still A-OK, we have to imagine researchers might have seen this coming. Those with broadband don’t need it, those without it don’t want it. Never mind about education, health, economic reform — you know, all those other priorities. Nevertheless, these are interesting results, and if you’re a proponent of the FCC’s National Broadband Plan you’d best have a look.

Pew study finds majority of Americans don’t want government to prioritize affordable broadband originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Reuters (Yahoo)  |  sourcePew Internet and American Life Project  | Email this | Comments

Internet Explorer 9 Beta launching September 15th, might enter a beauty pageant

Once again, the whispers were true. Microsoft has proudly announced on this fine day that September 15th will mark the official launch of the Internet Explorer 9 Beta, but details beyond that are scant. We do know that the Big M will hold a gala in San Francisco to celebrate “The Beauty of the Web,” and once it hits the tubes, you’ll need either Vista or Windows 7 to use it (sorry, XP loyalists). ‘Course, it remains to be seen if IE can catch up to Chrome and Firefox in the technical department, but at least you can start preparing your existing squeeze for somewhat of a letdown next month. Let ’em down easy, okay?

Internet Explorer 9 Beta launching September 15th, might enter a beauty pageant originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceBeauty of the Web  | Email this | Comments

Google and Verizon publish joint policy proposal for ‘an open internet’

UPDATE: We’ve done a full breakdown of the proposal right here — go check it out!

Back in October of last year, Google and Verizon came together in order to provide an intense amount of corporate support for the FCC’s then-fledgling net neutrality push. Today, said push has turned into quite the monster, with a recent court ruling asserting that the FCC doesn’t actually have the authority to impose net neutrality. Since then, a cadre of telecommunications firms have banded together in one form or another to attempt a compromise (and slyly get what each of them really want), and today the Big G and Big Red have taken the stage together in order to publicize a well-thought out policy proposal for “an open internet.” Both firms seem to agree that web users “should choose what content, applications, or devices they use,” and they both want “enforceable prohibition against discriminatory practices” — and yeah, that definitely includes prioritization and blocking of internet traffic, including paid prioritization. In an odd twist, what seems to be happening here is that both Google and Verizon are actually in favor of more government oversight on the internet, but they want that oversight to be beneficial to consumers. In other words, more regulations from the feds to enforce fewer regulations imposed on you from your ISP. Get all that?

Where things really get interesting is when they touch on the wireless angle; essentially, they’re admitting that the very proposals they are putting forth for wireline shouldn’t apply to wireless just yet (aside from the whole “transparency” thing). It seems that the prevailing logic is that there’s simply not enough spectrum for this idyllic “play fair” scenario to truly work, so fewer restrictions would be necessary for the wireless internet space to blossom as the wireless side already has. Moreover, we get the impression that these guys feel the wireless space as a whole is simply too competitive right now to withstand any red tape.

The proposal also mentions that, if passed into law, the FCC would have the ability to fine “bad actors” (read: misbehaving ISPs) up to $2 million for breaking any of these “open internet” stipulations, and naturally, both outfits are highly in favor of the National Broadband Plan taking hold, moving forward and getting broadband to places that are currently using a strange mixture of used canisters and rope to check their inbox.

Google and Verizon publish joint policy proposal for ‘an open internet’ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kuwait wants RIM to filter BlackBerry traffic, Saudi Arabia testing three servers

The floodgates are open, and another country has washed in — though unlike Saudi Arabia, India and the UAE, this one’s not threatening a BlackBerry messaging ban… yet. Kuwait has publicly announced that it has requested RIM to deal with “moral and security concerns” — namely, blocking pornographic websites — and that RIM has requested four months to comply. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s deadline-driven local server tests are reportedly continuing apace; three servers, one for each national cellular carrier, must “meet the regulatory demands” of the country by Monday.

Kuwait wants RIM to filter BlackBerry traffic, Saudi Arabia testing three servers originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Aug 2010 13:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM averts Saudi Arabia’s BlackBerry messaging ban, negotiates surrender (update: 48-hour ultimatum)

It took two long years for India to (allegedly) tap BlackBerry traffic, but Saudi Arabia may not have to wait nearly as long; the Wall Street Journal reports that RIM has all but agreed to set up a local server in the country. While we’ve no details yet on what the deal entails, an unnamed Saudi telecom official said negotiations are already in the final stages. Sorry, RIM, but it looks like Saudi Arabia called your bluff. We imagine the company will deny any potential for government snooping in short order… and both Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates will start planning their own attempts to wrest away control. We’ll let you know where this house of cards falls.

Update: Saudi Arabia has reportedly given its three national cellular carriers 48 hours to try out proposed solutions that “meet the regulatory demands” of the country, else the BlackBerry messaging ban will take effect as originally planned.

RIM averts Saudi Arabia’s BlackBerry messaging ban, negotiates surrender (update: 48-hour ultimatum) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Aug 2010 20:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceWall Street Journal, Associated Press  | Email this | Comments

Google and Verizon sign net neutrality agreement, begin the end of net neutrality? (update: Google, Verizon deny claims)

Google and Verizon sign net neutrality agreement, begin the end of net neutrality?

It’s been a bumpy road for net neutrality in the US, and the latest word on the subject, of a partnership between Verizon and Google, could result in American internet freedom taking one step forward and two steps back. Last year, the two companies said together that they were all for net neutrality regardless of the source being a traditional or wireless ISP. Now, according to Bloomberg, they may have changed their tune somewhat, striking a deal that, up front, prevents Verizon from gimping traffic it doesn’t like on its DSL and FiOS networks.

That sounds good, but according to Politico the deal still allows Verizon to “prioritize certain traffic” — more or less defeating the whole purpose if true. More troublingly, Verizon is able to do whatever it wants when it comes to managing wireless broadband, through mobile hotspots or, indeed, the plethora of Android handsets it now offers. Mind you, neither company is coming forward to discuss these supposed plans (Google saying it has “nothing to announce at this point”) so this could all be much ado about nothing. We certainly hope it is, especially since we’re talking about two companies who last year pledged they wanted to “ensure the openness of the web around the world.”

Update: Phew… we think. Google’s Public Policy Twitter account just belted out a denial of these claims, straight-up saying that the New York Times “is wrong.” Here’s the full tweet, which certainly makes us feel a bit more at ease. For now. “@NYTimes is wrong. We’ve not had any convos with VZN about paying for carriage of our traffic. We remain committed to an open internet.”

Update 2: Verizon’s now also issued a statement and, like Google, it’s denying the claims in the original New York Times report. It’s as follows:

“The New York Times article regarding conversations between Google and Verizon is mistaken. It fundamentally misunderstands our purpose. As we said in our earlier FCC filing, our goal is an Internet policy framework that ensures openness and accountability, and incorporates specific FCC authority, while maintaining investment and innovation. To suggest this is a business arrangement between our companies is entirely incorrect.”

Google and Verizon sign net neutrality agreement, begin the end of net neutrality? (update: Google, Verizon deny claims) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceBloomberg, Politico  | Email this | Comments