Oct 29

GM to Offer $500 Autonet Mobile WiFi Option

Posted in: router, Today's Chili, Wireless

Autonet_Mobile.jpg

GM announced that Chevy, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC dealers will begin offering Autonet Mobile’s $499 WiFi router as a dealer-installed option for its SUVs and trucks, according to Autoblog.

The router will be available for new vehicles as well as for current owners. The router and installation together cost $499; after that, owners pay $29 per month for 1GB of service. Go over the limit and service stops for that month. Honestly, that’s preferable to what the cell phone carriers do instead–which is to charge you something like $400 per kilobyte afterward, and not even tell you it’s happening.

Sorry, where was I? The Autonet Mobile router offers a 150-foot-radius hot spot but lacks encryption capability. In practice, it offers 3G download speeds in the 700 to 800 Kbps range, assuming good cellular coverage. Look for the Autonet Mobile router option at the above dealers beginning in November.

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Oct 28

GM to offer $500 Autonet Mobile WiFi option in select vehicles

Posted in: car, mobile broadband, mobile internet, MobileBroadband, MobileInternet, router, Today's Chili, wifi

First came Cadillac (naturally), and now some of General Motors‘ other remaining brands are finally scratching the WiFi itch. Beginning next month, Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Chevrolet dealers will all begin offering up Autonet Mobile‘s $499 WiFi router as a dealer-installed option, though it’s on you to pony up the $29 (or more) it takes to get said device online month in and month out. As always, you’ll also get a docking station to take it from one GM vehicle to another, though (at least initially) it’ll only be offered in SUVs, crossovers and trucks, which are whips most likely to be used by internet-addicted families. ‘Course, those looking to do a little retrofitting need only head to gmextras.com to snap one up themselves, but don’t say you heard it from us.

[Via Autoblog]

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GM to offer $500 Autonet Mobile WiFi option in select vehicles originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 27

NEC’s Aterm WM3300R is like a souped-up WiMAX version of the MiFi

Posted in: Japan, router, Today's Chili, wifi, WiMAX

Not every company has the design chops to make it in modern consumer electronics. Case in point: NEC’s Aterm WM3300R. While it looks like a thermostat you’d wall-mount at the local health center, it packs enough technological appeal to make up for that clinical dowdiness. See, it’s a pocketable WiMAX router with integrated 802.11b/g WiFi — think MiFi only with the relatively blazing speeds of 40Mbps (downstream) / 10Mbps (upstream) WiMAX instead of EV-DO or HSPA and a battery capable of about 2.5 hours of shared usage. The WM3300R can also be USB-attached to a PC as a WiMAX modem. Drop another ¥5,000 (about $54) and you’ve got a spare battery to keep the mobile action going. Expect it to be released in early November in Japan for an estimated ¥25,000 or right around $272. You seeing this Sprint, Clearwire?

[Via Akihabara News]

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NEC’s Aterm WM3300R is like a souped-up WiMAX version of the MiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 21

TRENDnet ‘world’s smallest’ Wireless N travel router now on sale

Posted in: now available, NowAvailable, on sale, OnSale, router, Today's Chili, wifi

Looking to take 802.11n to places you never thought possible? You know — like your studio apartment on the Upper East Side? TRENDnet’s Wireless N Travel Router (which was announced way back at CES) is tailor made for cramped spaces, fitting within the palm of your hand and offering up a single WAN port, a carrying case and a USB socket. Unfortunately there’s no internal battery to keep this puppy alive in the wild, but for $79.99 we can’t kvetch too much.

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TRENDnet ‘world’s smallest’ Wireless N travel router now on sale originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 20

Apple quietly updates AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule, promises improved performance

Posted in: Apple, nas, performance, refresh, router, Today's Chili, update, wifi

Just as it did in March, Apple has subtly updated both the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule, this time improving performance on both. According to new testing between today’s model and yesterday’s edition, the AE Base Station (which ships within three days for $179) can hum along at up to 25 percent faster thanks to undisclosed tweaks to the antenna design, while the Time Capsule’s improved antenna promises the same. Just as before, both of these devices support dual-band 2.4GHz / 5GHz transmissions, though we can’t seem to find an “802.11n draft” phrase anywhere on either page. Apple hasn’t gone out of its way to say that both of these are certified with the final specification, but it’s certainly a possibility. Finally, the new Time Capsule promises Time Machine backups in Snow Leopard that are some 60 percent faster than before; we’re not sure whether to celebrate with new buyers or weep with existing ones, but it should ship within three days for $299 (1TB) / $499 (2TB).

Read – Updated AirPort Extreme
Read – Updated Time Capsule

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Apple quietly updates AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule, promises improved performance originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 19

Apple 3×3 access point hits the FCC with 5.8GHz bands

Posted in: Apple, router, Today's Chili

The FCC did let one Apple product through to its online database tonight, although nothing that’ll excite you quite like magical mice or revved up iMacs. Instead we’re looking at models A1354 and A1355, a pair of 802.11 a/b/g/n 3×3 access points with the exact same, nondescript label picture that indicates some heft to the unit. There’s not much to say here, although the A1354 had a revision on the antenna gain in the 5.8GHz band. At this point it’s just another thing to add to that penciled-in list of rumored Apple announcements for tomorrow morning.

Read – BCGA1354
Read – BCGA1355

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Apple 3×3 access point hits the FCC with 5.8GHz bands originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 03

Rogers’ Rocket Hub disguises 3G data and voice as mild-mannered home modem

Posted in: ericsson, hspa, router, Today's Chili, wi-fi, wifi

Good news for Canadians who can’t seem to get a decent internet plan for home. Rogers has unveiled a 3G station for residential use dubbed the Rocket Hub, and with it a number of jet propulsion-related puns that we’ll be taking painstaking measures to avoid. It boasts 7.2Mbps HSPA, WiFi and ethernet out, and voice calls over UMTS. Makes sense since it’s riding an Ericsson W3x core. The Upfront cost of hardware hasn’t been disclosed yet, but plans start at $35 Canadian. Launch date (okay, we couldn’t resist) is sometime later this month.

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Rogers’ Rocket Hub disguises 3G data and voice as mild-mannered home modem originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 07:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 28

Netgear 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router unboxing and impressions

Posted in: Features, impressions, mobile broadband, mobile internet, MobileBroadband, MobileInternet, router, Today's Chili, unboxing, wifi, wwan

Originally announced at CES this year, Netgear’s 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router just recently started making its way into stores. Essentially, the MBR624GU enables your USB WWAN stick to become an internet source for multiple computers, handhelds or any other device that understands WiFi. You simply plug your USB WWAN modem into the rear of the unit (or into the bundled USB dongle), fire it up, and connect via WiFi or Ethernet. Sounds good in theory, right? Follow us past the break for a few impressions on how this admittedly promising device performed in the real world.

Gallery: Netgear 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router unboxing

Continue reading Netgear 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router unboxing and impressions

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Netgear 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router unboxing and impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 24

Fonera 2.0n web applications router now available in the US

Posted in: router, Today's Chili

It can get a bit confusing at times amid all the announcements about announcements, but the folks at FON have now finally confirmed that their Fonera 2.0n “web applications” router is indeed available in the US, and for the bargain price of just $99. As its name suggests, in addition to functioning just fine as a regular 802.11n router, this one will also let you manage a whole host of web applications like Twitter, Facebook or Flickr even when your computer is turned off — finally giving you the ability to, for instance, tweet when an upload or download has completed (a surefire way to hang onto those followers you’ve amassed). Still not up to speed on all this Fonera business? Don’t worry, there’s a helpful video after the break.

[Via Wi-Fi Planet]

Continue reading Fonera 2.0n web applications router now available in the US

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Fonera 2.0n web applications router now available in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 01

Netgear ships ultra-speedy WNDR3700 dual-band router

Posted in: router, Today's Chili, wifi

If you’ve grown increasingly incensed by those annoying dropouts caused by your 80s-era wireless router, it looks like Netgear has your cure. Though, we must say, there’s at least a decent chance you don’t have the coinage to procure said medicine. At $190, the RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router (WNDR3700) is one of the pricier WLAN routers on the market, though the amenities list is pretty impressive. The ReadyShare feature enables any USB hard drive to be viewed on the network, while the DLNA support and “real-world” throughput of 350Mbps shines up an already glistening device. There’s even a broadband usage meter for those unfortunately dealing with Comcast caps, and if you actually use this as a remote media server, you’ll definitely want to keep an eye on that.

[Via HotHardware]

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Netgear ships ultra-speedy WNDR3700 dual-band router originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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