Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Exploit uses firewalls to hijack smartphones, turns friends into foes]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/22/exploit-uses-firewalls-to-hijack-smartphones/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/22/exploit-uses-firewalls-to-hijack-smartphones/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/22/exploit-uses-firewalls-to-hijack-smartphones/#comments Image

Normally, firewalls at cellular carriers are your best friends, screening out malware before it ever touches your phone. University of Michigan computer science researchers have found that those first lines of defense could be your enemy through a new exploit. As long as a small piece of malware sits on a device, that handset can infer TCP data packet sequence numbers coming from the firewall and hijack a phone's internet traffic with phishing sites, fake messages or other rogue code. The trick works on at least 48 carriers that use firewalls from Check Point, Cisco, Juniper and other networking heavy hitters -- AT&T being one of those providers. Carriers can turn the sequences off, although there are consequences to that as well. The only surefire solution is to either run antivirus apps if you're on a mobile OS like Android or else to run a platform that doesn't allow running unsigned apps at all, like iOS or Windows Phone. Whether or not the exploit is a serious threat is still far from certain, but we'll get a better sense of the risk on May 22nd, when Z. Morley Mao and Zhiyun Qian step up to the podium at an IEEE security symposium and deliver their findings.

Exploit uses firewalls to hijack smartphones, turns friends into foes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 03:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidATTcellphonecellphonescheck pointCheckPointCiscoCisco SystemsCiscoSystemsexploitfirewallfirewallsgooglegoogle androidGoogleAndroidieeeJuniperjuniper networksJuniperNetworksmalwaremobilepostcrossnetwork firewallnetwork routingNetworkFirewallnetworkingNetworkRoutingpacketpacketsPhishphishingresearchresearchersrouterTCPTCP IPTcpIpuniversity of michiganUniversityOfMichiganvirusvirusesTue, 22 May 2012 03:18:00 EST<![CDATA[New 802.1aq standard promises to improve Ethernet efficiency]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/new-802-1aq-ethernet/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/new-802-1aq-ethernet/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/new-802-1aq-ethernet/#comments New 802.1aq standard promises to improve Ethernet efficiency

Yesterday the IEEE announced an update to the 802.11 WiFi standard, and today it's promptly moving on to the Ethernet side of things. The association just approved the 802.1aq Shortest Path Bridging standard, which will streamline the management and build-out of networks by using the latest-gen VLAN with a higher service capacity. Basically, a larger scale for more efficiency and less errors. Head past the break for the full presser.

Continue reading New 802.1aq standard promises to improve Ethernet efficiency

New 802.1aq standard promises to improve Ethernet efficiency originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ethernetieeeIEEE 802.aqieee standardsIeee802.aqIeeeStandardsInternetvLanTue, 08 May 2012 14:02:00 EST<![CDATA[802.11-2012 WiFi freshens up spec with 3.7GHz bands, mesh networking]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/07/ieee-802-11-2012-wifi-standard-published/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/07/ieee-802-11-2012-wifi-standard-published/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/07/ieee-802-11-2012-wifi-standard-published/#comments 802.11 abgnxywtfbbq

It's hard to believe that 802.11 WiFi has only had three major revisions since it was started up 15 years ago. The IEEE must be equally surprised, as it's introducing a new 802.11-2012 standard that unites 10 technologies from various amended WiFi versions under one big tent. Among the picks are new support for 3.65 and 3.7GHz bands, to avoid clashing with 2.4GHz or 5GHz networks, as well as better support for direct linking, faster cellular hand-offs, in-car networks, roaming and mesh networking. You can pay $5 to have a peek at the 2012 WiFi spec today, although we'd brace for a significant wait before smartphones and routers ship with the new 802.11 format -- we know how long it can take for a WiFi standard to become a practical reality.

Continue reading 802.11-2012 WiFi freshens up spec with 3.7GHz bands, mesh networking

802.11-2012 WiFi freshens up spec with 3.7GHz bands, mesh networking originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 17:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.11802.11 WiFi802.11WificellularCTIA 2012ctia wireless 2012Ctia2012CtiaWireless2012ieeeieee 802.11Ieee802.11specificationspecificationsstandardstandardswi-fiwifiwirelessMon, 07 May 2012 17:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Fukushima technician gives behind-the-scenes look at the cleanup operation]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/24/fukushima-technician-gives-behind-the-scenes-look-at-the-cleanup/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/24/fukushima-technician-gives-behind-the-scenes-look-at-the-cleanup/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/24/fukushima-technician-gives-behind-the-scenes-look-at-the-cleanup/#comments
New details about the robotics deployed to help clean up Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant have emerged, thanks to a series of blog posts penned by an anonymous technician. Known only as 'S.H.', the blogger wrote of the effectiveness of the donated iRobot Packbots and Warriors (despite their prolonged exposure to electronics-damaging radiation), while criticizing the Tokyo Electric Power Company for what he saw as inept supervision, unreasonable schedules and disregard for technician safety. S.H., who helped retrofit a vacuum cleaner onto a robot to collect radioactive dust, also revealed technical details about the robots, explaining that they were manipulated with a PlayStation-style controller via a Panasonic Toughbook and that the devices were most effective in pairs, which allowed for better wireless connectivity and faster emergency response. The site was taken down after it began circulating on Twitter but IEEE kept and translated the posts, available for your perusal at the source link, below.

Fukushima technician gives behind-the-scenes look at the cleanup operation originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 23:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FukushimaFukushima DaiichiFukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power StationFukushimaDaiichiFukushimaDaiichiNuclearPowerStationIEEEIEEE SpectrumIeeeSpectrumiRobotiRobot PackbotiRobot WarriorIrobotPackbotIrobotWarriorNuclear CleanupNuclear PowerNuclear ReactorNuclear ShutdownNuclearCleanupNuclearPowerNuclearReactorNuclearShutdownPanasonic ToughbookPanasonicToughbookPlaystation ControllerPlaystationControllerS.H.TEPCOTokyo Electric Power CompanyTokyoElectricPowerCompanyWed, 24 Aug 2011 23:29:00 EST<![CDATA[IEEE brings white space internet one step closer, we almost felt a twinge]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/27/ieee-brings-white-space-internet-one-step-closer-we-almost-felt/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/27/ieee-brings-white-space-internet-one-step-closer-we-almost-felt/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/27/ieee-brings-white-space-internet-one-step-closer-we-almost-felt/#comments
Kudos to the IEEE for rushing this new 'super WiFi' standard through so very speedily for the sake of rural communities with poor web access. Designated "IEEE 802.22," it promises to bring speeds of up to 22Mbps to devices as far as 60 miles away from the nearest transmitter. How's that possible? Well, the standard carefully exploits swathes of unused white space within transmission bands that were originally reserved (and jealously guarded) for analogue TV. These frequencies currently contain nothing but hiss and occasional communications from dead people, but one day they could and should be filled with the hopes, aspirations and Facebook updates of country folk who are very much alive. Read the signs in the PR after the break.

Continue reading IEEE brings white space internet one step closer, we almost felt a twinge

IEEE brings white space internet one step closer, we almost felt a twinge originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.22IEEEIEEE 802.22Ieee802.22ruralrural areasRuralAreaswhite spaceWhiteSpaceWed, 27 Jul 2011 09:10:00 EST<![CDATA[HomePlug and IEEE want our home networks to play nice, talk to each other]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/homeplug-and-ieee-want-our-home-networks-to-play-nice-talk-to-e/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/homeplug-and-ieee-want-our-home-networks-to-play-nice-talk-to-e/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/homeplug-and-ieee-want-our-home-networks-to-play-nice-talk-to-e/#commentsHomePlug Powerline Alliance and IEEEHomePlug hasn't exactly struck it big on the home networking scene but, with so many disparate options (none of which play very nice together) it's not hard to see why. The Powerline Alliance is throwing its support behind a new IEEE standard, P1905, that may ease our consumer pain and make the outlet connectivity tech a better fit for our dungeons living rooms. The goal is to create a layer that sits atop the various wired and wireless hookups that blanket our homes and let them easily share data. Bridging the gap between HomePlug, HomePlug AV, Ethernet, WiFi, and MoCA is an ambitious task to tackle, but we've got faith our gadgets can get along.

Continue reading HomePlug and IEEE want our home networks to play nice, talk to each other

HomePlug and IEEE want our home networks to play nice, talk to each other originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abstraction layerAbstractionLayerEthernethome networkingHomeNetworkingHomePlugHomePlug AVHomePlug Powerline AllianceHomeplugAvHomeplugPowerlineAllianceIEEEieee p1901ieee p1905IeeeP1901IeeeP1905MoCAMultimedia over Coax AllianceMultimediaOverCoaxAlliancenetwork standardnetworkingNetworkStandardp1901p1905Powerline AlliancePowerlineAlliancestandardsWiFiWed, 22 Jun 2011 19:39:00 EST<![CDATA[IEEE approves next generation WiMAX standard, invites you to meet 802.16m]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/01/ieee-approves-next-generation-wimax-standard-invites-you-to-mee/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/01/ieee-approves-next-generation-wimax-standard-invites-you-to-mee/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/01/ieee-approves-next-generation-wimax-standard-invites-you-to-mee/#commentsIt's a term (and a technology) that has been bandied about for around four years now, but after waiting far too long for the next next best thing, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers has just given its oh-so-coveted stamp of approval to 802.16m. For those unfamiliar with such a term, that's the standard for next generation WiMAX, which may end up being capable of handling downstream rates of over 300Mbps. 'Course, those that were around during CEATEC last year know that Samsung already hit that in testing, but we're starting to feel as if that 1Gbps theoretical maximum that we were teased with in 2007 (and again last year) won't ever breach reality. It's tough to say what this approval means on the consumer front -- over the past four years, a tremendous amount of carriers have switched their allegiance to LTE, and even if WiMAX 2.0 finds itself ready for public consumption in the near future, it'll take a serious operator commitment before you'll ever enjoy the spoils. So Sprint, you feeling froggy?

Continue reading IEEE approves next generation WiMAX standard, invites you to meet 802.16m

IEEE approves next generation WiMAX standard, invites you to meet 802.16m originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g802.16mieeemobile broadbandMobileBroadbandprotocolstandardwimaxWiMax-2wireless broadbandWirelessBroadbandWirelessMAN-Advanced Air InterfaceWirelessman-advancedAirInterfacewwanFri, 01 Apr 2011 11:46:00 EST<![CDATA[UMich gurus greatly reduce gadget energy consumption (at the expense of awesomeness)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/20/umich-gurus-greatly-reduce-gadget-energy-consumption-at-the-exp/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/20/umich-gurus-greatly-reduce-gadget-energy-consumption-at-the-exp/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/20/umich-gurus-greatly-reduce-gadget-energy-consumption-at-the-exp/#commentsMama always told us that there'd be trade-offs in life, but we aren't so sure we're kosher with this one. As the story goes, a team of Wolverines from the University of Michigan figured out a solution to an age-old problem: effectively lowering power consumption by a significant amount in electronic devices. Anyone with a smartphone yearns for better battery life, and while Stevie J may argue that no one reads for ten hours straight, we'd still rather have the option than not. The development revolves around "near-threshold computing" (NTC), which allows electronic wares to operate at lower voltages than normal, in turn lowering energy consumption. Researchers estimate that power energy requirements could be lowered by "10 to 100 times or more," but unfortunately, that low-voltage operation would lead to "performance loss, performance variation, and memory and logic failures." We appreciate the hard work, folks, but could you hit us back when the side effects are somewhat less daunting?

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UMich gurus greatly reduce gadget energy consumption (at the expense of awesomeness) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Feb 2010 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eco-friendlyefficiencyelectricityenergy efficiencyEnergyEfficiencygreenIEEEpowerresearchscienceuniversityUniversity of MichiganUniversityOfMichiganSat, 20 Feb 2010 10:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Siemens gurus hit 500Mbps with white LED lights, dare you to blink]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/21/siemens-gurus-hit-500mbps-with-white-led-lights-dare-you-to-bli/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/21/siemens-gurus-hit-500mbps-with-white-led-lights-dare-you-to-bli/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/21/siemens-gurus-hit-500mbps-with-white-led-lights-dare-you-to-bli/#comments You know what's better than wireless power? Nothing, frankly. You know what comes darn close? Wicked fast transmissions through thin air. Researchers from Siemens have just shattered their own record for wireless data transfer using white LED light, hitting a whopping 500Mbps while working in collaboration with the Heinrich Hertz Institute in Berlin. The old record sat at "just" 200Mbps, but the new speeds are helping to take Visible Light Communication from a hopeful technology to a serious contender in the space. These same researchers were also able to show that a system using up to five LEDs is capable of beaming out data over long distances at up to 100Mbps. We're told that the IEEE has been toiling tirelessly since 2007 to standardize activities in this field, and while a late 2010 completion date is currently being penciled in, we're not holding our breath. Anyone remember how long it took 802.11n to escape "draft?"

[Thanks, Mademoiselle Y]

Continue reading Siemens gurus hit 500Mbps with white LED lights, dare you to blink

Siemens gurus hit 500Mbps with white LED lights, dare you to blink originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>berlinHeinrich Hertz InstituteHeinrichHertzInstituteIEEEinternetledlightOsramrecordSiemensSiemens agSiemensAgspeedtransfertransmissionVisible Light CommunicationVisibleLightCommunicationVLCwirelessThu, 21 Jan 2010 05:46:00 EST<![CDATA[IEEE begins work on new cellphone battery standard, we circle 2029 for ratification]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/ieee-begins-work-on-new-cellphone-battery-standard-we-circle-20/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/ieee-begins-work-on-new-cellphone-battery-standard-we-circle-20/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/ieee-begins-work-on-new-cellphone-battery-standard-we-circle-20/#commentsYou'll excuse us for poking a bit of fun at the IEEE, but after it took seven years to finalize a wireless standard that didn't change for most of that time, we have to wonder how long a new battery rulebook is going to take. IEEE Std 1725 is the current set of commonly agreed rules, in effect since 2006, but apparently "the cellular industry has grown tremendously since then" and our needs as consumers have changed. No kidding, 1GHz processors and 1080p video recording can kind of do that. The Cell Phone Battery Working Group (a real entity!) will hold its first meeting on the topic in February, and the final outcome will lay out up-to-date rules on the requisite quality, reliability, construction, and discharge characteristics of modern cellphone batteries. Let's hope "smartphones that last more than a day" figures somewhere on that list.

IEEE begins work on new cellphone battery standard, we circle 2029 for ratification originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batteriesbatterycellphonecellphone batteriescellphone batteryCellphoneBatteriesCellphoneBatteryguidelinesieeeieee p1725ieee rulesieee standardsieee std 1725IeeeP1725IeeeRulesIeeeStandardsIeeeStd1725rechargeablerulerulesstandardstandardsFri, 18 Dec 2009 04:53:00 EST<![CDATA[IEEE will push next 802.11 to 1Gbps speeds, two-letter designations in 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/ieee-will-push-next-802-11-to-1gbps-speeds-two-letter-designati/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/ieee-will-push-next-802-11-to-1gbps-speeds-two-letter-designati/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/ieee-will-push-next-802-11-to-1gbps-speeds-two-letter-designati/#commentsIEEE will push next 802.11 version into 1Gbps speeds, two-letter designations in 2012 WiFi, you've come a long way, baby. Since those groovy days of plain 'ol 802.11, to your first single-letter designation, all the way up to your latest 802.11n ratification you've gotten faster, broader, and almost everywhere. Best of all, you've still got room to grow. If all goes well and Cusack's documentary doesn't prove accurate in 2012 you'll grow to 802.11ac, delivering a blistering 1Gbps and beyond. That's more wireless bandwidth than we'd know what to do with right now, but we'll find a way to use it. We always do. Together.

IEEE will push next 802.11 to 1Gbps speeds, two-letter designations in 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1gbps802.11802.11ac802.11nieeewifiwirelessTue, 08 Dec 2009 10:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia vs. Apple: the in-depth analysis]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/nokia-vs-apple-the-in-depth-analysis/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/nokia-vs-apple-the-in-depth-analysis/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/nokia-vs-apple-the-in-depth-analysis/#comments There's just something about Apple that makes people go crazy whenever the company's lawyers do even the simplest things -- whether it's filing routine trademark oppositions, getting patents granted, or, uh, defending allegations that the company is in league with the Mafia, Steve and friends just seem to inspire some strong reactions whenever they end up in the courtroom. So of course things got a little wild last Thursday when Nokia announced it was suing Apple over ten patents related to GSM, UMTS (what you know as 3G) and WiFi -- the pundit class immediately set upon the idea that the lawsuit was some sort of reaction to Nokia's diminishing cellphone marketshare and the perceived dominance of the iPhone, perhaps best exemplified by John Gruber's flippant "If you can't beat 'em, sue 'em." Nokia can't compete against Apple, so obviously it's abusing the hopelessly-broken patent system get a little payback, Espoo-style -- right?

Well, wrong. As usual, the race to hype this dispute as a bitter standoff between two tech giants desperate to destroy one another has all but ignored the reality of how patents -- especially wireless patents -- are licensed, what Nokia's actually asking for, and how it might go about getting it. And as you know, we just don't do things that way, so we've asked our old friend Mathew Gavronski, a patent attorney in the Chicago office of Michael Best & Friedrich, to help us sort things out and figure out what's really going on here -- read on for more.

Continue reading Nokia vs. Apple: the in-depth analysis

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Nokia vs. Apple: the in-depth analysis originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g802.11appleetsifeaturedfeaturesgsmieeeiphonelawsuitlegalnokiapatentumtswcdmawifiThu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[It's official! 802.11n standard finalized after a mere seven years ]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/12/its-official-802-11n-standard-finalized-after-a-mere-seven-yea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/12/its-official-802-11n-standard-finalized-after-a-mere-seven-yea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/12/its-official-802-11n-standard-finalized-after-a-mere-seven-yea/#comments
Remember when the Wi-Fi Alliance finalized the 802.11 draft-n spec some two and a half years ago? Of course you don't -- as long as your media players, laptops, and the like can connect to each other (and to the cloud) without a hiccup you probably don't care about IEEE's paper trail. The standard, which saw no major changes between then and now (meaning that all your draft-n devices should work fine with the finalized standard) theoretically connects at 300Mbps, or about six times the peak speed of 802.11g. But you already know that, since you've been using it for years now. The final standard is set to be published mid-October.

It's official! 802.11n standard finalized after a mere seven years originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Sep 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.11n80211ndraft ndraft-ndraftnieeewifiwifi allianceWifiAlliancewirelesswireless nWirelessNSat, 12 Sep 2009 19:01:00 EST<![CDATA[First broadband over power lines working spec released]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/01/first-broadband-over-power-lines-working-spec-released/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/01/first-broadband-over-power-lines-working-spec-released/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/01/first-broadband-over-power-lines-working-spec-released/#commentsIt's been a long slow go for broadband over power lines, but it looks like things are finally picking up steam -- an IEEE working group has completed main development of the standard and released the first draft of technical specs. Of course, there's still the arduous finalization process to go through, but now that BPL is an actual functioning standard we're hoping to see a new class of 100Mbps internet providers pop up and bring some much-needed competition to cable and DSL.

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First broadband over power lines working spec released originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bplbroadbandbroadband over power linesBroadbandOverPowerLinesdraftieeeinternetinternet accessInternetAccessispp1901power linesPowerLinesSat, 01 Aug 2009 08:20:00 EST<![CDATA[HomePlug fires back with powerline IEEE P1901 Draft Standard adoption]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/29/homeplug-fires-back-with-powerline-ieee-p1901-draft-standard-ado/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/29/homeplug-fires-back-with-powerline-ieee-p1901-draft-standard-ado/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/29/homeplug-fires-back-with-powerline-ieee-p1901-draft-standard-ado/#commentsHomePlug Power Alliance logoHighly variable real-world performance aside, the lack of a well-defined standard for powerline networking isn't helping the technology take off; but sticking consumers between the warring G.hn and HomePlug AV factions doesn't help anybody. In the latest round of the fight, the IEEE P1901 reached Draft Standard acceptance, and -- wouldn't you know it -- the onus of coming up with compliance and interoperability testing for products will fall upon the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. Just to raise the stakes, the Draft Standard is aiming for backward compatibility with existing devices. Sounds like herding cats to us, but with finalization of the Standard slated for 2010, it looks like things are going to heat up in the coming months.

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HomePlug fires back with powerline IEEE P1901 Draft Standard adoption originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>draft standardDraftStandardg.hnhdhome networkingHomeNetworkinghomeplughomeplug alliancehomeplug powerline allianceHomeplugAllianceHomeplugPowerlineAllianceieeeieee 1901ieee p1901Ieee1901IeeeP1901other hardwareotherhardwarep1901powerlineWed, 29 Jul 2009 17:19:00 EST<![CDATA[802.11n finalization just a formality, interoperability to be preserved]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/27/802-11n-finalization-just-a-formality-interoperability-to-be-pr/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/27/802-11n-finalization-just-a-formality-interoperability-to-be-pr/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/27/802-11n-finalization-just-a-formality-interoperability-to-be-pr/#comments
C'mon, say it with us: "phew!" Considering that just about everyone has been shipping "802.11n" wireless kit since draft 2.0 was put into play two summers ago, we couldn't be more relieved to see the Wi-Fi Alliance confirm that it won't change the baseline requirements of its 802.11n certification program when the format gets certified this September. Just as we'd heard, the WiFi standard will leave its stagnant draft status and sashay into the wondrous realm of officialdom in merely two months, with the updated test program to "preserve interoperability with more than 600 Wi-Fi certified 802.11n draft 2.0 products released since June 2007, while adding testing for some optional features now included in the standard." Good thing, too -- can you imagine the uproar if your forthcoming 802.11n dongle wouldn't play nice with that draft-N router you snagged last June?

[Via Electronista]

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802.11n finalization just a formality, interoperability to be preserved originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 03:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.11802.11ncertificationdraft ndraft-nDraftNieeeinternetinteroperabilitynetworkingprotocolrouterspecspecificationWi-Fi AllianceWi-fiAlliancewifiwirelesswireless internetWirelessInternetWLANMon, 27 Jul 2009 03:56:00 EST<![CDATA[802.11n should go final by September, just when it's starting to feel slow]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/21/802-11n-should-go-final-by-september-just-when-its-starting-to/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/21/802-11n-should-go-final-by-september-just-when-its-starting-to/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/21/802-11n-should-go-final-by-september-just-when-its-starting-to/#comments
It's been a long, long... long time coming, folks. Since 2004, the world at large has been waiting for 802.11n to finally go legit, and while we've been getting along just fine with Draft-N devices, the IEEE is inching closer to completion of the final specification. According to Bob Heile, the chairman of the IEEE 802.15 working group on Personal Area Networks, "802.11 [has been] granted unconditional approval to forward 11n to RevCom," which is currently scheduled to take place on September 11th in New Jersey. He continued by uttering the understatement of the year with "this was an extremely complex project." We won't even bother retracing all the time line slips that we've seen over the years, but we can't help but chuckle at the notion of an ever faster 802.11 protocol to be discussed at the very same meeting. So, let's see here -- 802.11n finally gets its certificate of authenticity after parading around for half a decade as an unfinished draft, and CES 2010 brings about devices based on the even faster 802.11ac. Marvelous.

[Via Digg]

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802.11n should go final by September, just when it's starting to feel slow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.11802.11ndraft ndraft-nDraftNIEEEinternetprotocolspecspecificationwifiwirelesswireless internetWirelessInternetTue, 21 Jul 2009 22:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Robots crash into dummies, identify human weaknesses]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/video-robots-crash-into-dummies-test-our-weaknesses/http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/video-robots-crash-into-dummies-test-our-weaknesses/http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/video-robots-crash-into-dummies-test-our-weaknesses/#comments The IEEE International Conference of Robotics and Automation is kicking off today in Kobe Japan. In other words, the world's leading researchers in the field of robotics are gathered in a single location to plot our doom. Don't believe us? Just check out the video after the break. It's a research piece from the Germany Aerospace Center depicting experiments of robots crashing into human test dummies. They claim that the research explores human-robot accidents so that robots can be made safer. We're not so sure though, judging by the devious laughter heard after the first gruesome impact.

Continue reading Video: Robots crash into dummies, identify human weaknesses

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Video: Robots crash into dummies, identify human weaknesses originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 May 2009 02:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We're probably still months, if not years out from seeing this whole white space debate amount to anything productive, but at least the IEEE is already toiling away on two new standards to address architecture and interfaces for white spaces access. In an admittedly jargon-filled release, the group responsible for keeping 802.11n in draft status for 14 centuries has reportedly approved work to begin on a new duo of protocols for "heterogeneous wireless networks based on the existing IEEE 1900.4 standard." The group specifically mentions IEEE P1900.4a, an amendment to 1900.4 which aims to "examine architecture and interfaces for dynamic spectrum access networks in white space frequency bands." Said standard would basically act to define new components for operating in white space frequencies, and with standardization will hopefully come easier implementation of widespread broadband. Check back in a score or so to see if we've made any progress.

[Via dailywireless]

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IEEE begins work on wireless standards for white spaces access originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>IEEEnetworkingprotocolwhite spacewhite spacesWhiteSpaceWhiteSpaceswirelesswireless protocolwireless standardWirelessProtocolWirelessStandardTue, 24 Mar 2009 10:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Compact Disc turns 30, MP3 doesn't bother to send a gift]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/09/compact-disc-turns-30-mp3-doesnt-bother-to-send-a-gift/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/09/compact-disc-turns-30-mp3-doesnt-bother-to-send-a-gift/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/09/compact-disc-turns-30-mp3-doesnt-bother-to-send-a-gift/#comments
We're not quite sure how much related celebrating went on this past weekend, but the iconic Compact Disc managed to hit the big three-oh. The IEEE was credited with presenting its prestigious IEEE Milestone Award to Royal Philips Electronics for its contribution to the development of the CD, and as the story goes, the award coincides with the 30th anniversary of the "historic demonstration of the first CD prototype codenamed 'Pinkeltje' on March 8th, 1979." While many would argue that the CD is on its way out in favor of smaller, highly portable MP3 files, the disc has definitely left a lasting mark on the industry. To date, over 3.5 billion audio CD players have been sold alongside 240 billion discs. Oh, and not to be a Debbie Downer or anything, but what are the chances that we won't be throwing an "over the hill" party for this here format?

[Thanks, Sylva]

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Compact Disc turns 30, MP3 doesn't bother to send a gift originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 07:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiobirthdayCDcompact discCompactDiscIEEEmilestonemusicphilipsPinkeltjeportable audioportableaudiosoundMon, 09 Mar 2009 07:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Cyborg beetles commandeered for test flight, laser beams not (yet) included]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/cyborg-beetles-commandeered-for-test-flight-laser-beams-not-ye/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/cyborg-beetles-commandeered-for-test-flight-laser-beams-not-ye/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/cyborg-beetles-commandeered-for-test-flight-laser-beams-not-ye/#comments Remember that DARPA initiative from a few years back to create cyborg insects? With funding from the agency, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have managed to control a rhinoceros beetle via radio signals, demonstrated in a flight test shown on video at this week's IEEE MEMS 2009 conference. A module placed on the arthropod uses six electrodes affixed to the brain and muscles to commandeer its free will. The device weighs 1.3g -- much less than the 3g payload these guys can handle, and with enough wiggle room to attach sensors for surveillance. Ultimately, scientists say they want to use the beetle's own sensors -- namely, its eyes -- to capture intel and its own body energy to power the apparatus. Keep an eye on this one, we expect it to play a major role in the impending robots vs. humans war.

[Thanks, Mimosa]

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Cyborg beetles commandeered for test flight, laser beams not (yet) included originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Powerline technology has been hanging around for years, but due to a combination of subpar real-world performance and a general lack of structure around the tech, it never really managed to take off. Now, it appears that we've stumbled upon yet another format war, this one over the power cabling within your walls. Within the very same month, we've seen the ITU ratify G.hn as the global standard for HDTV home networking and the IEEE bake HomePlug technology into its P1901 draft standard. Rob Ranck, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance, said about the development: "The formation of a ubiquitous IEEE standard will help to unite the industry, create even faster market growth and provide strong benefits to the consumer." Right, except now we're in the midst of yet another war of the protocols (or so it seems).

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HomePlug's powerline technology incorporated into IEEE P1901 standard originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hdhome networkingHomeNetworkingHomePlughomeplug allianceHomePlug AVHomeplugAllianceHomeplugAvIEEEP1901PowerlineTue, 23 Dec 2008 13:02:00 EST<![CDATA[IEEE 1667 pledges secure portable storage for all]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/25/ieee-1667-pledges-secure-portable-storage-for-all/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/25/ieee-1667-pledges-secure-portable-storage-for-all/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/25/ieee-1667-pledges-secure-portable-storage-for-all/#commentsIEEE 1667 pledges secure portable storage for all
If you use a thumb-drive sans security your data is just a vacant USB port away from being thrown up on the internet, assets exposed to the world like some drunken heiress. Even secure devices, whether they use biometric scanners, hardware encryption, or even more extreme measures, all leave a lot to be desired: no standards means limited compatibility, and secure data you can't reliably access might as well be random strings of binary digits. The answer could be IEEE 1667, the "Standard Protocol for Authentication in Host Attachments of Transient Storage Devices." Among other things it would enable you to restrict where your thumb drive will work and, conversely, what thumb drives your machine will accept. If it becomes the standard it was born to be you'll be able to apply the same policies whether you're opening Windows 7, cuddling with Snow Leopard, or making jazz-hands with something a little less mainstream. Will it succeed? CNET's Jon Oltsik thinks Microsoft's support for the standard is a good omen and says "Let's all follow Redmond's lead in this case for the greater good." That's certainly not something you hear every day, but this time we're game.

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IEEE 1667 pledges secure portable storage for all originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>authenticationencryptionieeeieee 1667Ieee1667securityTue, 25 Nov 2008 08:28:00 EST<![CDATA[802.11r WiFi roaming standard approved]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/29/802-11r-wifi-roaming-standard-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/29/802-11r-wifi-roaming-standard-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/29/802-11r-wifi-roaming-standard-approved/#commentsWhile 802.11n has been stuck in endless certification hell for years, the IEEE keeps cranking out additional wireless standards -- the latest is 802.11r, which allows devices to move from access point to access point with less than 50ms in downtime, even for authenticated connections. That's quick enough to keep a voice call alive, which should make the next generation of VoIP phones and other devices that much more flexible when support arrives -- let's hope that's soon.

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802.11r WiFi roaming standard approved originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.11802.11rieeewifiFri, 29 Aug 2008 02:03:00 EST<![CDATA[FireWire 1600 and 3200 approved by IEEE]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/31/firewire-1600-and-3200-approved-by-ieee/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/31/firewire-1600-and-3200-approved-by-ieee/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/31/firewire-1600-and-3200-approved-by-ieee/#commentsWhile FireWire 800 gear is still pretty rare and we've only seen one piece of FireWire 1600 kit, the IEEE is still pushing the standard forward -- it's just approved the 1394-2008 spec, which includes both FireWire 1600 and 3200. Interestingly, the spec is fully backwards compatible with both 400 and 800 ports, but it remains to be seen which connector gets used more prevalently. We'll find out in October, when the spec is made available to manufacturers -- looks like that controversial 2010 launch of USB 3.0 just got upstaged a little, huh?

[Via CrunchGear]

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FireWire 1600 and 3200 approved by IEEE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>139416003200firewirefirewire s1600firewire s3200FirewireS1600FirewireS3200ieeeieee 1394Ieee1394s1600s3200Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:32:00 EST<![CDATA[RF4CE Consortium aims to develop RF standard for entertainment control]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/13/rf4ce-consortium-aims-to-develop-rf-standard-for-entertainment-c/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/13/rf4ce-consortium-aims-to-develop-rf-standard-for-entertainment-c/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/13/rf4ce-consortium-aims-to-develop-rf-standard-for-entertainment-c/#commentsWhittling down the amount of remotes in one's living room has long since been a challenge for the amateur home theater builder, and while there are some decent universal solutions on the market, the RF4CE Consortium is hoping to make things painfully simple. The group has been formed in order to "drive the adoption of an open radio frequency (RF) entertainment control specification based on IEEE 802.15.4." If you'll recall, this isn't the first time we've heard that standard called, as it's also used in MaxStream's XBee Xtender. Notably, Freescale is hoping to incorporate its Synkro technology into the specification, and in an ideal world, we'd see said protocol filter into DVD players, AV receivers, set-top-boxes and all manners of components. Let the IR-to-RF transition begin, we say.

Read - Sony's RF4CE Consortium release
Read - Freescale's RF4CE Consortium release

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RF4CE Consortium aims to develop RF standard for entertainment control originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 07:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.15.4FreescalehdIEEEInfraredIRopen standardOpenStandardother hardwareotherhardwareotherspanasonicphilipsprotocolreceiversremoteremote controlRemoteControlrfRF4CEsonystandardSynkroFri, 13 Jun 2008 07:40:00 EST<![CDATA[RF4CE Consortium aims to develop RF standard for entertainment control]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/13/rf4ce-consortium-aims-to-develop-rf-standard-for-entertainment-c/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/13/rf4ce-consortium-aims-to-develop-rf-standard-for-entertainment-c/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/13/rf4ce-consortium-aims-to-develop-rf-standard-for-entertainment-c/#commentsWhittling down the amount of remotes in one's living room has long since been a challenge for the amateur home theater builder, and while there are some decent universal solutions on the market, the RF4CE Consortium is hoping to make things painfully simple. The group has been formed in order to "drive the adoption of an open radio frequency (RF) entertainment control specification based on IEEE 802.15.4." If you'll recall, this isn't the first time we've heard that standard called, as it's also used in MaxStream's XBee Xtender. Notably, Freescale is hoping to incorporate its Synkro technology into the specification, and in an ideal world, we'd see said protocol filter into DVD players, AV receivers, set-top-boxes and all manners of components. Let the IR-to-RF transition begin, we say.

Read - Sony's RF4CE Consortium release
Read - Freescale's RF4CE Consortium release

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RF4CE Consortium aims to develop RF standard for entertainment control originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 07:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.15.4FreescaleIEEEInfraredIRopen standardOpenStandardprotocolremoteremote controlRemoteControlrfRF4CEstandardSynkroFri, 13 Jun 2008 07:40:00 EST<![CDATA[CSIRO throws 802.11n ratification a curve]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/csiro-throws-802-11n-ratification-a-curve/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/csiro-throws-802-11n-ratification-a-curve/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/csiro-throws-802-11n-ratification-a-curve/#commentsCSIRO and aggravation tend to go hand in hand, so it's no real shock to learn that the organization is playing hard ball in a recent push to get 802.11n closer to ratification. Reportedly, CSIRO "refused to provide a letter of assurance to the IEEE working group developing the much-delayed 802.11n WiFi standard," and it cited legal discord between it and Microsoft, Intel, Dell, HP, Netgear, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Nintendo and 3Com as the primary holdup. The group's senior vice-president of licensing, Denis Redfern, was quoted as saying that "where litigation is involved, CSIRO will continue to reserve its rights in relation to licensing," so it looks like an official 802.11n standard is still that far off from being founded.

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CSIRO throws 802.11n ratification a curve originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ah, so now we know why it takes those IEEE task forces so incredibly long to get anything done: infighting. Turns out, the working group for the emerging IEEE 802.20 mobile broadband standard -- "which was suspended last year after a fight over members' real company affiliations" -- has altered its voting rules. Now, each entity will be allowed one vote rather than members voting as individuals "regardless of whom they work for." Essentially, these changes are occurring amidst concern about "domination of the group," and 802.20 Committee Chairman Paul Nikolich reportedly hopes than the voting modification will "help deliver the standard in a timely way." Of course, considering that some of the technology in the protocol was developed by Flarion (which was swallowed by Qualcomm), there could certainly be more problems around the bend beyond a straggle of control freaks.

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Voting rules altered for IEEE 802.20 mobile broadband standard originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2007 06:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ah, so now we know why it takes those IEEE task forces so incredibly long to get anything done: infighting. Turns out, the working group for the emerging IEEE 802.20 mobile broadband standard -- "which was suspended last year after a fight over members' real company affiliations" -- has altered its voting rules. Now, each entity will be allowed one vote rather than members voting as individuals "regardless of whom they work for." Essentially, these changes are occurring amidst concern about "domination of the group," and 802.20 Committee Chairman Paul Nikolich reportedly hopes than the voting modification will "help deliver the standard in a timely way." Of course, considering that some of the technology in the protocol was developed by Flarion (which was swallowed by Qualcomm), there could certainly be more problems around the bend beyond a straggle of control freaks.

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Voting rules altered for IEEE 802.20 mobile broadband standard originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2007 06:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g4g802.16e802.20broadbandclearwireflarionieeemobilemobile broadbandMobileBroadbandqualcommwimaxMon, 23 Jul 2007 06:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Atheros offers up 802.11n Draft 2.0-spec XSPAN solutions]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/23/atheros-offers-up-802-11n-draft-2-0-spec-xspan-solutions/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/23/atheros-offers-up-802-11n-draft-2-0-spec-xspan-solutions/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/23/atheros-offers-up-802-11n-draft-2-0-spec-xspan-solutions/#commentsYou'll probably recall Atheros' name from the rundown of Draft 2.0 802.11n gear mentioned just a week ago, but now the firm is getting official with its bundle of refreshed pre-N gear. The new AR9001 family of chipset solutions builds upon the existing XSPAN offerings, and is reportedly compliant with the latest IEEE draft of 802.11n. Primarily aiming for SMB and Enterprise markets, the outfit is doling out a number of AR9001AP access points / router SoCs that "integrate its 802.11n MAC / baseband and 400MHz Wireless Network Processor (WNPU) into a single chip." On the consumer front, the AR9001U sect presents the "world's first dual-band capable 802.11n USB chipset," and also includes the company's first 1x2 MIMO configuration. Unsurprisingly, pricing details on all these goodies are still up in the air, but Atheros claims that second-generation AR9001 items are currently sampling to customers and should hit " full volume production" in Q3 of this year.

[Via PCWorld]

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Atheros offers up 802.11n Draft 2.0-spec XSPAN solutions originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2007 07:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.11nAR9001AR9001A-3NX2atherosbroadbandcomputexdraft-nieeeinternetmimopre-nsocwifiwifi allianceWifiAlliancewlanXSPANWed, 23 May 2007 07:42:00 EST<![CDATA[WiMedia UWB gets thumbs-up, becomes ISO / IEC-certified]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/21/wimedia-uwb-gets-thumbs-up-becomes-iso-iec-certified/http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/21/wimedia-uwb-gets-thumbs-up-becomes-iso-iec-certified/http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/21/wimedia-uwb-gets-thumbs-up-becomes-iso-iec-certified/#commentsJust recently, we finally heard a bit of good news from the IEEE camp in regard to 802.11n's progress, and now wireless freaks can celebrate a little more as UWB has been officially published as an ISO / IEC international standard. We've already seen a number of related certification programs, prototypes, and even products, but just a few months after edging legality in the UK, it seems the deal is done. WiMedia-based ultra-wideband technology, which is the "approved format for Wireless USB," unsurprisingly enables "short range multimedia file transfers" at data rates up to 480Mbps that operate in the UWB spectrum of 3.1 to 10.6 GHz. So while the brief rivalry was indeed entertaining, we're sorry about your luck, Freescale.

[Via ExtremeTech]

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WiMedia UWB gets thumbs-up, becomes ISO / IEC-certified originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2007 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>approvalapprovedcertifiedEcma InternationalEcmaInternationalfreescaleiecieeeintelisoratifiedstandardtask forceTaskForceultra-widebanduwbwimediawireless usbWirelessUsbWed, 21 Mar 2007 11:06:00 EST<![CDATA[802.11n creeps closer to finality as Draft 2.0 reaches milestone]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/14/802-11n-creeps-closer-to-finality-as-draft-2-0-reaches-milestone/http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/14/802-11n-creeps-closer-to-finality-as-draft-2-0-reaches-milestone/http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/14/802-11n-creeps-closer-to-finality-as-draft-2-0-reaches-milestone/#commentsIt's been a long, hard road for all of us -- consumers, manufacturers, developers, and a little club called the 802.11n Working Group -- but the next-gen, MIMO-powered WiFi standard has finally reached an important milestone in its tortured journey from a wee pre-N to a full-fledged spec (hopefully!), with 83.4% of eligible voters approving the latest Draft 2.0 revision. As we all remember from the overwhelming initial rejection of Draft 1.0, a 75% supermajority is required for moving on to the next stage, so the fact that there was this much support coupled with relatively few comments (3,000-some versus the 12,000+ for that famous Draft 1.0 flameout) means that we may actually be on track for a planned April 2009 publication of the final IEEE spec. The best part is that since Draft 2.0 is guaranteed to be fully compatible with the finalized 802.11n, your current gear with the D 2.0 badge of honor will definitely play nice with future components. So we're in the home stretch now, folks -- all that's left is some nitpicking over technicalities and language -- and it looks like the naysayers will have been proven wrong after all; although when WiMax comes to town and makes WLANs irrelevant, there's a good chance that this whole ordeal will be quickly forgotten anyway.

[Via Ars Technica]

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802.11n creeps closer to finality as Draft 2.0 reaches milestone originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2007 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.11n802.11n working group802.11nWorkingGroupapprovaldraft 2.0draft nDraft2.0DraftNieeepre-nWed, 14 Mar 2007 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[IEEE pushing 802.16m WiMAX to 1Gbps, hopes to converge with 4G]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/20/ieee-pushing-802-16m-wimax-to-1gbps-hopes-to-converge-with-4g/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/20/ieee-pushing-802-16m-wimax-to-1gbps-hopes-to-converge-with-4g/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/20/ieee-pushing-802-16m-wimax-to-1gbps-hopes-to-converge-with-4g/#commentsIf there's one thing that we'll never be satisfied with, it's finding out just how many nanoseconds we can shave off our download times from year to year, and thankfully, the IEEE seems to get that. While it has certainly taken its sweet time with 802.11n, the task force has already voted to make 100G the next Ethernet speed, and now it's pushing to make WiMAX implementations even quicker. Reportedly announced at 3GSM, the IEEE has began working on a new version of the 802.16 standard, dubbed 802.16m, which "could push data transfer speeds up to 1Gbps while maintaining backwards compatibility with existing WiMAX radios." Potentially more interesting than cheering for speed boosts is the group's outright assurance that this protocol will meet the ITU's requirements for 4G, insinuating that it should be the token choice for further 4G developments. Nevertheless, the increased bandwidth is supposedly needed due to convergence between VoIP and various forms of multimedia (IPTV, streaming video, digital downloads, etc.), and however true that may be, some skeptics are still understandably doubting the whole "backwards compatibility" aspect. Still, the IEEE hopes to have this together by "the end of 2009," but considering the team's less-than-stellar track record in the deadline department, we're not holding our collective breath.

[Via DailyWireless]

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IEEE pushing 802.16m WiMAX to 1Gbps, hopes to converge with 4G originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Feb 2007 21:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3gsm4g802.16802.16mconvergeconvergenceenterpriseieeeitumimoofdmr/imttask forceTaskForcevoipwave 2Wave2wimaxTue, 20 Feb 2007 21:42:00 EST<![CDATA[802.11n going up for approval once again]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/23/802-11n-going-up-for-approval-once-again/http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/23/802-11n-going-up-for-approval-once-again/http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/23/802-11n-going-up-for-approval-once-again/#commentsSure, they say the third time's a charm, but at this point, all "charm" in the grueling 802.11n ratification process has evaporated. Moving ever-so-slightly ahead of schedule, the IEEE's 802.11 working group has "unanimously approved Draft 1.10 of the 802.11n WiFi spec," and has now passed it along to the entire membership of the IEEE for final approval. Of course, we've certainly been down the unfortunate road before, but hopefully the folks in charge will give it the thumbs-up we all need to sanely move on with our wireless lives. Notably, there's "no set timeline" for when it expects an approval / denial decision, but if the membership does give this draft the green light, "it will be the final 802.11n specification." Now, let's all cross our collective fingers for some positive (and hasty) decision making.

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802.11n going up for approval once again originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jan 2007 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.11napprovalbreaking newsBreakingNewsdelaydraftdraft-ndraft-specieeepre-ntask forceTaskForcewifiTue, 23 Jan 2007 10:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Qualcomm swallows Airgo, announces first 802.11n Draft 2.0 chipset]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/06/qualcomm-swallows-airgo-announces-first-802-11n-draft-2-0-chips/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/06/qualcomm-swallows-airgo-announces-first-802-11n-draft-2-0-chips/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/06/qualcomm-swallows-airgo-announces-first-802-11n-draft-2-0-chips/#commentsAs we edge ever closer (right?) to finally seeing a finalized 802.11n protocol, companies are shoving (sometimes in secret) draft-spec 802.11n kit into their products to take advantage of the here and now. Taking yet another baby step towards the goal, Qualcomm is releasing a fourth-generation chipset, dubbed the AGN400, to take advantage of Draft 2.0 of the IEEE 802.11n standard. The chipset itself was crafted by Airgo, who just so happened to be acquired by dear Qualcomm in one fell swoop, and also features Airgo's True MIMO Gen-N technology. Although Airgo has had its quibbles with backwards compatibility in the past, this device will supposedly play nice with all previous 802.11s, including the earlier draft of 802.11n and the typical trio of 802.11a/b/g. Reportedly ready to fit a "full array" of interface buses for OEM products, this Draft 2.0-compliant chipset purportedly provides "significantly better performance, a greater feature set, and enhanced interoperability" over the previous rendition. While pricing details weren't discussed, it should be ready for the world to see by CES, while True MIMO Gen-N products should be available by "the first quarter of 2007."

[Via PhoneMag]

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Qualcomm swallows Airgo, announces first 802.11n Draft 2.0 chipset originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Dec 2006 12:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.11802.11a802.11b802.11g802.11nairgodraftdraft ndraft specdraft-nDraftNDraftSpecgen-nieeemimoprotocolqualcommwifiWed, 06 Dec 2006 12:38:00 EST<![CDATA[IEEE votes 100G as the next Ethernet speed, scheduled for 2010]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/06/ieee-votes-100g-as-the-next-ethernet-speed-scheduled-for-2010/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/06/ieee-votes-100g-as-the-next-ethernet-speed-scheduled-for-2010/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/06/ieee-votes-100g-as-the-next-ethernet-speed-scheduled-for-2010/#commentsWe're confident these off kilter batteries have been keeping the IEEE quite busy in recent months, but they've apparently made time to agree upon the next major Ethernet standard, and have raised the bar way above the rumored "40Gbps" level by dropping the hammer on 100G. If you're hoping to pick up some newfangled NIC and take advantage of these crazy new speeds anytime soon, fuhgetaboutit. The IEEE's High Speed Study Group (HSSG) has quite a bit of work to go, including the actual assembly of a new task force, which will "work to standardize 100G Ethernet over distances as far as six miles over single-mode fiber optic cabling and 328 feet over multimode fiber." John D'Ambrosia, chair of the IEEE HSSG, has admitted that the need for quicker (and larger) pipes is imminent, especially considering the growing trend in downloadable media and Web 2.0 applications, but anticipates the forming of 100G to "not be too great a challenge." While we're most definitely writing anything these folks say in regard to promptness off, we're admittedly glad the gurus behind the scenes feel this next step up should happen rather smoothly, but the IEEE still doesn't think a "finalized standard" will go live "until 2009 or 2010."

[Via Shashdot]

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IEEE votes 100G as the next Ethernet speed, scheduled for 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Dec 2006 04:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>100g100gbpsethernetfiberieeeinternetinternet2lanprotocolstandardtask forceTaskForceWed, 06 Dec 2006 04:40:00 EST<![CDATA[IEEE taskforce begins 18-month revision of laptop battery standard]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/08/ieee-taskforce-begins-18-month-revision-of-laptop-battery-standa/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/08/ieee-taskforce-begins-18-month-revision-of-laptop-battery-standa/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/08/ieee-taskforce-begins-18-month-revision-of-laptop-battery-standa/#commentsIf you were hoping that the IEEE would hurry those 802.11n proposals along, you're probably not thrilled to hear that an issue with a bit more precedence is probably taking top priority. While we WiFi freaks wait impatiently for the next-generation standard to get its own stamp of approval, the taskforce is now beginning the efforts to update the apparently insufficient "Standard for Rechargeable Batteries for Portable Computing." In a presumed attempt to make the next wave of notebook batteries carry less explosive tendencies, the IEEE 1625 standard is being updated "to further safeguard the reliability of laptop batteries." The standard itself "defines approaches for evaluating and qualifying such batteries, verifying their quality and reliability, and educating and communicating with end users," all of which should see fairly dramatic changes. The bad news is that the IEEE is estimating a full 1.5 years before the protocol can be updated, but assures the frightened consumer base that all major notebook / battery manufacturers "have indicated strong interest to participate" -- which makes perfect sense when those very companies are losing millions recalling the current designs.

[Via Laptoping]

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IEEE taskforce begins 18-month revision of laptop battery standard originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Nov 2006 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.11nbatteryexplosivebatteryieeeIEEE 1625Ieee1625standardtaskforceWed, 08 Nov 2006 17:22:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC intros draft-spec 802.11n WARPSTAR router / PCMCIA card]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/18/nec-intros-draft-spec-802-11n-warpstar-router-pcmcia-card/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/18/nec-intros-draft-spec-802-11n-warpstar-router-pcmcia-card/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/18/nec-intros-draft-spec-802-11n-warpstar-router-pcmcia-card/#comments If you're growing tired of one delay after another (and another), and just can't wait to get in on that uber-quick 802.11n goodness, NEC has unveiled a few pieces of draft-spec kit that should hold you over until the IEEE finally agrees on a winner. Its Aterm WR8200N router is based on the latest (albeit not yet finalized) next-gen wireless protocol, and claims to not interfere with 802.11b/g networks while offering theoretical speeds of "up to 130Mbps." Aside from sporting backwards compatibility with the slower WiFi standards, a trio of antennas are available for "maximum range," while four Ethernet ports are onboard for those who prefer to stay wired. The company is also offering up an 802.11n-compatible PCMCIA card (WL130NC) for those folks not lucky enough to discover an undercover edition already integrated in their machine. While NEC seems to be playing the ever-elusive "open price" card, both of these units should be available in early November.

[Via Akihabara News]

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NEC intros draft-spec 802.11n WARPSTAR router / PCMCIA card originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Oct 2006 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.11natermdraftieeenecpcmciawifiwr8200nWed, 18 Oct 2006 10:40:00 EST<![CDATA[IEEE at work on revised Li-ion battery standard]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/27/ieee-at-work-on-revised-li-ion-battery-standard/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/27/ieee-at-work-on-revised-li-ion-battery-standard/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/27/ieee-at-work-on-revised-li-ion-battery-standard/#comments Yeah, we're trying to hold back the snickering too. It seems the IEEE has chosen now as the time to start looking over those (previously innocent) battery protocols, and the timing couldn't be any more convenient. Rather than buckling down and getting a finalized 802.11n standard out the door, the task force is being silently forced to take a good, hard look at battery criteria. Currently focused on IEEE P1825 -- the designation for lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries used in digital cameras and camcorders -- the crew is hoping to set more uniform regulations for the "design, production, and evaluation" of said cells. The update is supposedly aimed at revising "design analysis, testing and qualification checks" to ensure those QA reports filter out any, um, potentially explosive misfits, and while the project is scheduled to be completed "within 18 months," we know how quickly these folks let their deadlines slip. But the force isn't letting those increasingly-concerned computer manufactures get too much of a head start, as the IEEE 1625 is also slated for a (very necessary) revamp -- which makes perfect sense considering its label: "laptop battery standard."

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IEEE at work on revised Li-ion battery standard originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Sep 2006 04:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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