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Huawei's new hybrid routers blend mesh and powerline connectivity
Huawei believes it has found the solution to two of the most common frustrations with WiFi routers -- blind spots and slower speeds at further distances. The company's new WiFi Q2 routers blend a conventional mesh system with power-line communication to extend coverage using your house's electrical wiring. Pricing and availability haven't been announced yet; confusingly, the "Q2" in the router's name does not refer to when it goes on sale -- but Huawei said the WiFi Q2 will launch globally.
HomePlug Alliance keeps plugging away at powerline communications
Try as it might, the HomePlug Alliance just can't seem to get its foot in the proverbial door of consumers' homes. Now the organization is eying a different target market -- utilities. Its new Netricity Powerline Communications program aims to get utility companies and makers of smart meters to adopt the 1901.2 standard for sending data through existing electrical wiring and march us into the smart grid future. The low-frequency, narrow-band PLC won't do anything to help you stream HD video around your home, but it should be more than enough for monitoring your energy consumption. Check out the PR after the break for a few more details.
Google search opens SCADA systems to doomsday scenarios
Google, the service so great it became a verb, can now add security risk to its roster of unintended results. The search site played inadvertent host to remotely accessed Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems in a Black Hat conference demo led by FusionX's Tom Parker. The security company CTO walked attendees through the steps required to gain control of worldwide utility infrastructure -- power plants, for one -- but stopped short of actually engaging the vulnerable networks. Using a string of code, unique to a Programmable Logic Controller (the computers behind amusement park rides and assembly lines) Parker was able to pull up a water treatment facility's RTU pump, and even found its disaster-welcoming "1234" password -- all through a Google search. Shaking your head in disbelief? We agree, but Parker reassured the crowd these types of outside attacks require a substantial amount of effort and coordination, and "would be extremely challenging to pull off." Panic attack worn off yet? Good, now redirect those fears to the imminent day of robot-helmed reckoning.
Comcast to show off new Xfinity TV guide with Facebook tie-ins, Intel CPU Thursday (video)
Thanks to one of our readers getting an early install, we've already dug deep into Comcast's next generation Xfinity TV DVR, but on Thursday Brian Roberts will show it off in full (along with "new broadband speeds") at the 2011 NCTA Cable Show . According to the press release the new guide that blends internet content with TV broadcasts will include customizations and sharing tied to Facebook along with hardware built by Pace around an Intel CPU -- if anyone needs a suggestion for a service to add after Skype, we're thinking OnLive could be a good fit. The detail we're waiting to hear is when it will be upgrading the pitiful boxes currently available in our neck of the woods, but until then we have another tipster to thank for pointing out a cache of demo videos posted on the portal for initial testers in Georgia. The 17-minute compilation of walkthrough videos is embedded above, just try not to drool too hard over the HD formatted UI. [Thanks, Cypherstream]
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.
Innoband HomePlug AV+802.11n AP Starter Kit review
HomePlug has been around for years now, nearly as long as mobile broadband, Windows Mobile and sliced bread... combined. Unlike any of those three, however HomePlug hasn't exactly caught fire in the industry. For those unaware, the general principle with these devices is to send network signals (or other signals, we suppose) over a home's existing power network. In theory, this would prevent someone from being forced to run a 50 foot Ethernet drop, instead using the 50 feet (or more) or power wiring that already resides within the walls of a given abode to transmit the same signals. For whatever reason, early models were plagued with flaky performance and speeds that were far less than advertised. Granted, things have progressed quite aways since the HomePlugs of old, but has the tech finally reached a place where it could be adopted en masse? We recently had the chance to test out Innoband's HomePlug AV+802.11n AP Starter Kit, which is a two-piece solution that consists of a transmitting unit (which connects to your router or modem via Ethernet and plugs into a nearby wall outlet) and a 802.11b/g/n WiFi transceiver, which is designed to be plugged into a different wall socket where you need an Ethernet connection or extended wireless coverage. Curious as to how things stacked up? Tap that 'Read More' link for the rest of our review. %Gallery-88705%
I-O Data busts out new powerline routers
Japan's I-O Data has introduced a pair of new routers for those looking to get in on the powerline networking action, with one of the two also offering some WiFi for good measure. From the looks of it, the only other difference between the two appears to be the color, with each boasting the same HD-PLC capabilities, 128-bit AES security, and the requisite blinkin' lights to let you know what's going on. No on what what they'll cost, but they should both be available in Japan next month.[Via Akihabara News]
Sharp's HN-VA40S HomePlug AV 4-port Ethernet HUB: HD streaming over electrical wiring
High definition video streaming over power jacks? We say bring it Sharp, if you can. Meet the HN-VA40S pair, a HomePlug AV 1.1 PowerLine Computing (PLC) solution with the promise of an effective 85Mbps (200Mbps theoretical) across your home's electrical outlets -- ample bandwidth and QoS to stream HD video throughout the home. The ¥17,000 (about $137) HN-VA10 adapter feeds whatever data you bung down its Ethernet jack to the 4-port, ¥13,000 (about $105) HN-VA40 Ethernet hub plugged into any outlet up to 150-meters away. Better yet, save a few bills and buy the set for about ¥24,000 (about $194) when these ship August 24th in Japan. Don't be shy now; you can connect up to 16 units to the same network although we'd suggest waiting for a review before dropping that much dough.[Via Impress]
Pioneer's MT-01 music tap PLC sound system gets a date
Well, well, who do we have here? Looks like Pioneer's MT-01 Power Line Sound System will finally get a push out the door. Mid-July to be exact-ish though it's unclear if that date represents a global, or Japan-only release. Pioneer seems to have rebranded the whole Power Line Communciation (PLC) audio kit under a "music tap" family of products, although their UK arm still lists it with a legacy MT-01 badge. As for pricing, we expect the complete kit (Sound Station control unit + 2x25W speaker + small 5W speaker) to hit for ¥68,000 (about $574) with an additional ¥14,000 ($118) required to network your iPod. Of course, the individual speakers are sold separately as well: ¥27,000 ($228) for the biggie or ¥19,000 ($160) for the 5W job. But with all the trouble Pioneer's had bringing this to market, you'd be well served to wait for the reviews before laying out the heavy cash on a home-wide system. [Via Impress]
