Wifi
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Weber embraces modern grilling with a WiFi-enabled pellet model
WiFi-enabled pellet grills are having a moment, and rightfully so. They allow you to control and monitor your grill from afar, which is very convenient, especially you're smoking a piece of meat for eight hours or more. Several companies have already jumped on the bandwagon, with Traeger, Rec-Tec, Green Mountain Grills and others all offering models with built-in connectivity. Until now, one of the biggest names in backyard grilling had yet to do the same: Weber. Today, the company is changing that with the introduction of its SmokeFire grills.
Google Nest WiFi review: A solid mesh network with built-in Assistant
Google's been trying to make the perfect WiFi gear for nearly five years, and Nest WiFi is its third-generation attempt at it. Like its predecessor, Nest WiFi, Google hopes, is pretty enough that you won't shove it in a cupboard or behind your TV. After all, operating in plain sight is better for wireless performance. And Google had nailed ease of use and power last time around. But Nest WiFi isn't just about celebrating a new name, it's a big departure from what went before. And it comes with a voice assistant, built-in -- whether you want one or not.
Xiaomi’s first real smartwatch looks just like an Apple Watch
As Xiaomi gears up to launch its 108-megapixel phone at its November 5th event, the company has also unveiled details of its upcoming smartwatch -- and it looks awfully familiar. The device -- which will probably be called the Mi Watch -- bears a striking resemblance to the Apple Watch.
BYU researchers extend WiFi range by 200 feet with a software upgrade
As we fill our homes with connected devices, we'll need WiFi to reach around every corner. One solution is hardware like Amazon's Eero routers and Google's Nest WiFi, physical devices that give your primary WiFi signal a boost. But researchers think there might be another way: a software protocol that extends the distance connected devices can send and receive WiFi by more than 60 meters.
Google Nest WiFi hands-on: Range extenders have never sounded so good
It's been three years since Google launched its original WiFi router. Back then, it was one of a few mesh WiFi systems available for home use, promising to blanket your house with sweet, sweet internet coverage. Today, though, there are mesh routers from Netgear, LinkSys and Eero, to name a few. The devices themselves have slowly become prettier, too, looking more like classy ornaments than robotic spiders with tentacular antennae. Although it never looked as monstrous as typical routers did, the Google WiFi system was starting to feel dated. Good news, then, that the company announced a new version today called Nest WiFi. Instead of having interchangeable routers and repeaters like before, this new mesh system has a base router and companion extenders called Points.
Nest WiFi's range extenders double as smart speakers
The Pixel 4 wasn't the only secret Google couldn't keep from spilling all over the internet. Another device, the Nest WiFi, has been leaked a couple of times before the company's Made by Google event in New York City today. But now it's official. As rumored, Google's new Nest WiFi can be paired to "points," aka beacons, that will help extend the range of your wireless network at home. Not only that, but these Nest WiFi points can double as smart speakers, making them compatible with Google Assistant. This means you'll be able to use your voice to control your WiFi setup, like if you ever want to say "Hey Google, pause WiFi for kids devices."
TP-Link's $70 WiFi 6 router is destined for Walmart
The speedier WiFi 6 standard is barely a year old, but it's already becoming easy to find low-cost routers that support it. TP-Link is introducing two Walmart-bound WiFi 6 routers, the Archer AX1500 and AX3000, that are focused on lower the price of entry for next-gen networking. The AX1500 you see above won't floor you with its 1.2Gbps peak speed (300Mbps on 2.4GHz), but it also costs just $70. It's a relatively easy pick if you're just looking for a tangible improvement over WiFi 5 (aka 802.11ac). The five gigabit Ethernet ports don't hurt, either.
Amazon's new Eero mesh WiFi system is all about ease of use
You'd be forgiven for not knowing Amazon acquired the mesh-networking outfit Eero earlier this year; routers are less than thrilling by nature, and the deal's potential was less exciting than the problems it caused for existing employees. Amazon was keen to move on, though, so it announced a new version of those Eero routers at its press conference in Seattle today.
Netgear's WiFi 6 mesh router comes with a $700 price tag
Netgear made a number of announcements at this year's IFA tech show in Berlin, including details on a new WiFi 6 mesh extender, the first cloud-configurable commercial grade mesh network, and a new router that comes with an eye-watering price tag.
Even DSLR cameras are vulnerable to ransomware
Cameras are among the few devices that don't connect to the internet, so you'd think they'd be immune to hackers. However, researchers have discovered that some DSLRs and mirrorless cameras are actually vulnerable to ransomware attacks, of all things. Once in range of your camera's WiFi, a bad actor could easily install malware that would encrypt your valuable photos unless you paid for a key.
Land art reminds you to maybe go offline sometimes
Leon Keer, a Dutch pop-surrealist and land artist, has created a simple but monumental piece with a very clear message. Conceived for the Vision Art Festival in the Swiss alps of Crans-Montana, 'offline' anamorphic land art, will make visitors do a double take when they see a WiFi symbol seemingly floating in mid-air at the pristine resort.
Google's $10 Stadia Pro plan includes one free game per month
During a Reddit "Ask me Anything" session, Director of Product Andrey Doronichev dished some more details about Google's Stadia online gaming service coming in November. Questions covered number of subjects, from social features to technical details to Google's commitment to the platform. Perhaps the most pertinent thing that Google revealed, however, is how the Stadia Pro subscription will work and what you'll get.
Dish launches a WiFi and TV service aimed at apartment dwellers
Last week Dish announced a new service designed to make smart home technology available to all, now it's launching another service that makes modern tech accessible to everyone. "Dish Fiber" is a combined WiFi and livestreaming TV bundle for those living in multifamily communities, such as apartment blocks and student housing.
Signify's LiFi system promises up to 150 Mbps internet via LED lights
This week, Signify, formerly Philips Lighting, launched one of the first commercial LiFi, or Light Fidelity, systems. LiFi transmits broadband internet through lights, using LEDs to move data and bypass radio signals. We've seen some experimental applications of the tech, but this is the most realistic deployment yet.
American Airlines offers satellite WiFi to its entire mainline fleet
If you're relying on American Airlines for a summer trip, there's a good chance you'll have internet access most of the way. The company has finished deploying satellite-based internet access to the fleet of 700-plus narrowbody aircraft that mainly handle its domestic routes. Depending on where you're going, you'll have either Gogo 2Ku or ViaSat Ka connections providing speedier, more consistent WiFi than the ground solutions of old. American deployed satellite broadband to its widebody aircraft roughly a year earlier.
Gogo will offer 5G in-flight internet in 2021
Gogo plans to launch in-flight 5G on business and commercial flights in 2021. According to an announcement made today, the 5G will be available in the contiguous US and Canada. "We expect to launch Gogo 5G at the same time as the terrestrial telecommunications companies are deploying the same generation of technology on the ground," said CEO Oakleigh Thorne.
Ecobee smart thermostat with glass display pops up on Lowe's website
Ecobee is reportedly working on a new SmartThermostat and SmartSensors. The items haven't been announced yet, but they're listed on the Lowe's website. The specific product pages have been removed, but Zatz Not Funny managed to spot the details before they were scrubbed.
ASUS' latest WiFi 6 router looks appallingly normal
When you look up WiFi 6 routers, you tend to get a bunch of nightmare-inducing designs that resemble gigantic dead spiders. Luckily, brands like Netgear and TP-Link have shown that such products can don a more humble outfit, and ASUS is finally following suit for this year's Computex. The company's freshly announced AiMesh AX6600 kit consists of two RT-AX95Q routers that, to our surprise, look very much like standard networking hubs (remember the Blue Cave?). Most notably, all six antennas are hidden inside each device, with two of them placed diagonally in the middle to boost reception.
London Underground will track everyone's Tube trip via WiFi
Transport for London, the UK capital's transit authority, will start collecting data on how people move around the Underground system by tracking phones and other connected devices using its extensive WiFi network. The agency's systems will depersonalize the data automatically and won't pick up any browsing or historical information from the devices. The data should offer sturdier details on how people move around the Tube system and even within stations, which will help the agency with long-term planning and providing effective updates to travelers.
Over 21,000 Linksys routers leaked their device connection histories
Certain Linksys WiFi routers might be sharing far more data than their users would like. Security researcher Troy Mursch has reported that 33 models, including some Max-Stream and Velop routers, are exposing their entire device connection histories (including MAC addresses, device names and OS versions) online. They also share whether or not their default passwords have changed. Scans have shown between 21,401 and 25,617 vulnerable routers online, 4,000 of which were still using their default passwords.
