Amped Wireless gets into the touchscreen wireless hardware game
Amped Wireless, as you know, is the plucky outfit that builds WiFi routers designed to cover huge spaces with internet. This time out, however, the company has decided to develop a range extender that, like a few others in its class, comes with a 3.5-inch touchscreen for easy setup. According to Amped, the biggest reason that WiFi gear gets returned is a lack of "user friendliness," because lots of people aren't comfortable plugging in an Ethernet cable and heading over to 192.168.1.1. This way, all a person has to do is follow along with the on-screen instructions and boom, their home network is set up within a matter of minutes. Once you're done, the screen will even display a clock, so at least you'll nave a reason not to cram it into a cupboard.
Pulling it out of the box and setting it up took less than five minutes, including a fresh firmware update. Unfortunately, the firmware update wiped the settings that had previously been entered, which was more than a little vexing. The user interface is wickedly simple, although the resistive touchscreen isn't up to much, which is why there's a stubby stylus tucked away in the top of the housing. On the upside, all of the options you'd require, including output power and access schedule if you hate your kids and don't want them accessing WiFi during homework hours. Certainly, the ease of use and simple UI are benefits here, although the fact that the device is limited to the 2.4GHz band will probably mean it doesn't get a thumbs up for performance nuts. Still, if you're always doing tech support for that one relative, the device will set you back $120, with shipping kicking off on November 6th 11th.
Update: Thanks to overwhelming demand, the company has pushed the shipping date back a few days, and has assured us that consumers won't have issues with firmware upgrades wiping the settings on their models.
