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D-Link ships $139.99 PowerLine HD Ethernet Adapter Starter Kit
While we wait for the phenomenon that is wireless HD to actually matter, D-Link's forging ahead with technology that's here, now. Starting today, the outfit is shipping a new PowerLine kit that can stream high-def footage throughout a home's integrated electrical wiring system. In other words, it's not wireless, but it's far from being messy. The PowerLine HD Ethernet Adapter Starter Kit (DHP-303) includes a pair of wall plugs / adapters which convert power sockets into access points for streaming media across the network. D-Link promises that users will see up to 200Mbps of throughput, and of course, the tried-and-rarely-true "plug-and-play" buzzword is thrown in as well. Assuming it actually works, the $139.99 asking price ain't too bad.
More details on D-Link's upcoming 7-inch SideStage USB monitor
We swung by D-Link's booth at CES to check out its upcoming SideStage USB-powered monitor, hoping to see the thing in action and get some more details ahead of its release. What we found was quite familiar looking, to say the least. D-Link was disappointingly just demoing a Nanovision, but was quick to point out this would not be the product destined for a full US release sometime this summer. That new display will still be produced by Nanovision, but will be modified to better suit our market, graced with a different logo, and cheaper, too. No firm price yet, but the company is targeting sub-$100, which sounds good to us.
D-Link's DCS-1130 WiFi monitoring camera sends footage to the web
Yeah, it's kind of creepy, but we're sure D-Link had the noblest of intentions when crafting the DCS-1130 802.11n Wireless Network Camera. Said device offers paranoid homeowners the chance to login from practically anywhere and view live streams of their camera, and the 16x digital zoom is sure to give you a totally pixelated look at whatever stranger happens to meander around in your yard before moving on. Better still, those who simply can't go a moment without a look back home can view the live streams on a 3G cellphone, though a wireless router supporting WPS must be involved in the configuration. Mum's the word on a price, but it should be noted that a wired-only version (DCS-1100) will also be available for those who don't trust the airwaves.
D-Link introduces 7-inch USB-powered SideStage monitor
D-Link, the company best known for its workings in the networking space, is suddenly branching out into new territories. Taking a pretty noticeable cue from Nanovision, D-Link is debuting a secondary display today in Las Vegas. The 7-inch SideStage, which rocks a 800 x 480 resolution and can be used in either landscape or portrait mode, weighs just 1.34-pounds and gets all the juice it needs from a powered USB 2.0 socket. Regrettably, the outfit failed to disclose a price or release date, simply saying it would be on display at CES. Why the tease, D-Link?
D-Link's Xtreme N DIR-685 router is also a digiframe / NAS device
Go 'head, D-Link, get down with your bad self. Seriously, we can't remember the last time a router got us all hot and bothered, but this one's just too wild to not get stoked about. The Xtreme N DIR-685 is hailed as an "all-in-one home network router," and we'd say it puts a new meaning to "all-in-one." Aside from handling the normal duties of an 802.11n wireless access point, the device also includes a 3.2-inch LCD for displaying photos and / or widgets. As if that wasn't zany enough, it also supports both UPnP server functions and BitTorrent downloads. How so, you ask? The twin USB ports on the rear enable users to plug in vanilla external hard drives and essentially convert them into NAS drives, making the data on each accessible over the web. Sadly, no price is mentioned for this conglomerate, but we don't expect it to come cheap.
D-Link debuts SharePort-packing DIR-825 dual-band router
It's pretty tough for a wireless router to stand out from the pack these days, but D-Link's new DIR-825 models looks to at least make an admirable stab at it, with it not only boasting dual-band capabilities to pump out 2.4GHz and 5Ghz signals simultaneously, but some fancy USB sharing as well. That latter bit comes in the form of D-Link's trademark SharePort technology, which will let you plug in any USB printer or storage device and access 'em from any computer on the network. The router is also supposedly "optimized for HD video streaming" and, according to D-Link, it'll also out-perform most other Draft N routers in general and save the planet in the process. Sold? You can snag one now for $200 even. Those that already have an 802.11n D-Link router (namely, the DIR-628, DIR-655, DIR-855, or DGL-4500) may want to think twice, however, as they can now add SharePort support to their existing router with nothing more than a firmware update, which is already available on D-Link's website.[Via Crave]
D-Link DSM-330 media streamer gets Flash video support -- Hulu on your TV
D-Link's $230 DSM-330 media streamer has always been among the most flexible set-top boxes out there, and it's just gotten even better, with the latest DivX Connected server software bringing Flash video support to the device. It's not quite browse-and-play -- every site requires a specific plug-in -- but Hulu, College Humor, YouTube, ABC News, and Vimeo are already working, and there are more on the way. That's pretty tempting for two bills, but we'll stick to rocking PlayOn with our 360 and PS3. [Via eHomeUpgrade and Zatz Not Funny!]
D-Link intros GVC-3000 video phone for India
Standalone videophones may not be quite as plentiful as you may have expected them to be at this point in the 21st century, but D-Link looks to at least be doing its part to keep our 1980s / early 90s selves happy. It's new GVC-3000 model also takes things a bit further than most, with it able to be connected to a TV or projector for some big screen videoconferencing, and it apparently able to function a with minimum bandwidth of just 128 kbps as well. That, the company says, makes it ideal for its target market of India, where the phone will set you back between Rs 23,000 and Rs 25,000 (or $540 to $580) when it lands in September.[Via About Projectors]
D-Link busts out "Green Ethernet" energy-saving firmware for existing routers
D-Link's been sipping power of late with its newish DWA-643 and DWA-556 desktop "Green Ethernet" switches, and now it's shipping those power savings upstream to its DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit router and DIR-855 dual channel routers with freely downloadable firmware updates. We'd scoff, but that's a power savings of 32 percent and 41 percent, respectively. It might only shave a few cents off those electric bills, but hey, you can always melt that copper down to make arrows for the coming apocalypse.[Via TrustedReviews]
D-Link's Internet Surveillance kit lets you see two rooms over
Okay, let's get this straight. If D-Link is marketing its new $499.95 Internet Surveillance Starter Kit (and $399.95 Expansion Kit, for the hardcore snoopers) as a method for spying on someone residing within your domicile (save for your infant), you probably need a family counselor -- not a gimmicky IP camera. Now, if D-Link is hoping to tickle the fancy of geeks who'd rather check out a room in low resolution rather than taking four or five steps down the hall, we're pretty terrified about the fate of humanity. Still, the weird(est) part about this thing is the D-Life website which it ties into. Video of your home piped through someone else's servers -- need we say more?[Via eHomeUpgrade]
D-Link DSM-210 unboxing, hands-on, and mini-review
When we first heard D-Link was sending its new DSM-210 Internet Photo Frame our way, we'll admit we had some pretty Star Trekkian visions of what it might entail. The device -- which is a 10-inch, 800 x 480 LCD display with built-in WiFi and ethernet connectivity -- promises to upgrade the familiar static nature of its ilk with a handful of networking enhancements. The frame adds Facebook, RSS, and various photo site (Flickr, Picasa) integration, then couples it with weather reports and the standard slideshow options (using the 1GB onboard storage or SD / MMC / Memory Stick slot). What should be a killer combo -- a frame that actually provides some interactive features -- is unfortunately hampered by its clunky UI and painful navigation via its dimestore micro-remote. D-Link does provide a nice landing page to set up your various accounts, though there's a cap on how many pictures can be in each stream, and it won't let you add two of the same subscription services on the device (say, if you and your spouse have separate Flickr accounts). The weather application is a nice touch, but that fact that it displays advertisements is a bit of a detractor -- do we really need to be bombarded with Dr. Pepper ads interspersed with photos from our peace-keeping missions abroad? All in all, it's not a bad device, but for the $249.99 price tag, you may be better off buying a cheapo netbook for a little bit more cash and leaving it open on a table somewhere.%Gallery-27260%
D-Link DSM-330 DivX Connected media streamer now shipping in the U.S.
The D-Link MediaLounge DSM-330 is finally shipping to U.S. media streaming heads fiending for its 1080p upconverting, Divx/Xvid streaming abilities, although our excitement is dimmed a bit by all the competition that's popped up since we first laid eyes on the GejBox, and Stage6 falling by the wayside certainly doesn't help. That said, DivX has been on an upswing as of late, so the launch of its first Connected hardware couldn't come a moment to soon. Unfortunately MKV support isn't part of the package yet, but for $299 it does handle quite a few formats. Interested U.S. buyers should be able to find out if it matches up to Popcorn Hour's A-100 now, with Canadian distribution following shortly. Check after the break for the press release and the rest of the details.
D-Link introduces DIR-628 sub-$100 5GHz-capable 802.11n router
If you haven't made the leap to 802.11n (or, even better, 5GHz 802.11n), you might want to start holding on to that loose change -- you'll probably have enough by the end of the week to pick up D-Link's new DIR-628 router, which has an official MSRP of $119, but will sell at Best Buy for just $79. The dual-band router obviously isn't the most feature-packed unit out there, but in terms of straight connectivity, it'll get the job done as long as the firmware is reasonably stable -- and to be honest, that's all we really want a router to do. Should be out now -- we're telling you, 5GHz is freaking amazing.[Via SmallNetBuilder]
D-Link updates DNS-323 NAS unit with BitTorrent client
D-Link's DNS-323 is already a pretty capable unit with FTP, UPnP AV, iTunes, and print server support, but it's getting even more flexible today with the addition of an official BitTorrent client that'll run independently of your computer. It's certainly not the first NAS we've seen to include everyone's fave copyright, ah, re-appropriation app, but it's certainly one of the cheapest -- you can snag it for under $200 from most retailers.[Via Crowdedbrain]
Media Center Extender shootout commences at Engadget HD
Here it is folks, the matchup you have (or haven't, that's cool) been waiting for: Microsoft's Xbox 360, Linksys' DMA2100 and D-Link's DSM-750 have been pit against one another and put to the test in order to find the champion of Media Center Extending. Here's a hint -- the race is a lot tighter than you probably think. Check out the full rundown (video included) over on Engadget HD.
The Media Center Extender shootout
Vista Media Center really sets itself apart from any other DVR solution out there, and the single greatest advantage Vista Media Center (VMC) has over the other options -- like the TiVo HD -- is the ability to have multiple Media Center Extenders. There really isn't any better way out there that will allow you to watch premium HD cable in every room of your house while at the same time centralizing all your media in one place. When VMC first hit the streets, there was only one HD extender: the Xbox 360. But the problem, of course, is that the Xbox is noisy and will always be a gaming console first and a Media Center Extender second. Well, things have really heated up in the extender market recently when both Linksys and D-Link released Media Center Extenders and HP upgraded its MediaSmart HDTVs. %Gallery-25212%
D-Link introduces DXN-221 Coax Ethernet Adapter Kit
D-Link's no stranger to HD streaming, and the outfit is proving that it's still got game by announcing the Coax Ethernet Adapter Kit. The Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA)-certified package consists of two DXN-220 adapters, each of which boast coaxial F-type connectors and an Ethernet port meant to give internet / network access to various rooms without worry over wireless connections flaking out on you. As you can tell, this one was designed to expand home networks without requiring any additional wiring (if you're pre-wired for cable, that is), and being that it operates in the 800MHz to 1,500MHz range, there won't be any interference with cable TV transmissions or the like. The DXN-221 kit -- which includes a pair of the aforementioned adapters -- will be available in Q3 for $199.99, while individual adapters can be purchased for $109.99 apiece.
D-Link's MediaLounge PC-on-TV DPG-1200 now shipping
Remember that DPG-1200 that got overshadowed by the outpouring of other media streamers landing at CES? Welp, D-Link has just announced that its PC-on-TV Player is finally shipping to eager customers and will soon be channeling web-based content directly to living room (or bathroom, kitchen, garage, underground bomb shelter, etc.) televisions for the marginally respectable price of $239.99. For those in dire need of a refresher, this MediaLounge device links up to your TV via VGA / component / composite and connects to your PC via WiFi; the bundled remote can then control the on-screen action, bringing YouTube, Google Video, Veoh Networks, etc. material from the intarwebz straight to your set. Whether or not the convenience is worth the cost, however, is totally your call.
D-Link DSM-750 wireless Media Center Extender finally shipping
We first saw D-Link's DSM-750 MediaLounge Wireless Media Player at CES way back in 2007, and the company "officially" launched the 802.11n unit in September of that year -- but the scheduled November 2007 retail date came and went, and the four of you queuing up to drop $349 on an unheralded Media Center extender were left to sadly contemplate the crushing banality of your existence. Well, buck up, boy-o, because it looks like D-Link's realized that it's actually supposed to sell the DSM-750, and it's also gone and dropped the price down a whole $20, to $329. Sure, you can operate the thing in either MCE or MediaLounge mode, but you're still limited to 1080i output (even over HDMI), and at that price, it's pretty hard to see why you wouldn't just nab an Xbox 360 Arcade to do the same thing -- you're getting far more functionality for the money, even if you have to spring for wireless and the remote. Still, we're glad this thing is finally here -- those four dudes were getting awfully weepy.[Via eHomeUpgrade]
D-Link launches Quadband DIR-855 Wireless N Router
Perpetual HD media streaming and online deathmatches got your current router in a bind? D-Link's looking to solve said quandary by introducing the Quadband DIR-855 Wireless N Router, which quite simply "supports true concurrent 802.11n transmission over both 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels at the same time." Granted, you'll need a wireless chipset capable of detecting both 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels or either the company's own DWA-160 USB adapter to take advantage, but we suppose that's the price you pay for being able to "segregate your network by application." You'll also find 5 gigabit Ethernet ports for those times when only wires will suffice, and the OLED display up top keeps things flashy, too. Expect this one to land in May for a stiff £169.99 ($337).[Via TrustedReviews]
