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CableLabs specs DOCSIS 3.0: IPv6, 160Mbps internet and more HDTV in 2008
CableLabs announced today that the Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) 3.0 has been drafted. The new standard will allow cable operators to more efficiently use their frequency and offer speeds as high as 160Mbps downstream and 120Mbps upstream. Whether or not we get speeds 10 times higher than cable modems and DSL currently offer anytime soon, the new standard will also allow operators to use their bandwidth for stuff we will definitely enjoy, like more HDTV channels and VOD.Unfortunately because of the major hardware changes required, we probably won't see this rolled out until at least 2008, so cable companies may use pre-3.0 equipment to roll out higher speeds and features to compete with fiber and satellite television offerings. It's worth mentioning that this also affects Blu-ray and HD DVD, if neither is able to make significant impact on the market consumers may be able to download high definition movies just as easily as buying them in a store in just a few years.[Via Cable Digital News]
Vodafone brings 3G to MacBooks via USB
Some people call it compatibility; we call it cheating. Yeah, Vodafone's freshly-announced Mobile Connect USB Modem fits into your MacBook Pro a little better than their PC Card does, but we'd sure like to see a real, honest-to-goodness ExpressCard operating on Vodafone's UMTS and HSDPA networks, and we're guessing we can find a few Pro owners to agree with us. Granted, non-Pros will need to kick it with the USB model either way, but at least Vodafone's glossy white capsule matches the MacBook a little better than its metal-clad sibling. The device hits the streets this fall, but Bluetooth dial-up should hold folks over in the meanwhile -- and if the thought of a white tumor on the side of your 'Book pains you, ya might be looking at Bluetooth as your permanent solution, too.[Via Reg Hardware]
