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Alienware laptops to use Killer Wireless-N 1202 WiFi cards, guarantee a few frags at the coffee shop
You might recall that Killer Technology launched the Killer Wireless-N 1202 card as a bit of an orphan: without an immediate laptop partner or an aftermarket reseller, it wasn't clear how and when gamers would get their hands on the low-lag WiFi add-on. Alienware is stepping up and making that much easier as of today by planning to use the Qualcomm Atheros-owned technology across its laptop line. The PC builder didn't say which models are getting the treatment, although it made clear that more than one of the newly refreshed arsenal will tuck the 1202 inside. If you're the sort that needs to crush newbs with the lowest ping times, but don't want to leave the comfort of Starbucks WiFi to plug in an Ethernet cable, your solution now looks to be at hand.
HP Envy Spectre arrives at FCC, next year's model probably called HP Envy SMERSH
Even in the FCC's secret Washington bunker, our boys in lab-coats like to spread a little festive cheer. When this new HP Envy 14 Spectre was released into the streets, we found it wrapped in tinsel. We'll expect to learn more about this dual-band Wireless-N packing laptop in January, where we figure it'll be the last model to carry Intel's Sandy Bridge, since successor Ivy Bridge isn't due to arrive at OEMs for another couple of months. We're not sure about naming your laptop after a James Bond villain organization, but it wouldn't be the first questionable decision to come from the House of Meg this year, would it?
Alienware adds jitter-killing Killer Wireless-N technology to M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x
And this, friends, is how you make the leap into the mainstream. Bigfoot Networks has been toiling away in an effort to get its gaming-optimized networking guts into just about everything -- there's also a VisionTek GPU with Killer innards, and a trifecta of mainboard makers announced that they too would be joining the bustling integration party earlier in the year. Now, however, the outfit's really got something to hang its hat on: a handshake with Dell's Alienware unit. The Killer Wireless-N 1103 networking adapter will now be listed as an option for the Alienware M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x, promising data rates as high as 450Mbps as well as its Advanced Stream Detect to intelligently classify and prioritize network traffic. Mum's the word on how much the upgrade will be, but based on prior reviews, we'd say the premium will be well worth it for the hardcore among us.
TrendNet outs first 450 Mbps dual-band WiFi adapter
If you're reading this, we're going to go ahead and assume you've got a computer endowed with its own wireless radio, but that doesn't mean it's powerful enough to handle your non-stop streaming these days. For folks craving more oomph, TrendNet has just announced the first USB adapter that promises to boost your throughput to speeds as high as 450 Mbps (thanks to MIMO technology) -- a mighty boost over the 54Mbps or 150Mbps rates you might be used to. As a dual-band adapter, it'll connect to either 2.4GHz or 5GHz networks and -- bonus -- its design is relatively discreet, too. Feel the need for speed? It's on sale now for $80.
Amped Wireless' UA600EX adapter quadruples your laptop's WiFi range when you're on a boat
For every gadget you can use on land, there has to be one you can use at sea, right? Just in time for yachting season, Amped Wireless released the weatherproof UA600EX High Power Wireless-N 600mW Pro USB Adapter, which promises to extend your notebook's WiFi range in areas where there are no hotspots to be mooched. That sounds ideal for boating, but thanks to some flexible mounting options and one heavy-duty 26.5-foot cable, it should also come in handy everywhere from offices to RVs. The single-band UA600EX runs on the 2.4GHz spectrum, and although the company stops short of saying just how many feet of leeway you can expect, it does claim to quadruple your computer's range -- whatever that happens to be. If you have a hankering to watch Deadliest Catch on your next fishing trip, you can nab one of these bad boys at the source link for a cool $110.
Bigfoot brings Killer bandwidth management to laptops via Wireless N module
Good news for the Bigfoot faithful -- the bandwidth management technology that's been making your desktop gaming experience smoother for years is just about ready for the laptop sector. When we spoke with the company's leadership back at Computex, they hinted strongly that infiltrating the mobile gaming space was a top priority, and it seems as if the stars have finally aligned for that to happen. The company's new Killer Wireless-N 1103 and 1102 half-size mini-PCIe adapters are suited for use in pretty much any laptop on the market, with the primary difference between two being available streams: the former utilizes three-stream MIMO for data rates as high as 450Mbps, while the latter relies on a two-stream MIMO setup capable of pushing 300Mbps. Both units will have Advanced Stream Detect and Visual Bandwidth Control, which should make your wireless gaming and videocall sessions smoother, more reliable and more predictable, regardless of what the network situation is. We're still waiting in tense anticipation for who Bigfoot plans to partner with here, but we're guessing that the gaming mainstays will be all over this in no time flat. Keep it locked for more as we get it. Update: Looks like Bigfoot has come clean with its partner lineup. Killer Wireless-N adapters will be introduced this month inside gaming and media notebook PCs from leading vendors including AVA Direct, CyberPower, iBuyPower, Maingear, Origin PC, Sager, The V-Machine, Velocity Micro and others.
Cisco unveils Linksys E4200 dual-band router capable of speeds up to 450Mbps
Cisco has continued its push to make home entertainment wire-free with its latest E-Series wireless router, the Linksys E4200. Cisco's new dual-band 802.11n rig enters a high-end market segment currently occupied by the TRENDnet TEW-692GR. Both routers utilize a 3x3 Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) configuration for a max throughput of 450Mbps on the 5GHz band, and while the E4200 only reaches speeds of 300Mbps at 2.4 GHz (as compared to the TEW-692GRs 450Mbps) it should still be quite the video streaming powerhouse. As we've seen in previous Cisco offerings, the company's latest has USB connectivity and UPnP media server capabilities to add network storage and share all of your movies and music. Additionally, the E4200 packs technology similar to that seen in other routers, which allows users to prioritize bandwidth for movies, voice, or music. To keep everyone connected, it has 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports, six antennas, and several internal and external signal amplifiers to provide coverage for even the most palatial of estates. For those itching to pair a performance router with their new internet capable TV, the E4200 is priced at $179.99 and is currently available at Best Buy.
TRENDnet TEW-690AP wireless access point has a theoretical 450Mbps top speed, a real $200 price
It's a sad fact of our digital lives that no matter how stylish we make our daily-used devices, we'll still need some antenna-riddled ogre in the corner of the room to blast out the WiFi goodness. Enter TRENDnet's latest contender, the TEW-690AP (even its name betrays an absolute lack of charisma), which has three spatial streams per antenna to deliver a max theoretical throughput of 450Mbps. It goes up to a full gigabit should you find any reason to connect via its wired Ethernet port, while a few extra bells and whistles -- like a repeater mode, WiFi Protected Setup with compatible devices, and up to four unique, encrypted SSIDs per wireless band -- complete the $200 value proposition. Whether you say yay or nay, look out for more from these guys at CES, they're promising to announce some more "first to market" wireless innovations.
ASUS' ultra-thin RT-N6U router hits FCC, adherence to diet in question
It's a pretty long trip down memory lane for us to return to ASUS' ultra-thin RT-56U router; last time we saw it was behind plexiglass at CeBIT in March. At long last it's returned to the spotlight, only this time that luminance is provided by the FCC's notorious labs. The dual-band Gigabit Wireless-N device gets just one image -- and given the unflattering angle, we're not quite sure if it's retained that slender figure. The filing is dated October 11 with a 45-day confidentiality agreement and enough references to US sales that we wouldn't be surprised to see it hit stateside retail in the not-too-distant future -- with or without its lean frame.
Buffalo launches trio of affordable Wireless-N devices able to get just about anything online
Is your wireless adapter pumping out signals using a letter designation lower than N? If so, think of all that delicious speed you're missing. Buffalo is here to give you a taste with three new Wireless-N devices, priced such that they'll fit into most budgets. First up is a fairly standard router, the WCR-GN, sporting 802.11n WiFi and four Ethernet ports in a cool white design for a mere $40. Then there's the WLAE-AG300N, a dual-port access point designed for making a pair of wired game consoles or the like wireless. That is a little more pricey, at $80, but the final product, the smallest of the bunch, brings us back down to $40. It's the WLI-UC-GNM, a USB 2.0 802.11n adapter that is barely bigger than the port it fits in, poking out just far enough for you to pull the thing back out again. All three are pictured in the gallery below, and all three should be shipping soon. %Gallery-99143%
EVO 4G gets 802.11n WiFi by changing two lines of code
The EVO 4G has a lot of weight in the smartphone arena thanks to WiMAX and that 4.3-inch screen, but though its Broadcom BCM4329 silicon also technically supports 802.11n WiFi over 2.4GHz, the protocol was disabled for some reason. Thankfully it's just a matter of ten characters to enable greater throughput, as the fine folks at xda-developers recently discovered. Better yet, you don't even have to edit those characters yourself -- if your EVO's nice and rooted and the word "brick" doesn't inspire fear, you'll find instructions and flash-ready ZIP files at our source link.
Wireless-N shocker! Cisco announces E-Series line of home routers
If we know you, you're about ready to bathe your place of residence in some of those 802.11n waves you've been hearing so much about. Well, you're in luck -- the cats at Cisco have announces the Linksys E-Series line of routers for your home, flat, or small business. All of these bad boys feature the all new Cisco Connect software (with exhaustive parental control and a separate password-protected guest network). Priced between $80 and $180, select models include Gigabit Ethernet, UPnP AV Media Server, external storage via USB, Linux, and more. Available now at Amazon, Staples, and Linksys. For the whole sordid tale, peep the PR after the break.
Cisco's Valet routers take a cue from Flip's design department
Admittedly, we were a bit hesitant when Cisco contacted us with jubilation over a router, but now we can kind of see why. The company has pulled in design experts from its recently-acquired Flip for what it's banking on is a much simpler and friendlier user experience, from the packaging to the set up and maintenance menus, with a new lineup of routers it's calling Valet. The hardware itself is not too shabby -- it'd probably be quite inconspicuous in a Tomorrowland exhibit -- but the internals are nothing mind-blowing. Both the Valet and Valet Plus offer 2.4GHz Wireless N, while the latter model boasts a longer range and a quartet of Gigabit ports (the standard only uses 10/100). Eschewing the usual CD installation key is what Cisco's calling the USB Easy Setup Key. Similar idea to the other routers, just plug in and install the software. After two clicks of the menu, it auto-located our Valet and connected to a newly-minted, protected wireless service (in this case "BusyFish") with the password saved in our keychain. Adjusting guest access and parental controls are easy enough, and nice part of the USB key is that you can write the settings onto it, letting you simply plug it into another computer and auto-load the settings. Manual controls are still available and should be fine for most readers. Nothing mind-blowing, but for the audience Cisco's targeting, it's definitely a step in the right direction. According to Cisco, availability is "immediately" and prices are $100 for Valet and $150 for Valet Plus. Press release and oodles (yes, oodles) more pictures after the break. %Gallery-89348%
VIZIO's 2010 XVT LCDs go up to 72-inches with 3D, LED, WiFi & WirelessHD
Remember VIZIO's LED backlit 55-inch XVT LCD with WiFi and widgets that debuted for two grand last year and seemed like such a value? Great, now go ahead and forget it because the company's top of the line model in August will switch over to a monster 72-inch 480Hz LCD (above) with 3D, WirelessHD, VIZIO Internet Apps widget platform and Wireless-N for $3,499. If that's too big to fit your budget (or in our case, tiny shoebox apartment) there will also be 55- and 47-inch versions available, with all the same features plus a new antireflective panel for those of you who like to keep the lights on during, they'll cost $2,499 and $1,999, respectively. These 3D displays feature SENSIO technology and Bluetooth-synchronized active shutter LCD glasses from XpanD, while a VIZIO XVT Pro Wireless HDMI Adapter is available separately with 4 HDMI inputs to blast HD signals across the room on the 60Ghz band. Cinema enthusiasts also have something to look forward to, check the gallery below for shots of the 58-inch ultrawidescreen 21:9 aspect ratio XVTPRO580CD, no word on a ship date or price but when it appears later this year you can kiss black bars during movies goodbye. We're sure we'll see more models from VIZIO before CES is out for the smaller, less 3D friendly homes, but right now it doesn't look like the company plans on giving up its LCD sales crown anytime soon -- these combinations of features and pricing may prove very difficult to say no to. PR with other details is after the break. %Gallery-81478%
Mad Catz takes aim at Microsoft with its own Wireless-N Gaming Adapter
Well, go figure. It seems like some companies see Microsoft's new and pricey Wireless N adapter for the Xbox 360 as a prime candidate for some competition. One of the first out of the gate is Mad Catz, which has just released its new Wireless-N Gaming Adapter that packs a slightly more reasonable MSRP of $80 (twenty bucks less than Mircosoft's), and should no doubt see even bigger discounts than the official Microsoft option. As you may have already guessed, however, this one is actually just a standard wireless bridge aimed at the gamer crowd, which just so happens to mean it'll also work just fine with the PlayStation 3 if you're looking to step-up to 802.11n or take advantage of the forthcoming Adhocparty service.
Mad Catz offers alternative to Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter
Following the release of Microsoft's improved Wireless N Networking Adapter for Xbox 360, Mad Catz has announced its own wireless adapter, which improves upon Microsoft's device in a couple of ways. First, the adapter, essentially an Ethernet bridge, works with the PS3, allowing for the use of the 802.11n standard with Sony's console. Second, and most importantly, the Mad Catz adapter improves upon the most reviled feature of the Microsoft model: the price. At $79.99 (£49.99/€59.99 in the UK and Europe), the Mad Catz Wireless-N Gaming Adapter is no impulse buy, but it's exactly twenty dollars better than Microsoft's version. Mad Catz told Joystiq that its device is currently shipping to North American and European retailers and will be available in the company's online store this week.
Xbox 360 Wireless N adapter is really real, out this week in US for $100
Microsoft's releasing a Wireless N Networking Adapter for the Xbox 360? Get out of town! ... Oh, wait, we've seen it. Constantly. For the last two months. Ah well, let's just all be happy to see it finally appear on US store shelves, putting an end to this sordid saga and supporting 802.11a/b/g/n for a copper Lincoln under $100. As Joystiq reports, the old 802.11b/g model is slowly being shown the curb, with the current stock being discounted at $80 while supplies last. Update: Check it -- GameStop has it listed right now in stock. Huzzah!
Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter out this week in North America [update]
After the item mysteriously appeared in a UK supermarket this weekend, Microsoft has finally offered a North American release date for the Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter -- and it's right now. Or, rather, "this week," as the announcement puts it. The new version of the official Wi-Fi adapter will retail for the same $99.99 that the first version commanded (though Amazon has it for $87.99 right now, and the old one at $76.49). The Wireless Adapter N adds support for the 802.11n protocol, which should allow for higher-speed wireless connections. It also adds a second antenna, which allows for symmetry. Given its high price, it may cause buyers to suffer like the 802.11g did. Update: We've confirmed with Microsoft that the original 802.11b/g adapter will only be available while supplies last -- at a new price of $80.
Xbox 360 Wireless N adapter live in the UK, US release still a mystery
Alas, the troubled tale of the Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter has reached a conclusion, albeit not the exact conclusion many (including Microsoft, no doubt) would have hoped. Nearly two months after first being caught in the public spotlight (thanks, FCC!) – and then casually confirmed, sans press release, price, or release date – the Xbox 360's second attempt at a this-should-really-be-built-in wireless networking adapter has found its way to some store shelves, apparently. An Engadget reader snapped the above pic at UK-supermarket Asda where the adapter is evidently selling for £49, which converts to a (relatively speaking!) very reasonable $82. Of course, it's nowhere to be found on any major US retail sites and Microsoft is keeping mum so the cat-and-mouse game continues. Naturally, we've put (another) word into Microsoft and we'll let you know when they respond with the usual shrug.
Xbox 360 802.11n adapter rebirths on Costco site, ships November 10th for $88
You can't keep a phoenix down and this Xbox 360 wireless n adapter seems to be a bird of similar feather. After discretely showing up on US retail sites and subsequently managing to drop off into internet obscurity, the 802.11n-compliant peripheral has returned to the scene via Costco's site, this time with a November 10th shipping date and a more attractive than before $88 price tag. With only five days until the 10th, will this finally be the price and date that stick? Who knows -- but at least this time we won't have to wait long to find out. [Thanks, WeakSasco]
