Apple : 40 Apple prototypes revealed in court case, as Samsung annoys the judge |
- 40 Apple prototypes revealed in court case, as Samsung annoys the judge
- Report alleges wheel-greasing for NYC Apple store
- Apple vs. Samsung trial gets its jury
- Apple TV adds Hulu Plus to content line up
- Sky's Now TV launches for iPad and iPhone
- In Depth: iOS 6: everything you need to know
- Buying Guide: Best router: 9 top wireless routers on test
- Lords committee criticises UK broadband focus
| 40 Apple prototypes revealed in court case, as Samsung annoys the judge Posted:  Day two in the Apple vs Samsung court case, and more Apple designs have been revealed. Designer Christopher Stringer was Apple's first witness, and he produced a slew of iPhone and iPad designs, some of which he had with him in person. Apparently the company produces "hundreds" of prototypes during the design process, mixing and matching elements from each. One iPad prototype eschewed the familiar slab design, and instead featured a thinner rail around the device that curves around the back on the top and bottom. It's thought this was to improve grip. You can see the full list here. "We've been ripped off"When asked about the allegations, Stringer told Apple's counsel, "We've been ripped off… It's a huge leap in imagination to come up with something new. That's what we did." Samsung's counsel then cross-examined Stringer, discussing the design patents for the iPhone. He then produced as evidence an email Stringer wrote in 2011, asking for a list of competitor tablets that the team could discuss. It's thought Samsung is trying to allude Apple is as inspired by competitor products - as its Sony-branded iPhone prototype might suggest - as everyone else. Stringer said the point was to gauge the market, rather than to take inspiration for future designs. Annoying the judgeSamsung has also succeeded in annoying Judge Lucy Koh by sending rejected evidence to the press that she wouldn't allow in court. The evidence centres on Samsung's F700 phone, which it was working on in the lead up to the iPhone's launch in 2007. It's been denied because it brought it out too late. After "begging" her to allow it, Samsung sent out a press release containing the "Sony-style" iPhone prototype, saying it would have "established beyond doubt that Samsung did not copy the iPhone design". Koh was furious, summoning Samsung's lead attorney to find out what part he had to play. And there's four weeks of this case still to go. Via The Verge |
| Report alleges wheel-greasing for NYC Apple store Posted:  Apple might be a good New York City roommate, but a new report says that its landlord helped grease the wheels a bit in order to ensure its tenant would move in with little difficulty. Just how much grease? Approximately $5 million worth, courtesy of New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Additionally, a two-year series of discussions ultimately found that the deal "was not a level playing field, was not fair to all potential bidders and was significantly slanted in Apple's favor," according to a report issued Monday by the New York State Comptroller's office. The story of Apple's Grand Central Terminal store reads like a New York mob drama. Apple store setting up shop, replacing othersThe area now housing Apple's prominently positioned store was previously leased to a restaurant named Metrazur. Metrazur, according to the comptroller's report, was under contract to carry the lease until 2019, but began speaking to Apple about transferring the lease in July 2009. The two companies allegedly reached a buyout agreement worth $5 million. The MTA agreed to give Metrazur $5 million to end its lease early but, in doing so, also tacked on a $5 million upfront payment for new businesses looking to move in as part of the request for proposal issued by the MTA. Apple submitted the only response for the space – due one month after the proposal was issued, notes the comptroller's report – and ultimately won out. Not only was the $5 million payment a sticking point for many vendors who might have had ambitions to take the space themselves, but "at a minimum, Apple had both an informational and time advantage spanning many months. And, other vendors were afforded approximately one month to determine if the space was practical and the price feasible for them," reads the report. The Apple aftermathThe MTA ultimately won out in the end, as Apple paid $1.1 million in rent during its first year in its Grand Central location – a figure four times that of the rent previously paid by Metrazur, notes the New York Times. However, Apple did win a concession from the MTA it doesn't have to share any revenue it makes from that location with the agency. It's the only Grand Central retailer with such a provision. According to the New York Post, the MTA doesn't agree with the comptroller's findings. "This audit is not fact-based, and, accordingly, their opinion is worthless," said Joseph Lhota, MTA chairman and CEO, in a statement. "The MTA's lease process with Apple was open, transparent and followed both the spirit and letter of the law." |
| Apple vs. Samsung trial gets its jury Posted:  Jurors today in the Apple vs. Samsung case sat through an 18-minute video explaining patent law before hearing Apple's hour-and-a-half-long opening statement. During that opening statement, Apple's lead lawyer Harold McElhinny was permitted by California Judge Lucy Koh to make several references to the company's popular late CEO, despite Samsung's efforts to have these references banned. McElhinny noted that upon the iPhone's introduction several years ago, Steve Jobs warned future competitors of the 200 phone-related patents the company secured. He also described an exhibit of Steve Jobs' inventions, including the iPhone, that could at one time be found outside the U.S Patent Office building itself. Who doesn't have an Apple or Samsung product?Judge Koh and lawyers on both sides faced a different sort of trial yesterday as they narrowed down a pool of 74 prospective jurors to just 10 individuals. Discovering who among the prospectives didn't harbor some kind of bias for one company or the other proved a mighty task, considering the ubiquity of both Apple's and Samsung's products. And given the Northern California trial's proximity to the tech mecca of Silicon Valley, it seemed inevitable that some workplace conflicts of interest would arise. Sure enough, employees from Apple and Google were discovered among the prospective jurors and eventually dismissed, although Apple lawyers reportedly had to work extra hard to get the Google worker sent home. Several more jurors had read Walter Isaacson's highly publicized biography of Steve Jobs, though one man claimed that the book didn't change any opinions he already had about Apple. Judge Koh even interrogated the prospectives on their smartphone, tablet and web usage, discovering that several didn't have cell phones at all, and that Google is used almost universally (although one jury member claimed, "I Yahoo a lot"). The trial kicked off todayWith seven men and three women with no perceived biases agreed upon by both sides and Judge Koh, the trial finally kicked into motion today (though not before one juror was dismissed after discovering her employer would not be compensating her for her time spent at trial). Samsung started the day out right by once again unsuccessfully petitioning Judge Koh to allow them to expand their exhibitions, which Koh has stringently limited to 125 for each side. One Samsung lawyer even "begged." Apple's lawyers began the trial with their opening statements, during which the references to Jobs were inserted parsimoniously between Apple history lessons and statements such as "As we all know, it's easier to copy than to innovate." McElhinny predicted that Samsung will attempt to convince jurors that Apple holds patents for design elements that are necessary for a device to function, and thus Samsung shouldn't be punished for copying these elements. The court took a break before hearing Samsung's opening statements. Apple is seeking $2.52 billion in this potentially landmark patent case, although it's still just one in an endless sea of such disputes. |
| Apple TV adds Hulu Plus to content line up Posted:  Apple TV owners got a surprise Tuesday as the familiar green and white icon for Hulu Plus turned up on their little black boxes. Without so much as a press release and thanks to a late night move from Apple, Hulu Plus is now available on second and third-generation Apple TV boxes, giving subscribers another choice for viewing their favorite television shows and other content. Hulu Senior Software Developer Dallas Mahrt confirmed the integration with Apple on the company's blog, noting "my living room just got a whole lot happier." For Apple TV owners who aren't familiar with Hulu Plus, the media streamer allows users to sign up from Hulu's website or create a Hulu Plus account directly from the comfort of their living rooms. The service has been noticeably absent from Apple TV. Competitors Roku HD, PS3 and Nintendo Wii have all had Hulu Plus for awhile. Bill it to iTunes, pleaseSigning up for Hulu Plus on Apple TV ties it to subscribers existing iTunes accounts, which will then be billed a $7.99 per month subscription fee after a free one-week trial. The Hulu Blog also offers a how-to guided tour video for using Hulu Plus from the Apple TV device, which works similarly to Netflix, including the ability to access both favorites and queue titles with ease. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs famously referred to Apple TV as a "hobby" for the company, and the arrival of Hulu Plus comes on the heels of the Cupertino company's new OS X Mountain Lion operating system release last week. Mountain Lion lets Mac users wirelessly AirPlay content directly to the black box - including Hulu.com. |
| Sky's Now TV launches for iPad and iPhone Posted:  Now TV has arrived in the Apple App store, with the subscription-free service now available to people with iPads and iPhones via 3G and WiFi. Now TV was launched earlier in the month, and has now taken a bow on Apple devices after going through the normal approval process. Now TV is the non-subscription option for those who want Sky's content, and it launches with just movies with entertainment and sport to follow at a later date. Pass, play and payCustomers can sign up for a month's all you can eat service for £15 with Sky Movies Pass or they can opt for a pay and play movie priced between 99p and £3.49. "Building on the increasing popularity of watching TV over the internet, NOW TV offers access to Sky Movies – the UK's most popular subscription movies service – in a new way, explains Sky. "It is easy, flexible and great value – with no contract, set-up costs or installation." There is a 30 day trial available for free which will give people a way to trial the service and see if the Sky Movies Pass lives up to their expectations. The obvious rivals to Now TV are Lovefilm and Netflix, and the high pricing of the monthly pass may be a major obstacle to begin with. However, when Sky begins to offer sports and entertainment as part of a package, the service could well find its feet, and the broadcaster also has the advantage in terms of the latest blockbusters due to its longstanding relationship with the movie studios. As is customary when a Sky app lands on iOS, TechRadar asked for any update on Android versions and the company told us: "No further updates on Android as yet, but we are continuing to add more devices." |
| In Depth: iOS 6: everything you need to know Posted:  iOS 6: what you need to knowiOS 6, the latest generation of Apple's mobile software for iPod touch, iPhone and iPad, has finally been unveiled - and from what we've seen so far, it's going to delight an awful lot of iOS users. From badly-kept secrets to things that have been on wishlists for what seems like forever, here are the highlights. The iOS 6 release date is AutumniOS 6 was released as a beta today, but the final version will ship "this Fall".
iOS 6 introduces PassbookPassbook is Apple's new e-tickets app, enabling you to carry electronic tickets for anything from sports events to plane travel, or to have a digital loyalty card. The tickets update too, so for example your airline ticket would send you a notification once your departure gate was announced or changed. Hopefully enough firms will support this one to make it work for all our everyday bits and bobs.
Update: It you fancy seeing PassBook in action on an iPod in Hong Kong airport, then you're in luck because the chaps over as PassK.it have given it a spin - shame the airport wasn't ready for it though! Check out the video below. iOS 6 has an improved phone appThe revised phone app offers smart reminders, so for example you can reject a call with a message saying you're busy, on your way, lost in a forest... You can also be reminded to call someone back when you leave your current location. The new Do Not Disturb mode is particularly nifty: when new messages arrive, they do so silently and without the screen lighting up. If you wish, you can also tell your iPhone not to silence calls from a list of favourite callers, or to automatically silent repeat calls from the same person. iOS 6 has Facetime over 3GTo tell the truth, we're amazed it took so long. If this takes off, the mobile operators will be very sad. Unless we use it abroad, in which case they'll be dancing on great big piles of our money.
iOS 6 has a brand new Safari appThere are lots of useful improvements here: Instapaper-style offline reading, iCloud tab syncing and photo sharing website integration to make uploading less hassle. Less wonderfully, Smart App Banners enable websites to tell you about their sodding iOS apps more easily, which is just brilliant. Who among us hasn't thought, "man! I wish more websites told me about their iOS app on each visit!"? iOS 6 Mail has VIPs and pull to refreshPull to refresh is here! Yay! You can also create a list of VIPs whose messages will appear on your device's lock screen and in a dedicated, separate mailbox. Sharing photos or videos from within Mail is finally here too, as are per-account signatures. iOS 6 photo sharing is more selectiveInstead of sharing everything with everyone, you can choose which photos should be shared with which people. We're not sure why you'd use this rather than, say, put a friends-only album on Facebook or Flickr. Anyone? iOS 6 makes Siri more serious, and puts it in carsSiri is able to understand a wider range of questions than before - the demo showed it understanding questions about sports scores, statistics and trivia, booking restaurants and finding out what's worth seeing at the cinema - but as yet it's unclear which, if any, of these features will make it to the UK. Local search is being rolled out worldwide, however, and there's support for more languages. Siri is also going mobile: the new Eyes Free feature will put a Siri button on the steering wheel of Jaguars, Land Robers, BMWs, Mercs, Toyotas, Chryslers, Hondas, Audis and GM cars. The manufacturers have promised to support the feature in the next 12 months. iOS 6 brings Siri to the iPad...but only the new iPad.
iOS 6 has Facebook integrationApple promises "the best Facebook integration ever in a mobile device", and to our eyes it looks pretty much the same as iOS 5's Twitter integration: you can post photos, locations, URLs and so on to annoy your friends. The API is public, so non-Apple apps can share to Facebook too, and you'll be able to see your Facebook friends' App Store recommendations.
iOS 6 has guided access for childrenThe new Guided Access feature enables you to disable certain parts of the screen so that children can't accidentally hit the wrong buttons. We're going to use it on the in-app purchase icons in every kid-targeted iOS game. Hahah! iOS 6 has a new Maps appNew York, London, Paris, Munich, everybody's talking about - iOS 6 maps! Well, maybe not, but Apple's much-rumoured mapping system finally breaks cover. It's pretty, will have traffic information, doubles as a sat-nav system with turn-by-turn navigation, can be controlled via Siri and will probably be rubbish outside major metropolitan areas in the UK. Still, the new Flyover 3D views of major cities are lovely.
Update: It's been confirmed that Yelp, a social networking, user review, and local search service, will be integrated into Apple's new mapping software - allowing you to check out restaurants, bars, clubs and cultural venues. Update: Google is clearly concerned about loosing a huge percentage of the mapping market, as it's slashed the price of its Maps API by 88 percent following Apple's announcement of its own service. Update: And Google isn't taking Apple's decision to dump it lightly, as it has rolled out its own 3D mapping update to the Google Earth iOS app - months before we'll see Apple launch its version. How do like them Apples? iOS 6 dedicated Podcast appA report from AllThingsD suggest that Apple may be about to give Podcasts their own application within the forthcoming iOS 6 software. iOS 6 doesn't require password for free appsWith iOS 6, users won't be asked to enter their password every time they want to download a free application. Once you have linked your iTunes account to your iOS 6 toting iPhone/iPad/iPod you won't need your login details again - unless you want to make a purchase, you know, with actual money. You also won't be asked for your password if you are re-downloading a previously purchased app. iOS 6 has in-app purchase protectionIn iOS 5.1 some naughty sods found a loophole which allowed them to steal in-app purchases, which may have cost some developers millions in lost revenue. Apple has said that there will be no such problem in iOS 6 though, releasing a statement saying: "iOS 6 will address this vulnerability. If your app follows the best practices described below then it is not affected by this attack." iOS 6 should be adopted very quicklyUnlike other mobile operating systems, iOS isn't dependent on mobile operators approving updates: as a result 80% of Apple's 365 million iOS customers are using the latest iOS, compared to 7% of Android users. Once iOS ships, expect a similarly speedy take-up. iOS 6 doesn't work on everythingiOS 6 supports iPhones from the 3GS onwards, the fourth generation iPod touch and the second and third generation iPad. Check our story for more on iOS 6 compatibility. Update: Apple has now pushed out iOS 6 Beta 2 to developers, available on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 and new iPad. Why is this exciting? Because the cogs in the settings icon now spin... oh yes! Update: Version iOS 6 Beta 3 has now been released by Apple, sporting a variety of bug fixes, improved keyboard and navigation editing capabilities. Update: However developers have already managed to Jailbreak iOS 6 beta 2, so if you're someone who likes tinkering with handsets you might me able to get it running on the earlier iPhones and iPads. Previous iOS 6 rumoursHere are the rumours we reported on before the WWDC 2012 announcement. What hasn't been certain is what will be involved in the new platform – but we've sifted through the upcoming releases to see what's likely to appear, whether you'll be getting it and more importantly: the iOS 6 release date. iOS 6 launchIf Apple doesn't release the new iOS 6 platform for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch this evening (spotted by T3), we'll be gobsmacked - and it will have wasted loads of money on all these signs.
So, we can probably expect to see the 'world's most advanced mobile operating system' unveiled at WWDC... iOS 6 maps
Not only has Apple acquired C3 3D mapping firm last year, but it also snapped up the likes of Placebase and Poly9, both companies involved in the same space – and moving into the mapping space would give Apple a fantastic leg up in the location-based services that are getting more and more popular every year. The fact Google is launching its own 'next dimension' of Google Maps imminently is unlikely to be a coincidence, further backing up the rumour that Apple and Google are set to dissolve their partnership on the mobile side of things. Facebook integrationThere are strong, strong rumblings that Facebook is going to do what Twitter did with iOS 5 – namely, become more of an integral part of the iOS 6 experience. TechCrunch is stating that integration with Zuckerberg's creation is a 'go' for the new release, but details of how far that integration will permeate through the iExperience are still vague. What's most likely is being able to quickly share photos to Facebook from the Photo app in the same way as Twitter – whether Apple takes the next step and allows features like autosharing, contact integration or offline access to Facebook albums remains to be seen. Either way, it's a massive coup for Facebook as it looks to get more involved in the mobile space – perhaps this can stop the pesky rumours of a forthcoming Facebook phone. Siri coming to the iPadWe were verging on the gobsmacked when the new iPad 3 didn't launch with Siri – instead we got the less-exciting Voice Dictation instead.
However, according to 9to5Mac the experience will be massively improved by adding in all the functionality of Siri on the iPhone 4S (minus the phone business), allowing instant search, music control and more by a simple long-press of the home button. But how will it look? According to the same sources, the app won't run in full screen, instead popping up from the bottom of the display to show you the information you requested. Which, let's face it, will quickly be setting alarms and timers and the odd voice search when you've heard certain questions evoke comedic responses from Siri. Enhanced email and Do Not DisturbOS X Mountain Lion seems to be something of an inspiration for the forthcoming release of iOS 6, with a couple of sensible features likely to be added, so says a 9to5Mac source. The first is VIP Mail, which allows you to tag the key people you talk to most (or your boss) and make sure their mail is front and centre when you pop open the Mail app. This is the same system we've seen within HTC Sense and work very nicely, especially as you're able to group your contacts accordingly. It's also an automatic feature in Google Mail these days, and as such we'd now expect it from Apple too. The other is Do Not Disturb: allowing you to turn off notifications when you're looking to do things like run full screen apps or just not bother with getting bugged on the way home. Whether it will be offered to become part of apps' design remains to be seen – or if users will have to toggle it manually. iCloud TabsIn the same way that Android has live synchronisation to the Chrome Browser, Apple apparently wants to repeat the trick with iOS 6 and Mountain Lion, which will be a simple synchronised list of opened tabs between the devices. The button will be kept in the Bookmarks toolbar to give access to the relevant tabs – but whether the feature will be available for users of Safari on other non-Apple devices is still uncertain. Live icons?This is a biggie, and would be the equivalent of the notifications bar coming to iOS 5 – basically bringing one of the best bits of Android to the Apple mobile OS. So it makes sense that Apple could look to Windows Phone's Live Tiles and think: 'we'll have a bit of that'. We've spoken to a number of UI designers from the Android and Windows Phone camps who have criticised the way Apple's icons are pictures of information waiting to be opened, rather than the picture itself. Of course, Apple has always been about simplicity, and app icons that change too frequently might confuse some users, but the option to make some apps more widget-like would appease the legions of iFans that have looked on with quiet envy at their friends' Android devices. iOS 6 release dateThe iOS 6 release date is still very much up in the air – but some sites are claiming it will be as late as autumn, which plays very much into a mooted iPhone 5 release date of October. However, it's unlikely Apple will wait that long to launch something it announces in June (especially when iPad and iPhone users will have ready-to-use devices), so expect the iOS 6 release date to be somewhere in July or August… and the chances of seeing an iPhone 5 then don't look too outlandish either. Of course, if you're running the older Apple hardware (and by that we mean iPhone 3GS and older, plus probably the first iPad) you won't get access to the new iOS 6 if previous form is anything to go by. Update: it seems you lucky 3GS owners are getting a reprieve - here's hoping Apple has at least optimised the new platform so you're not subject to terrible slowdown. |
| Buying Guide: Best router: 9 top wireless routers on test Posted:  Best router: 9 top wireless routers on testWhen you're looking to improve the quality of your home broadband, increasing the speed of your connection can really help. But if you have a lot of devices round the house that take advantage of wireless internet, upgrading your wireless router can actually be more beneficial because it gives you more headroom for all your devices to work harmoniously. But which router is best for your needs, and how much do you really need to spend? The router market is quite a complicated one, so it's worth taking your time before you go out there and buy one. In this round up we're going to show you the best printers you can get right now and what exactly they offer that makes them better. Some feature technology that makes them faster outright, while others have attractive features such as a straightforward setup process, support for other forms of wireless technology like Powerline networking, USB ports for adding NAS functionality, and there are those that just look really good – such as the Asus Dark Knight router. So, read on and take a look out our round-up of the best routers out in the shops right now and get one that is right for you and your home. 1. Buffalo AirStation N-Technology HighPower ADSL2+ - £45
Although Buffalo's AirStation N-Technology HighPower ADSL2+ might not like much cop, it's packing a heck of a lot of power underneath its hood. Certainly, if you're a light Wi-Fi internet user, then this isn't for you. The AirStation's headline feature is the brand's Nfiniti technology. This essentially creates a number of bands that wireless devices can connect to without interference. There's also VPN support, built-in BitTorrent downloading, four gigabit Ethernet ports and Quality of Service features for streaming movies and media. Read our Buffalo AirStation N-Technology HighPower ADSL2+ review 2. Netgear DGND3700 N600 Dual-band Gigabit - £100
This might just be the ultimate DSL router, with a full ADSL2+ capable dual band 5/2.4GHz wireless gateway with Gigabit Ethernet, a WAN port and two USB sockets. It also has a raft of additional features such as NAS, a DLNA streaming media server, the ability to store multiple SSIDs with individual settings, alongside a guest network. To help make adding systems as simple as possible there's also full WPS support. This is one of the best-performing 2.4GHz routers; at short distance it manages to rival the 5GHz speeds of many routers. Read our Netgear DGND3700 N600 Dual-band Gigabit review 3. Trendnet TEW-692GR Dual Band Wireless Router - £89
Trendnet's wireless offering doesn't offer many of the features you might expect from a router in this price range, with only four Gigabit Ethernet ports and a WAN port for connecting your modem. The lack of a built-in modem means that you're going to have to sit this alongside your existing one. This isn't too much of a show stopper as, we've already mentioned, the TEW-692GR is small, but considering you can get integrated modem routers for around the same price, it's quite a big omission. Performance, however, is excellent. Read our Trendnet TEW-692GR Dual Band Wireless Router review 4. Asus RT-N66U Dark Knight - £140
The superhero in Asus' lineup of routers, the Asus RT-N66U Dark Knight boasts super-fast speeds of up to 450Mbps on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands at the same time. It's ideal for video streaming that requires a lot of bandwidth, such as HD video or intensive gaming. You can even download files or surf the web while all this is going on which is great if you've got several people around your home all attempting to ask a lot of the router at once. Read our Asus RT-N66U Dark Knight review 5. D-Link DIR-645 - £67
Routers are pretty functional things, so they're not really known for merits in their design. However, the D-Link DIR-645 has certainly attempted to do things a little more stylishly with its latest speedy router. Futuristic-looking it might be, but on paper it doesn't appear to be much of a performer, offering just a single, lowly 2.4GHz band to transmit data from router to PC. But, utilising multiple antennas the DIR-645 makes the most of what it has got and provides plentiful networking performance. Read our D-Link DIR-645 review 6. Cisco Linksys X3000 - £110
The Cisco Linksys X3000 comes with everything you need to upgrade an ageing router, no matter whether you're on a fibre-optic cable connection or whether you prefer to get your bits streamed via ADSL2+ phone line. It comes with four Gigabit Ethernet ports, support for 802.11b/g/n, and a USB port that lets you connect and share storage, and it looks great too. Setup is simple and it's even a doddle to get it working with a Mac too. It's only downside is that it's a little pricey. Read our Cisco Linksys X3000 review 7. D-Link DHP-1565 Wireless N PowerLine - £93
Powerline networking is a great way of beaming internet around your home, because it allows you to use the uncongested electrical wires in your house as apposed to the airwaves, which can get interference from all manner of other devices. D-Link's latest router – the DHP-1565 – features not only fast Wireless N technology, but it acts as a PowerLine device too, so you can choose the type of networking that works better for you. Performance over PowerLine is, naturally, very good, and while wireless offered decent transfer speeds too, the DHP-1565 would benefit from an external aerial. Read our D-Link DHP-1565 Wireless N PowerLine review 8. Asus EA-N66 Ethernet Adaptor - £100
The Asus EA-N66 is a funny looking thing. But that odd-looking shape promises to give you fast wireless speeds over both the important 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands and it even comes with a super-fast single Gigabit Ethernet port. Thankfully, it delivers and performance by the EA-N66 is excellent, at least at the 5GHz range. Sadly, at the opposite end the 2.4GHz range is a little more mediocre. It's easy to set up too. It's only failing is that it needs a few more tricks up its sleeve to justify the price tag. Read our Asus EA-N66 Ethernet Adaptor review 9. Edimax BR-6428nS - £15
The Edimax BR-6428nS's ultra-low price tag immediately gives it an edge over the other fast routers here by offering better performance for much less. But do you pay your money and take your choice? Well, yes – pretty much. For starters you lose out on a lot of features which would normally come with the more expensive options out there. Secondly, the Edimax doesn't offer quite the same level of performance as the bigger boys out there either. But, if you simply want to upgrade your current Wireless G router, this will certainly give you a nice boost of speed and it won't hurt your wallet either. |
| Lords committee criticises UK broadband focus Posted:  Our thinking about broadband is all wrong. That's according to the Lords communications committee, who have said in a report that our focus on high speeds risks communities losing out on internet access. Rather, we should be focussed on how many people can access the service, according to the report. The priority should be to close the digital divide between those with access and those without. Though speeds shouldn't completely fall by the wayside, the report says. Fast internet services should be treated as a national asset, on a par with roads, rail and energy. Impact on daily livesThe report says there's a real risk of leaving some people and businesses behind, and that "inadequate access to the internet and all its benefits is actually afflicting their daily lives." It went on: "The delivery of certain speeds should not be the guiding principle; what is important is the long term assurance that as new internet applications emerge, everyone will be able to benefit, from inhabitants of inner cities to the remotest areas of the UK." 2015 to aim forThe government has promised we'll have the best superfast broadband in Europe by 2015. In the budget, the government announced 10 cities would become 'super-connected', along with a subsequent 10 smaller cities. This should bring ultrafast broadband to 1.7 million homes, and high speed Wi-Fi to three million people by 2015. We should have 4G up and running by then too, which should help connect previously cutoff areas. Via: BBC |
If you were a gambling type of person and had a very tech-savvy bookie, we'd recommend you pop a few dollar on this: Apple bringing out its own mapping application.
| You are subscribed to email updates from TechRadar: All latest Apple news feeds To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Nice information is being depicted in this website.
ReplyDeletehttps://technofizi.net/best-wifi-routers-for-home-and-office-use-in-india