Looks like 2 gigabits/second wireless home networking technologies are in the works. According to GigaOm, The FCC recently opened up the 56GHz spectrum and networking developers are already beginning the push for standardization and improved wireless security over current systems. The new protocol is currently being labeled GTTD or wGTTD, which stands for wireless Gigabit to the Desktop. MORE »

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At an analyst meeting last week Intel announced they are developing a new chipset, code-named Grantsdale that will have built-in wireless access point capability. Intel hopes the innovation will simplfy home networking, but it is unclear if this solution is the best alternative to present home network configurations. Reason being, a wireless home network built on top of a Grantsdale PC would require the PC to stay on 24-hours a day to keep a wireless connection available around the house. MORE »

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PBS Online technology columnist, Robert X. Cringley believes Apple will possibly be introducing a Digtal Hub Tablet PC in early 2004. The article is pure speculation, but Cringley tries to connect the dots with the news coming out of Taiwan stating that Quanta, Apple’s laptop manufacture, has switched their production over to building Tablet PCs. Cringley even goes a step further and explains that Apple will create a “killer app” that will make Apple’s Tablet PC a true digital hub that will not only control your TV, stereo, VCR, and DVD, but be able to stream Hi-Definition video over an Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) wireless network. MORE »

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CNET Networks has just announced plans for its newly acquired MP3.com domain name. Beginning early 2004, MP3.com will become a distribution portal for independent musicians–similar to the original MP3.com service–offering free space, uploads, and downloads. MP3.com’s site structure and functionality will be modeled after CNET’s highly-popular Downloads.com site “giving music fans free access to a universe of downloadable songs.” MORE »

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In an attempt to bring Interet Video-On-Demand (VOD) to the masses and help promote broadband. SBC Yahoo! DSL has teamed with Santa Monica, Calif. based Movielink to create a co-branded Web site of video downloads for DSL subscribers–new Movielink subscribers will get a $10 credit . Movielink, for those unfamiliar, is a joint venture of the five major Hollywood film studios to bring video rentals to consumers over the Internet. Rental costs range from $2.95 to $4.99. Subscribers can download movies and watch them as often as they like within a 24-hour period. The downloaded movie expires after 30 days, if it has not been watched. Movielink has also struck similar deals with: Time Warner Cable’s Road, Lycos, BellSouth, Hollywood.com, and The Feed Room. MORE »

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For the people who want expandability and control in a Network Attached Storage (NAS) server. The Linksys EFG120 is currently the best on the market. The EFG120 is an easy-to-use, Gigabit-fast (10/100/1000Mbps), 120-gigabyte NAS (expandable to 240GB with a second 120GB IDE hard drive), print server and Internet FTP server. In addition, the EFG120 comes bundled with built-in disk utilities for backup, self test, scandisk, and defrag–ensuring endless hours of trouble free digital media (video, audio, photo, data) serving around the house and over the Internet. Supported operating systems include: Windows 95/98/Me/NT 4.0/2000/XP.

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Have you been considering converting an old PC or buying a cheap new one to serve your media files on a home network? If yes, a cost effective solution you might want to consider is a Network Attached Storage (NAS) server. TRITTON Technologies has launched the TRI-NAS120P. A consumer friendly, 120GB NAS with built-in USB print server functionality that can securely file and share your digital videos, music, photos, and data with a single user or a specified group. Supported operating systems include: Windows, Mac, Linux, and UNIX. MORE »

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If you haven’t seen the new Gateway 610 Media Center PC line, prepare to be impressed. Not only is the PC extremely attractive and maintains a small footprint, but it integrates vision, sound, connectors, and power beautifully. Moreover, with the installed Windows XP Media Center 2004 operating system you can use the computer as a personal video recorder and media jukebox–accessing music, TV, movies, photos, games, and third-party entertainment services via the Internet. MORE »

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Is Apple taking online music services down a road to zero-profit profitability? According to Michael Robertson, the founder of MP3.com, the answer is, Yes. Reason being, online music services like iTunes are competitively pricing their music at the lowest possible price which, in turn, gives them the smallest profit margin–usually a few pennies on the dollar. But for Apple it’s not entirely a losing situation, they make up their costs from selling high-margin iPods. The only way Robertson and others suggest that online music services can make money is if they can work out better royalty rates. Unfortunately, Robertson notes “The music industry is tens of thousands of publishers and just five major record labels. Getting all of them to agree is a real tough thing to accomplish even if you’re market leader.” This reality leads to fact that “Apple is currently in a position of begging the big five for content, rather than dictating the terms of the deal. It’s the rebel without a clue.” MORE »

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The New York Times has a great story on consumers’ misconception of Free on the Internet. Most people believe that free downloadable programs or media content is given away for people to use and enjoy–programs in this category are know as freeware or shareware. However, the dark secret is that many of these so-called free downloads come bundled with: “adware,” which serves pop-up ads and banners, including some for pornography; true “spyware,” which monitors Web wanderings for marketing purposes; and more insidious “snoopware,” which can track everything users do on their computers, whether or not they are online. Some programs can even disable anti-virus software and hijack the results of Web searches. MORE »

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