TECH STUFF

KitKat ROM for HTC Explorer/Pico

2013-11-22T20:32:00.000-08:00

This is not actually KiKat, but it’s a themed/modded ROM that is made to match the leaks of Android 4.4 and the Nexus 5 ! The ROM is made by XDA Senior Member and is currently in Beta Stage, Since there are few bugs and there are many things still that are to be worked on.

The best part of the ROM is that it’s really awesome, when talked about the look and feel. Also, it matches the leaked HOMESCREEN, STATUS BAR, DIALER, ICONS and even the PLAY STORE !! The ROM also has the Sweep2Wake feature that allows you to wake the phone by sliding over the Capacitive keys and includes working HALO !

Check out the screen shots below:

For Reviews, downloads and other details of the ROM, please visit the XDA thread.

5 Best Custom ROMS for HTC Explore

2013-11-22T19:45:00.004-08:00

HTC Explorer is a pretty old device but has been popular and you may wonder why..? you will get to know soon in the below Article. In this post there are best custom roms for HTC explorer, also known as HTC pico. The ROMS are specially dedicated to the phone, and would work the best in any work conditions you use the phone with. But before you do this you would want to root your phone first, so root it first and install clockworkmod recovery on it. And also changing the Stock ROM of your phone would bring in some great customization's and more features in your phone too.

NOTE: Before reading this article backup all the data existing on phone, as it will be deleted when you change the ROM.

FLY ROM for HTC Explorer:

This ROM for explorer is based on the Android 4.0.1 and with HTC Sense 4.0. So interesting tweaks and user interface is sure. Also to add it is the fastest ROM on Sense 4.0 we have come across yet, that is the reason we have listed this ROM on top. As evident this ROM for HTC Explorer is designed for the best of the best performance. To add more features of this interesting ROM for HTC Explorer, it supports the latest kernel, which is pretty fast, and also it can be safely overclocked to 800 MHz. No major bugs have been found on this ROM, and hence it’s pretty stable. It has stock HTC Sense 4.0 and has no bloatware, and also it is the fastest Sense 4.0 Rom for HTC Explorer. Also it has the original Beat Audio, disabled scrolling cache and much more which definitely makes it a must try ROM for HTC Explorer.So if you haven’t tried out this wonderful Rom for HTC Explorer, try it out now.

Download ROM for HTC Explorer

Bullet Sense Fx Custom Rom for Pico:

This custom ROM for HTC Explorer is another great ROM, which is really fast and fluid. The user interface is pretty clean. Talking about the features of the ROM include, tweaked Rosie launcher, 3d effect added while changing tabs , new animation added (Jellybean) , sense5 wallpaper added, huge bass effect while listening songs, theming customization, no random reboots( as most of the custom ROMS cause to your phone), advanced sound enhancer added , quick setting in notification bar and much more. There are no bugs in this ROM, as this custom ROM for HTC Explorer has been developed keeping all the aspects of the handset in mind.

Download the ROM here

CyanogenMod 9.1 for HTC Explorer :

Cyanogenmod is a pretty well known name when it comes to Custom ROMs. The custom ROM specially designed and updated for your HTC Explorer, namely the Cyanogenmod 9.1 works really well with this handset. Well I need not tell you about the various features of the cyanogenmod ROM. They are plenty and cannot be completed in this article. In a nutshell it is a pretty good custom ROM for HTC Explorer. Download the build for your HTC from below

CyanogenMod9.1 for HTC.

Also note that do not use Titanium Backup with this build as it may lead to some serious complications. For a matter of fact read:

Thinking Bridge ROM:

This is a really impressive Android 4.2.2 ROM for HTC Explorer. It is based on the Android 4.2.2, built with some pretty cool gestures, like the notification panel gestures, task bar gestures and much more. Android 4.2 like Toggle bar, ribbons, widgets, and locked screen widgets, which really help to go to your favourite app in just a tap of finger, even without unlocking the screen. But this ROM has some bugs, that are listed below.

Video Recording Bug, but that can be fixed with the help of the Video Cam Illusion app from the Play Store.
Gallery Videos don’t play. It can also be fixed using the MX player.
Bluetooth won’t work perfectly.

Though this ROM has some bugs, but still it is a cool choice, as it has some cool features over other ROMS, and the Android 4.2.2 based ROM is always better, and light as well.

Download the ROM for HTC Explorer from here.

JellyBeer v4.31 Custom ROMS For HTC Explorer:

This is another impressive ROM to use for your HTC Explorer. This ROM is based on Cyanogenmod 10.1 i.e. you would be getting the Android 4.2.2 gestures in it. Also it has PA’s hybrid menu, and it has the Pie Launcher. It also has AOKP navigation bar, and along with some of the coolest optimization tricks and gestures. As it is based on CM 10.1 , so the common bugs would be there. Like the video recording bug, but again that can be fixed with the help of the Video Illusion app from the Play Store. So in a nutshell it’s a pretty cool ROM and you must definitely try it out. Have a look at some of the screenshots of this ROMS below.

Download the ROM from this link

So these were the best 5 custom ROMS for HTC Explorer. If you have any other ROM which also proves to be better than these, Do comment below.

To know about the

For latest news on the flaws of ROM’s of HTC explorer please visit the below blog:

http://htcpicorom.blogspot.in/

A new generation of media players

2012-02-16T04:13:00.001-08:00

Measy X5 - 3D Media and Internet Player and Streamer

What's so great about this Player?

Realtek 1186 - 40% faster than older 1073 / 1283 chipsets
Internet Browser. - Android 2.2

FaceBook, Twiter, Picassa APPs
Youtube XL - Watch HD Youtube videos on your largescreen TV
Bit Torrent Download without PC
USB 3.0 support - 10x Faster Speeds as compared to USB 2.0
Gigabit Lan Support - 10x Faster than 10/100 Lan. Seemless 1080P videos over ethernet.
Supports USB Keyboards.
Supports BD ISO
Supports 3.5" Internal HDDs - Lower Cost compared to 2.5" HDD

iPhone processor found: 620MHz ARM CPU

2012-02-09T04:39:00.001-08:00

The iPhone's got a 620MHz ARM chip running under the hood. Specifics:

ARM1176JZF chip with Trust Zone (enables trusted computing environment for media, apps, network, OS, etc. -- very bad for hackers)
Can vary in clock speed up to 700MHz or more, depending on implementation
ARM Intelligent Energy Manager (claimed to reduce power consumption 25-50% in portables)
16K / 16K cache
Features vector floating point coprocessor ("for embedded 3D-graphics")
ARM Jazelle enabled for embedded Java execution (hmm...)
SIMD, high perf integer CPU (8-stage pipeline, 675 Dhrystone, 2.1 MIPS)
0.45 mW/MHz power draw (with cache)

Whatever it is Apple's got that thing doing, they're doing it right. Thus far our iPhone battery life tests have far exceeded expectations (more on that soon).

Update: Sascha at Gear Log seems to think given the recently discovered Samsung chip in the iPhone, perhaps the processor in question is a Samsung S3C6400, a recently-produced 667MHz ARM1176JZF-based CPU that seems to fit the bill.

How to Set Up Windows 7 Homegroups for Seamless, Instant Sharing Between PCs In Your Home

2012-02-09T04:24:00.001-08:00

You may have heard of Windows 7's Homegroup feature before, but never really understood what it did. It's actually the simplest way to share files between two Windows machines, and it takes seconds to set up. If you have more than one computer in your home (or a friend who comes over and likes to borrow your music), here's how to set it up.

Sharing files in Windows used to be a painful process, and while that system still exists, homegroup is dead simple to use. All you need is a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium or above (which most people should have) to start the homegroup. Any computer running Windows 7 can join the homegroup. To set it up:

Open up the Control Panel, go to Network and Internet, and click on HomeGroup. You can also type "homegroup" in the Start menu's search box.
Click Create a Homegroup if one isn't already set up. When you first join your home network, it may have already created one for you, in which case you should already see most of the following options on the main Control Panel page—no need to go through the wizard.
First, the wizard will ask you what you want to share with the other computers in your house. You can share your Pictures library, your Music library, your Videos library, your Documents library, and any printers hooked up to your machine. You can't choose specific folders on your machine to share with Homegroup, but you can add them to one of those libraries to get it sharing.
Next, it will give you a password to write down. For now, you can ignore this, since we're going to set the password ourselves. Click Finish.
Under "Other homegroup actions" on the Control Panel page, click "Change the password". Now you can just enter any password you want.
Now, on your other computers, head to the same Homegroup window in the Control Panel. It should tell you that it's detected a homegroup on your network. Click "Join Now", select the files you want that computer to share, and type in the password you just set.
You should see Homegroup pop up in Explorer's sidebar, from which you can access all the shared libraries from other Windows 7 computers in the homegroup. That's it!

After typing in that password on all your Windows 7 machines, you'll be able to access any files on those machines right from Windows Explorer. If you have a friend that comes over and wants a file, you can just give them the password to your homegroup (though they'll need to mark your Wi-Fi network as a "Home" network, which is fine).

To print a document on a shared printer—that is, a printer connected to one of the other homegroup computers—all you need to do is go to the print dialog as normal. You should see that the shared printer pops up under the "Select Printer" list (in fact, if you don't have a printer hooked up, it'll already be set to the default). Just hit Print and it'll send it to that shared printer without so much as a blink.

You can also turn on Media Streaming from the main Control Panel page, which lets you send your music, pictures, and videos to other devices via Windows Media Player. I've never found a need for this feature since I can access the videos just fine via Windows Explorer and open them up with PotPlayer, our favorite video player for Windows.

The only real downside is that it only works on Windows 7. If you have Mac or Linux computers in the house, you can't join the homegroup, per se, but you can still access shared homegroup files using this method. In an all-Windows household, though, it doesn't get any easier than this.

Home Theater Design

2012-01-30T02:23:00.001-08:00

Here are some DIY Home theater Designs which will blow your minds off…..

DIY Center Channel Speaker with HiVi F5 / SD1.1A

2012-01-29T00:34:00.001-08:00

General Info:

Four - HiVi F5 Kevlar MidBass Drivers
Two - HiVi SD1.1A Dome Tweeters
Fully Shielded
170 watts RMS @ 4ohms
2nd / 3rd Order crossover at 4kHz
Frequency Response: 60Hz - 20kHz
Overall Dimension: 43"x 7"x 14"

The enclosure design for the center channel is shown below.

Figure 1: HiVi Home Theatre Center Channel Speaker Enclosure Drawing

The crossover design for the center channel speaker and the modeled frequency response is shown below.

Figure 2: HiVi Home Theatre Center Channel Speaker Crossover Schematic

2-Way Crossover Network
Low-Pass (LP) Filter: 2nd-Order Butterworth, Corner Frequency: 4000 Hz
High-Pass (HP) Filter: 2nd-Order Butterworth, Corner Frequency: 4000 Hz
C1 = 3.3 uF, Polypropylene, 0.00764 ohms
C2 = 8.2 µF, Polypropylene, 0.00548 ohms
C3 = 15 µF, Polypropylene, 0.0048 ohms L1 = 0.27 mH, Air Core(#18), 0.215 ohms
L2 = 0.13 mH, Air Core(#18), 0.16 ohms
Woofer Impedance Equalization Circuit
Req = 2.4 ohms
Ce = 25 uF
L-Pad Circuit: 1.32 dB
Rp1 = 0.51 ohms
Rp2 = 5.1 ohms

DIY Center Channel Speaker Construction

The center channel enclosure construction is shown in the photographs below.

The finished center channel cabinet is then primed and painted using several coats of an oil based epoxy paint and then finished with red oak trim.

Photograph 6: DIY HiVi Home Theatre Speakers

7" LCD DIY Projector

2012-01-29T00:17:00.001-08:00

This is a 7” Projector using a 80W LED 7000lm with 36V@2.8A of power source. Here below are the components used:

LCD : Innolux 7" LCD
Fresnel's : f120mm / f220mm
Projection lens: f265mm triplet
Condenser Lens: f127mm condenser
Light Engine: 80W HP-LED (arrangement 8x10, [1 led is 0.35A and 3.6v max])
LED Driver: 110W constant supply (variable to adjust 50W-110W max)
Heat sink (Fans
12V supply for LCD

This one is 14.5" X 9.5" x 5.5" internal dimensions, straight through setup.
Projected image 80" diagonal at 9ft

Here's the picture my parts to be use.

How to setup xbox live with ethernet

2012-01-25T02:17:00.001-08:00

Xbox LIVE compatible hardware list

2012-01-25T02:06:00.001-08:00

Routers, gateways, and bridges marked with Compatible with Windows 7, Works with Windows Vista, or Certified for Windows Vista logos are compatible with Xbox LIVE.

To see if your hardware and its internal software (referred to as "firmware") are compatible with Xbox LIVE, choose your hardware manufacturer from the list below.

All of the network hardware in the following lists works with multiple Xbox 360 consoles connected at the same time. If you get a NAT error or cannot connect to Xbox LIVE, try using our Xbox LIVE Connect Solution.

A router, gateway, or bridge not listed might still work with Xbox LIVE. Hardware not included has not been through our testing process. Try using your network hardware to connect to Xbox LIVE, even if it is not listed below.

Central Europe B.V.

Model number	Product name	Firmware version
W307R	11N Wireless Broadband Router	C300BRS4A_v2_v1.0.0

ASUS

support.asus.com/

Model number	Product name	Firmware version
RT-N13U	Wireless N Router with All-in-One Printer Server	1.0.8.2
RT-N15	SuperSpeedN Gigabit Wireless Router	1.0.7.1
RT-N16	Multi-Functional Gigabit Wireless N Router with storage, printer and media server	1.0.1.1
WL-500gP	Multi-Functional Wireless Router	WL500gp_2003_EN_0611
WL-500W	802.11n Multi-Functional Wireless Router	WL500W_1.9.8.1_TW_0611.trx
WL-520gU	EZ Wireless Router with All-in-One Printer Server	WL520gu_2.0.0.3_EN_0510_01.trx

Belkin

support.belkin.com

Model number	Product name	Firmware version
F5D4230	N Router 4230 v2000	3.00.03
F5D7230-4	Wireless G Router v8030	8.00.16
F5D7230-4	Wireless G Router vA010	9.00.04
F5D7230-4	Wireless G Router v9010	A.00.15
F5D7234-4	G Wireless Router v1000	1.00.01
F5D7234-4	G Wireless Router v1011jb	1.00.06
F5D7234-4	G Wireless Router v1011kr	1.00.05
F5D7234-4	G Wireless Router v3000	3.00.02
F5D7234-4	G Wireless Router v3010	3.00.03
F5D7234-4	G Wireless Router v4000	4.00.05
F5D7234-4	G Wireless Router v5000	5.00.02
F5D7234-4	G Wireless Router v5000	5.00.12
F5D7234-4	G Wireless Router v5000	5.01.01
F5D8232-4	N1 Vision wireless router v2000	2.00.03
F5D8233-4	N Wireless Router v3021	3.01.29
F5D8233-4	N Wireless Router v4010	4.00.04
F5D8235-4	N+ Wireless Router	1.01.28
F5D8235-4	N+ Wireless Router	2.01.07
F5D8235-4	N+ Wireless Router	2.01.08
F5D8235-4	N+ Wireless Router	3.00.15
F5D8235-4	N+ Wireless Router v1022	1.01.23
F5D8235-4	N+ Wireless Router v2000	2.01.04
F5D8235-4	N+ Wireless Router v2032	2.01.07
F5D8235-4	N+ Wireless Router v2044	2.01.07
F5D8236-4	N Wireless Router v1000	1.00.01
F5D8236-4	N Wireless Router v1110	1.00.02
F5D8236-4	N Wireless Router v2000	2.00.04
F5D8236-4	N Wireless Router v2111	2.01.01
F5D8236-4	N Wireless Router v2111	2.01.03
F5D8236-4	N Wireless Router v2133	2.01.07
F5D8236-4	N Wireless Router v2222	2.01.06
F5D8236-4	N Wireless Router v3000	3.00.02
F5D8236-4	N Wireless Router v3111	3.00.04
F5D9231-4	Wireless G+ MIMO Router v1000	1.00.01
F5D9231-4	Wireless G+ MIMO Router v1110	1.00.02
F5D9231-4	Wireless G+ MIMO Router v2000	2.00.02
F6D4230	N150 Enhanced Wireless Router v1000	1.00.02
F6D4230	N150 Enhanced Wireless Router v1010	1.00.03
F6D4230	N150 Enhanced Wireless Router v1030	1.00.06
F6D4230	N150 Enhanced Wireless Router v1121	1.00.05
F6D4230	N150 Enhanced Wireless Router v2111	2.00.07
F6D4230	N150 Enhanced Wireless Router v2111	2.00.08
F6D4230	N150 Enhanced Wireless Router v3000	3.00.03
F6D6230-4v	Double N+ Wireless Router	1.00.15
F7D3301	Basic Wireless Router v1000	1.00.16
F7D3301	Basic Wireless Router v1000	1.00.19
F7D3301	Surf Wireless Router v1000	1.00.10
F7D3301	Surf Wireless Router v1000	1.00.15
F7D3301	Share Max Wireless Router v1000	1.00.02
F7D3301	Share Max Wireless Router v1000	1.00.05
F7D3301	Share Max Wireless Router v1000	1.00.07
F7D3302	Share Wireless Router v1000	1.00.18
F7D3302	Share Wireless Router v1000	1.00.21
F7D4301	Play Max Wireless Router v1000	1.00.15
F7D4301	Play Max Wireless Router v1000	1.00.21
F7D4301	Play Max Wireless Router v1000	1.00.25
F7D4301	Play Max Wireless Router v1000	1.00.28
F7D4302	Play Wireless Router v1000	1.00.14
F7D4302	Play Wireless Router v1000	1.00.24
F7D4302	Play Wireless Router v1000	1.00.27
F7D5301	Connect N150 Wireless Router v3000	3.00.05
F7D6301	Surf N300 Wireless N Router v3000	3.00.07
F7D7301	Share Max N300 Wireless N+ Router v1000	1.00.06
F7D7302	Share N300 Wireless N+ Router v1000	1.00.22
F7D8301	Play N600 HD Wireless Dual-Band N+ Router v1000	1.00.27
F7D8301	Play N600 HD Wireless Dual-Band N+ Router v1000	1.00.28
F7D8302	Play N600 Wireless Dual-Band N+ Router v1000	1.00.26

Buffalo Technology

www.buffalotech.com/support/

Model number	Product name	Firmware version
WZR-AG300NH	Nfiniti Wireless Router & AP	1.46
WZR-AMPG144NH	WZR-AMPG144NH	1.47

Linksys by Cisco

www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/support

Model number	Product name	Firmware version
E1000	Linksys E1000 Wireless-N Router	1.0.00
E1000	Linksys E1000 Wireless-N Router	2.1.00.007
E2000	Linksys E2000 Advanced Wireless-N Router	1.0.00
E2000	Linksys E2000 Advanced Wireless-N Router	1.0.01.007
E2100L	Linksys E2100L Advanced Wireless-N Router	1.0.01.006
E2100L	Linksys E2100L Advanced Wireless-N Router	1.0.02.005
E3000	Linksys E3000 High Performance Wireless-N Router	1.0.00
E3000	Linksys E3000 High Performance Wireless-N Router	1.0.01.006
E3000	Linksys E3000 High Performance Wireless-N Router	1.0.02.004
M10	Valet (M10)	1.0.00
M10	Valet (M10)	1.0.01
M10	Valet (M10)	2.0.01
M20	Valet Plus (M20)	1.0.00
M20	Valet Plus (M20)	1.0.01
Valet Plus (M20)		1.0.02
RVS4000	Cisco 4-Port Gigabit Security Router with VPN	1.1.12
WAG120N	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N ADSL2+ Modem Router	1.00.11
WAG160N	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N ADSL2+ Gateway	2.00.15
WAG320N	Linksys by Cisco Dual-Band Wireless-N ADSL2+ Modem Router with Gigabit	1.00.08
WRT120N	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Home Router	1.0.03.008
WRT120N	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Home Router	1.0.04
WRT160N	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Broadband Router	1.02.10.012
WRT160N	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Broadband Router	2.0.02.011
WRT160N	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Broadband Router	3.0.02.001
WRT160N	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Broadband Router	3.0.02.003
WRT160NL	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Broadband Router with Storage Link	1.0.02.005
WRT160NL	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Broadband Router with Storage Link	1.00.01.18
WRT310N	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Gigabit Router	2.0.01.002
WRT310N	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Gigabit Router	2.0.01.004
WRT310N-CC	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Gigabit Router	2.0.11.005
WRT320N	Linksys by Cisco Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router	1.0.03.10
WRT320N	Linksys by Cisco Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router v1	1.0.04
WRT54G2	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-G Broadband Router	1.5.01.008
WRT54GS2	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-G Broadband Router with Speed Booster	1.0.01.013
WRT54GS2	Linksys by Cisco Wireless-G Broadband Router with Speed Booster	1.0.01.008
WRT54GS2	Linksys by Cisco Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router with Storage Link	1.01.33
WRT610N	Linksys by Cisco Simultaneous Dual-N Band Wireless Router	2.00.00.05
WRT610N	Linksys Simultaneous Dual-N Band Wireless Router	1.00.01.05

D-Link

support.dlink.com

Model number	Product name	Firmware version
DAP-1360	Wireless N Range Extender	2.10
DGL-4500	Xtreme N Gaming Router	1.10_
DGL-4500	Xtreme N Gaming Router	1.10_
DGL-4500	Xtreme N Gaming Router	1.21 NA
DIR-300	Wireless G Router	1.05
DIR-300	Wireless G Router	2.00
DIR-300	Wireless G Router	2.05
DIR-320	Wireless G Router with USB Print Server	1.21
DIR-412	Mobile Broadband Wireless Router	1.04
DIR-412	Mobile Broadband Wireless Router	1.05
DIR-600	Wireless 150 Router	1.00 NA
DIR-600	Wireless 150 Router	1.01 NA
DIR-600	Wireless 150 Router	1.01 NAb07
DIR-600	Wireless 150 Router	2.00_
DIR-600	Wireless 150 Router	2.04
DIR-600	Wireless 150 Router	2.1
DIR-601	Wireless N 150 Home Router	1.00 NA
DIR-605	Wireless N Router	4.00
DIR-615	Wireless N 300 Router	2.25
DIR-615	Wireless N 300 Router	3.11
DIR-615	Wireless N 300 Router	3.11 NA
DIR-615	Wireless N 300 Router	301B07
DIR-615	Wireless N 300 Router	4
DIR-615	Wireless N 300 Router	4.11.94ob
DIR-615	Wireless N 300 Router	4.12
DIR-615	Wireless N 300 Router	5.00 NA
DIR-615	Wireless N 300 Router	5.1
DIR-628	RangeBooster N Dual Band Router	1.10_
DIR-628	RangeBooster N Dual Band Router	1.20 NA
DIR-628	RangeBooster N Dual Band Router	1.22
DIR-628	RangeBooster N Dual Band Router	112 B01
DIR-632	Wireless N 8-Port Router	1.01
DIR-635	RangeBooster N 650 Router	2.3
DIR-635	RangeBooster N 650 Router	2.30
DIR-635	RangeBooster N 650 Router	2.32
DIR-635	RangeBooster N 650 Router	2.32 EU
DIR-652	Wireless N Gigabit Home Router	1.00_
DIR-655	Xtreme N Gigabit Router	1.11
DIR-655	Xtreme N Gigabit Router	1.31
DIR-655	Xtreme N Gigabit Router	1.32
DIR-655	Xtreme N Gigabit Router	2.0
DIR-655	Xtreme N Gigabit Router	2.00_
DIR-685	Xtreme N Storage Router	1.01
DIR-815	Wireless N Dual Band Router	1.00
DIR-825	Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router	1.11 NA
DIR-825	Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router	2.00
DIR-825	Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router	2.02
DIR-825	Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router	225 B02
DIR-855	Xtreme N Duo Media Router	1.10_
DIR-855	Xtreme N Duo Media Router	1.20 NA
DIR-855	Xtreme N Duo Media Router	1.21
DSL-2740B	RangeBooster N ADSL/ADSL2/2+ Modem Router	6.17
DSL-2740U	RangeBooster N ADSL2+ Router	6.21
EBR-2310	Ethernet Broadband Router	3.00_

I-O DATA

www.iodata.com

Model number	Product name	Firmware version
ETX-R	ETX-R	1.01

NETGEAR

www.netgear.com/support/

Model number	Product name	Firmware version
WGR614v10	G54 Wireless Router	1.0.0.10_40.0.44BRIC
WGR614v10	G54 Wireless Router	1.0.2.18
WGR614v10	G54 Wireless Router	1.0.2.26
WGR614v10	G54 Wireless Router	1.0.2.4
WGR614v8	54 Mbps Wireless Router	1.1.11
WGR614v8	54 Mbps Wireless Router	1.1.24
WNDR3300v1	RangeMax Dual Band Wireless N Router	1.0.27
WNDR3300v1	RangeMax Dual Band Wireless N Router	1.0.40
1.0.40	N600 Wireless Dual Band Router	1.0.0.34
WNDR3500v2	WNDR3500v2	1.0.0.64
WNDR3700	N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router	1.0.4.49
WNDR3700	N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router	1.0.4.68
WNR1000v3	N150 Wireless Router	1.0.2.18
WNR1000v3	N150 Wireless Router	1.0.2.26
WNR1000v3	N150 Wireless Router	1.0.2.4
WNR2000v2	N300 Wireless Router	1.0.0.34
WNR2000v2	N300 Wireless Router	1.0.0.40
WNR3500	RangeMax Wireless-N Gigabit Router	1.0.19
WNR3500L	N300 Wireless Gigabit Router	1.0.2.26
WNR3500L	N300 Wireless Gigabit Router	1.0.2.50
WNR3500L	N300 Wireless Gigabit Router	1.2.2.30
WNR3500v2	RangeMax Wireless-N Gigabit Router	1.0.2.10
WNR834Bv2	RangeMax NEXT Wireless-N Router	1.0.32

SMC Networks

www.smc.com/

Model number	Product name	Firmware version
SMCWBR14-N2	Barricade N Pro Wireless Broadband Router (300 Mbps)	1.0.1.5
SMCWBR14S-N4	Barricade N Wireless N Broadband Router (150 Mbps)	0.0.3.8
SMCWGBR14-N	Barricade N ProMax Wireless 4-port Gigabit Broadband Router	1.0.1.2

Sweex

www.sweex.com/

Model number	Product name	Firmware version
LW310	Wireless Broadband Router 300Mbps	3.1.200
XN2590	802.11n Wireless Router	1.1.3.4

Tenda

www.tenda.cn

Model number	Product name	Firmware version
W307R	Wireless-N Broadband Router	I2_V3.3.5h
W311R	Wireless-N Broadband Router	H1_V3.3.5w

ZyXEL

www.zyxel.com/web/

Model number	Product name	Firmware version
NBG318S	Wireless G+ SuperSpeed HomePlug AV Router	3.60
NBG334W	Wireless Router with Multimedia Bandwidth Management	3.60
NBG4115	Wireless N-lite 3G Router	1.00 (BFS.1)
NBG-419N	Wireless N-lite Home Router	1.00 (BFM.1)
NBG-419N	Wireless N-lite Home Router	1.00 (BFM.4)
NBG-419N	Wireless N Home Router	1.00 (BFQ.0)
NBG-419N	Wireless N Home Router	1.00 (BFQ.1)
NBG420N	Wireless N VPN Router	3.60
NBG460N	Wireless N Gigabit Router with VPN	3.60
P-320W	802.11g Wireless Firewall Router	1.00 (BWD.0) D0
PK5000Z	PK5000Z Qwest Modem	1
WAP3205	Wireless N Access Point	1.00 (BFR.3)
X550N	Wireless N Gigabit Router	3.60

How To Turn An Old Router Into A Wireless Bridge

2012-01-25T01:59:00.001-08:00

You may some day encounter a situation in which you will require a wireless internet connection for a desktop computer. Perhaps you have decided to move your office from one room to another in your home. However, the new room does not have the cable or telephone connection you need to bring that computer online.

Before you go out and buy a wireless network card or attempt to run wire through your attic, you might be able to save yourself time and money if you have an old wireless router lying around. You may be able to upgrade your old router with a different firmware that will allow it to act as a wireless bridge. That is, turn your old router into wireless bridge. A wireless bridge allows you to connect one network to another over the airwaves, rather than having to run wire from one room to another.

The free firmware that makes this possible is called DD-WRT. Before reading further, check the DD-WRT supported device list to see if your router is supported. If it is supported, be sure to check out the notes for running DD-WRT on the supported device page. You’ll need to refer to the recommended installation method later.

Requirements

- Broadband internet connection.
- Two wireless routers:

One connected to your broadband internet connection to serve as the access point.
One connected to other machine(s) that need to connect to web. This one will need to support DD-WRT.

1. Make sure your main internet router is working properly. Verify the wireless connection is working properly by connecting a laptop or some other device.

2. Set up the remote computer at the remote location.

3. Connect the remote computer to the router you will be installing DD-WRT onto. Just plug it into one of the ports on the hub (i.e. not the internet port or uplink port).

4. Open your browser and connect to the router’s web configuration page.

If you’re not sure what the address is, you may need to refer to the router’s manual. If the router is running DHCP, it is likely to be the address of the computer’s gateway. In Windows XP, go to the Control Panel and then Network Connections. There Double-click on your LAN connection and go to the Support tab. The default gateway will be listed there. You can also check it on CIRT.net along with other details such default username and password for the router.

Download DD-WRT

Now, you need to download the DD-WRT.

DD-WRT download page

stable

2. Navigate to the latest version (you can sort by date descending).

3. Navigate to the Consumer directory.

4. Navigate to the proper directory for your router’s manufacturer and then the model/version of the router. You should be able to find the model and version number printed somewhere on the router.

6. Download the .bin file of your choice.

The notes for running DD-WRT on the supported device list may mandate you use a specific version. If not, I recommend you select either the mini or the standard. If you want to know the differences between the different versions, check out the File Versions section of the What is DD-WRT? page of the DD-WRT wiki.

Install DD-WRT

If you downloaded DD-WRT from your main internet connection, you may need to copy it to a USB drive to install it on the remote router from the remote computer. The remaining instructions are to be run from the remote computer connected to the remote router where DD-WRT is to be installed.

Install DD-WRT according to the installation instructions on the wiki. Use the installation method recommended for your device in the notes on the supported device page (if applicable).

Warning: It is possible to brick your router when you install the new firmware (i.e. render it useless). Please take caution in reading the installation instructions carefully. I recommend you install DD-WRT on an old router that you are currently not using, so that if something does go awry there is no major loss.

Configuring DD-WRT as a Client Bridge

1. Once you have DD-WRT installed, open your browser to http://192.168.1.1 and log into the router. In older versions of DD-WRT, the default username is root and the default password is admin. Be sure to change the default password to secure your router.

2. Next, click on the Wireless tab at the top.

3. Set the Wireless Mode to Client Bridge. Then click Apply.

4. Set the SSID to that of your main wireless router that is connected to the Internet. In my case, my main wireless router SSID is sierra. Then click Apply.

5. Click on the Wireless Security tab in the second row of tabs, and configure the router to match the security settings as your main router. In my case, my main wireless router has WPA security mode with TKIP shared key, so I set up DD-WRT to match it.

6. Click Apply.

7. Click the Setup (very first tab in the upper left) to configure the LAN settings.

8. Assign the router a Local IP Address on the same subnet as your main router, but give it a different address. That means that all the numbers for the address will be the same as the main router except for the numbers in the fourth box. For example, the address of my main router is 192.168.1.1 so I gave my DD-WRT router an IP of 192.168.1.2.

9. Set the Subnet Mask to 255.255.255.0.

10. Set the Gateway and Local DNS to the address of the main router.

11. Click Apply.

Your DD-WRT router should now allow you to connect your remote computer to your main internet router through the airwaves! If you ever need to reconfigure the DD-WRT router, just be sure to remember the new IP address that you assigned in step number 8. You could always use a nice label maker and slap it right onto the router.

Configuring two wireless routers with one SSID (network name) at home for free roaming

2012-01-25T01:46:00.001-08:00

This setup is for people who want more wireless coverage in they house. Using the standard admin interface to boost the power of the wireless router does not work. Some people have tried replacing the standard antenna with a aftermarket external antenna for the router which helps a little. Some do try to make a second wireless network. We can setup the router easily with another SSID (service set identifier - a wireless network name) but that would be cheesy and my devices wouldn't roam smoothly between networks.

Here's the trick, which I have come across after doing a little research.

In the below example we are using a standard Verizon (ActionTec) router with the IP of 192.168.1.1. That's a static (non-changing) address. The router has DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) turned on, which means that this router hands out IP Addresses to my devices. It hands out those addresses in a certain range, specifically 192.168.1.2 through 192.168.1.254.

Your router will likely vary, but on this one you navigate to My Network, My Network Connections, then click on the Edit icon on the main network interface. You'll end up here:

Notice the Start IP Address and End IP Address. You'll want to change this to 192.168.1.3 because we're going to use 192.168.1.2 as a static address for the second router when we set it up.

Next, turn off your first (primary) wireless router completely. Routers aren't expecting folks to do what we're doing, so when you turn on the second router it will also default to 192.168.1.1. You're turning off the first so the second can be changed.

Turn on the second router and set its static IP address to 192.168.1.2. Under IP Address Distribution, set it to "disabled." It's important that you don't have TWO devices on your network passing out IP Addresses. This second router will only be bridging the wireless and wired world at your house. It has no responsibilities around IP addresses.

Here's an unnecessary diagram:

Make sure the wireless settings of the second router is the same as the first router. Same SSID, same security type, same password. The only difference will be thechannel. Moreover, we'll want to make sure the channels are sufficiently far apart.

Of course, if you're rich and famous and have a HUGE area to cover, you can add a third wireless access point and just make sure that third AP uses a channel that's sufficiently far away from the other two. Try to make the second router be 5 away from the first router's channel. The guidance is channels 1, 6 and 11 are a good guideline. I used 11 for the first and 6 for the second.

Here's a great chart showing the channel spread from Wikipedia. I used channels 11 and 6 for my two routers.

Of course, you'll need an Ethernet run going from a LAN port on your first router to a LAN port on your second router. In my case, each room has Ethernet in the wall going to a gigabit switch. I plugged the second router into the wall from its LAN port and it worked.

Reboot everything, plug them all in and there you go.

Just thirty minutes later and I'm happily streaming video to my wireless portable devices in parts of my house that were previously useless.

Technical Summary

First Router
- 192.168.1.1
- DHCP to use the range 192.168.1.3-192.168.1.254
- A wireless channel like 11
Second Router
- 192.168.1.2
- DHCP is disabled
- Identical wireless security setup as First Router
  - Except the wireless Channel. Try channel 6 if the first is 11.
- Plug hard-wire into the LAN port, not the WAN port.

BOYS TOYS

2012-01-21T07:48:00.001-08:00

iShower: Wireless Bluetooth speaker for your bathroom

Enjoying in your favorite music is always nice, and if you want to enjoy in your favorite music even when you’re in the shower, today we have a special wireless speaker that might be helpful to you.

iShower is the latest water-resistant Bluetooth speaker for your bathroom that will allow you to enjoy in your favorite music from any Apple or Android device. This speaker mounts in your shower, and thanks to the built-in playback controls, you can easily switch between songs, and all that you have to do in order to enjoy in your favorite music is to pair iShower via Bluetooth with Android or iOS device, and you’re good to go. As for the iShower, it can also display current time of the day, and thanks to the three AA batteries, you can enjoy in 15 hours of music with iShower.

iShower is great, if you want to enjoy in your favorite music in your bathroom, and as for the price, iShower speaker is priced at $99.99.

Sanwa 400-PRJ011 Micro Projector comes as an iPhone case

Projector is always a handy device to have, and if you’re looking for a projector for you iPhone, look no more because we have the right model for you coming from Japan.

Sanwa 400-PRJ011 projector comes with 640×360 resolution, 1000:1 contrast ratio, 12 ANSI lumens brightness, and it uses LED for lightning while providing you with 20, 000 hours of life.

This device can project 65-inch images. Sanwa 400-PRJ011 comes as a part of add-on case, and it connects to your phone via dock connector, so it’s pretty straightforward to use. This projector comes with 2100mAh battery that is capable of 2.5 hours of continuous use. As for the charging and compatibility, Sanwa 400-PRJ011 comes with USB charging cable, and it is fully compatible with iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.

Sanwa 400-PRJ011 projector is simple iPhone projector, and if you would want to get one, you can do so for 19800 Yen.

Superheadz Clap Camera: Tiny and compact digital camera

There are all sorts of bulky digital cameras on the market, but if you’re looking for a tiny digital camera for your needs, today we might have the right device for you.

If you’re looking for a tiny digital camera, Superheadz Clap Camera might be the right choice for you, because it can shoot 2-megapixel pictures and record video at 720 x 480 px resolution. As for your files, they are stored on microSD memory card, and if you want to transfer your files to your computer, you just need to remove the cap and connect your camera via USB to your computer. As you can see, Superheadz Clap Camera doesn’t have any outstanding performance, and it can’t replace standard digital cameras, but if you’re looking for a tiny and compact camera, Superheadz Clap Camera might be great for you.

Superheadz Clap Camera is a simple digital camera, and as for the price, Superheadz Clap Camera is priced at $50.

Armstar The BodyGuard 9XI-HD01: Docks your iPhone onto your arm and keeps you safe

We have seen all sorts of iPhone docks, but this is probably the first iPhone dock that allows you to dock your iPhone onto your arm, so let’s have a closer look at it.

Trumstand: Natural iPhone dock made out of gold

Not a while ago we covered natural speaker dock for your iPhone called MegaPhone, and in case that you liked it, today we have another speaker dock for your iPhone that we want to present you.

There are all sorts of speaker docks for iPhone available on the market, but not many of them are stylish as Trumstand that comes from Japanese Pleiades designs. We also have to mention that Trumstand speaker dock is probably the world’s first iPhone dock that is using a horn -shaped speaker made out of brass. According to its designers, Trumstand doesn’t use any electronics to amplify the sound, and instead of electronics, it utilizes the natural acoustics of its horn-shaped speaker. In addition, the sound that is emitted from iPhone’s speaker is transmitted to the base of the Trumstand that works as a sound box, and transfers the sound to the speaker itself. In order to provide you with best sound, the base of the dock is made out of thick alloy that minimizes external vibrations.

Trumstand is one amazing and natural iPhone dock, but it comes with a hefty price. The gold model will set you back $2,000 while the silver model will cost you $1,800.

Windows 8 will feature picture passwords with gesture

2012-01-21T07:43:00.001-08:00

It appears that Microsoft is working hard to improve security of its upcoming operating system, and after a feature that allows you to store and synchronize passwords in Windows 8, today we have another security feature that we want to show you.
Today we have several types of security layers, we have text passwords, facial recognition, but it seems that Windows 8 will feature picture passwords as well. According to Microsoft, you just need to choose a specific picture that you wish to use, and perform a specific gesture in order to log in. As for the supported gestures, you can use lines, circlers, and taps, but some security experts believe that picture passwords aren’t secure enough because your gestures can be viewed or even recorded by another person.

We have to admit that picture passwords sound interesting, and although they aren’t the safest method of logging in, they will still be a welcome security layer.

What is WiMAX and how it Works?

2012-01-13T01:14:00.001-08:00

Think about how you access the Internet today. There are basically three different options:

Broadband access - In your home, you have either a DSL or cable modem. At the office, your company may be using a T1 or a T3 line.
WiFi access - In your home, you may have set up a WiFi router that lets you surf the Web while you lounge with your laptop. On the road, you can find WiFi hot spots in restaurants, hotels, coffee shops and libraries.
Dial-up access - If you are still using dial-up, chances are that either broadband access is not available, or you think that broadband access is too expensive.

The main problems with broadband access are that it is pretty expensive and it doesn't reach all areas. The main problem with WiFi access is that hot spots are very small, so coverage is sparse.

What if there were a new technology that solved all of these problems? This new technology would provide:

The high speed of broadband service
Wireless rather than wired access, so it would be a lot less expensive than cable or DSL and much easier to extend to suburban and rural areas
Broad coverage like the cell phone network instead of small WiFi hotspots

This system is actually coming into being right now, and it is called WiMAX. WiMAX is short forWorldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, and it also goes by the IEEE name 802.16.

WiMAX has the potential to do to broadband Internet access what cell phones have done to phone access. In the same way that many people have given up their "land lines" in favor of cell phones, WiMAX could replace cable and DSL services, providing universal Internet access just about anywhere you go. WiMAX will also be as painless as WiFi -- turning your computer on will automatically connect you to the closest available WiMAX antenna.

In this article, we'll find out how WiMAX works, what engineers are doing to make it better and what it could mean for the future of wireless Internet.

WiMAX Wireless Network

In practical terms, WiMAX would operate similar to WiFi but at higher speeds, over greater distances and for a greater number of users. WiMAX could potentially erase the suburban and rural blackout areas that currently have no broadband Internet access because phone andcable companies have not yet run the necessary wires to those remote locations.

A WiMAX system consists of two parts:

A WiMAX tower, similar in concept to a cell-phone tower - A single WiMAX tower can provide coverage to a very large area -- as big as 3,000 square miles (~8,000 square km).
A WiMAX receiver - The receiver and antenna could be a small box or PCMCIA card, or they could be built into a laptop the way WiFi access is today.

A WiMAX tower station can connect directly to the Internet using a high-bandwidth, wired connection (for example, a T3 line). It can also connect to another WiMAX tower using a line-of-sight, microwave link. This connection to a second tower (often referred to as a backhaul), along with the ability of a single tower to cover up to 3,000 square miles, is what allows WiMAX to provide coverage to remote rural areas.

HowStuffWorks.com

What this points out is that WiMAX actually can provide two forms of wireless service:

There is the non-line-of-sight, WiFi sort of service, where a small antenna on your computer connects to the tower. In this mode, WiMAX uses a lower frequency range -- 2 GHz to 11 GHz (similar to WiFi). Lower-wavelength transmissions are not as easily disrupted by physical obstructions -- they are better able to diffract, or bend, around obstacles.
There is line-of-sight service, where a fixed dish antenna points straight at the WiMAX tower from a rooftop or pole. The line-of-sight connection is stronger and more stable, so it's able to send a lot of data with fewer errors. Line-of-sight transmissions use higher frequencies, with ranges reaching a possible 66 GHz. At higher frequencies, there is less interference and lots more bandwidth.

WiFi-style access will be limited to a 4-to-6 mile radius (perhaps 25 square miles or 65 square km of coverage, which is similar in range to a cell-phone zone). Through the stronger line-of-sight antennas, the WiMAX transmitting station would send data to WiMAX-enabled computers or routers set up within the transmitter's 30-mile radius (2,800 square miles or 9,300 square km of coverage). This is what allows WiMAX to achieve its maximum range.

The final step in the area network scale is the global area network (GAN). The proposal for GAN is IEEE 802.20. A true GAN would work a lot like today's cell phone networks, with users able to travel across the country and still have access to the network the whole time. This network would have enough bandwidth to offer Internet access comparable to cable modem service, but it would be accessible to mobile, always-connected devices like laptops or next-generation cell phones.

WiMAX Coverage and Speed

WiMAX operates on the same general principles as WiFi -- it sends data from one computer to another via radio signals. A computer (either a desktop or a laptop) equipped with WiMAX would receive data from the WiMAX transmitting station, probably usingencrypted data keys to prevent unauthorized users from stealing access.

The fastest WiFi connection can transmit up to 54 megabits per second under optimal conditions. WiMAX should be able to handle up to 70 megabits per second. Even once that 70 megabits is split up between several dozen businesses or a few hundred home users, it will provide at least the equivalent of cable-modem transfer rates to each user.

The biggest difference isn't speed; it's distance. WiMAX outdistances WiFi by miles. WiFi's range is about 100 feet (30 m). WiMAX will blanket a radius of 30 miles (50 km) with wireless access. The increased range is due to the frequencies used and the power of the transmitter. Of course, at that distance, terrain, weather and large buildings will act to reduce the maximum range in some circumstances, but the potential is there to cover huge tracts of land.

IEEE 802.16 Specifications

Range - 30-mile (50-km) radius from base station
Speed - 70 megabits per second
Line-of-sight not needed between user and base station
Frequency bands - 2 to 11 GHz and 10 to 66 GHz (licensed and unlicensed bands)
Defines both the MAC and PHY layers and allows multiple PHY-layer specifications (See How OSI Works)

WiMAX Cost

A citywide blanket coverage of wireless Internet access sounds great, but companies aren't going to go around setting up WiMAX base stations out of sheer kindness. Who's going to pay for WiMAX?

It depends how it will be used. There are two ways WiMAX can be implemented -- as a zone for wireless connections that single users go to when they want to connect to the Internet on a laptop (the non-line-of-sight "super WiFi" implementation), or as a line-of-sight hub used to connect hundreds of customers to a steady, always-on, high-speed wireless Internet connection.

Under the "super WiFi" plan, cities might pay to have WiMAX base stations set up in key areas for business and commerce and then allow people to use them for free. They already do this with WiFi, but instead of putting in a bunch of WiFi hot spots that cover a few hundred square yards, a city could pay for one WiMAX base station and cover an entire financial district. This could provide a strong draw when city leaders try to attract businesses to their area.

Some companies might set up WiMAX transmitters and then make people pay for access. Again, this is similar to strategies used for WiFi, but a much wider area would be covered. Instead of hopping from one hot spot to another, WiMAX-enabled users could have Internet access anywhere within 30 miles of the WiMAX base station. These companies might offer unlimited access for a monthly fee or a "pay as you go" plan that charges on a per-minute or per-hour basis.

The high-speed wireless hub plan has the potential to be far more revolutionary. If you have high-speed Internet access now, it probably works something like this: The cable (or phone) company has a line that runs into your home. That line goes to a cable modem, and another line runs from the modem to your computer. If you have a home network, first it goes to a router and then on to the other computers on the network. You pay the cable company a monthly fee, which reflects in part the expense of running cable lines to every single home in the neighborhood.

WiMAX Technology at Home

Here's what would happen if you got WiMAX. An Internet service provider sets up a WiMAX base station 10 miles from your home. You would buy a WiMAX-enabled computer or upgrade your old computer to add WiMAX capability. You would receive a special encryption code that would give you access to the base station. The base station would beam data from the Internet to your computer (at speeds potentially higher than today's cable modems), for which you would pay the provider a monthly fee. The cost for this service could be much lower than current high-speed Internet-subscription fees because the provider never had to run cables.

If you have a home network, things wouldn't change much. The WiMAX base station would send data to a WiMAX-enabled router, which would then send the data to the different computers on your network. You could even combine WiFi with WiMAX by having the router send the data to the computers via WiFi.

WiMAX doesn't just pose a threat to providers of DSL and cable-modem service. The WiMAX protocol is designed to accommodate several different methods of data transmission, one of which is Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP). VoIP allows people to make local, long-distance and even international calls through a broadband Internet connection, bypassing phone companies entirely. If WiMAX-compatible computers become very common, the use of VoIP could increase dramatically. Almost anyone with a laptop could make VoIP calls.

A Universal Chip for Cell Phones

2012-01-12T00:59:00.001-08:00

A single chip for wireless devices that's multifunctional, more energy efficient, and space saving is in the works.

Research out of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has shown that a single wireless chip -- call it the "universal" chip -- could be in cell phones, as well as other wireless gadgets, in as few as three years, extending their battery life, allowing for sleeker designs, and permitting them to access features beyond Wi-Fi, GPS, global phone service, and Bluetooth.

A prototype for the "receiver" portion of a "universal" wireless chip that can receive radio frequencies ranging from 800 megahertz to 6 gigahertz -- which could eliminate the need for multiple chips inmobile devices, extend their battery life, and make them smaller. (Photo courtesy of Asad Abidi, UCLA.)

Today's cell phones can contain up to six wireless radio chips, which send and receive information in the form of electromagnetic waves. Each chip has a specific function: there's one designed to work at the frequency of the cellular carrier's signal and others for Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth frequencies.

Historically, engineers have designed these chips to work within only a small range of frequencies in the radio spectrum. For instance, in order to communicate with a cell-phone tower, a chip may be optimized to send and receive information at 900 megahertz (or another frequency depending on the service provider). To access a Wi-Fi signal, a separate chip must be added, to communicate in the 2.4 gigahertz band.

Although some chip makers (such as Texas Instruments) have built and deployed "triband" and "quadband" chips that can tune into three or four different bands, designing a truly universal chip that can access all frequencies has remained a challenge. But the incentive is there: a phone with a universal chip could access any service on the spectrum -- from local television and radio, to Wi-Fi and WiMax -- in addition to saving power and precious space within shrinking gadgets.

The wireless world doesn't need more "customized radios that you stuff into a handset," says Asad Abidi, professor of integrated circuits and systems at UCLA and lead researcher on the universal chip project. Instead, it needs "one versatile radio that is so general and so flexible that [it] can receive TV, Bluetooth connections, and wireless Internet."

This universal chip would provide flexibility similar to that of a car radio tuner, allowing most stations to be ignored, and zeroing in on just one frequency. The team's chip design, presented in February at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference in San Francisco, is work that moves toward making a "real tunable radio," says Bill Krenik, wireless advanced architectures manager at Texas Instruments. Abidi has designed a chip that is capable of accessing all the incoming radio signals, he says, over a spectrum from 800 megahertz to 5 gigahertz.

The UCLA team's work relies on a technological concept called "software-defined radio," or SDR. First proposed the early 1990s by Joe Mitola of Mitre Corporation, SDR is based on the concept of converting all incoming radio signals (which are electromagnetic waves and therefore analog) into digital 1s and 0s. This would enable a circuit's software to sort through different frequency bands, and pick out the one of interest. Using software bypasses the need to design and add a specific radio for each band.

Atheros Wireless N for Smartphones Actually Uses Less Power Than Slowass G

Wireless N in cellphones, it's happening next year: Atheros's AR6003 802.11n/Bluetooth chip for cellphones is tiny, has serious range and uses less power than their current wireless G chip, which is in the Zune HD. It'll hit phones around the second half of next year.

Atheros is not the first to claim an 802.11n chip for smartphones; Broadcom announced its BCM4329 months ago, and said it should begin shipping this quarter. Atheros will begin shipping its AR6003 in volume during the second quarter of 2010, giving Broadcom a substantial lead.

However, an Atheros spokesman claimed that its chip would offer dramatic power savings compared to its predecessor and the competition.

"It's true Broadcom has a nine-month lead with their mobile 11n solution for handsets," the Atheros spokesman said. "However, the Atheros AR6003 features the highest throughput performance, industry-leading energy-efficiency and is two to two-and-a-half times smaller than the Broadcom solution. The variable on the size depends on whether you include the Bluetooth and FM components as part of the solution; all three components comprise Broadcom's combo solution."

The AR6003 is Atheros' third-generation chip for mobile devices. Its second (the AR6002) which contained 802.11g functionality, was included in the Microsoft Zune HD, among others, according to Terry Ngo, senior manager of the consumer connectivity business for Atheros. The AR6002 was also included in roters from the top five networking vendors and notebooks and netbooks from seven of the top PC makers, Atheros said.

According to Ngo, the AR6003 consumes 20 percent less power than the 802.11g chip. The Zune HD's Wi-Fi chip also generated between 12 to 15 dBm, an estimate of the signal strength per miliwatt. The AR6003, by contrast, generates 19 dBm, enough to "provide four times the range extension of the Zune HD," Ngo said. "That's the same power as a wireless access point."

The AR6003 is a 1x1 802.11n chip, meaning it runs only a single channel across a single antenna. Most wall-powered access points run 2x2 arrays or higher, generating a stronger signal but requiring more power. The AR6003 achieves up to 48 Mbits/s in the 2.4-GHz band in 20 MHz mode, and 85 Mbits/s in 5 GHz in 40 MHz mode.

The AR6003 can connect simultaneously using both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi – intelligently prioritizing Wi-Fi traffic – and also includes support for the Atheros Direct Connect AP Mode, similar to the Wi-Fi Directad-hoc mode, originally known as Intel's My Wi-Fi. Using the Atheros Direct Connect AP Mode, users can tell the AR6003 to create a local Wi-Fi personal-area network that other wireless devices can connect to and use as a bridge, at the same time that the chip is actively communicating with another gateway.

Although Ngo declined to give an exact price for the chip, the total solution should cost OEMs about $10, although that price naturally varies with volume; the addition of Atheros as a second supplier will also help drive down prices. Atheros claims the AR6003's size is only 5 mm by 5 mm, 50 percent smaller than the AR6002.

12 Coolest Conceptual Gadgets You May Have Never Seen Before

2012-01-08T08:00:00.001-08:00

In this modern and advanced age technology to get people interested in getting into this new and innovative instruments. Some of these gadgets exists some or not. Hope so, it can be extremely high chance of getting into production anywhere in the future. Here are some really cool concept gadgets, just concepts for now but we really hope it’ll be implemented, that inspires. May be some will be upcoming gadgets soon. If we happened to missed something impressive, please let us know in comment.

iPhone5 concept (iphone5 coming on October as Reports)

The Internet is abuzz once again with rumors of the inevitable iPhone 5

Egg Computer Mouse

Elecom’s Egg computer mouse features beautiful design and comes in a variety of colors that would make even the Easter Bunny proud

Ezkey Keypad Computer Mouse (Probably Exist)

One thing that you miss when working from a laptop is a proper keypad. This computer mouse takes care of that problem

Hand Grenade Computer Mouse

Unique computer mouse mod: hand grenade, don’t pull the pin!

Giant Keyboard

Created by Maurin Donneaud, this giant keyboard rolls out onto the floor and lets you type with your feet.

Glass Keyboard

Futuristic “no-key” keyboard concept designed by Kong Fanwen.

Future Internet Search

All you need to do is point the tablet at any object and you should get search results as good as Google’s, just more interactivity.

Blue Sky I’m Watch Syncs with Your iPhone

Smart watches are the way of the future, and the design studio Blue Sky have come up with the touchscreen I’m Watch, that syncs with your smartphone via Bluetooth.

Cellphone Code

This phone uses haptic technology to provide physical feedback for making a call. To turn it on…twist a section, to dial a number…twist a bunch of sections, to make an international call…break your wrist!

Capsule Radio Clock

Not rocket science, but definetely cool to get one

Pixel Perfect Hour Glass

Title says it all. A perfect gadget anyone wants to own, I suppose?

Coolest Upcoming Gadgets of 2011

2012-01-08T07:52:00.001-08:00

1) Google Nexus 3:

Google’s Nexus is a speedy smart phone. It’s a intuitive handset having five customizable home screens with animated backgrounds. It also provides slick speech recognition capabilities. Nexus is now integrated with most of the software services provided by Google. Nexus One represent itself as a search giant’s first expansion in the world of ecommerce and hardware. Although that some well-publicized customer service issues come up with the device, still it remains among those ionic customer electronics which are at top of the list throughout the year.

2) RIM BlackBerry Presenter

As many of you have already noticed that micro and mini projectors will be available soon. Manufactures like 3M, Microvision and other. Thank God this handy 3.4-inch x 2.4-inch boxlike accessory is designed, so that it can be used with BlackBerry smart phones. It is very simple in use. What you have to do is that, simply connect it with a projector or monitor and you can use Blutetooth connectivity in order to display Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 and 2007 slides directly from your handset. You can pause images, set slides to automatically swap at prearranged intervals and in this way you can enjoy the benefit of accurate reproductions with most visual and animated effects.

3) PlayStation Phone by Sony

Sony, the leader of innovative technologies is ready to launch playstation phone code named “Zeus” in early 2011. Zeus would have Andriod 3.0 Gingerbread operating system. It also contains SD slot card having 8GB of memory with 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 processor. It comes up with 3.8 display and graphics processing unit of Adreno 205. This superb phone also contains 1GB ROM and 512 MB RAM. 3.8″ touch screen and its touch pad is just like gaming console of PSP. Through PlayStation Phone you can also download different games. So for those who love games, it is going to be a best product.

4) 3D Vaio by Sony

In order to be synchronize with BRAVIA glasses 3D laptop computer by Sony will boast of IR blaster. Lodged in F series chassis, the laptop contains display of 16”, so it can also be used for PS3. For games and videos, this laptop comes up with 1080p 240fps display. You can upgrade it from 2D to 3D with Blu-ray drives. In order to retain crystal clear picture quality, 3D VAIO uses the same technology in BRAVIA TV, with Black Frame Insertion. 3D VAIO used sequential technology for HD display while utilizing shutter glass. With just one touch button you can change between 2D to 3D. So, 3D VAIO would be a 0utstanding electronic gadget of 2011.

5) Apple iPhone 5

Apple iPhone 5 is based on face recognition mechanism with a sleek design. It contains 64GB memory with OLED screen. With GPS navigation feature you are able to synchronize with iTunes and customize SMS alerts and tones with HD audio quality. With Apple iPhone5 you can do video chat on 3G. For more durability, the screen is made scratch protected. For improved resolution it contains the most advanced graphic chips in it with chips dual core processors. On iPhone 5 you are also able to watch local channels. It also includes Pico projector which is used for presentation on a wall or flat surface.

6) PlayBook by BlackBerry

With simplified and advanced operating system BlackBerry is going to launch PlayBook. It would be highly compatible with current web requirements such like HTML5. This BlackBerry Tablet Operating System also called as QNX, supports open GL and PSIX. It will also be compatible with Adobe AIR and Flash 10.1. It comes up with 1GHZ processor, 1GB of Ram, 3MP camera with 5MP lens and 1024X600, 7″ display. Playbook offer video conferencing and features micro USB jack, 1080p resolution, Wi-Fi, HDMI port and Blue Tooth. Playbook is hardly just 0.4” thick and approximately weighs just 450 grams. It is possible to extract the data out of BlackBerry on PlayBook with the help of BlueTooth tethering application.

7) 3DS by Nintendo

The Nintendo 3D comes up with 2 outward lenses and 1 inward lense for taking pictures and it is compatible with 3D graphics sans glasses. With outward lens you can take picture of any person and at the same instant the user’s picture can be taken with the inward lens. It is possible to combine two images and produce a single one. Users cartoon avatars automatically created by 3DS. It also enables users of 2DS for communication. With the help of tag mode, you are able to get the details of another user of 3DS, like you can come to know about the games he or she played last.

Samsung LED 9000 Series

Samsung’s LED 9000 series of television sets is pencil-thin. Yes it’s just 0.3 inches wide and it can support and having the great ability to display 3D images and can convert 2D content into third dimension. You must be impressed by knowing that it can offer great support for downloadable apps, just like you’d find on the iPhone or Nexus One. Its application served via open development platform which means that any entrepreneur is able to insert content in it and can add up huge functionality, from the world of social networking clients to the downloadable games.

10) Palm Pre Plus

With minor changes in hardware the newer version of palm pre comes up with patch up keyboard and some little changes in user interface. It contains 3.1 inch multi touch screen with 320×480 resolution with HVGA display. In order to capture amateur video capture, it contains 3MP camera with LED flash. Palm Pre Plus will be coming up with Verizon. It runs on WebOS in its smartphone platform, which gives applications like Hotspot Tethering. You can get Palm Pre Plus for just 150 $ with two years Verizon contacts with their data plans.

11) Lenovo IdeaPad U1

Lenovo IdeaPad U1 is a 1.6 inch Linux based PC. It can also become a fully functional 3.7lb notebook having multi-touch capabilities that boasts an Intel Core 2 Duo processor. This device really functions well while offering solid five hours of battery life. E-mail and other web surfing facilities are also available. It attracts to those mobile professionals who are looking for great diversity in computing solution. So you can call it as two for one deal.

Check out the new Digital Sketch Device

2012-01-05T02:07:00.001-08:00

Limited Edition USB Drives

2012-01-05T01:55:00.001-08:00

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, some Yoda-brained boffin created a few USB memory sticks resembling some of the greatest heroes and villains in the classic Star Wars universe. And now, thanks to our intrepid product scouts, these limited edition gadgets are available on Fireboxooine [http://www.firebox.com/product/1899/Star-Wars-Mimobots ].
Star Wars Mimobots are ultra-cool, highly collectable little gizmos that make rival storage solutions look about as impressive as Hayden Christensen's acting. Standing just over 2" tall, these cutesy characters are as eye-catching as they are functional.

10 EVER Best Green Gadgets

2011-08-19T04:53:00.001-07:00

In the age of science and technology where man has evolved devices which has reduced human effort, many gadgets have proved extremely harmful for the environment. With experts and world leaders expressing concerns about the degrading environment, focus has been on the development of green gadgets.

1. Calculator:

There will be very few people in this world who will be unaware of this device. Ever since the dawn of civilization mankind has been busy in conceiving a device which would give mathematical results in a split of a second. Right from abacus to mechanical adding machines to modern calculators, the devices have been eco friendly.

Most of the calculators derive its power from electronic battery or from solar cell and have served humans since generations. The size of calculator gradually decreased and by 1980s, their price also came down to a great extent. Today calculators have become common in mathematics class and allowed in even during exams.

2. Torch:

Just like calculator, torch is another device which has played an important role in reducing harmful emissions in the environment. Extremely useful during load shedding, torch has been serving humans since decades. The earliest torch used just 2 batteries to derive power. However, modern day torch use LEDs for illumination and produce a powerful beam of light. Today most of the torches are accompanied by a lantern thereby giving you the option to use whatever you like.

3. Watches:

Perhaps one the most significant inventions by human is watch. Earlier, by seeing the position of the sun and one’s shadow an approximate estimation was made as to what can be the time. But with the invention of watch, one could easily say about the time. Watch uses a simple battery and the accessories used in its manufacturing are quite eco-friendly. One of the most eco-friendly watches made is the Sprout watch. There is nothing high-tech about the watch and just like any other watch it tells the time. The watch is available in various sizes and colors and is free from lead and other harmful materials.

4. Solar Power Wireless Keyboard:

Keyboards form an integral part of computers. For years, keyboards have been made of materials which were not environment friendly. But, Logitech changed that all. The company has designed a keyboard which is not only environment friendly, but also relieves you from wires. The keyboard comes with a band of photovoltaic panel which allows you to charge it either by indoor or outdoor light sources. The keyboard is the world’s first solar powered keyboard and is surely one the most eco-friendly gadgets to be discovered by mankind.

5. Wood Headphones by Thinksound:

There are thousands of music lovers in the world and if you happen to be one among them, then this headphone will surely woo you. Apart from enriching your music experience, the headphone is totally recyclable and is totally PVC free thereby making it one of the top evergreen gadgets ever to be made.

6. Room Thermometer and Hot Water Temp Monitors:

These monitors help you to measure the temperature of room and water. The monitors have passed the test of energy saving trust and the display of the monitor shows the temperature of the room and water coming out from taps. The monitors have been made out of environment friendly materials, thereby reducing carbon footprints.

7. Solar Chargers:

Solar chargers are one of the most sought after devices, especially by people who love to travel. These chargers use solar panels which use sunlight to charge cell phones, iPods and other rechargeable devices. Another hallmark of these chargers is that they are extremely light weight and are easily portable. Since these chargers use natural sunlight to charge devices, they are indeed one of all time green gadgets to be manufactured.

8. EcoBook Computer by Asus:

Sounds strange, but true. Computers have never been considered as green gadget. But with Asus launching its ecobook computers made of bamboo, even the severest critic who believed computers to be an environment hazard was astonished. The notebook from ASUS has recyclable plastic without any paints or sprays. The notebook even does not have electroplating on its components and is undoubtedly one of the most environment friendly computers you can find in the market.

9. Vexia EcoNav GPS Device:

GPS device have been in great demand worldwide because of their exceptional navigation qualities. But these devices are also known for harmful emissions. But the Vexia EcoNav GPS device is one of the most environment friendly GPS devices available in the market as this device is equipped with technology that reduces harmful emissions.

10. Eco Cube Speakers:

The eco cube speakers provide entertainment and at the same time ensure that there are no environment hazards. 70% of the materials used in the speakers are made up of recycled materials and you will not find batteries in these speakers since they are powered by MP3 player. If you have a device which has a 3.5 mm speaker jack, then you can easily use this eco cube speakers to entertain yourself.

With the society growing conscious about degrading environment, more and more eco- friendly devices are coming up in the market. These environment friendly products not only entertain you but also ensure that your next generation is able to enjoy the splendor of this beautiful planet, we call Earth.

BLACKBERRY BOLD 2 - 9700

2011-08-19T04:31:00.001-07:00

The New Blackberry Bold 9700 has unique stylish high quality features. The main bold change introduced is the shift from the ball sensor to optic track-pad that gives quick navigation with prolonged life. The new launch has literally swept the market by its design and technology advantage. This appealing pocket size phone offers all the solutions the present day busy business man who desires to stay updated and organized. This beautiful sleek gadget provides easy connectivity to internet and the multi media systems with more convenience than before.

The Design and Quality

The Bold 9700 resembles Blackberry’s delicate handset Curve 8900. They both have the same dimensions for a pocket size set. Bold 9700 is well trimmed with thick chrome linings on the front and back and smart thin rails on the sides. The side panels are thin. The black soft plastic used on the different parts, repel finger marks. All the sophisticated mechanism is set into a full leather wrapped black case. The black leather patch on the battery door matches with the rest finish. The great quality outlook presented is of executive style and is all different.

Technical Features

Bold 9700 has been up-graded with 3G internet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, and GPS. The set uses a brilliant half VGA (480x 360 pixels) display and upgraded 3.2 mega-pixel cameras. The Bold mobile has a built-in 256 MB of internet memory but RIM has included a 2GB micro SD card in the built-in expansion slot behind the battery door. The different cards available can pile up to a huge 32GB. However, the high GB cards are still awaited.

Trackball dropped

The entire Blackberry phones have used trackball for navigation system. Bold 9700 and its earlier model Curve 8500 switched to the optical track-pad. Move your finger over the gem button and it functions like a laptop computer track-pad. This change will of course pose an adjustment problem for a while, but will be found very reliable and efficient. This new style does not collect any lint and will be used much longer trouble free.

Layout

All Blackberry have screens on the front and keyboards at lower centre along with the usual essential function keys above keyboard. The right hand side houses the camera button and volume rocker. The left hand side takes all the accessories jacks and connections including recharging.

Keyboard

The QWERTY keyboard, as it is termed is the finest of the Blackberry. The new model keyboard has been made a bit smaller but is useful compatible. The design features present a more refined look and a compact feel. The crisp feedback is quieter than the earlier models and the Curve 8900.

Camera

The Curve 8900 had a built in camera the 3.2 mega-pixel that received an all out appreciation in the market. Bold 9700 has the same camera installed with no difference at all. The camera auto focuses quickly at half button press and takes sharp fully focused pictures with colors filling in a second later. The LED flash even manages discernable snapshots in the dark but low light can improve the results better. The small screen of 2.44 inches of course has its limitations as a view finder but it certainly exhibits adequate versatility as the camera is moved around.

Bold 9700 Screen

The Curve 8900 and Bold 9700 have same size display screen. The image resolution, colors and brightness are Blackberry’s unique. The 2.44 inch comes with built in half VGA brightness that produces a sharp display of all image details that helps to read even the smallest text. The back light is also powerful enough to provide good light to allow reading and to decipher vibrant colors.

Battery

Bold 9700 come with a strong battery capacity at 1500 mAhr. The RIM standard has ensured the rated talk time for 6 hours while the standby time lasts 21 days. The storage time has been extended as compared to previous models that lasted under 5 hours of talk time and about 13 days of standby period. Their claim for longer battery life seems valid.

Removing Virus that hides files and created shortcuts.

2011-08-13T09:45:00.001-07:00

1. Click on Start --> Run --> CMD and press ok

2. Then type cd \

3. If you are using a flash drive or need to clean a particular partition on the hard drive, please type the drive letter for example f: which should switch to the f:/>

4. Now type the command “attrib -r -a -s -h /s /d” and push the enter key.

5. Now, access the drive and delete all the shortcut icons or files and delete folders which are having suspicious names, as these folders contain virus..

6. Now you are good to go… all your files are restored

Blue Ray Disc Player

2011-08-13T09:23:00.001-07:00

Blu-ray Disc (official abbreviation BD) is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The disc diameter is 120 mm and disc thickness 1.2 mm plastic optical disc, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB (23.31 GiB) per layer, with dual layer discs (50 GB) being the norm for feature-length video discs. Triple layer discs (100 GB) and quadruple layers (128 GB) are available for BD-XL Blu-ray re-writer drives.^[2] Currently movie production companies have not utilized the triple or quadruple layer discs; most consumer owned Blu-ray players will not be able to read the additional layers, while newer Blu-ray players may require a firmware update to play the triple and quadruple sized discs.

The first Blu-ray Disc prototypes were unveiled in October 2000, and the first prototype player was released in April 2003 in Japan. Afterwards, it continued to be developed until its official release in June 2006.

The name Blu-ray Disc refers to the blue laser used to read the disc, which allows information to be stored at a greater density than is possible with the longer-wavelength red laser used for DVDs.

Blu-ray Disc was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association, a group representing makers of consumer electronics, computer hardware, and motion pictures. As of June 2009, more than 1,500 Blu-ray Disc titles were available in Australia and the United Kingdom, with 2,500 in the United States and Canada.^[3] In Japan, as of July 2010, more than 3,300 titles have been released.^[4]

Laser and optics

While a DVD uses a 650-nanometer red laser, Blu-ray Disc uses a 405 nm "blue" laser. This shorter wavelength allows for over five times more data storage per layer than allowed by a DVD. Note that even though the laser is called "blue", its color is actually in the violet range.

The diodes are GaN (gallium nitride) lasers that produce 405 nm light directly, that is, without frequency doubling or other nonlinear optical mechanisms.^[59] Conventional DVDs and CDs use red and near-infrared lasers, at 650 nm and 780 nm, respectively.

The minimum "spot size" on which a laser can be focused is limited by diffraction, and depends on the wavelength of the light and the numerical aperture of the lens used to focus it. By decreasing the wavelength, increasing the numerical aperture from 0.60 to 0.85, and making the cover layer thinner to avoid unwanted optical effects, the laser beam can be focused to a smaller spot, which effectively allows more information to be stored in the same area.

For Blu-ray Disc, the spot size is 580 nm. In addition to the optical improvements, Blu-ray Discs feature improvements in data encoding that further increase the capacity.

Hard-coating technology

Since the Blu-ray Disc data layer is closer to the surface of the disc compared to the DVD standard, it was at first more vulnerable to scratches.^[60] The first discs were housed in cartridges for protection, resembling Professional Discs introduced by Sony in 2003.

Using a cartridge would increase the price of an already expensive medium, so hard-coating of the pickup surface was chosen instead. TDK was the first company to develop a working scratch-protection coating for Blu-ray Discs. It was named Durabis. In addition, both Sony and Panasonic's replication methods include proprietary hard-coat technologies. Sony's rewritable media are spin-coated, using a scratch-resistant and antistatic coating. Verbatim's recordable and rewritable Blu-ray Discs use their own proprietary hard-coat technology, called ScratchGuard.

The Blu-ray Disc specification requires the testing of resistance to scratches by mechanical abrasion.^[61] In contrast, DVD media are not required to be scratch-resistant, but since development of the technology, some companies, such as Verbatim, implemented hard-coating for more expensive lineups of recordable DVDs.

How to remove Viruses from Registry

2010-11-10T22:32:00.001-08:00