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AlphaSmart Dana gains text-to-speech output
AlphaSmart Inc. on Thursday unveiled a new writing solution for its Dana and Dana Wireless portable computing devices: a new word processor called Write:OutLoud To Go from Don Johnston Inc., paired with the new AlphaSmart VoiceCard. The combination of hardware and software enables students using the Dana to convert text to speech and hear what they're writing — an effective combination for students struggling with the mechanics of writing. The VoiceCard fits into one of the two SD card slots available on the Dana and Dana Wireless.News
Xten ships eyeBeam VoIP softphone for OS X
In June, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) software developer Xten promised to bring its eyeBeam software to the Mac platform and today the company delivered. EyeBeam is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) application that enables users to communicate with voice and video over IP-based networks. So-called "softphone" applications are gaining traction as an alternative to conventional land-based telephone lines, as users can send and receive calls like they can with a telephone anywhere they have Internet access, rather than requiring a dedicated chat service and often less expensively than with a landline or cell phone.News
WiFlyer: dialup, broadband Wi-Fi access on the go
Always On Wireless noted on Tuesday that its new WiFlyer, a pocket-sized Wi-Fi router, is now shipping. WiFlyer offers access for both dialup and broadband Internet connections through 802.11b connectivity with 300-foot range as well as a pair of Ethernet ports and a phone jack. It also features 128-bit WEP encryption, a NAT firewall and Wi-Fi Protected Access, in addition to storage of U.S. phone numbers for dialup service providers. Pricing is US$149.95.News
QuickerTek intros high-gain PBook Whip antennas
QuickerTek said on Wdnesday that it has improved the signal strength and range of its Whip antennas for PowerBooks with the introduction of new high-gain models. Selling for US$99.95, the updated antenna designs offer 5.5dbi gain signal strength, enabling a stronger signal as well as an increase in wireless range. It works only with the 15- and 17-inch Aluminum PowerBooks as well as the 15-inch Titanium model.Reviews
Airport Express
Apple has created a product that not only provides a highly functioning 802.11g base station in a portable shell, but also pushes into a new product category.Reviews
ChatBarrier X3 10.3
Intego’s ChatBarrier X3 10.3.1 applies what sounds like a high standard—“military-grade” 512-bit encryption—to iChat messagingNews
Linksys goes dual-band on Wi-Fi
With its eyes on the future of home entertainment and a relatively uncluttered band of radio spectrum, Cisco Systems Inc.'s Linksys division on Wednesday unveiled a line of IEEE 802.11g/a wireless LAN products.News
WiMax wings into the wild world of wireless
Tired of new wireless technologies? Then stop reading. Because here's a story about a new wireless system that could someday eclipse the Wi-Fi service you've just begun to understand. The technology, called WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), is winning over plenty of followers while quickly gaining momentum on the standards front — despite high-profile skeptics such as Texas Instruments Inc. (TI). That was the general consensus of industry experts attending a crowded workshop earlier this week at the Broadband World Forum in Venice, Italy.How-To
Mac OS X Hints
Find out how to use Exposé to work on a single window, modify tab behavior on Web forms in Mozilla and Firefox, use Terminal to test for corrupted preference files, disable certain iChat AV emoticons, and route Terminal Unix command output to TextEdit.News
Philly plans world’s largest mesh Wi-Fi net
The idea sounds good on paper: Build a mesh network of wireless Wi-Fi base stations and let users roam around an entire city instead of providing limited connectivity in a handful of hot spots. But will it work? The City of Philadelphia hopes so. "This is an interesting project because it entails building the world's largest mesh Wi-Fi network," said John Krzywicki, president of The Management Network Group Inc. (TMNG), speaking Monday in an interview at the Broadband World Forum in Venice. But the consultant warned of challenges facing the venture.News
Iomega intros wireless NAS servers
Iomega Corp. announced on Thursday the introduction of two new network-attached storage (NAS) servers under the NAS 100d model name. Shipping later this month in 160GB (US$499) and 250GB ($599) capacities, both servers feature 802.11b/g support that acts as a wireless access point and as a wireless node on a Wi-Fi network, complete with Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption for secure data transfers. In addition, they include dual USB 2.0 ports for adding external hard drives, one 10/100 Ethernet port, 64MB DDR SDRAM and Iomega Automatic Backup software. Even though the servers run on Intel Xcale processors, their setup and configurations utilities are Web-based, so any client can access them.News
AirPort card update released
Apple has released AirPort Card Update 2004-08-31, available for download from the Software Update system preferences pane. The new release improves reliability in mixed 802.11b and 802.11g environments and is recommended for all customers with AirPort-capable computers running AirPort 3.4 and later, including AirPort 4.0, according to Apple. The update upgrades the AirPort Driver and AirPort Extreme Driver to version 3.4.3.News
Intel to launch tri-mode Wi-Fi chipset
Fulfilling a long-time goal, Intel Corp. is set to introduce on Thursday its first chipset that supports all three current forms of Wi-Fi, according to sources familiar with the announcement. With a chipset that includes IEEE 802.11a, b and g technology, a notebook PC can continue to connect to corporate wireless LANs without a hardware upgrade even if the enterprise migrates to a new infrastructure.Reviews
PDA Pundit: Noteworthy Note Takers for PDAs
PhatPad and BugMe add pizzazz and photos to handheld memos.News
The Next Do-It-Yourself Mac
Maximize your hardware — from installing a SuperDrive to building a music serverNews
Duke Seeds Campus With IPods
Incoming freshmen get free MP3 players to access university info and course content.News
IEEE set to ratify 802.11i standard
Members of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards board will meet on Thursday to vote on the final specification for 802.11i, an update to the current standard for Wi-Fi security, the chair of the IEEE 802.11 working group said Wednesday. The draft specification is expected to pass, although it's not a given until the final votes are counted, said Stuart Kerry, who leads the working group. The final specification was unanimously approved by the IEEE revisions committee on Wednesday, setting the 802.11i specification up for a final vote on Thursday during a meeting in Piscataway, New Jersey, he said.How-To
The Playlist: Clean Up Your MP3 Collection
Tunes in a tizzy? Here's how to get them organized in a few easy steps.News
AirPort Extreme update enhances networking reliability
Apple on Thursday released an update to its AirPort Extreme wireless networking software. The drivers now stand at version 3.4.2. The update, recommended for all users of Macs that use AirPort Extreme wireless networking, enhances networking reliability during certain memory intensive operations, according to Apple. It can be downloaded through the Software Update system preferences pane.News
Sony cancels 2004 Clie product launches in US
In another sign that personal digital assistants (PDAs) have lost the buzz they once enjoyed, Sony Corp. has decided it will not launch any new Clie personal digital assistants (PDAs) in the U.S. market for the rest of the year. "Sony continues to view mobile devices as a key pillar to our core business strategy. Presently, Sony is reassessing the direction of the conventional PDA market, and Sony will not introduce any new Clie handheld models in the U.S. this fall. Product development and sales continue for the Japanese market only. Sony is taking this time to examine the conventional PDA business and how it will transition into the future," the company said in a statement released Tuesday.News
Microsoft kills its Wi-Fi offerings
Microsoft Corp. has decided to stop producing wireless networking products and will discontinue its range of gear using the 802.11b wireless networking standard, also known by the Wi-Fi marketing name, the company announced Tuesday.Reviews
eBeam System 3 BT
Luidia's eBeam System 3 BT is a whiteboard-capture device that uses Bluetooth technology to digitally record to your Mac what you write on an ordinary whiteboard.News
Palm Desktop updated with Panther fixes
PalmOne has updated the Palm Desktop,which syncs a Palm handheld to your Mac, to version4.2.1, which you can download from the company's Web site. The updateimproves compatibility with Mac OS X v10.3 "Panther" and upgrades the Send toHandheld droplet, which allows you to transfer image and audio files to yourPalm handheld, to version 1.3.News
QuickerTek combo: Whip antenna, Buffalo 802.11g PC card
QuickerTek's Whip PowerBook antenna is compatible with Buffalo Technology's 802.11g PC Card, the company has announced. QuickerTek is now offering both products in a bundle that they say can significantly boost wireless range in G3 and G4 PowerBooks. The Whip antenna plugs into a port on the Buffalo card, which is compatible with Mac OS X v.10.2.6 "Jaguar" and higher. The bundle sells for US$169.95. QuickerTek is offering a $35 rebate to users who trade in a working AirPort card when they make the purchase.News
PalmOne Introduces New Handhelds, Reaffirms Mac Support
PalmOne added a pair of color handhelds to its Zire product line Wednesday. But more important to Mac users, the PDA maker also reaffirmed its long-term support for the Mac platform in the aftermath of reports that the next version of Palm OS would drop native Mac support.How-To