Mobility and Wireless: Reviews

Web-based applications and products like Apple's iTunes have made it easy to turn a laptop or a desktop into a music player. At the same time, thousands of radio stations are re-broadcasting their audio over the Internet to anyone who wants to listen. But what if you want to listen to, say, modern jazz from Mali or pop from Paris without dragging around a laptop? Enter the Internet radio: an appliance that looks like a radio and has an antenna -- but connects over Wi-Fi to the Internet, and streams audio to speakers.

With dual-mode phones dominating the home sector of the VoIP market, Linksys' SPA962 snubs the home consumer in favour of business-focussed approach. A pure VoIP phone, the SPA962 offers administration via an embedded Web server, support for six SIP-based extensions, and customisation by the end user, making this a fantastic option for a company-wide switchover to VoIP.

There are enough smartphone choices to make you dizzy. Yet in the business world, it arguably comes down to RIM's BlackBerry and select Windows Mobile-based devices -- with the strong possibility of Apple's 3G iPhone stealing some of their thunder.

Taiwan's Asustek Computer (Asus), the leader of the mini-notebook category due to its early launch of the Eee PC, launched two new models of the family last month, the 901 and 1000, the first Eee PCs that use Intel's Atom microprocessor.

The e2 has embedded HSDPA mobile broadband capability and is designed to meet demand for Internet access and networked PC applications anytime and anywhere.

The D-Link 3G Mobile Router DIR-451 enables users to create a secure wire-less 802.11g (108G) network and provide access to the Internet using a cellular signal.

The HTC Touch Cruise is a Windows Mobile 6 Professional device with MS Direct Push email and 3.5G-HSDPA wireless connectivity.

Another of Plantronics' latest Bluetooth hands-free kits, the Discovery 655 is a great device for those who are regularly on the road. It's similar to the 665 but offers increased battery life. The fact that it can be charged by using its extremely handy AAA battery adapter makes it the ultimate solution for the mobile professional.

ARN looks at the latest wireless products for the week commencing August 8, 2007.

ARN looks at the latest mobility products for the month of July, 2007.

In 2004 we tested several wireless LAN protocol analyzers and found two distinct characteristics: Those dedicated and built from the ground up for WLANs, and those that were modest add-ons to what were then labeled classic protocol analyzer products.