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Wi-Fi Alliance to Make Finding a Hotspot A Lot Easier

Bart Salisbury — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:12:42 -0500

Wi-Fi’s about to get a whole new look to it, one that eerily resembles Bluetooth. The Wi-Fi Alliance has announced it is nearing completing of specifications for Wi-Fi Direct which will provide peer-to-peer connections between any two Wi-Fi devices, such as mobile phones, cameras, headphones, printers, computers, keyboards, and mice. The new standard will be backward compatible to include all currently Wi-Fi certified legacy devices.

Wi-Fi Direct will make connecting to Wi-Fi a lot easier, and it may well prompt a shake-up in the Bluetooth and wireless router industries. Because Wi-Fi Direct essentially replicates Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi is more prevalent, manufacturers may opt to consolidate on the more widely available standard, and consumers more comfortable with Wi-Fi may likewise put pressure for Wi-Fi direct devices and peripherals. With peer-to-peer relationships available the demand for standalone routers could significantly diminish.

Besides getting to have a wireless keyboard without a dongle, finding a Wi-Fi hotspot becomes simpler, as we all become Wi-Fi hotspots.

Image Credit: Sérgio Codespoti/flickr

Bluetooth 3.0 Use to Grow Exponentially by 2011

Ryan Whitwam — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:18:15 -0500

Don’t get all cozy with your Bluetooth 2.1 products just yet. There is another standard on the horizon that aims to take over your wireless life. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) is touting a report that indicates 23 percent of Bluetooth equipped devices will run the new 3.0+HS standard by late 2010. This is expected to rise to 61 percent by 2011.

Bluetooth 3.0 was adopted on April 21 of this year. The new standard includes support for Alternative MAC/PHY (AMP) transport. AMP allows Bluetooth devices to use the 802.11 protocol for large data transfers. Additional power management technologies are expected to increase reliability as well. Circulation will start with external USB dongles for desktop and notebook PCs very soon.

Thin is In: Microsoft Unveils Super Skinny Keyboard for Bluetooth PCs

Paul Lilly — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:35:12 -0500

Microsoft today unveiled what it claims is its thinnest keyboard ever, the Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000. As the name suggests, the new plank is aimed exclusively at Bluetooth notebooks and desktop PCs, with Bluetooth-enabled notebooks projected to account for more than 55 percent of all laptops by the end of 2010, Microsoft says.

"The design tenets of compact, clean, and refined really set the state for the success of the keyboard," said Chris Kujawski, industrial designer for Microsoft Hardware. "There is nothing extraneous about the design. We removed everything that didn't fit with those ideas and ended up with something we're really proud of -- a compact, sophisticated keyboard that pairs perfectly with Bluetooth computers."

Measuring "just a few millimeters thicker than a AAA battery at the back," the Bluetooth 6000 sports an ergonomic design with a 6-degree curve, a design Microsoft says is preferred by 94 percent of users who have ever owned a Comfort Curve keyboard.

The Bluetooth plank will be available in October for $90. There will also be a separate Bluetooth Number Pad, which is also be available next month, and priced at $45.

Image Credit: Microsoft

Hands-On with the Plantronics Voyager Pro

Gordon Mah Ung — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:26:51 -0500

Geeks have to be suckers for Bluetooth headsets. Don’t believe me? I have purchased no fewer than five Bluetooth headsets ranging from Plantronics, to Cardo and Motorola in the last two years.

Among the most disappointing was the Voyager 855. Although it fit my tiny ear canals well, the reliability of it was, well, everything you’ve come to expect of a Bluetooth headset. Sometimes it would connect with my admittedly mediocre Windows Mobile phone and sometimes it wouldn’t.

It didn’t help that the audio levels were just too low. At least the noise cancellation was top notch. Still, I had to chuck it for two Cardo units: The S-640 and the S-800. I had the highest hopes for the S-640 clip-on unit and carded ear piece. Unfortunately, incoming sound quality was dismal and the lack of noise cancellation made conversations in my beater with original struts impossible. Did I mention that it too was quite flakey with the Bluetooth connection. The S-800, however, was quite reliable. It locked onto my phone and worked fine. The volume was also almost painfully loud when set to max. The UI was good and the quick dial feature that let you access the first few slots in your speed dial was awesome.

It’s too bad it didn’t fit very well. It felt like someone had wedged a pinkie into my ear canal. Noise cancellation was also just average. I used it for many months until I decided to buy yet another Bluetooth unit: Motorola’s H680. Its rock solid connections to my phone and its dual-microphone noise cancellation made it my favorite Bluetooth headset – for about four months. Sore after four months of jamming the H680 into my ear, I decided to again upgrade on a shopping trip to Fry’s with the guys and bought a Motorola H710. This headset didn’t have the dual-mic cancellation of the H680 (which is why I picked the H680 over it) but it was the most comfortable Bluetooth unit I had used because it sat on the outside of my ear. The volume was very good, the noise cancellation OK, and it always connected to my phone. What was wrong? Battery life. After five months of use, the battery life became dismal.

I only use my headset in my car and turn it off when not in use. Initially I could get a week or two without having to recharge it. That turned into a week and now it seems like it needs to visit the charger every three days.

That’s when Plantronic’s Voyager Pro showed up. Not exactly pleased with the performance of the Voyager 855, I didn’t expect much. The units bulky look and mic boom didn’t exactly win me over either. It’s hard not to say: “Operator, what number please.”

But, at least it’s not as garish as a Jawbone. Wearing the Voyager Pro is actually a delight. It’s comfortable and you could, if you were so inclined, keep it over your ear for hours without it bugging you. Even though it made me feel like an ass, I did just that at the office.

Audio performance is quite good. Plantronics said the design lets it use a very large 13mm speaker as opposed to the 9mm or 10mm speakers that other designs use. This lets it pump the volume and gives it a fuller range.

The larger body also aids in fairly good battery life claims (I haven’t had it long enough to run down the battery) and, according to Plantronics, longer range because it features much larger antenna. In the few days I’ve played with it, connectivity issues – something that pissed me off to no end with the Voyager 855 – was not an issue. Plantronics said the 855’s problems likely came from the immature A2DP profile implementation.

The key selling point of the Voyager Pro is the noise cancellation. No longer do people just want to talk on their phones in quiet environments or the slightly louder car environment – they also want to do the Bluetooth thing while walking down the street on a windy day.

To that point, I can say the Voyager Pro lives up to its name. I simulated a windy environment with a fan our lab and my previous fave, the Motorola H710, was useless in the wind, the Voyager Pro magically made the wind noise disappear.

So it’s comfortable on my ear and in my ear, reasonably loud, reliably connects to my phone and effectively erases background noise without making me sound too much like a robot from a 1950s movie which heavy noise cancellation can do. To me, that’s a win. Even better, at $99, it’s a pretty good deal in this class of headset even if your co-workers may kid you about heading off to your job at the McDonald’s drive-thru window (not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

IMOVIO Raises Curtain on Linux-enabled iKIT Ultra Mini-PC, the Size of a Nintendo DS

Pulkit Chandna — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:35:35 -0500

A Los Angeles-based manufacturer IMOVIO has announced an avant garde mobile messaging device called iKIT. The diminutive iKIT runs Linux and is as small as a Nintendo DS. IMOVIO is touting the iKIT as an affordable alternative to both smart phones and netbooks.

The device includes a 312MHz Marvell PXA270 processor, Linux 2.4.19, full QWERTY/AZERTY keyboard, an 8GB SD card slot ,Opera Mini 4.1 internet browser and 2.8 inch screen. The iKIT has inbuilt WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities, and supports HSDPA over USB. It has a standby time of 250 hours and power-up time of up to 3 hours.

The suggested retail price of roughly $170 makes it far more affordable than an Apple iPhone – a fact specifically called to attention by IMOVIO. However, practicality of such a product is just as important as the price, if not more, and will play a vital role in iKIT’s case as well.

Jawbone Takes Advantage of Hands-Free Phone Law to Hawk Headsets

Norman Chan — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:11:34 -0500

If you happen to live in California, Connecticut, Washington DC, New York, New Jersey, or Washington, we hope you’re aware of a recently enacted law making it illegal to make cell phone calls while driving unless you’re using a hands-free headset. Fines in California start at $20 and rise with repeat violations. But if you happen to be a daring super commuter who’s already been caught using a cell phone while driving, you may be in luck. Bluetooth headset maker Jawbone just announced a new promotion to give ticket holders $20 off their new headset (which we really liked in our Bluetooth headset roundup) when you place an order from the official Jawbone website. The offer ends on August 31st, and will require you to give Jawbone your ticket number. You’re not really saving any money (since the minimum ticket fine is $20), so we don’t recommend breaking the law and getting caught just to make yourself eligible for the discount.

Hands-On Reviews of 12 Hands-Free Bluetooth Devices

Steve Klett — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:21:28 -0500

Do yourself a favor: make sure your car is up to code by this July—no broken headlamps or taillights, up-to-date registration, etc. – and, oh yeah, make sure you pick up a hands-free Bluetooth device for your cell phone.

On July 1st a new law will go into effect in California making it illegal to talk on a wireless phone while operating a motor vehicle. If you are 18 or older, and you want to use your phone while driving, you will need to use a hands-free device – no “ifs”, “ands”, or “buts” about it—and there will be no grace period either. If you are under 18, you can’t use your phone while driving, period. The fines are small ($20 first offense, and $50 thereafter—but amounts can triple with penalty assessments) but convictions will appear on your driving record, potentially ballooning insurance fees. Find out all about the law here: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/cellularphonelaws/index.htm.

Contrary to the rumor mill you can and will be pulled over just for using your phone—no other infractions are needed. (However, running around with a headlight out and gabbing with your wireless glued to your ear will only increase your odds of getting nailed.) With the hassles and fees that come with ignoring the law, and the relatively low cost of Bluetooth hands-free devices these days, it just makes sense to cover your ass—dontcha think?

We put 12 of the newest Bluetooth devices through the wringer to help you find the right one for your car-talking habits. All of the devices were tested with one phone along the same stretch of highway at the same time of day, and call clarity was compared via voicemail recordings. Read on to find out which ones made the grade. (Prices listed are MSRP—street prices may be much lower.)

BlueAnt Z9

Website: www.myblueant.com
Battery: 5.5 hours talk time, 200 hours standby
Price (MSRP): $79.99

One of the smallest and least expensive devices in our roundup, the Z9 sports two levels of noise reduction, which BlueAnt terms Voice Isolation Technology. The first level is for standard use in normal everyday environments, the second level is for use in “extreme noise” environments, such as a car. We found both levels worked fairly well, though our voice did sound muted at times when using the maximum setting. Also, we did experience some intermittent and random “crackle” interference. Overall the Z9 delivers solid performance while also being both easy and comfortable to use.

Verdict: 7

Jabra SP5050

Website: www.jabra.com
Battery: 6 hours talk time, 150 hours standby
Price (MSRP): $98.78

Okay, so you don’t like sticking anything other than your finger into your ears. No problem—check out the sleek and stylish Jabra SP5050 speakerphone. This device clips onto your sun visor and is remarkable easy to set up and use. There’s even a night driving mode that turns off the LEDs so they won’t distract you. We also like that the device shut off automatically after losing connection with your phone for more than 15 minutes, which saves battery life.

Too bad the included car-charger cord is only three feet long, as it can interfere with driving controls if you have to use the charger while on the road. Also, while the call quality was great on surface streets, there was a definite downgrade when we hit the highway (due to escalated cabin noise) – something we experienced with all the speakerphones we tested.

Verdict: 7

Cardo S-640

Website: www.cardowireless.com
Battery: 8 hours talk time, 250 hours standby
Price (MSRP): $59.99

The S-640 is a sleek, miniscule device that clips to your shirt or pocket and strings along a tethered earbud on an 18-inch cord. In addition to the fashion benefits, this also makes the S-640 very comfortable to use during long drives. Unfortunately, the device lacks noise-cancellation technology, and our voice tended to sound more muffled on calls when compared to standard headsets. Voice clarity during non-highway use—both in the car and out—was excellent, however.

Verdict: 6

Cardo S-800

Website: www.cardowireless.com
Battery: 8 hours talk time, 168 hours standby
Price (MSRP): $79.99

The S-800 is one of the most feature-packed headsets we tested. Just about all the latest buzzwords are here: favorite numbers hot button, call back, location buzzer (love it!), auto answer, missed call indicator, conference call, voice dial—the list goes on. It also looks exceptionally cool it its silver shell (we like shiny things). Plus, embedded audio balancing, noise reduction, and speaker boost combine to deliver voice quality that is among the best we have tested.

Unfortunately, the button layout and overall design make the S-800 difficult to use, and the large earbud made for an uncomfortable fit—which definitely isn’t ideal in the car. An optional ear loop improves fit slightly, and a lanyard is included to wear the device around your neck while not in use.

Verdict: 7

Venturi Mini

Website: www.myventuri.com
Battery: DNA
Price (MSRP): $129.99

This Bluetooth speakerphone plugs into a cigarette lighter and can be used to stream music and phone calls through an available FM frequency on your car’s stereo. It also packs in a mess of useful high-end features (if your phone is compatible, that is). For example, you can import your phonebook into the device—eliminating the need to use your phone to make calls. If your car radio supports RDBS, your radio will even display phone book contacts. The Mini’s bright OLED display also shows caller ID information, and a USB port is provided so you can use the Mini to charge your phone or other USB devices.

Call clarity was acceptable, but not as good as the SP5050 or Supertooth Light speakerphones. (This may be because of the recessed location of lighter plugs, which can make it hard to speak directly into the device.)

Verdict: 6

Plantronics Explorer 370

Website: www.plantronics.com
Battery: 7 hours talk time, 200 hours standby
Price (MSRP): $79.99

This headset looks and feels like it was built like a tank—and for good reason. It was designed to meet military specifications for dust, water, and shock resistance. Indeed, we let a couple of 5-year-old rug rats play with it for an afternoon and it still worked fine—plus we soaked it in the sink and tossed it around a bit ourselves.

It’s basic as far as features go, but the controls are simple, and the set delivered good sound quality that put it squarely in the middle of the pack. Also, the 370 may be a big bulky for some ears—and aesthetic tastes. It comes with a lanyard so you can wear the device around your neck while not in use.

Verdict: 7

Plantronics Voyager 855

Website: www.plantronics.com
Battery: 7 hours talk time, 200 hours standby
Price (MSRP): $149.99

The 855 weighs in as the most spendy option in our roundup, but the extra clams are worth it if you use your phone for music playback, too. An extra, detachable earbud is included so you can listen to music in stereo, and the device’s intuitive control layout makes handling calls and music a breeze. The 855 uses Plantronic’s proprietary AudioIQ nose-reduction technology, and it works: voice clarity was excellent on both sides of the conversation. The set has a sliding boom mic that we found improved our voice quality slightly in the car. An optional ear loop is included, which is a good idea if you plan to extend the mic, as are three different sizes of gel earbud covers that help achieve the perfect fit.

Verdict: 8

Aliph’s New Jawbone

Website: www.aliph.com
Battery: 4 hours talk time, 200 hours standby
Price (MSRP): $129.99

We were a fan of the last Jawbone headset simply because calls sounded clear on both ends. However, last year’s device was a bit bulky and heavy, and the controls took some getting used to. Enter the New Jawbone, a slimmer version of its predecessor that sounds just as good, and is much more comfortable (and less embarrassing) to wear.

Cutting the Jawbone to half the size comes at a cost of 1/3 of the talk time when compared to last year’s model—but the sleeker, beveled design does not sacrifice any style points. Unfortunately, it may be too “cool” for its own good: the invisible button design still takes some getting used to, making the manual a must-read (which you really should do anyway, with any headset.) What matters, though, is that voice quality is king and the New Jawbone was neck-and-neck with the Plantronics Voyager 855 at the top of the heap. It’s not cheap, but Aliph caters to the mobile elite by throwing in four leather earloops and three sets of cushy earbuds.

Verdict: 9

BlueAnt SuperTooth Light

Website: www.myblueant.com
Battery: 15 hours talk time, 800 hours standby
Price (MSRP): $99.99

This visor-mount speakerphone uses voice-isolation and echo- and noise-suppression technology to achieve the best voice quality of the speakerphones in this roundup, delivering the clearest-sounding voice recording results. We could hear callers loud and clear while driving up the highway at 65 mph (not a smidge faster, of course). And other than our voice sounding a little muted (again, common with all speakerphones we tested), callers on the other end reported no issues with hearing us. The simple setup, intuitive controls, and excellent battery life makes this one a winner.

Verdict: 9

Jabra BT8040

Website: www.jabra.com
Battery: 15 hours talk time, 800 hours standby
Price (MSRP): $99.99

The BT8040 bests the Z9 for the smallest headset award in this roundup, and it also shaves a bit of weight and “klunkyness” by eschewing the earloop in favor of just a gel earbud for a solid fit. Three sizes of gels (six total) are provided, and we were able to achieve a comfortable, secure fit with little difficulty – your ears may differ. Some may find the lack of an earloop unsettling, but the BT8040 is ideal to use if you wear glasses. The onboard DSP combats background noise, putting the BT8040’s voice quality square in the middle of the pack. We found inbound quality to be noticeably better than outbound quality. The set also supports A2DP for music playback.

Verdict: 7

Garmin Nuvi 760

Website: www.garmin.com
Battery: DNA
Price (MSRP): $642.84

With the popularity of Garmin’s Nuvi 760 for GPS navigation the verdict we’ve rendered here is akin to heresy. However, we are looking at the device mainly for its hands-free phone feature, not its GPS functionality (which we admit is superb). As a speakerphone, the 760 just doesn’t cut it, despite handy features like the ability to upload your phonebook and view call histories, etc. The voice quality is simply marginal, on both sides of the call, and the 760 was at the bottom of the list in our roundup in this all-important category. It would be a good backup option, but we’d only recommend it for primary use if you have the quietest vehicle cabin on Earth.

Verdict: 4

Anycom Solar Car-kit

Website: www.anycom.com
Battery: 15 hours talk time, 600 hours standby
Price (MSRP): $59.99

Going green is all the rage and this speakerphone attempts to cash in on the growing desire to be eco-friendly. The device is designed to attach to your windshield, and a solar panel on the back converts three hours of sunlight into 30 minutes of talk time—should you get caught with your battery power down. The solar feature works, but is really of questionable value. And, since you have to mount the device on your windshield, it is more susceptible to road noise, which likely contributed to the lackluster call quality. Plus, right now, it is illegal in California to attach anything to your windshield. (A law allowing GPS units to be attached has been passed, but has not been enacted.)

Verdict: 5

No BS Podcast #52: The Riding the Storm Out Edition

Tom Edwards & Will Smith — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 20:14:41 -0600

This week, Tom, Dave, Will, Gordon, and Jeremy explain how you can play TF2 and other games with the Maximum PC staff, delve into the future of digital media distribution, tell you how you can win some gear from the Maximum PC prize vault, and take a trip to the Lab. Also this week, the never-ending rain has made Gordon particularly cantankerous, so brace yourselves for an especially surly rant.

To learn more about Intel-sponsored LAN parties, mosey on over here.

Do you have a tech question? A comment? Just need someone to talk to? Email us at maximumpcpodcast@gmail.com or call our 24-hour No BS Podcast hotline at 877.404.1337 x1337, operators are standing by. Also, get your game on with the editors of Maximum PC by joining our Steam group or Facebook Page.

Modders and modding aficionados, check out Mod Shop: submit and vote on the coolest mods around—and win prizes!

Subscribe: http://feeds.feedburner.com/maximumpc/1337

And now, the bit with Ryan's car:

His excuse? 'I don't see a "no parking" sign'

Tell us what you think, by calling 1-877-404-1337 x1337