Staff Writers

Intel has introduced a wireless-N upgrade to its Intel Centrino Duo mobile technology that will allow improved connection to wireless networks.

The Next-Gen Wireless-N technology is based on the 802.11n Wi-Fi specification and offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range compared to existing products, Intel claims.

The manufacturer claims the new technology minimises ‘dead spots’ to enhance streaming of HD movies and other content.

Another announcement is the introduction of the ‘Connect with Centrino’ program, the result of partnerships with vendors such as Asus, Belkin, Buffalo, D-Link and Netgear to improve compatibility and performance.

Products from these vendors will display a ‘Connect with Centrino’ logo on their packaging to indicate they have passed Intel’s testing.

More information is available at www.intel.com

Linksys has added two new managed switches to its small business range.

The Gigabit WebView Switches offer gigabit speed plus intelligence and security to the network, Linksys says. Each has eight 10/100/1000Mbps ports, compatible with the Gigabit Ethernet interfaces shipping on current servers, workstations and storage devices. They also support existing 10/100 Mbps clients. There are also optional mini-GBIC ports to allow for network expansion.

Both switches also feature Linksys’s WebView management interface, which the company describes as “intuitive and secure”.

The SWR2008 (RRP $539.95) features IEEE 802.1 VLANs, IEEE 802.1X port authentication, MAC-based filtering and Access Control Lists. It also has improved QoS control and advanced traffic management features, which helps improve voice and video communication, Linksys says.

The SWR2008P (RRP$ 749.95) supports IEEE802.3af for PoE. It has the features of the SWR2008, as well as offering support for four ports at 15.4W each or eight ports at 7.7W each. All ports have automatic load sensing.

The products are available now. More information is available at www.linksys.com.au

Metropolitan Perth and Adelaide will be included in Optus’ 3G products and services coverage as of this Saturday.

Optus customers in these areas will join those in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast in accessing services such as Instant Messaging on the mobile, information portal MyZooNow and Optus Wireless Connect, which offers roaming on laptops.

Optus will continue a progressive 3G rollout in other areas of Adelaide and Perth until the middle of next year, according to a statement.

Open Networks has launched a piece of software that fully automates the process of setting up a wireless LAN (WLAN) for the home or office.

The product, dubbed iConnectWLAN, removes the configuration and installation hassles for even novice users, according to Derek Campbell, managing director of Open Networks.

“For the average user, setting up a wireless network can be highly complex and difficult to understand,” he says, listing problems such as PC configuration issues as being the most common complaints.

To set up a WLAN using iConnectWLAN, the user simply runs the CD in their PC and the program does the rest, including setting up the IP address, email, security and more.

More information on the product can be found at www.opennw.com

Microsoft Australia is dumping its Australian Beta 2 program forMicrosoft Office 2007, claiming that it has reached its quota of allowable
registrants.

The move follows a controversial decision at Microsoft HQ inthe US to charge users US$1.50 per download of the beta software from today- but Australia appears to be the only country going this way.

“As the Office 2007 Beta 2 program is now full, Microsoft Australia will beclosing the download site for Office 2007 Beta 2 on August 3 2006 at 11amAEST,” Microsoft said. It said it would not continue the download offer as the program in Australia was already full.”

The program is believed to have attracted around 25,000 Australian users.

The new shut-off date is something of a reprieve for local users: earlier yesterday, Robin Young, product solutions manager for the Information Worker Business Group at Microsoft Australia, told journalists that the site would be closed from yesterday.

Microsoft’s explanation for the fee-for-beta scheme being charged in the US and other territories is that the nominal charge would help offset the cost of downloading from the servers. Ah, life must be tough at the shabby end of town.

Sony has unveiled what it claims to bethe smallest and lightest notebook in Australia.

But its small size doesn’t mean the UX17 misses out in the functionality department. In fact, Sony claims it offers the same functionality as a large laptop, featuring a 1.2GHz Intel processor for fast processing, built-in wireless LAN, Bluetooth, a 30GB hard drive and 512MB of memory.

One of the more noteworthy aspects of the UX17’s design is the integrated keyboard. The stylish keyboard slides out from under the LCD screen, allowing typing with two thumbs. The LCD screen itself is also worthy of mention – the 4.5-inch wide SVGA screen features Sony’s Clear Bright technology, allowing clear viewing of documents from all angles. The screen is also a touch panel and you can use the supplied stylus to write directly onto it.

And then there are the built-in cameras. Yes, that right – cameras, plural. One is integrated into the front of the computer so you can take advantage of VoIP communication while on-the-go, while the still camera at the rear is used to take photos.

Because the UX17 is likely to appeal to business users, Sony has also made security a priority. A biometric fingerprint sensor has been built-in, eliminating the need to remember passwords. And shock protection technology has been added to the hard drive to minimise data loss if the unit is dropped.

With all these inclusions, it may seem hard to believe that the UX17 is, in fact, Australia’s smallest and lightest notebook, however rest assured that it weighs in at just over 500 grams. It will fit into just about any pocket you can find for it, all good news for business people on-the-go looking for a powerful notebook that isn’t a chore to lug around.

The UX17 has a RRP of $2499.

Sony has unveiled two new additions to its range of digital notetakers, each being approximately the size of an average chocolate bar.

“Sony designed the new U Series digital notetaker to simplify a broader range of tasks and provide a multi-functional tool for those who want to conduct voice-based and general recordings,” according to product manager Suzanna Gan.

The ICDU60 features a 512MB capacity and can store up to 57 hours of high quality recordings, 153 hours of standard recordings and 251 hours of long play recordings.

Meanwhile, the ICDU70 is a 1GB model and can hold approximately double those amounts.

The U Series notetakers also double as MP3 players and come with high-speed USB connectivity so they can connect straight to a PC for file drag-and-drop.

A carry strap and stereo headphone are also supplied.

RRP ICDU60: $299
RRP ICDU70: $399

More information: www.sony.com.au