Items tagged with wireless
AT&T is putting the word out that it is "creating a 5G network that will change the world," only it's not really a 5G network. It is more like a rebranded 4G network that AT&T is calling 5G Evolution, a fancy marketing term that is supposed to make customers think of real 5G, the next generation successor to 4G LTE...
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Would you be willing to have a super-small microchip inserted into your hand, all for the sake of added convenience? To some, the mere concept might sound outlandish, and it'll undoubtedly be tough to avoid recalling certain sci-fi flicks that center around such implantable technology.
Believe it or not, microchip...
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Just when you've gone and upgraded your home network to 802.11ac (Wireless-AC) territory, Qualcomm comes out today and starts talking about a fancy new standard, 802.11ax. More specifically, Qualcomm unveiled what it says is the first end-to-end 802.11ax portfolio with new system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for network...
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The hope that Google would eventually roll out its crazy fast fiber optic Internet service to virtually all corners of the continental United States was dashed on Monday when the company announced it was hitting the pause button on future expansion efforts. Google's sudden shift in strategy also means there will be...
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Google's making it easier to try out its potentially game changing Project Fi smartphone wireless service by now allowing you to sign up for a group plan. Previously the service was only available to individuals, which meant juggling multiple accounts if you wanted to get the whole family on board, but now you can...
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A team of smartypants from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Labl (CSAIL) have developed a new Wi-Fi system purportedly capable of transmitting wireless data more than three times faster than the Wi-Fi we use today. And on top of being significantly faster, it doubles the range of modern day Wi-Fi...
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Call it a first-world problem if you like, but the larger your home, the trickier it can be blanketing it in wireless connectivity. Dead zones have a nasty habit of popping up in remote corners separated by walls and doors, and that's one of the reasons why your choice in router matters. It's also the main selling...
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A filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reveals just how adamant Google is about building out a wireless version Fiber, its high-speed Internet service that offers up to 1Gbps upload and download speeds in select locations across the United States. The wireless transmission technology is already...
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Nothing beats wireless for convenience, but whenever you transmit important data through the air, there's a risk that someone could be nearby, ready to intercept the signals before they reach their destination. If this sounds familiar, it might be because we talked about this very thing earlier this year, when...
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Bottle rockets and Black Cats won't be the only fireworks going off next week, apparently Verizon Wireless is planning to light things up in a big way, too. According to an image that was posted on reddit, Big Red is getting ready to introduce several new features, the biggest of which is the ability to roll unused...
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Today's wireless networks can handle applications like Snapchat, but what about the emergence of virtual reality? FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said his eyes were opened to the need for significantly faster wireless signals when he donned a pair of VR goggles in Washington, DC, and controlled an excavator to dig up dirt...
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A second wave of 802.11ac wireless routers have begun to appear, and the new must-have feature is MU-MIMO, short for Multiple User, Multiple Input, Multiple Output. We already reviewed the first two MU-MIMO routers we could get our hands on from Linksys and Netgear, and now Asus has entered the fray with a dual-band AC3100 router dubbed the...
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Brace yourself folks, a new version of Bluetooth is coming and it brings some significant changes to the wireless standard. Chief among them are faster data speeds that are twice what they are in the current version while extending the wireless range fourfold, Bluetooth Special Interest Group executive director Mark...
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We're sure Amazon would love it if you purchased a new Kindle device each and every year, but if you're not the type that always needs to be on the bleeding edge of technology—and most mainstream buyers aren't—then you're probably perfectly content with your older Kindle gadget. And that's fine, just be sure to check...
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It could be said that ARM chips are what help make the world go ‘round these days, at least in terms of mobile and embedded applications. And ARM is back at it again with with a next generation of its Cortex-R Series real-time processor architecture. The British multinational semiconductor IP company has unveiled the...
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Users of the Chrome beta for Android are in for a bit of a treat, as the latest version has added support for "Physical Web" beacons. Don't worry if you've never heard of these, because most haven't. Google did talk about it a bit last summer, and it seems like a feature that could be incredibly useful at...
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T-Mobile might be the third largest carrier in the US, but looking at things through different angles can make it #1. We can see this with the help of the latest results out of OpenSignal, a firm that collects data through real users (who opt-in to use its mobile app).
For overall coverage, Verizon reigns supreme...
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This past fall, we reported on a development with Google's Project Loon, which aims to deliver Internet via balloons to underserved countries. At some point in 2016, a bunch of balloons will take flight over Indonesia, and once that happens, it could very well spearhead what could become a common sight in...
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Time change at a rapid pace, and whereas it was once common to communicate with each other when out and about using a payphone, these days everyone owns a smartphone. Every wonder what happened to all those phone booths? In New York, they're being converted into free municipal Wi-Fi hotspots.
It's part of an effort called LinkNYC. It's
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Somebody must have spiked Verizon's non-alcoholic eggnog with a bit of rum over the holiday, as the wireless carrier now finds itself in semi-snark mode. Verizon's also feeling generous. So generous, in fact, that it's dangling up to $650 in front of anyone who "didn't get the right network" and is willing to...
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Trying to figure out the best wireless carrier and plan for your budget involves wading through a bunch of smoke and mirrors. All of the major carriers talk a big game with fancy sounding plans and special promotions, but you have to be on the lookout for hidden costs. One of the most annoying fees is the cost of...
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Sprint's big pitch to consumers is that it offers truly unlimited data (in addition to unlimited talk and texting). However, it was Sprint's previous CEO, Dan Hesse, that pushed unlimited data as a point of focus. His replacement, Marcelo Claure, indicated earlier this summer that "there will be a time when it might...
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