Networking & Communications News

Technology giants like Apple, Google, Samsung, and British Telecommunications are locked in a global struggle to dominate the smartphone and tablet markets and reap the associated multibillion-dollar revenues. The war is fought in courtrooms, not R&D labs, and the key weapons are patents for technologies that will determine the success of next-generation mobiles. Court decisions on ownership of multitouch technology, automatic data download functionality, and personal navigation systems have forced some providers to eliminate or modify popular features and services. No one has gained the upper hand, but small wins can add up to significant advantages that deliver market control.

Wintec Industries offers DDR3 VLP Registered MiniDIMM, the most advanced DRAM technology, improving power consumption, and increasing bandwidth. The VLP small form factor is used in many networking devices — routers, hubs, and switches. DDR3 Registered MiniDIMM is available in standard height (1.181 in.) and VLP (0.74 in.) options.

Part number BS450XL3WB Ultra Wideband Omni Base Station, rated at 250 W and provides 3 dBd gain from 450 MHz to 512 MHz. The radiating elements are constructed of copper alloy encased is an ultraviolet inhibited fiberglass radome. The antenna is designed to withstand winds in excess of 125 MPH. For more products, visit http://comtelcoantennas.com.

This Mashable article offers a step-by-step guide to getting started with the Kindle Fire. The primer begins by explaining how to set up and sync the tablet with media libraries and services on your other devices, including accessing your e-mail (see video) and calendar; importing documents, photos, e-books, and music; and downloading and pinning apps. The guide even tells you how to accessorize the Kindle.

A growing number of employees use personal smartphones and tablets at work, but businesses have been slow to adapt to this new work style. Two-thirds of small and medium-size companies still need to develop policies and adopt effective tools to support and manage the digital newcomers. The use of personal devices boosts productivity as much as 36%, so the practice is probably here to stay.

Anonymous, a loosely organized activist group (see video), announced that it hacked the databases of intelligence firm Stratfor and took thousands of its clients' credit card numbers and personal information. As much as $1 million was reportedly stolen and given to charities like the Red Cross and Save the Children Foundation. Anonymous says the attack is just the opening volley of a larger campaign.

Flaws in WPS PIN authentication make most Wi-Fi routers vulnerable to brute-force attacks. The standard allows attackers to split the PIN and guess the right combination of digits in two separate processes, cutting the time required to gain network access to a few hours. WPS also doesn't have "repeat fail" blockers. Experts recommend you disable WPS and use WPA2 encryption or MAC address filtering.

Get data transfer rates to support next-generation processing requirements. Schroff AdvancedTCA backplanes and systems provide superior signal integrity and high-performance cooling with bitrates up to 40 GB. Improved FR4 material offers advanced high-speed technology at an incredible value. Backplanes are compatible for AdvancedTCA, MicroTCA, CPCI Serial, VME/VME64, and VPX platforms.

If you are using Ethernet IP on your network, you'll love Moxa's managed switches now with full Ethernet IP support. Moxa's EDS-400 Series line of switches are extremely cost competitive and very user friendly, all while maintaining best in class functionality. See our full line of Ethernet switches.

Plummeting data storage costs and Internet-monitoring innovations will soon enable governments to monitor nearly all communications within their borders. According to this Fast Company article, regimes will be able to record nearly every phone conversation, electronic message, and social media interaction and monitor the movements of every person and vehicle. Ironically, the technology for 24/7 surveillance is coming not from China or Russia, but from the U.S.

With all its associated apps and services, the smartphone is essentially a unified communications (UC) system. So why should a company pay for a dedicated communications infrastructure when personal devices deliver the same functionality? Add forwarding services to the smartphones to create virtual offices, and employees can segregate their personal and professional lives. UC makes sense for some applications, but its sphere of relevance is shrinking.

This Macworld article examines 10 complimentary apps that make your life easier — and sometimes fun. Among them, you can get access to news, e-books, publications, videos, remote files, and product reviews and pricing. Then there's a scientific calculator with comprehensive number-crunching functions, a credit card and banking tool, and a phone finder (see video). The apps share one common feature: a superior interface.

The iPad app Unstuck offers 11 tools to help you overcome mental blocks and achieve personal and professional goals, as shown in this video. The software uses the same self-help principles and processes that the developers offer to C-level executives at companies like IBM and Target. Reviewers praise Unstuck's approach, but in the end, you decide whether the app is gimmickry or a valuable aid.

Interface's New Front Single Sided Access Controller, the ETC-A913(S)E operates in wide temperature ranges of -30 C to +80 C. The ETC-A913(S)E's small size design, 5 G anti-vibration and 100 G of anti-shock features allow the product to be installed under space constraint and harsh environment conditions.

RDP's S7 Series offer low cost, simple signal conditioning for the measurement of position, pressure, load, torque, and vibration in harsh industrial environments. All units provide transducer excitation, amplification, zero and scale adjustment, and are housed in rugged, die — cast aluminum enclosures sealed to IP65.

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