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Your mobile devices' wireless LAN is about to get significantly better.

Atheros, a mobile Wireless LAN (WLAN) chip maker, announced Monday the lauch of its newest and possibly the industry's highest performance mobile WLAN chip, the the ROCm single-chip 11n AR6003 family.

The new AR6003 mobile WLAN chip is the smallest WLAN currently on the market.

(Credit: Atheros)

According to Atheros, this tiny new chip, currently the smallest WLAN chip on the market, measuring just a 5mm by 5mm, combines both the energy efficiency of Atheros' ROCm technology and the faster 802.11n WLAN performance. As a result, it offers up to 85Mbps of actual throughput speed in the 5GHz band and 48Mbps in the 2.4Ghz band.

While this speed is slower than the 150Mbps ceiling speed of the single-stream 802.11n standard (which is just half the speed of regular dual-stream, 802.11n standard used in desktop and laptop computers), it's a very good fit and offers a major performance improvement for smartphones, mobile gaming devices, and other portable consumer electronics products.

The most impressive feature of the new chip, however, is its energy efficiency. According to Atheros, the AR6003 require about 20 percent less energy than the previous model, the AR6002, which prior to the launch of the AR6003, had always been the most energy efficient WLAN chip on the market.

In addition, the new AR6003 chip supports Atheros Universal Wireless Cooperation, which is a suite of advanced mobile wireless coexistence techniques. This helps significantly enhance the simultaneous operation of WLAN and Bluetooth in mobile devices. The new chip also support mobile device with host wakeup, and Wi-Fi Protected Setup, a feature that allows for quickly connecting a client to a wireless network without having to amnaully enter the encryption key.

The AR6003 mobile WLAN chip is available in single-band and dual-band (2.4/5Ghz) configurations. You won't be able to buy one on your own, but very soon you'll find one in your mobile wireless device.

Generally, wireless functions--such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular data, and so on--are added to your portable computer via add-in cards. These cards share the same PCI standard as other PCI add-in cards found in desktop computers, but they are much smaller in size.

Though small, there are only so many add-in cards a laptop, and especially a Netbook, can accommodate. For this reason, what Atheros, a known maker of wireless solutions, introduced Tuesday is a significant development.

The new 802.11n/Bluetooth combo add-in card for Netbooks and laptops.

(Credit: Atheros)

The company announced Tuesday the industry's first single-stream 802.11n and Bluetooth combo solution on a Half MiniCard form factor for the PC market, the AR9002WB-1NGB add-in card. The card features Atheros Align 11n 1-stream technology and Atheros ROCm Bluetooth technology.

This means a laptop or Netbook will just need this one card to have both wireless solutions. The card offers a Wireless-N connection up to 150Mbps (single-stream, as opposed to 300Mbps in other dual-stream Wireless-N solutions found mostly in desktop computers).

According to Atheros, the combo card enables a wide array of simultaneous wireless applications on the same device while still conserving the device's battery life. For example, a Netbook will be able to support concurrent audio and data transfer applications, such as playback on Bluetooth-enabled speakers of music stored on a laptop, while browsing the Internet and syncing a smartphone's contact database from the same laptop.

While this has been done before, there used to be two separate cards required, with the performance of each card being adversely affected by the other because both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi share the same 2.4Ghz frequency. The new combo card, as Atheros claims, leverages the wireless signal of the two wireless technologies in such a way that they complement each other.

The AR9002WB-1NGB includes an AR9285 single-chip 1-stream 11n PCIe solution, which, according to Atheros, has been used in millions of PCs worldwide, and an AR3011 Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR single-chip solution. The AR3011 Bluetooth chip supports robust WLAN coexistence and simultaneous connectivity of multiple Bluetooth-based devices. The AR9002WB-1NGB combo card is software upgradeable to support Bluetooth 3.0.

The AR9002WB-1NGB add-in card supports Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Linux operating systems. It's currently being tested by Atheros customers and you will likely find it in new laptop and Netbook computers soon.

Updated at 4:05 p.m. PDT: adding discussion about lack of video camera in Touch.

Broadcom chip in Apple's iPod Touch supports 802.11n wireless--not supported in the iPhone 3GS

(Credit: iFixit)

Inside Apple's updated iPod Touch lurks "n" Wi-Fi hardware, the potential for FM transmission, and room for a camera, according to iFixit.

Gadget teardown specialist iFixit on Friday said that during its dissection of the new device, it found a few "unexpected discoveries."

One of the most notable findings was a Broadcom BCM4329 chip that supports 802.11n. "This is a big deal, as even the iPhone 3GS doesn't support 802.11n," said Kyle Wiens of iFixit. The Apple smartphone, which has a very similar look on the outside to the iPod Touch, has a Broadcom BCM4325 wireless chip, only supporting 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi connectivity, according to Wiens.

"We don't know yet if 802.11n will be supported in the iPod Touch software, but at least the hardware's there," he said.

The Broadcom chip also supports FM transmission and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (enhanced data rate), endowing the touch-screen iPod with the potential to stream music to the car stereo. "But that's a lot of ifs," Wiens said.

iFixit also said the internal layout of the iPod appears to leave room for a camera in the top of the device. "There is a 6x6x3-millimeter space between the Broadcom chip and the wireless antenna."

Added Wiens: "There isn't enough depth for an iPhone-style autofocus still camera, but just enough room for the camera that Apple used in the fifth-generation iPod Nano. We did not find any headers on the board for a camera cable."

The fact that the new iPod Nano integrates a video camera and the Touch does not has become a mini scandal, as some observers claim that Steve Jobs may not have revealed the whole story behind a camera-less Touch. Jobs claimed price made a camera prohibitive on the game-oriented Touch, while blogs maintain it was more of a hardware problem.

Now that you've gotten yourself a new ride by trading in your clunker, it's time to do the same with your wireless router.

Meraki, the first networking vendor to bring the Wireless-N standard outdoors earlier this year, launched Wednesday its Cash for Wireless LAN Clunkers promotion campaign.

(Credit: Meraki)

The program is for those who want to upgrade their legacy 802.11b/g network (which caps at 54Mbps) to the 802.11n (which caps at 300Mbps) network with a Meraki wireless access point. The promotion includes a $150 credit for each access point traded in for one made by Meraki.

Note that this is only for enterprise-class access points, so your old home wireless router is not qualified. Other conditions to get qualified include a new purchase of one Meraki 802.11n access point per each traded-in access point; also, the old access point must be from the following vendors: Cisco, Aruba, Meru, Motorola, HP/Procurve, Belden/Trapeze, 3Com, Xirrus, Aerohive, Alcatel-Lucent, Ruckus Wireless, Enterasys/Siemens, Extreme, Nortel, Proxim, Bluesocket, or Tropos.

This means, if you've got yourself an old 802.11g wireless access point from Meraki, you will be stuck with it unless you pay the full price for a new one.

Whether this is a good deal, Meraki's Cash for Wireless LAN Clunkers program will definitely not last as long as the government's Cash for Clunkers; it ends September 30. Until then, you can start trading in your old access point or learn more about this program on Meraki's Web site.

(Credit: Apple)

For those of you looking for more capacity in Apple's combo 802.11n router/NAS drive, the company has boosted its top-end Time Capsule to 2TB and slapped a $499 price tag on it.

More significantly, Apple also dropped the price of the 1TB model--which just Wednesday cost $499--to $299. Aside from the higher capacity, nothing else appears to have changed.

Previously, Apple also offered a 500GB Time Capsule, but that model has been discontinued and can only be found in the refurbished aisle, where it's going for $199.

All I can say is that if Apple was able to shave off $200 on the 1TB model, it must have had one hell of a nice margin.

Comments?

(Via: Engadget)

The $20 802.11n router: You're not likely to find a lower price.

(Credit: Netgear)

If your wireless router doesn't have the muscle to reach all corners of the house, or you need a faster connection for copying files and streaming videos, it might be time to consider an upgrade.

Newegg has refurbished Netgear WNR2000 802.11n Draft 2.0 routers for $19.99 (shipping will run you a mere $1.99).

In case you're unfamiliar with it, the "new" Wi-Fi protocol (which seems forever destined to be known as Draft-N) delivers better range and faster throughput speeds than 802.11g.

The WNR2000 is backward compatible with older Wi-Fi hardware and comes with four Ethernet ports, two internal antennas, and the usual raft of security features.

Keep in mind that unless you have 802.11n adapters for the PCs in your house, you may not reap the full benefits of the router--but you'll still enjoy better range and, based on my experiences, faster wireless connections, even if you have 802.11b/g gear. (Make sure to download the latest firmware updates from Netgear.)

CNET hasn't reviewed the WNR2000, but the user comments on Newegg's product page are mostly positive. And over at Amazon, it averages four stars out of five. That's pretty impressive, as even high-end routers often get crummy reviews.

The WNR2000 has a list price of $79.99, so you're saving quite a bit by opting for a refurbished unit. It does have only a 90-day warranty, but what is there to break? Either it works or it doesn't. I think it's a steal, and at this price, I suspect they won't last.

Upgrade your desktop or laptop to 802.11n with this dirt-cheap USB adapter.

(Credit: Netgear)

Note: If this post sounds familiar, that's because it's a "rerun"--but with a lower price than when it first appeared a couple months ago.

I have an 802.11n router in my house, but not all my PCs and laptops have 802.11n adapters. Most of them run 802.11g, which drags down the overall performance of the network (it's a lowest-common-denominator kind of thing).

Cheap fix: Newegg has the Netgear RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111 for $9.99 shipped. It's a refurb, but, hey, something like this either works or it doesn't.

To get that discounted price (it's normally $24.99--and new units list for $70!), you need to apply coupon code EMCLVMV69 at checkout. You also need to be a subscriber to Newegg's newsletter.

As you may know, 802.11n Wi-Fi delivers dramatically faster performance and greater range than 802.11g. That's critical if you want to stream music and video (particularly HD video) around the house, and also for stuff like voice-over-IP and online gaming.

It's rare to find a USB adapter for under $20, especially without a rebate involved, so this was a no-brainer for me. (Too bad I paid $13.99 when I bought it a couple months ago!)

The adapter comes without software; you have to download the drivers and whatnot from Netgear (which is good, actually, as you'll be sure to have the latest versions of everything).

In my own little test lab, I had an 802.11n-equipped Netbook that was wreaking havoc on my network. I switched over to the WN111 and poof: problem solved. So it not only works, but works better than some built-in 802.11n adapters.

The 90-day warranty doesn't bother me, but Newegg has a no-refund policy on this product. That means you can return it for a replacement, but you can't get your money back if it doesn't work right or you don't like it. Just FYI.

Peggle for iPhone: now just 99 cents.

I couldn't pick just one deal today, so here are five to jump-start your weekend:

Much as I'm loving the iPhone version of Peggle, I think it's a little pricey at $4.99. Good news: Right now it's on sale for just 99 cents [iTunes link]. No-brainer. Buy it. Thanks to reader Harold for the tip!

I'm not loving Amazon MP3's current selection of $5 albums, but there's one standout: Holst's The Planets, one of my all-time classical favorites. ("Mars" gets all the attention, but "Jupiter" is really the crown jewel of the collection.)

Ready for a home-network upgrade? Newegg has a D-Link DIR-615 Draft-N Wi-Fi router and DWA-642 Notebook Adapter for $39.99 shipped. Needless to say, that's cheaper than most 802.11n routers alone.

Get a new netbook for just $150 shipped!

I can't say I'd recommend a Netbook with a 7-inch screen, but check out this deal anyway: ZipZoomfly has an Asus Eee PC 701SD with Linux and an 8GB SSD for $149.99 shipped. And it's new, not a refurb!

Want to stock up on cheap entertainment for the weekend? Head to your local library. Every time I come home with an armload of free books for the kids, free audiobooks for me, and free DVDs for all, I have to pinch myself. Thank you, Andrew Carnegie!

Give your system an 802.11n shot in the arm for just $13.99.

(Credit: Netgear)

I have an 802.11n router in my house, but not all my PCs and laptops have 802.11n adapters. Most of them run 802.11g, which drags down the overall performance of the network (it's a lowest-common-denominator kind of thing).

Cheap fix: Newegg has the Netgear RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111 for $13.99 shipped. It's a refurb, but, hey, something like this either works or it doesn't.

To get that discounted price (it's normally $24.99--and new units list for $70!), you need to apply coupon code EMCLSNW25 at checkout. You also need to be a subscriber to Newegg's newsletter.

As you may know, 802.11n Wi-Fi delivers dramatically faster performance and greater range than 802.11g. That's critical if you want to stream music and video (particularly HD video) around the house, and also for stuff like voice-over-IP and online gaming.

It's rare to find a USB adapter for under $20, especially without a rebate involved, so this was a no-brainer for me. I haven't found any substantial reviews of the WN111, but I'm confident it'll do the job.

That said, based on some user comments I've read here and there, I'm going to download the latest drivers straight from Netgear rather than using the software that comes in the box. (Apparently the early drivers had some Vista compatibility issues.)

One other caveat: The 90-day warranty doesn't bother me, but Newegg has a no-refund policy on this product. That means you can return it for a replacement, but you can't get your money back if it doesn't work right or you don't like it. Not a deal-breaker for me, but I thought you should be aware.