Items tagged with Belkin
Belkin has announced a barrage of connected products at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), not the least of which is its new Linksys MR8300 mesh Wi-Fi router. Before we get to the actual router, though, let's talk a bit about the Belkin and Linksys brands, and where things currently stand (it can be a little confusing). Linksys started off as its own company way back in 1988 (first as DEW International, then later renamed Linksys), founded by Victor and Janie Tsao, a couple that had immigrated to the United States. The company built a reputation for itself, and in particular its WRT54G was a popular router model among home users. Networking stalwart Cisco acquired LInksys in 2003 and held onto...
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Foxconn is most known for building numerous devices for other major electronics companies such as Apple; in fact, Foxconn is tipped to be building the majority of the rumored new MacBook Air models. Belkin is known as one of the major sellers of accessories and docking stations that work with Apple devices and accessories for other brands of gadgets. Foxconn Interconnect Technology Limited (FIT) has announced that it intends to purchase Belkin for $866 million in cash, which the company says will create a global consumer electronics leader. "FIT is excited to acquire Belkin and its capabilities in the premium consumer products space," said Sidney Lu, CEO, FIT. "Integrating Belkin's best-in-class...
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Belkin has an intriguing suite of WeMo-branded smart devices for home automation, including light switches, motion detectors, integration with appliances, and more, but security firm IOActive recently discovered multiple vulnerabilities in WeMo--vulnerabilities that Belkin says it has now patched. Belkin’s statement on the subject reads in part: Belkin has corrected the list of five potential vulnerabilities affecting the WeMo line of home automation solutions that was published in a CERT advisory on February 18. Belkin was in contact with the security researchers prior to the publication of the advisory, and, as of February 18, had already issued fixes for each of the noted potential vulnerabilities...
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Hot on the heels of a 'TheMoon' exploit proof-of-concept being released, Linksys has both confirmed its existence, and also offers up some initial guidance. 'TheMoon' is a self-replicating piece of malware that targets a wide-range of Linksys routers, all of which can utilize a remote access feature. If this feature is enabled, a vulnerability effectively activates that allows someone to bypass the router's authentication system in order to gain access to its admin panel. On the flipside, if this feature is disabled (its official name is "Remote Management Access"), then this vulnerability simply won't exist. Linksys itself hasn't prepared a list of affected models (yet), outside of stating...
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These days, it's not tough to find a case for your smartphone. In fact, the world is overrun with them. But try finding an official LEGO case -- it's not an easy as you may think. But for fans of those popular building bricks, Belkin has some great news. The accessory company has just announced a licensing deal with the LEGO Group, which will allow Belkin to produce a new line of cases inspired by those bricks. Starting in spring 2013, Belkin will launch a variety of smartphone cases incorporating Belkin's quality product design with LEGOs. The initial line will obviously focus on iOS products (iPhone and iPod touch, namely), but other platforms will be included in the future. And yes, if you're...
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It's strange how things kind of come full circle in the technology realm, even amongst rivals. Though one could argue that Linksys, which was purchased by Cisco, has a pretty good tussle going with Belkin, it's Belkin who is handing over cash to Cisco in order to get something it's been longing for. Belkin this week announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Cisco's Home Networking Business Unit, and yes, that includes Linksys. Another year, another changing of hands of one of the world's most noted networking and accessory brands. Belkin intends to maintain the Linksys brand and will offer support for Linksys products as part of this transaction, and all valid warranties will...
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Does the world need another set-top box? Depends on who you ask. Belkin thinks the answer is 'yes,' judging by the release of its new @TV. The curiously titled box brings live and recorded content to mobile devices. It operates over Wi-Fi, or a 3G/4G cellular data network, and allows users to access all content from their home theater on tablets, smartphones, and laptops. @TV works with both standard and high-definition programming and can connect and control multiple sources, such as a digital cable box, satellite receiver, or DVD player, and it also has Wi-Fi built in and can record live TV directly to a mobile device for viewing when not connected to Wi-Fi or a data network. @TV works with...
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Home automation sort of feels like a lost art. It's popular, yes, but only in high-end homes, generally speaking. Even Google tried to push it mainstream last year with the introduction of Android@Home, but alas, it was mostly a nonstarter. Now, Belkin is dipping its toes into the game with WeMo. It's a line of modular, Wi-Fi-based products that turn an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch into a remote control for household devices. Consisting of two initial products, the WeMo Switch and the WeMo Motion, WeMo works with the free WeMo app to create a scalable, customizable home control system. The WeMo Switch is a small device that plugs directly into any electrical outlet and serves as the main building...
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Belkin dabbles in a little bit of everything these days, including a fairly robust lineup of KVM products. Poke around Belkin's website and you'll find everything from 16-port KVM switches to 17-inch LCD rack mount consoles, and a whole lot more. Now the company has gone and announced its new KVM multi-platform solutions, which include a trio of Smart Cables (VGA to DVI, DVI to VGA, and PS/2 to USB). As Belkin explains it, these are all TAA-compliant and have been validated to EAL 4+ security rating by the National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP), "They are the optimal solution for government agencies looking for solutions that integrate legacy systems with new workstation deployments,"...
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Belkin announced the Conserve Gateway, a router system that is designed to help you understand and observe meter readings so you can better understand how your home uses energy. The Conserve Gateway delivers this information via a web interface that lets you track your energy use. The Conserve Gateway has a Wi-Fi/Ethernet network interface that can communicate with a cloud-based device management system and data communications are secure. The device supports over the air software upgrades as well. Belkin Conserve Gateway™ Connects to Smart Meter to Provide Energy Usage Insight in the Home Belkin aims to partner with utility companies to provide in-home energy monitoring connected to the...
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Apps, apps, apps. They're everywhere, and where they aren't, they will soon be. App stores have taken over the world, and they're now leaving the smartphone realm and bleeding over to printers, netbooks and even wireless routers. Belkin is a huge networking player, and the company has been making routers, switches, hubs and all sorts of other linked products for years. The newest thing in Belkin's camp is the introduction of Apps, and while we're obviously skeptical of the importance (apps on a router?), we actually are into the idea once we gave it a listen. For starters, Belkin has made the app integration seamless and the process easy. Also, the apps are actually helpful; software will be...
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SuperSpeed USB is finally here, and while it's not going anywhere fast, it's also not exploding into the market place at a rapid pace. As with any brand new technology, it takes awhile for companies and consumers to let go of what's familiar and embrace something different, particularly when there are incompatibilities involved.USB 3.0 is a fantastic upgrade to a globally famous standard, and while USB 2.0 products will work with USB 3.0 sockets at the slower speed, users will need actual USB 3.0 ports in order to make the most of any external hard drive or other USB 3.0 peripheral that they may purchase over the next few months and years. Belkin, which knows a thing or two about making accessories,...
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Belkin has been doing quite well in the iPod and iPhone accessory market, and today's announcement should be music to the ears of those who don't feel like installing any kind of sophisticated iPod adapter into their automobile. Sure, many new vehicles have iPod support from the factory, but older models were never designed to handle Steve's most popular products ever.The TuneCase Auto LIVE is one of the most elegant FM Transmitter solutions that we've seen to date for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, as it actually uses the phone's GPS module in order to locate where you are and track down the most open radio frequency available to you. Anyone who has used an FM Transmitter will know that finding...
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Belkin announced a new Bluetooth Music Receiver that lets you wirelessly stream music from your iPhone or iPod touch through your home's stereo system. After connecting the receiver to your home stereo system using the included cables, you'll need to pair your device to the Receiver wirelessly to listen to, share, and control your music. Like other Bluetooth connections, the Bluetooth Music Receiver gives you a range of approximately 33 feet. The Bluetooth Music Receiver uses Bluetooth v2.0 and can remember up to six paired devices. It is currently available in the US for $49.99 and expected to be available in Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia in March 2010. Key features of the Bluetooth Music...
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You've heard horror stories from your pals who attempted to handle data migration processes on their own, and you're scared to death to make the leap to Windows 7. Thankfully, Belkin knows just what a tough spot you're in, and it has devised a dedicated cable to solve the problem that worries you most: upgrading. Of note, this cable won't do you any good if you're planning to upgrade your existing machine from Windows XP/Vista to Windows 7, but if you're putting together an all new rig and would like to migrate your data and settings over to the fresh rig, this should make your life a lot easier. We'll confess--the Easy Transfer Cable for Windows 7 seems a bit unnecessary, but then again, we're...
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While the Belkin name is most commonly associated with overpriced mice and a cadre of networking products, the company has been branching out of late. Take, for example, it's newest box: the Home Base. At first, it looks like a four-port USB 2.0 hub with an Ethernet jack, but in reality it's so much more.This companion box, which yearns to sit next to your WLAN router and share deep, dark secrets over CAT5, gives home users the ability to wirelessly print from any machine and even access files on a USB hard drive over the network. All you need to do is plug in your USB printer and as many USB hard drives as you like. Once setup is complete, any machine on the network can print to that printer...
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As you probably know, Apple's iPod shuffle created quite a stir when it was introduced with no screen and no buttons. How are you really supposed to control it, after all? Of course, Apple's innovative (and hampering, in some ways) solution was VoiceOver, a system that enables owners to shout commands and have it respond accordingly.Unfortunately, this svelte workaround presents a problem: you can only use the headphones which Apple ships with the shuffle, as no other headphones have that VoiceOver chip built in. Of course, a few companies have introduced their own VoiceOver-capable earbuds in the interim, but what if you're not looking to buy new 'buds? Fret not, as Belkin has you covered.Today,...
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It's the summer, and if you've planning on traveling any--on vacation or otherwise--you'll probably be wishing you had some sort of mouse to carry along with your laptop. In case any of the other ones that have come out recently weren't quite your cup of tea, Belkin has a few newcomers that just might be.The Wireless Comfort Mouse and the Bluetooth Comfort Mouse are both designed for comfort and easy portability, with the former packing a USB dongle for cord-free operating, an all-terrain optical engine to mouse on any surface and a power-save mode puts mouse to sleep after 8 minutes of inactivity. It'll ship this month to the Americas and next month elsewhere for $29.99.The Bluetooth Comfort...
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Belkin's latest media streaming solution certainly isn't the first to utilize Powerline, but it's the first that we've seen in quite some while that really instills confidence. Engineered specifically to handle the high pressures of HD streaming, the Belkin Gigabit Powerline Adapters are made to handle Gigabit speeds as high as 1000Mbps, which should be plenty to pass along even the richest of content available in the home. The adapters are powered by Gigle Semiconductor’s mediaxtream chip, and for those unaware, these simply plug into seprate AC outlets within the home to pass along multiple high-def streams over a home's existing power wiring. It generally provides more speed and stability...
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Apple's iPhone OS 3.0 hasn't even hit the scene yet, and already Belkin is introducing a product that'll take full advantage of the new functionality. We're not trying to read too far between the lines, but maybe Belkin knows a thing or two about Monday (WWDC) that we don't? At any rate, the new TuneCast Auto Live FM transmitter improves upon past designed by utilizing a new ClearScan Live software application, which enables iPod touch and iPhone owners to find a clear FM channel more easily. For those that have tried these devices in the past, particularly in large cities, you'll know that finding a clear channel for operating is next to impossible. Belkin's hoping to change all that with its...
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You may recall the "Off the Air" Apple ad, which reminded consumers that if necessary, a Mac Genius at an Apple store could transfer their files from their PC to a Mac for them. After all, the ad said, "fear of switching is the foundation of customer loyalty for PCs." Well, now Belkin is adding fuel to the fire with a cable that purportedly eases the transfer of files and settings from XP or Vista to a Mac. Ironically, in 2006, Microsoft touted a cable from Belkin that helped move from XP to Vista, and even gave away the cables as part of its CES press kits. The new cable, the Belkin Switch-to-Mac Cable has an MSRP of $49.99 and reportedly: ... provides a simple way to transfer files, settings,...
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