adapter

Your power management could be getting a whole lot smarter. Apple has just been granted a patent that details an intelligent dock connector able to properly adjust power levels for multiple connected devices from a single outlet source.

As with other power-related patents that Apple has applied for in the past, the technology involved here seems to be exactly the kind of thing people, including myself, have been waiting for. In a time when everything needs to be charged, be it a MacBook Pro, an iPad 2, or an iPhone 4S, having a one-and-done solution is certainly the solution many … Read more

Apple has reached a proposed settlement in a class action lawsuit involving older models of its MagSafe power adapters.

Those particular adapters, the 60W and 85W versions that shipped on earlier models of the company's MacBook and MacBook Pro portable computers, were prone to splitting and became the target of a class action lawsuit.

The lawsuit claimed that the particular adapter design was defective to the point of where it "dangerously frays, sparks and prematurely fails to work." The 2009 filing accused Apple of knowing about, and misrepresenting the problem, claims Apple denied in court. AdapterSettlement.com'… Read more

Attention all owners of the Ooma Telo VoIP phone system or anybody considering buying it: you can now go wireless.

The company has taken the wraps off a new $49.99 Telo Air Wi-Fi adapter that allows you to place the Telo anywhere in your home that's within range of your wireless network. That's a big deal for Ooma, because a lot of folks don't want to have to tether the Telo base station to a wireless router that's hidden away in a closet or situated in a less-than-ideal spot in their home.

For those who … Read more

If you want to view your smartphone's content on an HDTV, you can either wait for one that supports wireless display technology, such as WHDI, or get what Kanex started shipping today, an MHL HDMI adapter.

This tiny adapter has one end that plugs into the phone's existing Micro-USB port and the other end is a standard HDMI port. When used with an HDMI cable, you can use the phone with any HDMI-based display. The adapter enables users to view videos, games, photos, and other media from their mobile devices in high definition up to 1080p at 60Hz … Read more

Zyxel announced today that it has now officially joined the Powerline AV+ 500 club with its first adapter, the Zyxel PLA4205.

Similar to the D-Link DHP-501AV and the Netgear XAV5501, this new adapter from Zyxel is designed to offer up to 500Mbps throughput speed via a home's electrical wiring.

In real-world usage, the speed is likely to be much slower than that but probably still faster than a traditional Ethernet connection, which would make it more than fast enough for streaming HD content and other heavy home-networking needs.

Zyxel says its PLA4205 adapter is backward-compatible with previous power-line standards … Read more

According to Apple's most recent patent application, "Wireless power utilization in a local computing environment," you could soon be charging your iOS device simply by keeping it close to your computer system.

In case this sounds too pedestrian for you, the research comes from the field of midrange wireless power transfer physics. Near field magnetic resonance is used to power devices within 1 meter of the power base. Without a mat or extra case.

According to the report by physorg.com, Apple did not specifically mention which devices may take advantage of this research, but it is easy to assume that it is meant for the mobile world.

So, instead of fumbling through your bag or lamenting on the recent destruction of your 30-pin dock connector because of an overzealous puppy to charge your iPhone, you would only have to be around an NFMR source to get your iOS device back up and running.

Of course these patents have a way of disappearing for several years, if we ever see something from them, but it does outline at least some of the way Apple is thinking about its future. Earlier patents for a combined power adapter and rechargeable battery pack show that Apple is indeed attempting to streamline end user power experiences.

What do you think about midrange wireless power transfer physics? Let me know in the comments!… Read more

Motorola Mobility has launched a new device that can bring HDTV to a household of basic cable subscribers.

The new High Definition Digital Terminal Adapter (HD-DTA) is a small adapter that's able to convert a regular digital signal into one that's high-definition without the need for a pricey set-top box, according to Motorola.

Complete with a digital tuner, HDMI interface, and RF (radio frequency) outputs, the HD-DTA itself is a small set-top device that can be placed out of sight and send the HD signal to multiple outlets throughout the house. A remote control lets TV watchers control the device without relying on line of sight.

Beyond offering cable consumers high-definition content, the device is designed to trim expenses for cable companies and other operators that no longer would have to deal with expensive set-top boxes.

"Service providers continue to look for options that deliver HD content to their customers while reducing their overall costs," Larry Robinson, vice president of Home Devices, Motorola Mobility, said in a statement. "The Motorola HD-DTA is an ideal solution for basic subscriber households."

Being demoed at the Cable Show in Chicago this week, the Motorola HD-DTA is expected to debut later this year.… Read more

If you want to hook your Ethernet-ready devices to a wireless network, you can either get the D-Link DAP-1513, or you can wait for what Trendnet unveiled today, the 450Mbps Dual Band Wireless N Media Bridge, model TEW-680MB.

This new device shares the same design as the company's previous single-band 450Mbps Wireless-N gaming adapter, the TEW-687GA, but the TEW-680MB also supports the 5GHz frequency band.

Like other media bridge devices, the TEW-680MB connects itself to an existing Wireless-N network, on either the 2.4GHz band or the 5GHz band, and bridges that connection to a wired device plugged into its Ethernet port.

Unlike the D-Link DAP-1513, with its four network ports to handle four devices out of the box, the Trendnet TEW-680MB has only one network port and therefore can bridge the connection to only one device. To make up for this, you will want Gigabit Ethernet to ensure that the bridged device will get the fastest possible connection speed.… Read more

If you want to hook up your game console, such as an Xbox 360, to the Internet without running network cable all over the place, you can either get a Wi-Fi adapter from the vendor, which tends to be overpriced, or get yourself a gaming bridge that can bring a wireless signal to any Ethernet-ready device. Those opting for the latter now have another option.

D-Link announced today that it's shipping the Wireless N Dual Band MediaBridge (model DAP-1513), which can bridge a wireless network to up to four network devices that don't have built-in Wi-Fi. The device combines a selectable dual-band wireless-N chip and a four-port switch and will work with any N router.

The device basically connects itself to an existing Wi-Fi network, then shares that connection with any device plugged into its network ports, hence the terms "bridge."… Read more