Posts Tagged ‘wireless’
Wednesday, September 5th, 2012
The Singapore White Spaces Pilot Group (SWSPG) added six new members today, and launched three commercial pilot deployments of TV White Spaces (TVWS) smart radio technology.

The three founding members of the SWSPG added six new members today.
The three founding members (Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R), Microsoft Singapore and StarHub) of the SWSPG introduced the following six members today.
- Neul Ltd, a Cambridge, UK-based TVWS Solutions and Services Company.
- Adaptrum, a Silicon Valley, US-based TVWS technology and solutions provider; whose TVWS System ACRS 1.0 was certified by the FCC and commercially deployed in the US.
- Power Automation Pte Ltd (a joint venture between Singapore Power and Siemens) which is a provider of smart grid solutions.
- Singapore Island Country Club, a golf and country club in Singapore.
- Spectrum Bridge Inc, a developer of spectrum management systems and a provider of spectrum sharing solutions, whose TVWS platform was the first to obtain FCC certification in the US.
- ZDW Systems Pte Ltd, an equipment manufacturer and solutions provider for wireless communications coverage enhancement networks.
The group also announced the first series of commercial pilot deployments of TVWS smart radio technology in Singapore.
“The Singapore TVWS pilots are very timely with the on-going digital TV transition and rising trends of the Internet of Things and Smart City regionally,” said Michael Thatcher, Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector, Microsoft Asia Pacific.
This will hopefully introduce a new class of wireless connectivity to Singapore, putting the island nation at the forefront of a new wave of wireless services innovation and Smart City applications.
With the support of IDA, these first three commercial pilot projects will attempt to demonstrate the characteristics and benefits of TVWS solutions in different environments and with different usage applications.
The first demo will penetrate the dense vegetation and challenging terrain of the SICC to enable wireless connectivity.
“IDA welcomes industry-led efforts such as the TVWS commercial pilots by the SWSPG. We will continue to support and provide regulatory guidance to industry initiatives looking at new and innovative ways to deploy TVWS,” said Aileen Chia, Deputy Diretor-General (Telecoms & Post), Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore.
The second demo will provide long-range wireless Internet coverage across the waters at the Singapore harbour.
The third demo will support smart grid applications that will impact the million households in Singapore.
These commercial pilots are conducted under a test licence from IDA and utilise a TVWS Geo-location Database developed by Microsoft, with the advice and inputs from IDA.
Tags:Adaptrum, broadband, demo, I2R, Microsoft, mobile, Neul, Power Automation, SICC, Singapore, Singapore Island Country Club, Spectrum Bridge, StarHub, SWSPG, TV White Spaces, TVWS, Wi-Fi, wireless, ZDW Systems
Posted in Announce, Enterprise IT, Events, Figures, Internet, Lists, Microsoft, StarHub, Tech news, Technology | 1 Comment »
Thursday, August 30th, 2012
Brother will be at COMEX 2012 at Suntec Singapore at Level 4, Hall 404, Booth 8305.

Click to view or download Brother promotions during COMEX 2012.
Check out free gifts and substantial discounts on the Japanese maker’s range of laser printers, inkjets, multifunction printers, label printers and – yes – Brother sewing machines.
Tags:Brother, COMEX, COMEX 2012, COMEX 2012 printers, copiers, duplex, faxes, inkjet printers, IT exhibition, laser printers, multifunction printers, printers, promotions, scanners, sewing machines, Singapore, Suntec, wireless
Posted in Accessories, Brochures, Brother, Events, Exhibition, Gadgets, Laserjet, Prices, Printers, Promotions, Specifications | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, August 29th, 2012
Look for Bose audio products at COMEX 2012 in Suntec Singapore. Head for the Song Brothers booth at Level 6, Booth 6138.

Click to view or download Bose discounts during COMEX 2012.
For audiophiles, check out discounts for Bose’s earphones, headphones and SoundLink wireless mobile speaker at COMEX 2012.
Tags:audio, COMEX, COMEX 2012, COMEX 2012 accessories, COMEX 2012 audio, earphones, headphones, IT exhibition, mobile, promotions, Singapore, speakers, Suntec, wireless
Posted in Accessories, Audio, Bose, Brochures, Events, Exhibition, Gadgets, headphones, Prices, Promotions, Specifications | 1 Comment »
Saturday, August 11th, 2012
Utilising unused TV frequencies to provide wireless broadband connectivity increases the range and and penetration of coverage through foliage and reflective water surfaces that traditional Wi-Fi simply cannot penetrate.

Squeezing more more channels from the electromagnetic spectrum.
Currently, the radio spectrum in the TV broadcast bands have been reserved for use by licensed broadcasters and are out-of-bounds for wireless broadband networks.
“Broadband connectivity is the ‘oxygen’ to today’s digital economy, and is fundamental to the wide adoption of cloud computing services that are already part of our daily lives, whether at work, home or play,” observed Jessica Tan, General Manager, Enterprise & Partner Group, Microsoft Asia Pacific.
However, much of these reserved radio spectrum remain unused and are called TV White Spaces (TVWS).
For instance, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia shares out the TV broadcast bands in the region and there are certain bands allocated to Malaysia and Indonesia that Singapore cannot use for TV broadcast.
If these TV White Spaces can be harnessed effectively for wireless broadband connectivity without interfering with the quality of TV broadcast, it will translate to better coverage, lower power consumption and reduced network costs.
“TVWS radio technology will create a new generation of wireless connectivity by unlocking these large, unused chunks of spectrum that will enable more ubiquitous and affordable wireless broadband for all,” said Tan.
The physical characteristics of the 700 MHz band (as compared to the higher-frequency 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands used by traditional Wi-Fi), for example, means that it can reach further, penetrate thick foliage, and transmit across reflective water surfaces with less interference.
In terms of bandwidth, however, both TVWS and Wi-Fi are capable of roughly 2Mbps per MHz. It is the penetrative and low-power attributes of the former that makes it an attractive supplement to the latter.
The spectrum as a precious commodity
Globally, explosive growth of wireless data traffic is putting a severe strain on today’s mobile and Wi-Fi network infrastructure, signalling the need for more efficient management of the spectrum, through policy and technology innovations.
The exploitation of TVWS turns unused TV broadcast frequency bands into premium wireless broadband delivery channels.
Tags:broadband, communications, Microsoft, mobile, radio, spectrum, StarHub, TV White Spaces, White Spaces, Wi-Fi, wireless
Posted in Figures, Internet, Microsoft, Mobile, Network, Reference, StarHub, Technology | 1 Comment »
Thursday, April 19th, 2012
Nikon has launched, worldwide, the 24.2-megapixel D3200. The new entry-level DSLR will be available in the US in late April (approx. US$700 with 18-55mm kit lens).
Nikon has also launched a Wireless Mobile Adapter WU-1a (approx. US$60, available in May in the US) for the D3200.

The new Nikon D3200 is available in red or black.
The D3200 records Full HD (1080p) video with full time autofocus (AF) and sports a high-speed continuous shooting mode at 4 frames-per second (fps).

WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter
The new optional WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter can wirelessly send images to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, to enable preview of an image (but not videos) before shooting and remote control of the camera, from up to 15 m away.
The 24.2-megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor works together with Nikon’s EXPEED 3 image processing engine gives an ISO range of 100 – 6400, expandable to ISO 12,800.
As an entry-level DSLR, the D3200 is designed with user-friendly features for the beginner.

WU-1a plugged into D3200.
Accessible on the Mode Dial, the Guide Mode provides step-by-step photo instructions for set-up, shooting, viewing and deleting images and movies.
There are also six Scene Modes – Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close-Up and Night Portrait.
For video, the camera offers manual or automatic exposure control, and a stereo microphone input to attach an optional external microphone.
The application for Android smartphones (2.3) and tablets (3.x) will be available in May 2012, with the iOS app for iPhone and iPad expected in Fall 2012.

The Guide Mode walks the beginner using the entry-level D3200.
The main differences between the Nikon D3200 and the D3100 are tabulated below.
| Nikon |
D3200 |
D3100 |
| Resolution |
24.2 MP |
14.2 MP |
| Video Full HD (1080p) |
30 fps |
24 fps |
| LCD |
920 k |
230 k |
| Max ISO (regular) |
ISO 6,400 |
ISO 3,200 |
| Continuous shoot |
4 fps |
3 fps |
| Release date |
19 Apr 2012 |
19 Aug 2010 |
The brochure can be downloaded here.
Tags:Android, camera, D3200, DSLR, entry, iOS, launch, lens, Nikon, photography, wireless
Posted in Accessories, Android, App, Cameras, DSLR, Events, Gadgets, iOS, Launch, Nikon, Photography, Prices, Specifications | 5 Comments »
Sunday, December 11th, 2011
Curious as to the performance of the newly launched Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile speaker, I paid a visit to the Somerset showroom of Atlas Sound & Vision to try it out.

Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile speaker @ 111 Somerset
The Atlas showroom at 111 Somerset occupies two levels, with three sound rooms on the upper level. The shiny white sound rooms reminded me of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. – minimalist with round corners and viewports that looked out onto the Somerset Road outside.
The first impression of the Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile speaker was how compact it was – less than two inches thick and about the size of a hard cover text book.
At 1.3 kg, it’s not exactly feather weight, but it’s definitely light enough to tote around to a party, a hotel room or even throw in the back of a car. The design is sleek and classy as well.
Setting up is straightforward. Open the cover and fold it backwards to become a stand – like the cover for the iPad 2. Closing the cover back automatically turns off the speaker.
To connect, simply turn on Bluetooth on the mobile device – be it a smartphone, tablet or laptop – and press a button on the speaker. The two devices hook up automatically and gives you a beep.

Sleek and classy design
Simply play the song on the mobile device. You can control the volume from the mobile device itself.
Sound wise, the quality was surprisingly impressive, considering I had reservations about the degradation that the Bluetooth connection would impose.
Mid-range and treble was excellent, although the bass could be stronger. But considering how small the speaker was, the bass performance was already pretty impressive.
Placing the speaker against the wall improves the bass somewhat – 3 dB according to the sales staff.
And if you don’t need the wireless connectivity, you can bypass the Bluetooth degradation by connecting an audio cable from the source to the speaker.

Bring the SoundLink to the beach as a boom box!
As with other Bose audio products, the SoundLink Wireless Mobile speaker does not come cheap, but its price tag reflects the confidence that Bose has in its audio products.

The standard speaker is priced at S$549 while the LX model, with premium trim level and leather cover, sets you back by S$639.
Accessory covers in nylon (bright red or royal purple) and leather (burgundy or tan) are available separately for S$59 and S$99, respectively.
Tags:Atlas, Bluetooth, Bose, mobile, SoundLink, speakers, wireless
Posted in Audio, Gadgets, Lifestyle, Phones, Prices, Review, Specifications, Tablets | 4 Comments »
Saturday, October 15th, 2011
The S$189 WD TV Live is an easy to use Wi-Fi enabled media player that can stream media either from a network attached storage drive in the local network, or directly from the Internet – via an Ethernet connection or the high performance 802.11n wireless connectivity.

Western Digital WD TV Live wireless streaming media player
If you don’t already own an Apple TV or Google TV, check out WD TV Live from Western Digital.
The Wi-Fi enabled media player comes with its own apps to stream media from Internet video, radio and social networking sites such as YouTube, Dailymotion, Facebook, Picassa Web Albums, and TuneIn Radio directly to your TV in Full-HD 1080p resolution. Dailymotion video service is now included to offer video
WD TV Live also includes Fun Spot Games, a casual gaming service that offers arcade, strategy, and card games, puzzles, and quizzes. Some of these games include Sudoku, Black Jack and Poker.
WD TV Live allows users to enjoy personal media such as photos, video and music on their home entertainment systems.

Access Internet media content using WD TV Live in Full-HD 1080p resolution.
It supports a wide range of file formats for streaming content from any connected USB drive, digital camcorder or camera, network drive such as the My Book Live personal cloud storage, and any networked PC or Mac computer in the home.
Tags:media player, Western Digital, wireless
Posted in Accessories, Cloud, Events, Gadgets, Launch, Media player, Music, Photos, Prices, Specifications, TV, Video, Western Digital | 2 Comments »