Netgear To Usher In Gigabit Wi-Fi With First 802.11ac Router

Netgear has introduced the R6300 WiFi Router, which is the first 802.11ac dual-band gigabit Wi-Fi router capable of speeds over 1Gbps on a wireless network. The next-generation router is backwards-compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n technology and operates in dual band, with speeds potentially reaching 1300Mbps over 5Ghz, and 450Mbps over 2.4Ghz. The R6300 runs on a Wi-Fi chip from Broadcom. The sleekly designed router is designed to deliver gigabit wireless speeds that are three times faster than today’s 802.11n routers, allowing users to send multiple streams of HD video across a wireless network. The 802.11ac standard, which is headed toward finalization by the IEEE later this year, is capable of the high throughput because it extends the techniques used in 802.11n to provide wider channel bandwidth, more MIMO spatial streams, multi-user MIMO, and additional modulation modes. The R6300, marketed as “5G Wi-Fi” will be priced at $199.99; Netgear plans to begin shipping it in May. D-Link and other competitors also plan to follow suit with 802.11ac products slated for release in 2012. Although we know most routers never live up to their hype...we'll have to wait and see.

Duke Nukem's Girls...Naked

If there's one thing Duke knows how to do well -- aside from killing and/or banging anything on two legs -- it's stirring up controversy. Multiplayer details for Duke Nukem Forever were recently revealed, and while most of it looks innocent enough, there's one MP mode that's offending a great many people on the Internet. The list of MP gameplay modes includes staples such as Hail to the King (King of the Kill), Team Dukematch, Dukematch, and Capture the Babe. Wait, what was that last one? Instead of 'Capture the Flag,' DNF has you capturing girls and carrying them to the designated goal. Not surprisingly, these live flags will occasionally "freak out," requiring you to smack them over the arse periodically to keep them calm. Because everyone knows spanking has soothing, therapeutic effects on people. Other than that, the multiplayer for DNF is pretty standard. You've got ten maps, multiplayer progression (leveling and player stats), and the aforementioned MP modes. The Holo-Duke weapon will also be returning for added hilarity, plus a jetpack that's exclusive to multiplayer. The Xbox 360 version will feature an eight-player cap per match, though it isn't clear whether this restriction applies to PC and PS3 as well. A multiplayer demo is planned for release shortly before Duke Nukem Forever comes out in May. If you still aren't amused and/or thoroughly offended, give the game's ESRB synopsis a read; it's majorly sexy stuff.

Nintendo And Its 3DS

Just when I thought 3D was a faded, "Avatar"-spawned fad, it starts popping up everywhere: TVs, smartphones, and now toys. I'm clearly not the target demographic for Nintendo's soon-to-be-released 3DS gaming device, but I can tell it's going to be a runaway hit with the kids. It's got the wow factor, the fun factor, and the pure novelty that combine to makes something buzz-worthy. But the part I wasn't expecting was Nintendo's serious warnings all over the device, packaging, and Web site cautioning that children aged 6 and under should use the 3DS only in its conventional, 2D mode. That's because, Nintendo has said, 3D viewing could potentially disrupt the developing eyesight of the younger set. Concerned about the warning, we interviewed Dr. Andrew Iwach, an ophthalmologist in downtown San Francisco. As director of the Glaucoma Research Center, Iwach has done extensive research on the effects of 3D on kids' eyes. He told us the data on watching a 3D screen is inconclusive but that it doesn't point to any negative long-term side effects. He does caution, though, that moderation is always key when gaming. That certainly proved true when my CNET colleague Donald Bell and I were playing around with the new gadget, which is set to hit stores March 27. Some of the features are seriously dizzying and nausea-inducing! (In fact, Nintendo's warnings have included advice to adults to take a break after 30 minutes of 3D play.) Among the more head-spinning features, for instance, are the augmented-reality games that read special 3D cards with the 3DS' cameras and then turn the surface of the cards into a playing field that interacts with you and the device. That's a great example of some of the seriously innovative tech behind the 3DS' wow factor. And again, I'm not the target audience for the Nintendo 3DS. But I have to say, whether we're talking about little kids or even adults, it sure is a good thing you can turn the 3D capabilities on and off.

Twitter & Bing

Microsoft's Bing just added Twitter feeds to its news pages, giving readers the ability to quickly scan the latest buzz about the biggest events. When Web surfers search Bing News for a story, tweets now show up in a scrolling column on the right side of the page under the heading "Public updates." So news links today about Elizabeth Taylor's funeral were accompanied by brief tributes from fans as well as promotions from publications linking to articles about the actress. The idea behind the new Twitter feed is to give readers yet another source of information. "As we've seen with the tragedy in Japan or political turmoil in the Middle East, real people are relaying timely and compelling items not captured by traditional outlets," Betsy Aoki, a Bing senior program manager, writes on the Bing blog. The Twitter feed adds a bit of clutter to a page that also includes related video to the news topic as well as links to people in the news related to the search. But it also differentiates Bing News from its much larger rival, Google News. Microsoft also expanded its "Liked Results" feature, highlighting links that Facebook friends have "liked" directly in Bing's search results. Users have to be signed into both Facebook and Bing for the feature to work. But WHY NOT just use Twitter??

Windows Phone 7

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 launches on Monday and the mobile operating system is likely to benefit from low expectations. When you first play with Windows Phone 7 you’re predisposed to be disappointed. We’re all conditioned to believe that Microsoft just can’t get this mobile thing right. And then you play with the tiles, touch and finish of Windows Phone 7 and you’re pleasantly surprised. And word is starting to get around. Silicon Alley Insider notes that Apple fan John Gruber of Daring Fireball gives Windows Phone 7 props. Maybe Gruber just finds Android excessively clunky. I’d actually buy one of these bad boys. The catch here is going to be distribution. Clearly, Microsoft can find a receptive audience because Windows Phone 7 does look unique. However, Microsoft has to entice consumers to buy a Windows Phone 7 device. That’s a little trickier given the flood of Android devices and the cool factor with the Apple iPhone. Microsoft’s task is also a bit more difficult because it doesn’t have Verizon Wireless on board at launch. AT&T is the primary carrier at first. Not the best idea.

Iphone 4 Problems

According to a report by Ryan Block of gdgt (guess who’s not on Steve Jobs’ Christmas card list this this?), the back of the iPhone 4 has a good chance of cracking when put into a case. Now, we all know why the front of the iPhone is made of glass. It’s so you can see and interact with the interface. But, apparently the designers at Apple also decided to make the back side of the iPhone out of glass. What kind of moron puts glass on both sides of a portable device? Anyway, complete disbelief aside, Block reports that Apple has refused to allow aftermarket case suppliers to sell cases where the phone slides in for protection. In an interesting bit of reportage, Block makes a case for why Apple wouldn’t normally do this. Apparently, Apple gets a cut (actually a double-cut) of cases that use the iPhone name and are distributed through Apple channels. So, Block reasons, Apple wouldn’t have an economic incentive to block distribution — in fact, it’s to Apple’s interest to let the aftermarket sell the cases. So, why is distribution blocked? Apparently, when sliding the iPhone 4 into the cases, microscopic particles scratch the back of the iPhone and, eventually, in a surprisingly large number of units, the glass scratches, cracks, or simply breaks open. Brave design isn’t necessarily good design. Brave design also isn’t necessarily smart design. Using glass for the back of the iPhone was brave, cutting edge design. Unfortunately, I’m guessing Apple didn’t want “cutting edge” to be meant literally.

Microsoft Testing A Twitter For Business

Microsoft is continuing to look into ways to make social computing services part of business users’ lives with a new pilot program for something called “OfficeTalk.”
Microsoft mentioned OfficeTalk in a March 19 posting on the Office Labs blog, calling it a vehicle that “applies the base capabilities of microblogging to a business environment, enabling employees to post their thoughts, activities, and potentially valuable information to anyone who might be interested.” (From that description, OfficeTalk could be more like the enterprise microblogging service Yammer than Twitter, as a few readers have noted. But there’s really not enough information on the Office Labs’ site to know for sure….) Office Labs officials described OfficeTalk as a research project, with no clear or definite commercialization path. (It is one of the team’s “Concept Tests,” like the recently introduced Ribbon Hero training game, Canvas for OneNote add-on, and pptPlex zoomable canvas.) Officials said OfficeTalk was “one of the most popular internal concept tests to date.” Microsoft isn’t offering any more details on what OfficeTalk looks like or what it will do. The Office Labs folks describe it as beeing “pretty bare bones.” They are allowing interested parties to fill out a brief survey to see if they qualify to test the service.