Oh! Gizmo

By Andrew Liszewski

The oh-so descriptively named BL-PA100KTA from Panasonic is another device that allows your home’s electrical wiring to serve double duty as network cable. It’s perfect for the homeowner who’s too lazy (or lacking the skills) to run ethernet cable and who doesn’t want to be bothered with remembering simple wifi codes.

The device uses Panasonic’s HD-PLC (High Definition Power Line Communication) technology to make setting up a network as easy as plugging this device and your PC into the wall. (Plus whatever setup is required by your modem and operating system.) You can use a maximum of 16 adaptors (recommended limit) on a single network and they have a communication distance of about 500 feet. The only downside I can see is that each HD-PLC adaptor takes up a power outlet, which is a precious commodity in most homes these days.

A starter kit that includes 2 of the BL-PA100KTA adaptors is available on the Panasonic website for $149.95. However Amazon is currently selling them for just $44.95.

[ Panasonic BL-PA100KTA ] VIA [ GadgetGrid ]

By Luke Anderson

After the movie Goldeneye (and the game of course) came out, James Bond was my hero. I always wanted to have some cool spy gadget that looked like something rather ordinary. I thought it was so cool when I finally got a pen that was also a laser pointer, even if it was quite obvious to the casual observer. Since then I’ve seen a whole slew of pens with more functions than you can shake a silenced PP7 at. Here’s one that you’ll like if you’re even trying to track down an open wireless signal.

The pen features 4 LEDs that will show you the strength of a wireless signal that is up to 30 meters away. It is powered by two button cell batteries and activated b a small button positioned just below the LEDs. It might not be the coolest spy gadget for your arsenal, but at $8, you can’t really go wrong.

[ ChinaVasion ] VIA [ Crave ]

By Evan Ackerman

Ever wish that your wireless network could follow you wherever you went? Yeah, so does the US Army. DARPA’s LANdroid is a palm-sized, totally autonomous network router on cute little tank treads. It’s designed to be used in urban environments which have all sorts of inconveniently placed buildings that block more conventional wireless access points. These little guys are actually designed to be disposable; the idea is that they get dropped by advancing troops, whereupon they wander around at about half a meter per second until they find the most effective place to act as a network node. The bots work together to cover “shadowed” and indoor areas, and if one of them gets blown up, the rest will move themselves to keep the network operational.

The details are trickier than it might seem… For example, the bots will be powered by disposable batteries, so power management will definitely be an issue, especially in a package that can’t be heavier than 1 kilo or larger in volume than 1 liter. The final product should only cost $100 per bot at small production volumes (i.e. 1000 units). This concept is a public solicitation by DARPA, which means that they don’t have one of these yet, but they really want one (and so do I). If you think you can put one together, proposals are due to DARPA by August 16.

[ DARPA LANdroid Proposal (*.pdf) ] VIA [ The Register ]

By Andrew Liszewski

I guess ‘cheap’ is a relative term but at $49 each these mini WiFi repeaters from Meraki are an extremely cost-effective way to expand the size of your wireless network. Each repeater is only about 4.5 by 2.5 inches in size and includes suction cups and adhesive pads for mounting (or hiding) anywhere in your home or office. But they do need a power adapter which probably limits where they can be placed.

The Mini currently supports 802.11 B & G wireless protocols and each one also includes a 10/100 auto-crossover ethernet port for connecting non-WiFi compatible hardware. (Like a network printer for example.) Another feature I particularly like is the included Dashboard online software. Not only does it allow you to manage your mesh network but you can also setup billing for other users and even plot out the location of your repeaters on Google Maps.

The Mini’s are currently available on the Meraki website for $49 each. They’re also available in sets of 3, 20 or 100 but it doesn’t look like there’s a discount for buying in bulk.

[ Meraki Mini ] VIA [ Popular Science ]