CES 2010 latest news

Casual home users might not need something like this, but the business world will definitely want the new NAS server from D-Link.

Last week, the company announced its all-new Stack DSN-1100 iSCSI SAN Array NAS server, which offers up to 7.5TB of storage and 425MBps of bandwidth. It achieves this high throughput speed thanks to IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregate Groups technology that combines the speeds of the device's four Gigabit Ethernet ports.

The new DSN-1100 NAS server.

(Credit: D-Link)

The NAS server include five bays, each of which can take a 3.5-inch SATA (or SATA-II) hard drive of up to 1.5TB. The company says that the bays will be able to accommodate higher-capacity drives after a new firmware update. These hard drives can be configured to RAID 0, 1, 1+0, and 5.

The DSN-1100 features an embedded, user-friendly IP-SAN Device Manager, a suite of utilities that allows monitoring and control via the Storage Management Initiative-Specification command set. Users can also remotely configure and monitor their SAN storage subsystems.

Thanks to its internal 10Gb iSCSI SoC configuration, the DSN-1100 can handle more than 80,000 input/outputs per second.

Other features of the new NAS include:

• Compact Cube Chassis for easy office placement (10.7 inches high by 6.6 inches wide wide by and 10.2 inches deep.)
• 200-watt power supply
• CHAP authentication to halt intruders
• SSL security to manage the console
• Up to 72 hours of battery backup on full charge
• VLAN zoning for traffic segregation to secure access and jumbo frames
• Highly integrated, multi-core SoC for greater power efficiency

The new DSN-1100 NAS server is available now with the estimated price of $1,799.99.

The 450Mbps TEW-773GR from Trendnet is fast.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CBS Interactive)

Before I begin, let me say this one more time: The 802.11n wireless specification (or Wireless-N, which is currently still in draft state and therefore is also known as Draft N) is a wireless networking standard that offers speeds up to 300Mbps. That is a lot faster than the previous and popular specification 802.11g (or Wireless-G) that caps out at 54Mbps. Wireless-N is backward compatible with Wireless-G devices, meaning they can be connected to Wireless-N networks at 802.11g speed.

Now that, though confusing, is all common knowledge. What's not commonly known is that wireless vendors are about to turn Wireless-N up a notch, making it offer speeds up to 450Mbps. At CES this year, I ran into two vendors who showed off their newest higher-speed Wireless-N routers. Those vendors are D-Link, with the D-Link Xtreme N 450, and Trendnet, with the 450Mbps Wireless N Gigabit Router TEW-773GR.

The D-Link N 450 is similar in functionality to D-Link's DIR-855 Xtreme router. The router features Gigabit Ethernet, SharePort technology, and simultaneous dual-band 2.4 and 5GHz performance.

What makes the N 450 distinctively different from the DIR-855 is that it can offer wireless speeds up to 450Mbps. The 50-percent increase of speed is made possible by the latest chip design and faster processor that allow the router to handle three streams of signal per antenna. Most existing Wireless-N routers can handle only two streams and budget ones can handle only one stream per antenna.

The D-Link N 450 will be available around the beginning of the second quarter of 2009. Pricing is not yet available.

Similar to the N 450, Trendnet's TEW-773GR router also supports three high-performance antennas and three spatial streams per antenna. However the TEW-773GR is a single band 2.4GHz-only Wireless-N router. The router is also currently in a prototype state and will be available to the public in the second quarter of 2009. It's estimated to cost less than $200.

Like all Wireless-N routers, these new routers will be backward compatible with all existing wireless clients of the same band (2.4Ghz or 5GHz). In order for the 450Mbps to archive, users will need new clients (add-in cards/adapters) that support this speed.

As the change in speed is not based on a proprietary technology, it's highly likely that the 450Mbps routers and adapters from different vendors will interoperate at this speed, especially when they are Wi-Fi Certified.

The N 450 wireless router from D-Link can run as fast as 450Mbps.

(Credit: D-Link)

D-Link's Xtreme N DIR-685 wireless router.

(Credit: D-Link)

During 2008, I complained about all of D-Link's wireless routers, such as the DIR-825 or the DIR-855 because of their common, old-school, bulky designs. Thursday, however, I was more than impressed by the all-new Xtreme N Storage DIR-685 wireless router.

It's possibly the first router that really offers a lot more than just routing.

First off, the DIR-685 is the first router from D-Link I know of that features the internal antenna design, which is not new, as Linksys and Netgear have done this for a long time. Nevertheless, the DIR-685 is now much more compact and eye-catching than previous generations of D-Link routers.

What makes the DIR-685 unique, however, is the fact that it comes with a hard drive bay that can house a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive, a full-feature NAS system (with support for media servers and BitTorrent downloads), and features a 3.2-inch LCD monitor. The monitor, apart from being able to display the device's status via graphical gauges, can also work as a photo frame, play streamed video, and show weather forecasts and other live streaming Internet content in up to 1.6 million colors.

The DIR-685 uses D-Link Green technology which, according to D-Link, helps conserve energy. It does this by automatically recognizing port activity and cable length and adjusting power usage by consolidating all functions to a single device instead of many separate products, and by using the idle mode that automatically turns off power to the LCD screen.

According to D-Link, the router's wide local-area network scheduler can turn off the router's Wi-Fi module at a preset time, and the power adapter complies with Energy Star specifications. With these features, the router can offer power savings of up to 30 percent over other routers of the same type, according to D-Link.

On its back, the DIR-685 has four gigabit Ethernet ports and one gigabit WAN port. It also sports two USB ports featuring D-Link's SharePort technology that lets them work as networked USB ports, enabling the router to support any USB devices. The SharePort technology can also be found in D-Link's previous router models, such as the DIR-825.

The DIR-685 will be available by the end of the first quarter and is estimated to cost less than $300. I am looking forward to testing one out.

The DIR-685's back with its ports and open hard drive bay.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CBS Interactive)

D-Link's DNS-726-4 NVR Pro at CES 2009.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CBS Interactive)

The first NAS server I've run into that features a surveillance system is the Synology DS107+, and I was very impressed. Thursday, D-Link announced two NAS servers that work more like Internet-based surveillance products--or network video recorders (NVRs)--than storage devices. They are the DNS-722-4 and the DNS-726-4.

Both products are based on D-Link's two-bay network-attached storage (NAS) device technology, such as that used in the DNS-323. The DNS-726-4 NVR Pro version works with D-Link, as well as Axis, Sony, and Panasonic network cameras, while the DNS-722-4 NVR works only with D-Link network cameras.

There's one more difference between the two. The DNS-726-4 supports multiple channel playback. The DNS-722-4, on the other hand, supports only one channel.

According to D-Link, the new NVRs can house up to two SATA hard drives in four RAID setups and feature a security lock, 24-7 recording, and a friendly graphical user interface for multiple camera management and for viewing live video or playing back recorded data through the Internet from anywhere at anytime.

While many NAS servers can support Internet cameras to form a surveillance system, D-Link's new NVRs reportedly feature an advanced and flexible event-based management mechanism. The NVRs can monitor all camera events via motion detection or digital input and command different cameras to perform tasks based on certain predetermined conditions. For example, if camera 1 detects motion, the NVR can trigger camera 2 to record, camera 3 to emit light, and camera 4 to turn to the preset position.

Other than that, they both boast the following additional features:

• Smart search: The NVRs' intelligent search function quickly retrieves data by finding a selected area on the video based on preset search criteria (motion detected, object missing, focus lost, camera occlusion, etc.)
• Multiple channel playback (available in the DNS-726-4 only): This means that after selecting the desired video period, the NVR will begin playback and display up to four simultaneous channels.
• Playback speed control: Both NVRs can playback at up to 16x speeds in fast-forward or fast-backward modes. They can also playback video one frame at a time.
• Video enhancement: Users can adjust the recorded video to get enhanced output for brightness, sharpness, etc.
• Camera status display: Both NVRs will produce a status page to show connection, recording, frame, and bit rate information for each camera. Users also can check the display to see how much recording time remain.

According to D-Link, the new NVRs are the only IP surveillance recording and playback management systems that offer advanced functionality and four built-in levels of RAID, as well as up to 120 frame speed performance, for less than $700.

But not by much, the DSN-726-4's estimated price is $699.99, while the DSN-722-4 is $399.99. Both will be available during first quarter 2009.

The SideStage add-in extension monitor from D-Link.

(Credit: D-Link)

It's been just two days at CES, and I am already very tired of Alt-Tabbing and looking at my Dell XPS 1330's little screen. I sorely miss my Dell 30-inch UltraSharp LCD at home. Bragging aside, it's really hard to work with multiple little windows on a little screen, especially when I need to look at more than one of them at a time.

For this reason, I was psyched to run into D-Link's newest invention: the SideStage.

Basically, it's a 7-inch LCD monitor that you can plug into your computer via a USB port. The port then both powers and feeds data for the screen to display. Once plugged in, it becomes an extension of the computer's main screen.

The SideStage features 800x480 resolution, with both landscape and portrait modes. Weighing only 1.34 pounds and housed in a sleek black frame, it is 7 inches wide, 4.6 inches tall and only 0.75 inch thick.

The SideStage makes a lot of sense for multitaskers like me. While it's small, it's great for organizing: I can designate certain Windows applications to open only on it, such as instant messengers, widgets, or even our beloved CNETTV.com home page, and leave the main screen of my computer for serious programs like Microsoft Word that I use often. It's really perfect for writers on the go and in this case, unlike with most displays, its small size is actually an advantage.

The SideStage in action at CES 2009.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CBS Interactive)

According to D-Link's representative Les Goldberg, the SideStage is compatible with virtually all CRT and flat-panel monitors, has standard and wide-screen aspect ratios, 32-bit True Color depth for high-quality images, and ultra-low power consumption, which is consistent with the D-Link Green initiative.

Unfortunately, the SideStage will not be available right away for me to use during the rest of CES 2009. I'll have to wait until the end of the year; at that time D-Link will also announce its price.

If it doesn't cost too much, I am pretty sure I'll be (even) more productive next CES.

I've reviewed multiple wireless routers from D-Link. Part of the reviewing process involves "trying out" the support service of the vendor, and so far, I've been happy with D-Link's customer support, which just got a boost.

The company on Monday announced a partnership with Unisys Corporation to power its D-Link Care Support Packages--a flexible set of hardware maintenance services.

Unisys--a global information technology services and solutions company--will provide service logistics and maintenance services for D-Link network device customers in North America. The support packages start at $49.99 and offers end-to-end networking and equipment coverage for managed switching, network storage, IP surveillance, and WLAN devices.

D-Link says the partnership will allow it to dispatch certified networking experts within four hours of a call or the next business day, depending on the service package.

The new DAP-2590 access point.

(Credit: D-Link)

D-Link is going to the office. The company announced on Monday its first wireless-n access points for small to medium businesses. The APs offer a much larger coverage area, as well as better bandwidth, than those designed for home users.

The new APs include the AirPremier N Dual Band Access Point DAP-2590 and the Dual Band Access Point DAP-2553. They support 5GHz and 2.4GHz frequencies, as well as multiple wireless standards (a, n, and g). They also have Power over Ethernet (PoE) capability.

PoE lets the device draw power directly from the network cable and therefore be mounted where power outlets may not be readily available. The DAP-2590 is encased in rugged metal housing and is Plenum-rated, meaning it meets the fire codes for placement in air passageways.

Both new APs feature three detachable antennas to provide optimal coverage with maximum wireless signal rates of up to 300Mbps in either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz wireless band. They also support Wi-Fi Multimedia quality-of-service features and are able to handle all data, video, and voice applications.

For security, the APs support both personal and enterprise versions of WPA and WPA2 wireless encryption with support for Radius server backend. They also implement Microsoft Network Access Protection, which restricts access based on a client PC's identity and compliance with corporate governance. Additional safety measures include MAC address filtering, wireless LAN segmentation, disable SSID broadcast, rogue AP detection, and wireless broadcast scheduling.

The DAP-2590 is available now for an estimated $410. The DAP 2553 will be available later this year with a significantly friendlier price tag of $180.

I reviewed D-Link's DIR-855 wireless router recently, and complained that it didn't offer NAS or print-serving capability. On Wednesday, the company fixed that by introducing the Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit DIR-825.

(Credit: D-Link)

Like the DIR-855, the DIR-825 is a true dual-band gigabit router, meaning it can spontaneously offer Wireless-N signals in both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies. The DIR-825, however, comes with SharePort technology, which allows for turning the USB port of the router into a virtual-network USB port that supports external hard drives for NAS functionality and other USB devices, such as printers.

The new router also features D-Link's HDFuel technology, and belongs to D-Link's green family of routers. The former optimizes the wireless bandwidth for HD content, while the latter means the power used for the router's wireless signal and wired-network ports are adjustable (either automatically or manually) to conserve energy.

The best news is that SharePort, as well as other technologies mentioned above, are going to be made available this week via a firmware update to certain existing D-Link USB Wireless-N routers, including the DIR-628, the DIR-655, the DIR-855, and the DGL-4500. If you are the owner of one of these, remember to update the router's firmware.

The new Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit DIR-825 is available now for an estimated $200.

This is the D-Link DIR-855, one of the three new D-Link routers that belong to the company's Green Initiative.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET Networks)

D-Link claimed today to be the first company to offer green Wi-Fi home networking. While the "first" notion of the claim is debatable--I've seen routers from other vendors with an eco-friendly design--the green aspect is more than welcome.

The company said its green initiative that adds eco-friendly features to the Xtreme NT line of wireless routers could reduce the devices' power consumption by 40 percent without sacrificing performance.

These new features cut down the power usage by automatically detecting link status and network cable length then adjusting the power accordingly. The new routers also feature Wi-Fi scheduling that allows customers to easily program when the Wi-Fi radio signals are turned on and off to further save energy consumption. Though this is not really new, many other routers allows for selectively turning off the wireless signal, D-Link has made this a lot easier to use and provides a user-selectable radio shutdown option that's adjustable by day and start/end times.

All D-Link's new routers are now available for purchase with the price varying from $150 to $350.