D-Link Reshapes The Home Network At CES 2009

The new D-Link offerings, which include an all-in-one green router with storage built in, a mini PC companion monitor and the vendor's fastest 802.11n router, will be highlighted throughout the weeklong Las Vegas show.

First up, D-Link announced the Xtreme N All-In-One 11 Router (DIR-685), an all-in-one 802.11n home network router that ties together all of the standard Wi-Fi features with network attached storage (NAS) via a built-in slot for a 2.5-inch hard drive, print server and 3.2-inch LCD monitor for displaying digital photos and network diagnostics. The router offers an upright design and touch-sensitive buttons letting users view the LCD screen that displays device status, digital photos, streamed video, weather forecasts and other information in nearly 1.6 million colors.

At CES, D-Link also will release its fastest router ever, the Xtreme N450, which can offer data speeds of up to 450 Mbps. According to D-Link, current 11n home routers run at 300 Mbps. As with other D-Link 11n devices, the Xtreme N450 features both WAN and LAN gigabit ports, D-Link's SharePort technology for printer sharing capabilities, simultaneous dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz performance, three antennas and D-Link Green technology to save power through wireless scheduling and cable and port detection technology.

Continuing on the green path, D-Link also will tout its next generation of D-Link Green technology for desktop switches, which uses energy-saving techniques that automatically detect link status and network cable length and adjusts power accordingly. The new generation decreases energy consumption and is being incorporated into all of D-Link's current Green switches to increase power savings and lower electric bills. The new Green technology will be available soon on unmanaged switch models and later this year in Web Smart switches.

Along with the two new routers, D-Link also will use CES as the launching pad for D-Link SideStage, a 7-inch monitor designed for multitasking computer users who want to use two screens -- a main screen for viewing Windows applications and another smaller screen for extending the desktop to display instant messaging, watch videos, video conferencing, Yahoo widgets and Microsoft gadgets; or to house common tools from programs like Adobe PhotoShop. The SideStage is a compact USB 2.0-powered monitor with a 7-inch LCD screen featuring 800x480 resolution, offering both landscape and portrait modes.

D-Link is also continuing on its path of home-networked surveillance with the D-Link 802.11n Network Camera (DCS-1130), a plug-and-play home and small business network security camera. The 802.11n camera features easy installation and set-up, mobile 3G and Web monitoring. It offers 16 times digital zoom, sharp resolution and multiple profiles. With 3GPP mobile surveillance, users can watch a live feed from the camera using a 3G-enabled cell phone or PDA.

Also on the surveillance front, D-Link unveiled a new family of network video recorders (NVRs) to manage an IP surveillance camera. First up is the D-Link Volta NVR Basic, which works only with D-Link brand cameras, while the NVR Pro works with cameras from D-Link, Axis, Sony and Panasonic. Both NVR models offer advanced video recording and camera management features, along with remote access via the Web.

And while Microsoft Windows 7 may or may not be officially announced at CES, D-Link is announcing and demonstrating its support for Windows 7, showing how to manage its home networking and digital home products using the upcoming operating system.

Last, D-Link is taking home entertainment to a new level at CES 2009 with the PC-on-TV Wireless USB to HDMI Media Player. The latest addition to D-Link's MediaLounge family, the new Wireless USB HDMI Media Player lets users wirelessly view PC content on high-definition televisions and share it with friends and family.

The device features a USB UWB receiver and dongle, surround sound support and an additional USB port. It also lets users stream content from their PCs from any media player like Windows Media Player, Nero, RealPlayer, iTunes and others. Also for home entertainment, D-Link launched the Coax Ethernet Adapter Kit to support bandwidth-demanding applications, like streaming HD media, music sharing and online gaming on the home network. The kit includes two adapters with Ethernet ports and a Coaxial F-type connector for bridging the adapters together, letting Ethernet-enabled devices like PCs and media players be added to the network.