The Circular Firing Squad: How lawyers are choking off innovation

All the titans of the mobile industry are fighting for a foothold in a business where whoever gets their first wins. But then someone, probably Steve Jobs, came upon a brilliant idea, a way to put a giant boulder in front of their competition on the superhighway of innovation, patents.  Soon you needed to have approval from at least 70,000 patents before you could even draw up an idea for a smartphone. The downside of this is it seems to be slowly killing innovation. When Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were getting started it was the Wild West.  People could steal from and for almost anyone because no one but a handful full of pasty white men knew what it all did.  So you could smash together three unrelated items, and then you had something that was actually useful.  But that is no longer possible.

Innovation cannot be crowded with litigation. The guy building the app that’s going to change the way we do business may never change our lives because he doesn’t have a big company behind him. Instead, he is going to end up bleeding shoeless in a gutter because the Apple Genius thugs came after him with baseball bats.  Their crisp white shirts and skinny black ties spattered with his tears and blood.

This is a sad trend that shows no signs of slowing despite the fact that it seems to be crushing these companies under its own weight. Kodak, once a fairly well known camera company, is one of the main suing apparatuses that have filed for chapter 11 while still spending millions on litigation against anyone with a camera on their phone. But one hopes that this is a bit of a wakeup call.  Because these patents not only put a chokehold on others but they also keep an industry from truly innovating for fear that they will be sued to the fillings in their teeth.

Congrats to 3Gstore Customer Erik F. For Writing Review of a Wilson Outdoor Weatherproof Directional Panel Antenna - 301157 (Cables Sold Separately)

Congrats to Erik F. of Tyaskin, Maryland who just won a $25.00 Restaurant.com gift code for writing a review for Wilson Outdoor Weatherproof Directional Panel Antenna - 301157 (Cables Sold Separately) at 3Gstore.com! Every week we randomly pick one product review from the previous week and award the writer a $25.00 gift code. We appreciate ALL the reviews our customers write, whether they are positive or negative - honest reviews like Erik F.\'s help other customers decide if the product is right for them. After you purchase a product from 3Gstore.com, we encourage you to log in and 3Gstore.com and leave a review letting people know how the product worked for you - you'll be helping others, and you'll automatically be entered to win a restaurant.com gift code!.

Well built and works as advertised. My Verizon 3G RSSI went from about -100 to -84...huge difference in connection stability and somewhat faster speeds, too (0.10 Mbps to about 0.50 Mbps). Still clinging to the edge of mobile broadband civilization, but when 4G rolls out around here the unit (and I) will be ready for 700mhz. Great customer service as always.

Cradlepoint MBR1200B

Cradlepoint has announced that a new router will be joining their lineup this Spring, the MBR1200B. The MBR1200B will be replacing the popular MBR1200 , which has reached "end of life."

The MBR1200B will be nearly identical to the MBR1200 and offer many of the same features, but it will operate on the new NetBSD platform. Below are some of the key features we can expect from the MBR1200B:

• Improved VPN, remote management and troubleshooting (versus MBR1200)
  
• Data usage management and alerts
• Improved internal Wi-Fi (versus MBR1200)
• Wi-Fi Dual SSIDs and Wi-Fi-as-WAN
• Completely redesigned interface for usability with status widgets and summary console
• 2 USB ports, 1 ExpressCard slot
• 5 ethernet ports (configurable for up to 2 WAN or up to 5 LAN)
• MSRP $249.99

The MBR1200B will be available in March or April of this year. If you'd like to be contacted when it's available, sign up here: Cradlepoint MBR1200B Notification List

Peplink Balance / Pepwave MAX Firmware 5.3.12 and 5.4 Beta Available Now

Peplink has released Balance & Pepwave MAX Firmware 5.3.12 for production use. Firmware 5.4 Beta is also available for testing and evaluation of upcoming features. We encourage all partners to try out Firmware 5.3.12 on Balance units, and we welcome your feedback on Firmware 5.4 Beta.

Peplink Balance / Pepwave MAX Firmware 5.3.12 Highlights
Firmware 5.3.12 offers a number of enhancements, including:

General stability improvements

VPN performance improvements

Bug fixes

Download Balance Firmware 5.3.12

Peplink Balance / Pepwave MAX Firmware 5.4 Beta Highlights
Intended for testing and evaluation only, Firmware 5.4 Beta adds a variety of exciting new improvements for the Balance and the MAX:

Layer 2 site-to-site VPN

Video Bonding

HTTP health check

More new features

Download Balance Firmware 5.4 Beta

Upgrade Your Firmware Today

Take advantage of the latest and greatest Peplink engineering with Firmware 5.3.12 today. And don't forget to take 5.4 Beta for a test drive - we'd love to hear any questions or comments as we prepare 5.4 Beta for final release.

Click: View All Peplink/Pepwave Products

CradlePoint 1200B ye bye bye.

If you are a fan of the CradlePoint MBR1200 build (the last 3G/4G Router that is still based on the older MIPS operating system instead of the newer BSD platform - like the CTR35, MBR95, MBR1400, CBR, COR and ARC products are), we have some bad news for you....

The CradlePoint MBR1200 build (as you know it), is no longer being manufactured from CradlePoint and has been discontinued/end of life/EOL.  Soon our inventory will run dry and be gone.  We wish we could tell you that we have 430 in stock, but we only have a few.

A great alternative to the MBR1200 is either the MBR95 or the MBR1400

WiFI Access Point Comparison

With more devices becoming WiFi enabled it's more important than ever to have a quality WiFi network throughout your home or office. This can sometimes be easier said than done with larger homes or offices, but Access Points make it possible to redistribute WiFi off your existing wired network. The first step in selecting the correct Access Point for your application is identifying what type of WiFi category you fit into. Outlined below are popular WiFi categories and should help you determine which WiFi Access Point is right for you.

WiFi Categories:

• Access Point - Designed to extend an existing WiFi network while preserving the DHCP range of your primary network. This means you can use an access point to extend an existing WiFi network and preserve file sharing. Access points do not feature WAW (WiFi as WAN) and require a stand alone router to give them Internet access.


• WiFi as WAN - This feature allows you to connect to an existing WiFi network and repeat a brand new WiFi network. This does not bridge a network together, which means you won't be able to access files on a computer connected to the main network. This feature is useful if you have a larger home/office or multiple buildings that you need to provide WiFi to another area, but aren't concerned with file sharing between the locations.


• Mesh Network - Mesh networks are typically found in larger scale deployments for cities, parks or businesses that want to maintain a single seamless WiFi network. This allows you to see a single SSID and have your device seamlessly transition between access points as you continue to travel. For Mesh network deployments 3Gstore recommends using star network topology by placing the primary router in the center and extend the mesh connectors outward.

After you've determined exactly which category you fit in, you can use our "Which WiFi Access Point is best for me?" guide to identify which Access Point is the best fit for you. The guide will go over all the major details on each Access Point including the mW (milliwatt) output rating of each Access Point. Now, if you don't know what a milliwatt is, or why it's important when choosing an Access Point don't worry we will break it down.

What is a milliwatt?

The Milliwatt output is one of the easiest ways to determine approximately how much power your WiFi router or repeater has. A Milliwatt is equal to one thousandth (10−3) of a watt. This means that there are 1,000 "milliwatts" in 1 "Watt," and the FCC regulates WiFi output power to a maximum of 1 Watt (1000mW) in the U.S.

To put this in perspective, lets take two typical 802.11n capable routers, one with 100mW of output power, and the other with 200mW of output power. The unit that offers 200mW is twice as powerful, which means you'll get nearly double the WiFi range as the 100mW WiFi router. Not all manufactures will give you the rating in milliwatts and you may see a reference to dBM instead.

Below if a quick reference chart for Pepwave, Cradlepoint and WiFi Ranger that lists the WiFi mW output power. For a more in depth look visit "Which WiFi Access Point is best for me?"

Pepwave Access Point mW Ratings:

• Pepwave AP One Mini - 50mW (2.4Ghz), 50mW (5.0Ghz)


• Pepwave Surf On the Go - 100mW (2.4Ghz), 50mW (5.0Ghz)


• Pepwave Surf Mini - 200mW (2.4Ghz)


• Pepwave Surf 400 - 400mW (2.4Ghz)


• Pepwave AP One - 630mW (2.4Ghz), Powerboost up to 2 Watts*


• Pepwave AP One X Outdoor - 630mW (2.4Ghz), Powerboost up to 2 Watts*


• Pepwave Mesh Connector 400 - 400mW (2.4Ghz)


• Pepwave PolePoint 400 - 400mW (2.4Ghz)


• Pepwave PolePoint 400-X - 400mW (2.4Ghz)


• Pepwave Mesh Connector 400-X - 400mW (2.4Ghz)


• Pepwave Max 600 - 200mW (2.4Ghz)


• Pepwave Max 700 - 500mW (2.4Ghz)


• Pepwave Max HD2 - 500mW (2.4Ghz)

* Powerboost may exceed local regulatory limits

Not sure which model is right for you visit - Which WiFi Accress point is best for me?

Cradlepoint Access Point mW Ratings:

• Cradlepoint CTR35 - 107.2mW (2.4Ghz)


• Cradlepoint MBR95 - 123mW (2.4Ghz)


• Cradlepoint CBR400 - 295mW (2.4Ghz)


• Cradlepoint MBR1400 - 407mW (2.4Ghz), 355mW (5Ghz)


• Cradlepoint IBR600 - 42.59mW (2.4Ghz)

Not sure which model is right for you visit - Which WiFi Accress point is best for me?

WiFi Ranger Access Point mW Ratings:

• WiFi Ranger - 120mW (2.4Ghz)


• WiFi Ranger Pro - 120mW (2.4Ghz)


• WFRBoost Fixed - 100mW (2.4Ghz)

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Read More - Click: Which WiFi Access Point is best for me?

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This week we bring a new 3Gstore testimonials and Mrs. Cruz really nails what we are all about.  I want to personally thank Mrs Cruz for letting us know about her experiences and I want to thank Matt, Maureen, Valerie and Vanessa for doing what they do every day.

So, according to Mrs. Cruz we are telling all future customers there is only one place to call.


Here you go...

How Suite It Is-Microsoft Office coming to the IPad

There have been rumblings, bumblings, and all together grumblings about Microsoft Office Suite for the IPad. This would be the melding of two worlds that kind of hate each other but two worlds that also can’t seem to survive alone. They need each other like peanut butter needs chocolate. Would they survive apart? Yes, but people are more interested when they are together.  But this starts an interesting sea change for both Apple and Microsoft. These two rivals, it seems, are beginning to realize that they will never completely overtake the other. While Apple has been ahead of the pack in most things, people overall it seems are not ready to give up the accessibility of Windows.

            This product sounds like it will be available sometime next year, or if we are lucky later this year. But the powers that be are planning on having it available so it can follow closely on the heels of Windows 8 roll-out. This way if Windows 8 tanks, Microsoft Office Suite will help them recoup some of their costs.  But Microsoft is hoping Windows 8  will finally give them more of a foothold. But without realizing it this may also be a nail in the coffin of the laptop.  Now there is no need to take your laptop to bed,  when you have your sleek IPad snuggled up next you. 

        But this will also make a bit of a moment for IPad as well. Now it's just seen as a fun thing to have that helps you work. But with the promise of Microsoft Office Suite now it can be your primary work thing.  This will help it grow in a market that is not only lucrative but doesn't shy away from buying in bulk.  Companies buying their entire marketing staff IPads doesn't even crack the petty cash.  It all depends on how Apple and Microsoft work together to get this done quickly and for a competitive price.  If they drag their feet, which they have a tendency to do, you may get your flying car before you get Microsoft Office Suite on your IPad.

LightSquared Cuts Staff by 45 percent

If you have been following the saga of LightSquared, another blow was announced -- they will be cutting their staff by 45 percent.  First the FCC denied them a license, then they defaulted on a loan.  It doesn't look very good for LightSquared or for any of the companies that signed up to distribute their satellite based LTE signal.  All because their satellite based LTE signal interfered with GPS signals (Don't think military or consumers would like it too much if GPS stopped working)

What is the Future?- The rise of internet TV

 
The last vision Steve Jobs had for Apple was the idea for Apple TV. Apple TV is a box the size of coaster that plugs into your TV and gives you all the options of TV without the hassle of cable companies, commercials, and a light rain ruining your satellite signal. According to Nielsen the number of people who use only their free TV stations and have internet streaming on their TV’s is up almost 30%. Netflix is now creating their own shows, the first being Lilyhammer, a show about mobster who is relocated to Norway as part of the witness protection program. Sure it sounds like hoot, but is it the kind of thing that will knock HBO off its perch? Not so much.

But these opening salvos can’t help but feel like the future. Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Instant Video, are available on any new Blu-ray player, DVD player, and TV. And content is not as much of an issue that threatened to make them nothing more than another Betamax. Netflix just signed a huge deal with the Weinstein Company, (which makes all the films you’ve never seen but heard about around Oscar time) to give them their content before anyone else. Even the evil dwarves that run ComCast have decided they must start a streaming channel as well.

And while before studios and channels didn’t want to give up content to the internet they have had to or else lose out to a growing market (see: profitable) completely. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t like pulling teeth. We are still a long way away from the complete domination from mainstream internet TV. While people are using illegal programs to watch their shows, licensing and intellectual property is keeping internet TV from becoming a waterfall of delicious TV content.

Internet TV has inevitability to it that I’m sure terrifies the guys behind their giant desks smoking a giant cigar. It is completely designed for this niche generation. Everything must be molded to my particular taste otherwise I simply won’t buy it. We no longer live in a society where what is available nearby is what you get. Internet TV lets you watch that Swedish soap opera and your local football game. That is something that people will pay for. And if people are willing to pay for it, companies will spring up to make it available. And those that hold onto their cable boxes for dear life will watch as they are left in the dust.