With skyrocketing tuition costs and a seemingly endless number of tablets, computer accessories and smartphones, not to mention the astronomical costs of college text books, students are looking to save anywhere they can. And while giving up breakfast and lunch in favor of a nightly pizza buffet may seem like a good choice, there are better things for a student’s wallet (and health).
Computers are a mainstay in any dorm room or college apartment, often running non-stop for 4-5 months at a time as students work through and endless stream of term papers, critiques and other projects. Students are practically required to have their own computers, but the peripherals that go with them can easily be shared.


USB is hands-down the most popular connection for computer peripherals, so much in fact, that we’ve seen great success with products such as the IOGEAR 7-Port High Speed USB 2.0 Hub which adds seven additional ports to a computer. Considering the number of USB peripherals available, it’s no surprise. Some of the most popular USB devices include external hard drives, flash drives, webcams, memory card readers, speakers, multi-function printers (MFP) and for the young-at-heart, USB Circus Cannons. Many of these devices are easy to install but would be made all the better if they could be shared.


Fortunately, the IOGEAR product development team recognized this and has come forward with a 4-Port USB Sharing Station (GUWIP204), a computer accessory that allows wireless sharing of up to four USB peripherals in a home or office. By simply connecting devices to the sharing station and configuring it to a Wi-Fi network, devices can be shared by multiple roommates without the 16-foot USB distance limitation.

Beyond just saving roommates the necessity of buying their own printers and removing some clutter from dorm rooms or apartments, the wireless USB sharing station can also be a low-cost security system. Just connect a webcam to the share station in an area where monitoring is needed, and watch like a hawk for any pizza pilfering activity or other shenanigans.

Top Ten Ways to Enhance a Home’s Wireless Network

Recently, one of our IOGEAR team members had a guest editorial (Getting the Most out of a Home’s Wireless Connection) featured in a trade magazine called Residential Systems. We encourage you to read the full explanation of each suggestion, but without further ado:

1. Position is key
2. Avoid devices with the same frequency
3. Stay away from metal objects and floors
4. Be brand consistent
5. Upgrade the router antenna
6. Take advantage of updates
7. Change wireless channels
8. Stick to one access point
9. Add a wireless repeater
10. Upgrade networks

We would love to know what scenarios you think a shared USB system would create. Please take a moment to share with us here on the blog, on Facebook or on Twitter.

It takes a dedicated technophile to invest in the first iteration of a new tech product, which often has minor bugs that never appear until end users start rigorously putting a device to the test. Beyond glitches, early adopters also pay a significantly higher price to wear the crown of being first to use new technologies. The AOL WalletPop.com article “150,000 iPad early adopters might not be the smartest consumers” highlights some famous early adopter tribulations and the price these “Lighthouse Consumers” paid both monetarily and in the user experience.

For the average consumer, however, being first in line is not as high a priority as getting a working product at a good value. So for every person who paid $599 for an 8 GB iPhone when it first came out, there’s infinitely as many who paid $99 (with service plan) later in the year. One way value-conscious tech consumers squeeze every last breath of functionality out of their devices, is with computer and A/V accessories.


One such example of a product that acts as a fountain of youth for old computers is the new IOGEAR USB 2.0 Fast Ethernet Adapter. This handy adapter gives netbooks, PCs, laptops and Macs without an Ethernet port or Wifi capabilities the ability to surf the web. Even older computers that already have web access can benefit with speedier World Wide Web browsing via the USB 1.1 or 2.0 port. If USB ports are all filled, a USB to Serial RS-232 Adapter can be connected to the serial port to offer the same functionality.

Getting started with the USB 2.0 Fast Ethernet Adapter requires a simple driver installation, which is included on a CD, and inserting the Ethernet cord (which is connected to your network router or hub), into the Fast Ethernet Adapter’s RJ45 port. Voila, you have the Internet streaming to your netbook, PC, laptop, or Mac.

While early adopters may scoff at the notion of using older electronics, the fact is, many consumers don’t want or need to upgrade just because there is something better or faster. They want a computer that can access the Internet and provide adequate browsing speeds for checking email, online shopping, using social media and other low-bandwidth activities. The USB 2.0 Fast Ethernet Adapter delivers this without early adopter headaches.

Do you have some old hardware laying around that you could revive and put to use? Tell us about it here on the blog, on Facebook or Twitter. We look forward to your thoughts.

Once again, your friends at IOGEAR are in the giving mood. We have 100, yes you read right, one hundred USB Theater Sound Xperience PC adapters to give away!

The rules are simple:

1) Like Us on Facebook and enter your email
2) Like DTS’s Facebook page for an extra entry
3) Invite Your Friends – Each friend that joins gets you 5 additional entries!

For all of the specifics, please see our official sweepstakes rules.

So what exactly is a USB Theater Sound Xperience PC adapter (GUADT51), you say? Check out this recent blog post for some real world scenarios of how this device can forever change the audio experience on your laptop.

Be sure to follow our Twitter account also, as we will be providing timely updates there as well.

Terms and Conditions:
5,000 fans must be reached by August 31st, 2011 5pm PST when the sweepstakes ends. If 5,000 fans have not been reached by the time the sweepstakes ends no USB Theater Sound Xperience PC Adapters will be given away. A list of winners will be posted at the end of the sweepstakes. Winners will also be contacted by e-mail in order to retrieve mailing address. We will only mail to a U.S. address.

Anyone who’s tried to install a video card in a computer knows it’s not a simple DIY project. In homebuilding terms, it’s akin to furnace or electrical work and not something for the inexperienced. However, fiddling with your computer’s internals can be a thing of the past with the new IOGEAR USB to HD Adapter.


A.K.A the GUC2025H, the new adapter connects additional HD displays to a desktop or laptop computer using a USB 2.0 cable, something all computers have (as opposed to HDMI). Throw in an HDMI to DVI Adapter and you’ve got a set-up that will complement almost every modern computer and TV combination.

Going even further, because the increased bandwidth of HDMI and DisplayLink™ technology are utilized, the USB to HD adapter provides both video AND audio support, a huge advancement from the traditional internal video cards or external DVI/VGA adapters that only supported video.

Need proof, here’s what Engadget says:

Pumping out video content to the big screen has been simplified, sure, but audio has always been the Achilles heel of the diminutive dongles. Enter IOGEAR, whose GUC2025H USB External HD A/V Adapter solves this exact problem — without taking up any additional ports to boot.

With a USB to HD Adapter in place, laptop users will be able to have up to three displays showing content; the laptop screen, a second display via the built-in VGA port and a third from the USB port courtesy of IOGEAR’s new adapter. In the home, the GUC2025H complements convergence since it provides a hard-wired streaming solution of standard or HD content from the PC to the TV with only a single HDMI cable connection. Youtube, Hulu and other computer content can be streamed to the TV interference-free with ease.

Outside the home, the USB to HD adapter is made for multitasking. Office accounting and marketing personnel will appreciate the ability to view large spreadsheets across two screens without sacrificing continuity. Graphic designers can queue up editing tools and pallets without constantly minimizing and maximizing windows, while data analysts can type in one document while viewing reference material elsewhere. Lastly, anyone who works heavily with email will appreciate the ability to open attachments on one screen while staying in the inbox to manage email functions.

Installing the USB to HD Adapter is quick and easy for anyone who’s ever plugged in a mouse or other USB peripheral. No need for multiple software and hardware updates to get both audio and video, and no need
for an external power supply since the adapter runs via the USB port. With video cards, it’s sometimes necessary to remove a computer’s back panel, locate the existing video card, remove and replace it with a new one, all without affecting any of the sensitive electronics. While certainly possible, these actions can void a manufacturer warranty, or worse, cook the motherboard.

Because the IOGEAR USB to HD Adapter connects externally, there is no threat of memory loss or inadvertent collateral damage from the installation. With support of resolutions up to 1600×1200 / 1920×1080 and 32-bit color, the USB to HD adapter shares content at its ideal resolution for the purest viewing experience possible.

For a wireless solution, IOGEAR also offers the GWAVKIT2, a wireless HD streaming kit that serves a similar function as the USB to HD adapter.


We’d love to hear from you, what computer content is best for streaming to the TV? Do you prefer a wired or wireless solution?

With a mantra like “Connectivity through Convergence,” the engineering and design teams from IOGEAR are dedicated to keeping abreast of all the latest developments in cabling, inputs/outputs and wireless technology. It can be a burdensome task to try and track every development, so we rely on a few key sites to provide news about emerging and evolving connectivity solutions.

Source

With that in mind, one of the most significant communication interfaces to emerge for computers over the last 20 years is the universal serial bus (USB). With roughly two-billion USB devices sold yearly, you’re probably working with at least one USB-connected mouse, keyboard or phone adapter right now. The only downfall with universal adoption and manufacturing of USB-enabled products, is the quality gap between reputable manufacturers and USB snake oil. Fortunately, there’s a USB watch-dog looking out in the form of an exhaustive, all-things-USB website.

Appropriately named EverythingUSB.com, this connectivity supersite includes forums, a blog, FAQs, product reviews and more, all aimed at educating the masses on, you guessed it, everything USB. Recently, the site even featured a certain wireless keyboard, proving they have a finger on the pulse of important industry USB news, such as the future of USB 3.0.

IOGEAR is committed to creating USB adapters, converters, extenders, cables and any other solutions that will help consumers enhance the connectivity of their entertainment and productivity devices. Our ability to stay on top of new and emerging technologies is a key part of achieving this goal, and the demand for wireless USB options has us working overtime to create some exciting new products for 2011.

We want to hear from you though, what USB applications are you excited about or would like to see in the future? Please drop us a note here in the blog or on Facebook.

Don’t forget, as a Club IOGEAR member you can save 30% off IOGEAR products at www.ShopIOGEAR.com if you act before December 31, 2010.

From laptops to iPads, Blu-Ray players, gaming consoles and other devices, we surround ourselves with an increasing number of components, cluttering our living and entertainment rooms with cables and black boxes. While some consumers are happy to live with high-tech inspired decor, many others just want the performance without the visible hardware.

Fortunately, one of the greatest innovations in home entertainment over the last five years has made cable and black box clutter obsolete. Wireless HD streaming, once littered with endless buffering, colorful scroll bars and interrupted audio, has made great strides on the back of research and development by companies like IOGEAR.
Of course, not all wireless HD streaming products are created equal, and settling for an untested, low-end solution can result in the same problems mentioned above, or worse. IOGEAR spent countless hours in the lab developing the most reliable solution possible, and the result…Ultra-wideband (a.k.a. Wireless USB or UWB).

This new radio technology can be used at very low energy levels for short-range high-bandwidth communications by using a large portion of the radio spectrum – 3.1GHz ~ 4.8GHz (WiMedia Band Group 1). By using this frequency, our Wireless Audio/Video Kits have a minimum level of interference with other wireless signals such as WiFi, Bluetooth, or cordless phones.

As mentioned, wireless HD streaming is an ideal solution for eliminating cable clutter, but if signal clutter is wreaking havoc and interrupting your wireless HD streaming, there’s really no convenience at all. Our wireless products may not clean up the clutter in your closet, but they can reliable make your entertainment more accessible.

If you could eliminate one cable or wire in your home, which would it be?

Forget 3D TVs and the insanely thin HDTVs flooding your local Best Buy. The latest buzz on the street in the consumer tech world has nothing to do with home entertainment but everything to do with daily technology usage. It’s time for USB 3.0 AKA SuperSpeed USB.

Similar to IOGEAR’s USB 3.0 PCI-E card announcement at CES, many companies are unveiling their USB 3.0 integration. USB technology has always had a breakneck speed of adoption – just as USB 2.0 took over USB 1.0 technology in 2000, USB 3.0 will soon replace USB 2.0 and offer faster ports.

How much faster will USB 3.0 be? Buckle up your seatbelt and try this – TEN times the speed of 2.0 technology!

Still hazy on the benefits of USB 3.0 over USB 2.0? To put it simply, USB or Universal Serial Bus, establishes a communication between devices such as computers, external hard drives, flash drives, keyboards, mice and more. By utilizing the latest 3.0 technology, these devices will transfer data at much faster rates allowing for more efficient and speedier communications, provided that both devices (ie PC and peripheral device) are 3.0 compliant.

What does this mean for you? Quicker data transfers all around! It’ll be easier and more convenient to transfer music, pictures or video to and from your various devices, allowing you to trade music, move files, work projects and multitask across several devices – all at speeds of up to 4.8 gbps! Full-duplex data transfers are also part of the USB 3.0 spec; a step up from half-duplex mode of USB 2.0.

For those looking to move slowly over to this newer technology, never fear. USB 3.0 is completely compatible with the current USB 2.0, just as USB 2.0 is compatible with USB 1.0 & 1.1.

IOGEAR is a leader in connectivity with its extensive KVM line, which allows users to control multiple devices with one piece of hardware. Everyday users already enjoy the popular USB Laptop KVM to conveniently control two computers seamlessly or the more tech-savvy customer may prefer the 4-Port Dual View Dual-Link DVI KVMP Switch with Audio, which allows users to easily access and control multiple computers from a single console running dual-displays.

Look out for IOGEAR’s 3.0 compliant technology, which will be rolled out later this year.

With USB 3.0 technology, users will not only benefit from up to 10x greater transfer speeds, but the advancement also allows for lower demands on a PC’s central processing unit (CPU).

It’s time to speed up! Are YOU ready for USB 3.0?

Cheers
The IOGEAR team