Imation argues that, by providing a one-to-one connection over the air, the Pro WX Wireless USB hard drive “limits the possibility of signal interception”. That’s a pretty vague claim to me. They also argue that it works like any other USB drive, although it only transfers data at 15 megabytes per second. But even while you don’t have to connect with a cable, you have to plug in a USB key. So why not just leave a regular drive on the desk and plug the cable for a better rate? And if you want wireless, why not get a drive that is Wi-Fi enabled?

The only good argument is simplicity: You don’t need to connect to a server using the network, the drive just pops up in your desktop. But then again, connecting to a networked drive is not that difficult. Certainly, not difficult enough to pay the $US500 that this 1.5TB drive costs. [Press Release]

Every single time I’ve tried to Liveblog for Giz, I’m hamstrung by the fact that I’m one man with a laptop, a camera, a wireless connection and talent (OK, I made that last one up), but have to connect them all the old fashioned way. If only I could wirelessly stream the photos directly to the laptop from the camera as soon as its taken.

The Samsung ST1000 has got almost everything in the way of connections — Wi-Fi, DLNA, Bluetooth, plus GPS, 720p video recording at 30fps, and is available for an RRP of $749. There’s also a haptic touchscreen and 5x optical zoom.

If you’re a part of that sub market that needs Wi-Fi in its cameras, the ST1000 is available now.

[Samsung]

This is by no means the first time the MPAA has stepped on the little guy in their crusade to eradicate piracy, but it is a particularly egregious instance of it. The free Wi-Fi network in Coshocton, Ohio supported anywhere from “a dozen people a day to 100 during busy times”, all of whom are left without internet after the shut down. As nations like Finland move to make broadband access a legal right, it is unfortunately clear that some powerful people still consider it a privilege and not a necessity.

Let this be a lesson to those who not only enjoy but depend on free Wi-Fi networks. Enjoy it while it lasts, because if Dennis the Menace down the block can’t wait for Transformers 3 to come out on DVD, you might be out a connection. [Via BoingBoing]

Brazilian Website, Cellular Café, says the “X” version adds the Wi-Fi and 3G/HSDPA (850/1900/2100MHz) connectivity that the Chinese 3i lacked. The camera remains at 3 megapixels, but the interface on the phone’s 3.5-inch touchscreen display now looks closer to Android’s default look and feel. [Cellular Café (translated) via Unwired View]

Some of the code that Microsoft Research used to virtualise one Wi-Fi card as several adaptors still made its way into Windows 7’s underpinnings. Connectify completes the job.

The result is a shared connection that differs to the usual “ad hoc” network connection, because it shows up as a real access point, reverts to default settings each time you restart, and you can join a Wi-Fi network and run the Connectify hotspot on the same Wi-Fi card. Traffic can also be encrypted using WPA-2 Personal (AES).

“You’re sitting in a coffee shop that charges you for a wireless connection. With Connectify, I can pay for that connection, and still have all my other devices, like my iPhone, connected to the Internet.”

If you want to give it a try, the beta of Connectify is currently a free download. Check it out at: [Connectify via PC World]

The idea is simple, but the politics aren’t. All white spaces networks do is stick data into the unused frequencies that neighbour television signals, but broadcasters are afraid that TV signals aren’t robust enough to handle data being packed in so tightly. This trial will be the first real-world test of that belief.

Hopefully all will go well and the tech will be able to provide rural communities with the broadband they’ve been hurting for. [Ars Technica]

Image via FutureAtlas