ASUS today announced the RT-BE88U, the world's first WiFi 7 router that offers up to 34 Gbps of combined wired network capacity. With a 10 Gbps LAN / WAN port, a 10 Gbps LAN / WAN SFP+ port and four 2.5 Gbps ports, the RT-BE88U stands ready to deliver massive amounts of Ethernet performance for online gaming, media streaming and more - now and well into the future. It also offers up to 7200 Mbps of cutting-edge WiFi 7 networking, bringing the enhanced data rates of 4K-QAM and dual-band Multi-Link Operation to compatible devices. Plus, Guest Network Pro, subscription-free security features and site-to-site VPN support help to make an RT-BE88U-based network flexible, safe and easy to manage.

The WiFi 7 advantage
With WiFi 7 cornerstones such as the boosted data rates of 4K-QAM and dual-band Multi-Link Operation (MLO), the ASUS RT-BE88U ushers in a whole new wave of networking possibilities. 4K-QAM increases speeds by packing signals more tightly, which increases bandwidth efficiency. Thus, data rates can be up to 20% higher than what a WiFi 6 network can achieve. Meanwhile, Dual-band Multi-Link Operation (MLO) lets a WiFi 7 device connect to both a 2.4 GHz and a 5 GHz network to increase throughput and minimize latency. This future-proofs the network, giving users the capacity to handle even more connected devices without sacrificing performance

NETGEAR, Inc., the leading provider of networking products that power businesses of any size, today launched the most compact WiFi 7 access point on the market. The tri-band WBE750 is designed for businesses heavily reliant on wireless internet and delivers up to 18.4Gbps1 total WiFi throughput, supported by a 10 Gbps/Multi-Gigabit PoE++ port.

The WBE750 Insight Manageable Tri-band WiFi 7 Access Point provides the deep capabilities that today's complex businesses need, including real-time responsiveness, low latency, and increased capacity. Employees are using an increasing number of connected devices at work - including laptops, cell phones, tablets, on top of office-wide connected devices such as collaboration systems, portable POS systems, smart lighting, and more, all of which can eat up precious bandwidth. Limited bandwidth can lead to decreased productivity and inefficiencies within a company, ultimately impacting the bottom line. The WBE750 access point with its high WiFi throughput and ability to support up to 600 concurrent devices is among the most advanced available today.

Today, Optoma, the No. 1 4K UHD and DLP brand worldwide and in the Americas in projection technology,¹ introduced the Optoma UHZ55, a lightning-fast, long-lasting smart UHD laser projector. The UHZ55 laser projector joins the company's line of award-winning true 4K resolution projectors, including its predecessor, the popular UHZ50, and is designed for all home entertainment and home office needs. With 3,000 lumens, a 2,500,000:1 contrast ratio, easy installation features, and Optoma's DuraCore laser light source, the new UHZ55 delivers razor-sharp images and lights-on viewing for all of your home entertainment, gaming, and work-from-home needs.

The UHZ55 boasts four times the standard refresh rate at 240 Hz at 1080p for a smooth and fluid PC gaming experience on par with the fastest gaming monitors, and an ultra-quick 16.9 ms response time in 4K at 60 Hz for next-gen console 4K immersive gaming.

MSI, a leading global computer hardware brand for gamers, creators, and power users, announces the release of its new WiFi 6E adapter, the AXE5400 WiFi USB adapter. A USB interface allows PCs and laptops to quickly and easily connect to a 6 GHz network. Its plug-and-play installation makes it a convenient choice for upgrading network compatibility on existing devices.

Boost up your WiFi speed
The AXE5400 WiFi USB adapter delivers maximum speeds thanks to high-speed transmissions across three different frequency bands - 2402 Mbps on 6 GHz with ultra-wide 160 MHz channels, 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz, and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz.

ASUS today announced the RT-AX57 Go tri-mode travel router, a dual-band model that offers ultra-fast WiFi 6 up to 3,000 Mbps. It provides tri-mode connectivity for travel, work and home, including 4G and 5G mobile tethering, public WiFi mode (WISP), router mode, subscription-free security and multiple VPN features. With support for 160 MHz WiFi channels, RT-AX57 Go can also support up to 70 devices, four times the capacity of previous models.

Frequent travelers often face situations where no WiFi is available. The RT-AX57 Go can provide an easy and secure connection through the mobile hotspot feature that can share WiFi with multiple devices. Travelers may also experience a limit on the number of devices that can connect to hotel or airport WiFi, and expensive connection fees. RT-AX57 Go can help sidestep these hassles by letting users easily set up private WiFi connections anywhere, whether in a hotel room, on a cruise ship, at an airport terminal, or even a recreational vehicle at a camp site.

Zyxel Networks, a leader in delivering secure, AI- and cloud-powered business and home networking solutions, today announced the availability of WBE660S WiFi 7 BE22000 Triple-Radio NebulaFlex Pro Access Point, its first WiFi 7 access point for managed service providers (MSPs) and small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

The enterprise-grade WBE660S features a triple radio BE22000 architecture and utilizes a wider 320 MHz channel to deliver speeds up to five times faster than WiFi 6/6E solutions. WBE660S enhances the user experience by providing seamless, latency-free connectivity to optimize high-bandwidth applications such as video streaming, broadcasting, online gaming, and VR/AR.

Linksys, an iconic Home and Small Office connectivity company, today announces its first WiFi 7 Mesh System home connectivity, Linksys Velop Pro 7. Purpose-built for the most efficient WiFi operating mode to date, the newest Linksys solution delivers incredible streaming, collaboration, and gaming experiences and can be setup in less than 10 minutes.

Linksys' fastest Mesh setup yet that's easy for all
Designed to make home connectivity simple and effortless for anyone, setup time has been reduced by 66% to less than 10 minutes so you can blanket your home with full coverage in less time than it takes to fold a load of laundry.

Just over a month ago, Gigabyte launched a pair of white motherboards for Intel CPUs and now the company has quietly released a pair of white models for AMD CPUs. The two models are the B650 AORUS Elite AX Ice and the B650M AORUS Elite AX Ice, the main difference being the form factor, as the latter is a microATX board. Besides the white PCB, all of the heatsinks are silver/white in colour, although all the connectors on the boards are black, just as with the Intel boards. The rear I/O shield has also been given the white treatment to better fit into a white case.

However, the Ice boards are not identical in terms of specs to their older siblings, as Gigabyte has done a few minor changes that aren't noticeable at first look. Gigabyte has shifted away from using MTK/AMD and Intel WiFi cards and is now using the Realtek RTL8852CE on these new boards. We should mention that Gigabyte are using the RTL8852CE on later revisions of the black versions as well. It's currently unknown when these new boards will be available and how much they'll retail for.

GL.iNet unveiled its latest Wi-Fi 6 AX6000 home router, Flint 2 (GL-MT6000). Designed to fulfill scenarios such as heavy data transfers, hyper hundreds of device connections, and ultra-low latency gaming environments, this device is a modern home and office router capable of
high-performance demanding connectivity.

The Flint 2 is ideal for users with high speed, capacity, and stability requirements. With dual band AX6000, up to 160 MHz bandwidth, 4x4 MU-MIMO support, and eight high-power FEMs. Not only does the Flint 2 extend Wi-Fi coverage to meet the Wi-Fi 6 high-speed, along with the dual 2.5G ports, also allows this device to access 2.5G high-speed broadband with 2.5G intranet transmission capability easily.

Zyxel Communications, an industry-leading provider of secure broadband networking, Internet access and connected home products, announced its latest OpenSync -certified device. Available now, Zyxel's EX7710 will ship pre-integrated with OpenSync. Thanks to the certification, this WiFi 6E 10G Ethernet Gateway is ready for use with Plume Design Inc.'s HomePass and WorkPass service suites and is the industry's first 10G level WorkPass OpenSync-certified product.

OpenSync-certified customer premise equipment (CPE) enhances the connectivity experience for smart home subscribers, offering access to a variety of Plume's award-winning services including adaptive WiFi, robust cyber security, advanced parental controls, and more.

Linksys, an iconic Home and Small Office connectivity company, announces in a statement of direction the new Cognitive Security capability, which will complement the newly released Designer Series through the end of the year. Cognitive Security technology will then be released in the soon-to-be announced Icon Series later this year.

The term "Cognitive" in the technology space refers to "thinking technologies," which can deterministically, either by user selection or automation, solve problems. In Phase 1 of its implementation, Linksys Cognitive Security was developed entirely based on user input and feedback, focusing on saving users time and effort.

NETGEAR, Inc., the leading provider of award-winning connected products designed to simplify and improve people's lives, today introduced the Nighthawk Tri-Band Mesh WiFi 6E System (MK93S), engineered for exceptional mesh WiFi range and performance. The system, consisting of a router and two satellites, delivers 50% improved WiFi performance over the previous model and faster WiFi speeds up to 5.7 Gbps. With the powerful quad-core 1.7 GHz processor and new WiFi 6E tri-band technology, it offers less congestion, ultra-low latency, and more bandwidth.

With the capacity to support up to 100 devices, the MK93S system provides enough bandwidth to connect smart home devices, stream multiple 4K/8K movies, hold important Zoom video calls, monitor security cameras or baby monitors, and compete in online games, all at the same time. And the new compact, elegant design enables it to be placed anywhere around the home to eliminate dead zones, so strong WiFi can be enjoyed even in those typically hard-to-reach areas. The patented antennas amplify the signal for strong, consistent coverage that won't degrade, ultimately providing advanced whole home coverage of up to 7,500 square feet with an integrated, adaptive network that adjusts the connection between the router and satellites for best performance.

Linksys, an iconic Home and Small Office connectivity company, is pleased to announce in a statement of direction its new Designer Series. This collection of connectivity products will become available online and in stores over the next several months, through the end of this year. This most recent addition to the Linksys family of products continues in the tradition of high-tech, innovative connectivity devices for the home, providing top-of-the line service and reliability combined with a fresh design that gives a sophisticated, modern edge and a tasteful new look to the traditional home WiFi router.

"The Designer Series came from two-plus years of research, conversations with our customers and design exploration," said Michael Wick, director of product design at Linksys. "We were asked to evolve Velop. The result is a new design language and color family that seamlessly blends in with home and small office décor around the world. Customers and beta users have confirmed we hit the mark."

Global LiFi technology firms pureLiFi and Fraunhofer HHI welcome the release of IEEE 802.11bb as the latest global light communications standard alongside IEEE 802.11 WiFi standards. The bb standard marks a significant milestone for the LiFi market, as it provides a globally recognised framework for deployment of LiFi technology.

LiFi is a wireless technology that uses light rather than radio frequencies to transmit data. By harnessing the light spectrum, LiFi can unleash faster, more reliable wireless communications with unparalleled security compared to conventional technologies such as WiFi and 5G. The Light Communications 802.11bb Task Group was formed in 2018 chaired by pureLiFi and supported by Fraunhofer HHI, two firms which have been at the forefront of LiFi development efforts. Both organisations aim to see accelerated adoption and interoperability not only between LiFi vendors but also with WiFi technologies as a result of these standardisation efforts.

Linksys, a global innovator in WiFi technology, today announces the latest addition to its WiFi 6E product portfolio - the Linksys Velop Pro 6E, first of its new Designer Series using the "nature inspired" droplet design, along with advanced features that provide the ultimate WiFi 6E experience at an affordable price point.

WiFi 6E offers an extra 6 GHz band connection that helps cut down on interference and improves speeds to your connected devices. Powered by the Qualcomm Immersive Home 316 Platform, the Linksys Velop Pro 6E brings incredible range and coverage with WiFi 6E, enabling users to stream, download, or work with a faster and wider connection, and more devices on their network. Each tri-band node has one 1 Gbps Ethernet LAN port for connecting wired devices to wireless networks. With the latest Linksys Mobile App, the Velop Pro 6E is easily set up in under 10 minutes, and managed remotely with security and other useful features such as guest access, parental controls, and more.

ASUS today announced BR1402 series, the world's first 2-in-1 ruggedized 14-inch laptops aimed at K-12 education—and designed for the need of modern students and hybrid learning. Available in both traditional clamshell form (BR1402C) and a convertible design that flips 360° to become a versatile multitouch tablet (BR1402F), the all-new BR1402-series laptops are built to military-grade standards and packed with clever protective features to help students through their learning journey.

BR1402 series are also loaded with essentials for the demands of hybrid study, enabling education to flow seamlessly from the classroom into the home and beyond. To empower a full day's study, these laptops include up to 10-hour battery life, full-function USB-C, up to WiFi 6 for speedy connectivity and a modular design to ensure easy maintenance and upgrades.

Considering all the buzz around WiFi 7, there weren't many live demos at Computex, but Realtek had a demo running in its suite at the show. Realtek will offer both client and router/AP solutions, with their client product which goes under the RTL8922AE model name, coming in M.2 2230 and 1620 formats, where the latter is a solder down module. To simulate a real world scenario, Realtek was running a second radio to cause some additional interference, but the RTL8922AE test setup was still capable of delivering between 1,750 and 1,950 Mbps, which is almost twice as fast as WiFi 6, using a similar 2x2 antenna setup. This was obviously over a fairly short distance, so the question is how well WiFi 7 will work over longer distances.

The RTL8922AE has a claimed maximum sync speed of 2800 Mbps when connected to the 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands simultaneously and combining the bandwidth of both bands. However, it is limited to a 160 MHz channel bandwidth, whereas WiFi 7 can go up to a 320 MHz wide channel, but it's unclear if competing first gen clients will support this. The RTL8922AE also incorporates support for Bluetooth 5.4 and is as far as we're aware one of the first WiFi chips to support the upcoming standard that mostly focuses on improving BLE Audio and Auracast support. The RTL8922AE should launch sometime in the fourth quarter this year to Realtek's customers, so it might not appear on the market until early 2024.

For those relying on their ISP for their router, Askey might have good news for you, as the company had a pair of WiFi 7 routers destined for ISPs on display at Computex. The first model might see some retail brand, as it's a bog standard WiFi 7 router based on Qualcomm hardware. It sports no less than three radios with a combined data rate of 18.6 Gbps, although broken down per radio, that's 1,376 Mbps on 2.4 GHz, 5,765 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 11,530 Mbps on the 6 GHz band using a 320 MHz wide channel, all radios being 4x4. It also sports a pair of 10 Gbps, one for WAN and one for LAN and an additional three 2.5 Gbps ports. Other features include mesh support, Bluetooth/ZigBee support and remote management for ISPs.

The second model is for ISPs only and is based on a solution as it's using XGSPON to connect towards the internet. It too gets a 10 Gbps WAN side port, but the integrated switch is only Gigabit. The WiFi 7 radios are configured identically to the model above, but Askey has added support for DECT as well as two VoIP ports on this model, requirements that some ISPs have. It's unclear when either device would hit the market, but it's a first sign that WiFi 7 products shouldn't be too far away.

Sony has showed off some new accessories for the Playstation 5 during the PlayStation Showcase event and the most interesting one goes under the internal development name of Project Q. The device is pretty much a dual sense wireless controller that has been split in half and each half has been strapped to either side of an 8-inch HD display. Sony didn't go into much in terms of technical details, beyond that Project Q will have built in WiFi for streaming games from the PS5. The display will support 1920 x 1080 resolution at 60 Hz, which is most likely not what most potential buyers were hoping for.

Sony also showed off a pair of new PS5 branded earbuds, which the company says will be compatible not only with the PS5, but also PCs and other mobile devices, courtesy of Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint support. Sony is also promising some new type of wireless technology here which the company claims will deliver lossless audio that is said to deliver outstanding sound quality and low latency audio. Sony didn't reveal when either device will be available, but promised to release more details "soon".

[Editor's note: Updated with a snippet from the official press release below]

Ultimea, a leading brand in the audio-visual industry, is proud to introduce its latest innovation, the Apollo P40 1080p Native Projector. The main value proposition of this projector is to bring the cinema experience to home. With its outstanding features, this projector promises to provide an unparalleled viewing experience for both home entertainment and professional presentations.

Bring the Cinema Home with Stunning Brightness Uniformity: 80% higher brightness uniformity brings more details on four edges even in the ambient light. Native 1920x1080 pixels, 4K support and hdr delivers clear and sharp pictures without serration. High transflective mirror, premium LCD panel, with fully sealed optics and 6-layer lens improve the brightness to 700 ANSI lumens. Enjoy the home cinema without the hassle of going to the theater.

Back in October of last year, pictures from an ASUS event in China appeared online, showing off a pair of mATX motherboards that had most of its peripheral and power connectors on the reverse side of the motherboard. Now it appears that ASUS has decided to launch such a product, in the shape of the unforgettably named TUF Gaming B760M-BTF WiFi D4. The BTF part in the model name stands Back To (the) Future, although ASUS is most likely not allowed to use that term due to copyright restrictions, so it had to make do with BTF. Regardless of naming, the interesting part here is that all of the power connectors, the four SATA ports, the USB-C and USB 3.0 headers, as well as multiple other headers and one of three M.2 slots, are on the reverse side of the motherboard. This is all done to allow for cleaner cable management.

Other noteworthy features on the board include a single PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, one PCIe 4.0 x4 and one x1 slot, three USB-C ports, of which one is capable of 20 Gbps speeds and 2.5 Gbps Ethernet. As this is a mid-range board, we presume ASUS wants to test the waters so to speak, to make sure there's a market for such a product. However, one major hurdle is the small fact that there aren't any suitable chassis in the market and the product page even mentions that "This motherboard is compatible with specific case models", without going into any details. Presumably, ASUS will offer a suitable chassis, or have some partner(s) lined up that will provide a suitable chassis. Gigabyte announced something similar in May last year, but decided to team up with system integrators, something ASUS might be planning on as well.

Sonos today debuted Sonos Era 300 and Sonos Era 100, the industry leader's next generation of smart speakers ushering in a whole new chapter in sound and design innovation. Era 300 is a bold, revolutionary new speaker built to deliver the best experience for out loud spatial audio with Dolby Atmos, while Era 100 is a remastering of the best-selling Sonos One. Tuned by award-winning artists and engineers, the Era family powers new levels of immersive listening with expanded connectivity and Trueplay technology. Era 300 and Era 100 are also the first speakers built to Sonos' new responsible design standards, which span long-term serviceability, energy-efficient technologies and use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. Both Era 300 ($449 USD) and Era 100 ($249 USD) will be available globally on 28 March 2023.

"In an age of constant background noise, quality listening matters more than ever. Our vision is to make listening an experience that is charged with feeling, and help our customers feel joy and vitality through their favourite music and audio content", said Patrick Spence, CEO of Sonos. "The Era family is the next generation of smart speakers, epitomising our commitment to sound innovation, responsible design and a deep connection to the creator community."

Dynamic smart projector brand, Emotn, a sub-brand of Dangbei, is thrilled to announce the launch of its first and latest Netflix officially licensed projector in Europe, the Emotn N1. Packed with native 1080p full HD clarity, 500 ANSI Lumens and a maximum projection size of 120 inches, the Emotn N1 instantly enters the extensive Netflix library after booting and presents its rich content in a crisp, clear and vibrant way. Combined with Dolby Audio and dual 5 W speakers, the Emotn N1's excellent picture and sound quality makes viewers feel as if they've stepped inside the movie.

Officially licensed by Netflix, the Emotn N1 offers new ideas and viewing locations for easier, clearer, enjoyable viewing of Netflix films, TV shows and more. The Emotn N1 transports users to Netflix immediately upon power-on, exposing them to a world of their favorite content. Unlike watching Netflix on smartphones and tablets, the Emotn N1 gives users the freedom to choose from a large screen size of 60" to 120". Different from watching on a normal TV, the dedicated light, rich color and crystal sound of the Emotn N1 provide viewers with more immersion and a cozy vibe. The Emotn N1 comes with a remote control that features hotkeys for the three main video services - Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube - allowing consumers to access their go-to apps with a single press.

Nokia has today launched the Beacon 10, its first gateway supporting Wi-Fi 6E to provide seamless, high-capacity mesh networking. The Beacon 10 is a true tri-band device which can provide Wi-Fi throughput of 10 Gbps. It includes a 10G WAN interface to pair with 10 Gb/second fiber modems for multi-gigabit services to the home. The new gateway is shown for the first time at Mobile World Congress, Barcelona.

Widespread roll-out of 10G fiber powered by XGS-PON requires upgrades to home and business Wi-Fi to deliver super high speeds to enabled devices. The 'E' in Wi-Fi 6E means faster speeds and lower latencies, ideal for the latest office applications, home entertainment and home working experiences.

Dynamic smart projector brand, Emotn, is thrilled to announce the launch of its first and latest Netflix officially licensed projector, the Emotn N1. Packed with native 1080P full HD clarity, 500 ANSI Lumens and a maximum projection size of 120 inches, the Emotn N1 instantly enters the extensive Netflix library after booting and presents its rich content in a crisp, clear and vibrant way. Combined with Dolby Audio and dual 5 W speakers, the Emotn N1's excellent picture and sound quality makes viewers feel as if they've stepped inside the movie. The Emotn N1 is now available at the price of $399.99 on Amazon US. To celebrate the launch, Emotn is offering a $50 discount coupon.

Officially licensed by Netflix, the Emotn N1 offers new ideas and viewing locations for easier and clearer enjoyable viewing of Netflix films, TV shows, award-winning originals and more. The Emotn N1 transports users to Netflix immediately upon power-on, exposing them to a world of their favorite content. Unlike watching Netflix on smartphones and tablets, the Emotn N1 gives users the freedom to choose from a large screen size of 60" to 120". Different to watching on a normal TV, the dedicated light, rich color and crystal sound of the Emotn N1 provide viewers with more immersion and a cozy vibe. The Emotn N1 comes with a remote control that features hotkeys for the three main video services - Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube - allowing consumers to access their go-to apps with a single press. From films to educational documentaries geared for kids, from anime to TV shows, there's something for everyone.