By: Edward Jackson (Editor in Chief)

IDT’s FlatNoise Technology Provides a Virtually Flat Noise Figure as Gain is Reduced, Improving QoS and Easing Data Converter SNR Requirements to Reduce System Cost

Integrated Device Technology, Inc. (IDT), the Analog and Digital Company delivering essential mixed-signal semiconductor solutions, today announced the industry’s first FlatNoise dual intermediate frequency (IF) variable gain amplifier (VGA) for multi-mode 2G/3G/4G wireless base station transceivers. IDT’s devices offer the industry’s best noise figure (4 dB) for maximum gain and virtually no degradation when gain is reduced, improving quality-of-service (QoS) and easing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) requirements of the downstream data converter to reduce system cost.

The IDT F1240 and F1241 are dual-channel digitally-controlled IF VGAs featuring IDT’s FlatNoise technology. This new technology virtually eliminates noise figure degradation for the critical top 13 dB section of a wide 31 dB gain control range – a stark contrast to other IF VGAs which typically exhibit a dB for dB degradation in noise figure as gain is reduced. FlatNoise eases the SNR requirements of the system’s data converter, enabling customers to improve signal quality and use a more cost-effective, lower-resolution data converter. For many applications, this allows the customer to downgrade from a 14-bit data converter to a 12-bit data converter with comparable system SNR.

“Our new FlatNoise RF products bring tremendous value to the application and complement IDT’s leading timing and RapidIO solutions for base station designs,” said Tom Sparkman, vice president and general manager of the Communications Division at IDT. “The F1240 and F1241 feature the industry’s best noise figure and lowest power consumption, and join our previously announced F1200 as the industry’s first products to offer FlatNoise technology. By improving the signal quality at the VGA, we essentially make it easier for downstream devices to operate. This gives system designers flexibility to use a more cost-effective data converter; for example, using a 12-bit device instead of a 14-bit device.”

IDT’s new IF VGAs feature extremely low distortion (OIP3 = +49 dBm), allowing for higher front-end gain, improving the receiver’s sensitivity and resulting in additional QoS enhancement. The devices operate over a 10 MHz to 500 MHz frequency range with a typical maximum gain of 20 dB and offer the industry’s lowest power consumption (80 mA per channel). In addition, the IF VGAs are extremely accurate, with a gain step error of only 0.04 dB, improving the system SNR performance even further. A parallel or serial communication interface provides control of a 6-bit (0.5dB: F1240) or 5-bit (1.0 dB: F1241) resolution, giving designers maximum flexibility.

By: Tony Novoa (Contributing Editor)

Staff Note: Don’t forget about our ongoing contests and prize giveaways such as Jenna’s Holiday Extravaganza, upcoming Apple MacBook Air and exciting passes to exclusive events! Our contests are ONLY eligible to our fans & subscribers so don’t forget to sign up.  We send you a copy of each new post and giveaway announcement via email. No more, no less, zero spam! That’s a promise! We’re always doing contest giveaways every month so it pays to be  on the list.

MyRealityTech & NEC Representing At CES

At MyRealityTech, we are looking forward to CES and having our very own Foster Scott & Brittney Wilson represent us and press some flesh while they learn about all the latest and greatest in consumer technology.

There is so much to see at CES that 3 days probably won’t do it justice.  One of the vendors we will be making sure to check out this year will be NEC.  Evidently, they are entering the Android tablet market with a dual screen tablet computer which they will be featuring at the January International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Word has it that the new tablet will be based on the LifeTouch model that NEC recently showed off in Tokyo last month. While that device had a single 7-inch touch screen with its focus as an access device for cloud-based services, the new tablet will feature 2 7 inch screens.  This will enable users to view different information on each screen and will also have the ability to connect via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G cellular.

Here’s a video of the single screen model to give you an idea of it’s functionality:

Oh, The Possibilities

NEC will plan to offer the new tablet to consumers by way of service providers that will bundle their online service with the device.  As for where you can expect to see the device… think healthcare, logistics, e-books… the possibilities are really very vast.  Just think about how a single screen device like the iPad has been widely adopted.  Well, imagine being able to view a full screen movie or TV show while you’re surfing the web.  Ahhh… the joys of multi-tasking!

But lest you think that’s all NEC is up to, how about an Android netbook with a physical keyboard? NEC will also be launching that at the show.  Sounds like good stuff.  We’re sure that Foster and Brittney will bring back lots of pictures and cool videos so stay tuned!

The International Consumer Electronics Show will take place from January 6 to 9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Learn more about NEC

Tell us what you think about NEC’s new Android-based dual screen tablet device.  Do you think it has a chance in this competitive tablet market?  You know that we always love to hear from you.

And don’t forget, we will be announcing details on the MacBook Air giveaway very soon. In order to avoid any conflict with our current giveaways such as the Dyson Ball and the Jenna’s Holiday Extravaganza (10 great gadgets in 1 giveaway!), we are planning to award the MacBook Airs toward the end of the Holiday Season. Details will soon be announced. For now, you may want to get a head start and follow @MyRealityTech on Twitter and “like” us on Facebook if you have not already done so. As with all our other contests, a substantial number of prizes will be awarded via these two avenues, so it always pays to follow us!

by: Bill Armstrong (Senior Editor)

We all love our smart phones, especially when we have coverage. There are few things in life more irritating than not getting a signal in your own home. I speak from experience. I once lived in an apartment that blocked all signal, unless I sat on the kitchen counter and leaned towards the window. Not the most ideal situation, but still better than going outside in the winter to make a call or update your Facebook.

I’m not alone. Many of us live in buildings or in geographical areas that limit wireless coverage. But now, if you happen to live in one of these areas, and happen to be a Verizon Wireless customer, you are in luck. Verizon Wireless has released its 3G Network extender. A mere $250 dollars gets you your own Verizon mini cell tower in your home. Good for up to 6 devices, it boots the 3G coverage in your hard to reach location.

A good way for Verizon to squeeze more money out of its customers living on the edge of coverage zones, and helps prevent them from having to actually put up more towers and increase their coverage. This handy gadget comes just in time for the upcoming iPhone release that VZW customers have been waiting two and a half years for. Check out the press release below, and if you want to learn more, be sure to hit up the Verizon Wireless website.

via Geek.com

EXPAND YOUR 3G NETWORK: VERIZON WIRELESS 3G NETWORK EXTENDER NOW AVAILABLE

Newest In-Home Device By Samsung Enhances Both Calling & Data Capabilities

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – The power to enhance wireless voice and data coverage at home is in customers’ hands with the launch of the Verizon Wireless 3G NetworkExtender.

Beginning today, customers who live in homes where location, geography or structural conditions interfere with reception can use the Verizon Wireless 3G Network Extender to instantly enhance the signal on their Verizon Wireless phones and smartphones. Now, with the new Verizon Wireless 3G Network Extender, customers can not only make calls and send text and picture messages, they can also download apps, browse the Web, send e-mails, download and play 3D games, and stream video using their home Internet connection.

Ideal for those customers who want to use their wireless devices in homes with structural barriers or homes located in remote, mountainous or hilly areas, the Verizon Wireless 3G Network Extender is easy to set up and can provide coverage within 40 feet of the Network Extender device.

The Verizon Wireless 3G Network Extender, a “mini-cell site” manufactured by Samsung Mobile, is about the size of a wireless router box or woman’s purse and routes Verizon Wireless calls through the customer’s home broadband Internet connection. Up to six Verizon Wireless customers can use their phones and monthly plans to place calls and access data using the Verizon Wireless 3G Network Extender. Customers can also use My Verizon (www.verizonwireless.com/myverizon) to set up a list of preferred users who will have access to their Network Extender. Customers do not need to update their plans or add minutes and will incur no additional monthly charges for using the Verizon Wireless 3G Network Extender.

The Verizon Wireless 3G Network Extender replaces the original Verizon Wireless Network Extender, which was introduced in 2009. The Verizon Wireless 3G Network Extender can be purchased online at www.verizonwireless.com or by calling 1-800-256-4646. The price is $249.99 plus local taxes. For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com/networkextender.

By: Edward Jackson (Senior Editor)

New carrier is unlikely to turn back the Android tide, but should make Apple a tidy sum of cash.

Since the launch of the iPhone one critical factor has remained constant.  In the smartphone’s biggest market — the United States — the iPhone was sold exclusively on AT&T.  But that’s about to change. The Wall Street Journal claims that multiple sources brief by Apple have said that a CDMA iPhone will land early next year on Verizon’s network.  CDMA is Verizon’s 3G tech of choice.  Sprint also uses CDMA, while T-Mobile and AT&T utilize GSM, a rival standard.

The iPhone undeniably helped AT&T hang on to its second place spot in the U.S.  However, many customers — particularly in 2007 and 2008 — were disgruntled about AT&T’s poor voice network.  While AT&T has made a concerted effort to improve, the experience has still left a bitter taste in many’s mouth, and many still hold a negative opinion about the carrier’s quality of service.

Meanwhile the iPhone is struggling to stave off dozens of handsets sporting Google’s Android operating system which have flooded the U.S. market.  Android has already passed the iPhone in U.S. sales and analysts generally believe that it is only a matter of time before it does the same worldwide.  More worrisome for Apple, interest in the iPhone is also dropping. A shift to Verizon, the nation’s largest carrier, could help Apple somewhat with both problems. According to James Ratcliffe at Barclays Capital, a Verizon iPhone would grow the carrier’s subscriber base by 900,000 in 2011 and sell 9 million iPhones in total (most sales going to existing customers).  Hudson Square Research, on the other hand, believes that Verizon could gain even more new subscribers, estimating that 4 million iPhone users would switch from AT&T — roughly 18 percent of AT&T’s iPhone subscriber base.

Verizon Communications Inc. President Lowell McAdam refused to confirm or deny the rumors of an Apple deal, stating, “At some point our business interests are going to align.  I fully expect it, but I don’t have anything to say.” The report offers a lot of compelling details to support its claims that the Verizon iPhone is real.  It claims that Pegatron Technology Corp., a contract manufacturer subsidiary of Taiwanese electronics giant Asustek Computer Inc. won the contract to produce the phone.  And reportedly Qualcomm is providing the CDMA chipset for the new phone, though the form factor will stay the same.

A Verizon iPhone was already prophesied earlier this year by Bloomberg, which says the phone will land in January (coinciding with one of Apple’s typical product launch times).  However, one of the sources briefed by Apple told The Wall Street Journal offers a new piece of information — Apple is also working on a different form factor of its popular device. If it truly exists, the real question is whether this form factor is bigger or smaller than the existing iPhone. A likely scenario seems a smaller candy-bar like phone, similar to the iPod Nano 5G. The need for a Verizon iPhone is illustrated most clearly by subscriber numbers.  According to market researchers at Comscore, in August 2009 there were only 866,000 Android smartphones, compared to 7.8 million iPhones in the U.S.  In August 2010 Android had exploded to 10.9 million phones, while Apple managed an impressive, but lesser growth to 13.5 million handsets.

Ultimately despite the “danger” of getting passed by Android, the release of a Verizon iPhone may be more about bumping up profit and less about staving off its competitor.  After all, Apple currently has only 2.8 percent market share in the global phone market, but it makes 39 percent of its profits thanks to its ability to move less-than-premium hardware at premium prices and its aggressive negotiation of supply deals.  Android eventually passing Apple seems inevitable, even if Apple does launch a Verizon iPhone, but the new phone could send the already profitable company soaring to new heights in profitability.

Did you know MRT has a YouTube Channel?  We will be adding more video on a regular basis, and yes, we will be running a ton of giveaways exclusively though our Youtube channel so subscribe! http://www.youtube.com/myrealitytech 

Plus you can always follow us on Twitter and Facebook too.

By: Edward Jackson (Senior Editor)

• Nation’s First Pay-As-You-Go 4G Mobile Broadband Service
• Unlimited Usage for Just $5/day, $20/week, $50/month
• Redefines “Friends with Benefits” with Rover Puck
• Rover Stick Available for Those With Commitment Issues

Clearwire Corporation today unveiled Rover: the nation’s first pay-as-you-go 4G mobile broadband service for tech-savvy Gen Y customers. The Rover brand is designed for digitally addicted youth who refuse to settle for long-term contracts, overpriced internet service, or speeds slower than what they’ve become accustomed to at home.

Rover is available in all of Clearwire’s 49 4G markets across the U.S. at rover.com. Rover is also available at CLEAR stores, Best Buy stores and select independent wireless dealers in Houston and St. Louis.

“Simple, commitment-free wireless services are wildly popular with the Gen Y crowd, and Rover provides them with the first pay-as-you-go unlimited mobile internet offering at 4G speeds,” said Mike Sievert, chief commercial officer for Clearwire. “We’ve built Rover from the ground up with products, pricing and features designed specifically to serve a younger market who knows how you get connected is just as important as where. Expanding our offers to meet this underserved segment is an important new business opportunity for Clearwire as we continue to extend our leadership in mobile broadband.”

“The opportunity for pay-as-you-go mobile broadband should not be underestimated,” said Carrie MacGillvray, program manager and wireless analyst at IDC. “Prepaid – or pay-as-you-go – data provides an option for consumers to experiment with the power of mobile broadband without being saddled with a two-year commitment. A prepaid mobile broadband service can offer consumers the ability to access and share Internet service, at home or on the go, in an affordable way.”

PUCKS AND STICKS 

Friends with Benefits:

Rover’s flagship device is the Rover Puck: an ergonomically designed portable Wi-Fi hotspot that lets you share broadband access, or “Puck”, with up to eight devices at home, out on the town or nearly anywhere the feeling strikes you. The Rover Puck can easily slip into a purse or backpack and serve as an on-the-go broadband access point for devices such as laptops, netbooks, the iPad, the iPod touch, smartphones, PSP systems, game consoles, and Wi-Fi enabled digital cameras, among others. Users have the option to connect up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously.

The Rover Puck features mobile download speeds of three to six mbps, with bursts over 10 mbps (up to 4x faster than conventional 3G), using Clearwire’s 4G network. The Rover Puck is available today for $149.99 (plus tax).

Going Solo:

The Rover Stick is a personal 4G USB modem that connects any notebook, laptop or desktop to the Rover 4G Service. The Rover Stick is compatible with MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops using Mac OS X, as well as netbooks and notebooks running Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. Offering the same super-fast internet speed as the Rover Puck, the Rover Stick is available today for $99.99 (plus tax).

No Commitment Issues:

New users receive two free days of service to ensure Rover’s metro-focused 4G coverage fits their mobile lifestyle. Rover has a 14-day no-hassle return policy for any device purchases made on rover.com or in CLEAR stores.

Rover is priced at $5/day, $20/week, or $50/month for unlimited 4G internet usage. Depending on the retail channel, customers will be able to purchase a Rover Re-Up PIN code or physical Rover Re-Up card in $20 or $50 denominations. Rover Re-Up is available online at rover.com, at all retail outlets carrying the Rover Puck or Rover Stick, as well as at Rover Re-Up specific retail locations. Rover does not require a credit card to activate service and is designed to bring broadband internet to a new audience.

GENERATION Y:

The Rover brand is designed for a demographic that has grown up in a wireless world. They manage their life through the internet, and their devices signify status. Rover provides products and service to meet their need for all things internet.

“Rover’s target audience has never known life without internet. They love their devices and they want as much speed and capacity as possible, without the limits and commitments of most mobile options,” said Seth Cummings, GM, Rover. “Rover offers iconic devices along with straight-forward pricing, and plans where unlimited truly means unlimited. It is not in Rover’s DNA to be constraining, confusing or complex.”

Detailed coverage maps of service availability can be found at www.rover.com/coverage.

By: Edward Jackson (Senior Editor)

With all our giveaways, it’s tough to decide which ones are worth doing. So, we need your help! Rate the stars on this article and comment below on whether we should do a giveaway for this device. If we get to 200 comments and ratings, we’ll do a review & giveaway! Also, one of the commenters/raters will win one!

Orders for the Dell Streak Tablet open up for U.S. priority pre-sale registrants at www.dell.com/mobile this Thursday, August 12. General availability follows a day later at www.dell.com/mobile.

The Dell Streak is available for $299.99 with new two-year AT&T contract^†, and $549.99 without. Customers who purchase the Streak, and signed up during the pre-sale program, will receive a free second-day shipping upgrade. Customers who redeem their pre-sale coupon can purchase a Plantronics Bluetooth earpiece for 99 cents while supplies last.

HITTING A SWEET SPOT

The Dell Streak, a carbon black Android-based tablet with a 5-inch display, is designed to provide an excellent “on-the-go” entertainment, social connection, and navigation experience. The spacious 5-inch screen is ideal for experiencing thousands of Android Market widgets, games and applications, all without squinting or compromising portability. Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth capability and available 3G connectivity brings easy access for downloading and listening to music, updating social networking status in real-time, and staying connected to friends and family through e-mail, text, IM, and voice calls.

On-the-go students, mobile professionals, and active families will find Streak’s web-browsing capabilities as natural as a laptop. The 5-inch screen is large enough to present Web pages in their natural form, create a comfortable viewing experience, and make turn-by-turn navigation simple. The Dell Streak is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon solution with integrated 1GHz processor to combine basic functionality and benefits of a laptop in a pocket friendly size.

The Dell Streak was designed with the future in mind to support future software, application and platform upgrades.

QUOTE:

“The Dell Streak has found a way to fit your whole world in a 5-inch screen. Its unique size will help people discover new ways to enjoy the web, connect with friends, and navigate their lives.” – Ron Garriques, president, Dell Communication Solutions.

DELL STREAK FEATURES:

• Integrated Google Maps with turn-by-turn navigation, street and satellite views
• A full screen browsing experience with a 5-inch capacitive multi-touch WVGA display
• Easily integrated social media apps: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube
• High resolution 5 MP camera, VGA front facing camera, removable battery, built-in Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth connectivity options
• 2GB* of internal storage provides plenty of space to access and download Google Android Market’s many options
• Packaged with cushions made from 100 percent sustainable, compostable bamboo

DELL STREAK SPECIFICATIONS:

• Android platform complete with Android Market and Dell user interface enhancements
• Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon solution with integrated 1GHz processor
• 3G + Wi-Fi + Bluetooth
• UMTS / GPRS / EDGE class 12 GSM radio with link speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps
• 5 MP Autofocus camera with dual LED flash. Easily point, shoot, and upload to YouTube, Flickr, Facebook and more
• User accessible Micro SD expandable memory available up to 32GB*. Store up to 42 movies* or 32,000 photos*, or 16,000 songs* with a 32GB* Micro SD upgrade

By: Nate Nelson (Contributing Writer)

Earlier this week Apple announced the official first day of what could be the next major electronics revolution: April 3, 2010. That is when the Wi-Fi version of their much anticipated iPad (also known as: “the iPad for people too impatient to wait for the more sensible 3G configuration”) is slated for release. The 3G compatible version will arrive later in April.

The Wi-Fi iPad will start at for $499 for the bare bones device with smallest hard drive capacity (16GB). The Wi-Fi + 3G iPad with the largest hard drive (64GB) will run $829. All other combinations will fall somewhere in-between. Apple will begin pre-selling on their website starting March 12 for U.S. customers (sorry international fans), and questions have already been raised about how many devices they will be able to deliver at launch. It could be a critically uncomfortable first few days for the lords of technology in Cupertino, California.

The revised release date is a few days past their original announced target, and some industry observers are speculating that Apple will still need some luck to reach the new goal. However, that did not seem to scare investors, who sent the stock up significantly on the heels of the revision.

The sunny news about Apple’s next major gadget could have only added to the current scrambling from rival manufacturers. The market might see as many as 50 competing products worldwide this year according to ARM, a mobile microprocessor company. Among the major players and devices are the HP Slate (once a rumored name for the iPad), the dual screen Microsoft Courier, and the tentatively-titled Dell Mini 5.

HP is already positioning their Slate against the iPad by advertising the device’s Flash capability, the lack of which has been an early criticism of the Apple device. The iPad OS is also reported to not allow multi-tasking or running multiple programs simultaneously, which makes that a likely competitive target for other manufacturers.

Based on early reports, Apple’s vision for mobile computing seems to be more simplistic from traditional tablets, and it will remain to be seen whether that style can catch on. However, tablet PCs have not been popular in the past, in part because of their clunky operating systems and input methods. It could be that Apple will do for the tablet what the iPhone did for the mobile phone, which was essentially give the entire industry a different perspective to follow and emulate. Given their track record and popularity with the cool crowds, it is probably best to not bet against Apple.

With anticipation beginning to reach critical mass, the iPad seems positioned for either absolute success or absolute failure, without middle ground. If the iPad takes a critical beating and is not overwhelmingly popular with Apple Fanboys/Fangirls (like the underwhelming release of the Apple TV in 2007), it could spell trouble with the shareholders.

So who want’s an iPad and why? Sound off on the comments section below and keep an eye on MyRealityTech in the very near future as we provide a genuine look at each of the much buzzed about iPad. Seeing that virtually every review is a giveaway here at MRT…who knows, one very lucky commenter may just get one!

(via WSJ.com, Wired)