Sharing made simple
Vodafone has launched a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) certified mobile Wi-Fi device called the R201, to let five Wi-Fi-friendly machines simultaneously share digital content and access the internet.
Heralding the gadget as ‘the first of its kind,' Vodafone said the R201 comes with embedded DLNA software, letting customers view their music, videos and photos across all DLNA compatible devices such as laptops, mobile phones, games consoles, TVs and radios.
The gadget will now fight it out with a handul of existing Mi-Fi services without DLNA technology. Vodafone's offering also includes Digital Rights Management (DRM) to ensure digital content is protected from unauthorised copying.
While the R201 will only work with DLNA-friendly devices, it also uses the Twonky app for digital video sharing.
Vodafone expects the device will particularly appeal to small and home offices as it can be used to map network drives and share files on the move. Embedded Samba Software also allows the R201 to be used as a mini Linux server after a SD memory card of up to 32GB is inserted so users can store and access their media via compatible devices.
Available ‘in various countries' before the close of 2010, the R201 boasts an on-board display to show connectivity information, battery and signal strength plus the number of active connected devices. It is reportedly already on sale in the UK on a £25 per month plan, which throws in 5GB of data.
