Code in OS X 10.8.4 Suggests Future Macs Will Offer 802.11ac Gigabit Wi-Fi Support

Code within the latest 10.8.4 beta release of OS X confirms that 802.11ac 5G "Gigabit Wi-Fi" support, which is not offered in OS X 10.8.3, will be offered on Apple's next generation Macs, reports 9to5Mac.

In January, Apple reportedly signed a deal with wireless chip firm Broadcom to bring the high-speed wireless access to its future Mac lineup. 

802.11ac offers triple the speeds that are available with the current 802.11n standard, supporting up to 450 Mbps on one antenna and up to 1.3 Gbps when used with three antennas. The speed boost allows for quicker file transfers between home computers. 

A report from Digitimes earlier today suggests that Apple might be refreshing its notebook lineup near the end of the second quarter, which may translate to an introduction at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

[Source: MacRumors]

iOS 6's "Wi-Fi + Cellular" option will solve some network conundrums

DownloadBlog's Jeff Benjamin has taken a look at the new "Wi-Fi + Cellular" option that will be in iOS 6. On the surface, the concept is brilliant. If you encounter issues with your Wi-Fi connection, iOS 6 automatically will tap your data plan as a back-up until you're back on the Wi-Fi successfully.

This scenario can occur you've made a Wi-Fi connection and it turns out to be pretty bad. The connection to the router is solid, but the Internet itself is pretty horrid -- case in point, most hotel rooms I've stayed in the past couple of years. Benjamin cites cases where you're making the transition between a place with Wi-Fi, such as your home or a coffee shop, and places without. There's a middle ground where you're barely hanging onto a Wi-Fi connection.

There are restrictions to this, for the frugally minded. You can't be downloading an app that's bigger than 50 MB, be using a third-party browser or an app that streams audio or video content. Benjamin managed to get FaceTime working using Wi-Fi + Cellular, but receiving a call forced the app to hang.

Most people will not notice any sort of change to data consumption, but you can toggle the option off if you're worried about hitting a data cap. While we don't know if Apple will have this option on by default, it won't hurt to make sure once iOS 6 is live.

[Source: TUAW]

Sony NEX-5R and NEX-6 mirrorless cameras with Wi-Fi rumored for September launch

Sony's Q1 financial results made for predictably depressing reading yesterday, but one of the few positives was the imaging division's strong performance boosted by sales of interchangeable lens cameras. The popular mirrorless NEX range is at the forefront of Sony's drive to become a major photography player, so it's no surprise to hear word of new models coming up soon — the often reliable Sony Alpha Rumors says that the NEX-5R and NEX-6 are both set to be announced in September ahead of Photokina.

The NEX-5R is reportedly a follow-up to the excellent NEX-5N that uses a similar 180-degree tilting screen to the recent NEX-F3, while the NEX-6 is said to be a cut-price alternative to the high-end NEX-7 with a lower resolution electronic viewfinder. Both cameras will apparently feature Wi-Fi support, too, something we're slowly starting to see make the jump from compacts to more advanced models. Finally, for existing NEX owners not looking for new bodies, it looks like we'll see three new E-mount lenses appear at around the same time — 11-18mm and 16-50mm pancake zooms and a "fast prime" of unspecified nature.

[Source: The Verge]

O2 offering free WiFi around London's busiest streets

O2 is making good on its promise to coat the busiest parts of London in free WiFi. Between now and the end of July, seven locations including Oxford Street, Regent Street, Exhibition Road, Leicester and Piccadilly Squares will offer unfettered access -- even if you don't subscribe to O2's cellphone network. There's no word on if the network will remain free forever, but given the painful time we spent crouching in Starbucks doorways on recent trips to New York and Paris, we hope the company does the right thing for the sake of harassed visitors to the capital.

[Source: Engadget]