It’s certainly interesting to see how network routers are evolving. No longer relegated to being hidden away in a corner or underneath some piece of furniture, network routers are increasingly seeing more visibility thanks to the integration of new features. An example of this is the new Planex MZK-WDPR “Rugby” wireless network router which yes, is indeed shaped like a rugby ball – go figure.

Right from the get-go, you can tell the MZK-WDPR isn’t your typical wireless router. This device was designed to be seen thanks to the built-in 3.5 inch touch-screen display. Additional features on the MZK-WDPR include digital photo frame functionality, a built-in FM radio, Internet radio capabilities, a built-in MP3 player and even support for Internet services such as YouTube. The device has 2GB of internal memory and features two 1.5 watt stereo speakers.

The MZK-WDPR is priced at 24,800 yen. Hopefully we’ll see more convergence devices like this in the near future.

[Check it out via Akihabara News]

Technorati Tags: Planex MZK-WDPR Rugby

Above is the “world’s smallest 300 Mbps Wireless N Travel Router Kit” (model TEW-654TR) from the folks at TRENDnet. Bring this unit with you and share a single Internet connection with multiple users at the same time. The unit measures a mere 2.5 x 3.25 x 0.75 inches and features:

• Reset button
• Power port
• One 10/100 Mbps Ethernet port
• LED display for power and link status
• Access Point and Access Point Client modes
• MIMO antenna technology
• One-touch Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)
• 802.11 b/g/n (draft 2.0)
• NAT and SPI support
• Wireless encryption includes 64/128-bit WEP, WPA/WPA2-RADIUS and WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK
• Supports full duplex 802.3x flow control
• Multiple VPN pass-through sessions for IPSec and PPTP

The 300 Mbps Wireless N Travel Router Kit will be available in North America for $75 dollars.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: TRENDnet 300Mbps Wireless N Travel Router Kit TEW-654TR