18/11-09   -   Press releases

An Xbox is for life - Not just for the kids at Christmas

Games consoles and applications have long been a top Christmas present with teenagers and young adults who want to master the likes of Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto with their friends over the Internet. But new developments from Microsoft and the BBC in the UK launched in the run up to Christmas, will turn these consoles from ´gamers´ toy, to ´all-in-one´ home-entertainment devices for games, films, music and social networking.

Jorge Blasco, President and CEO, DS2, a leading innovator and global supplier of high-speed powerline communications technology, argues that while Internet users like the idea of being able to do everything on a single device, they will be sorely dissappointed with their Christmas presents if they don´t have a fast and reliable connection. Powerline adapters are a cost-effective, ´plug-and-play´ option to ensure speeds of up to 200Mbps!

In the run up to Christmas, Microsoft plans to launch state-of-the-art features on its Xbox Live online service, which will enable users to stream music and download high-definition movies from selected partners, as well as easily access Facebook and Twitter. In addition, the BBC recently announced that it will be given its own dedicated iPlayer channel on the Wii, that will enable families to access the channel when it goes live today.

December 25th 2009 will undoubtedly see another huge surge of devices accessing the Internet, with Xboxes, Wiis and PS3s being gifted this Christmas. While these new features highlight the fantastic technology now available, it is useless without a reliable, high-speed connection. Powerline Communication technology (PLC) enables the creation of a fast, reliable and secure home network anywhere in the home, without the need for installing expensive new wires or having to limit the amount of applications. This makes it a more competitive solution to the connectivity problem than that of other wired solutions or wireless technologies.

Jorge Blasco explains: "PLC offers consumers the best of wired and wireless connections because it provides a fast, reliable and secure connection, anywhere in their home. Since transmissions are sent over a wired medium, lower latencies can be achieved which is a huge benefit for real-time streaming applications.

"Using PLC, the broadband connection is fed through a powerline adapter, which can be plugged into any socket in the house. By doing this, all the remaining sockets in the house automatically become an interface to the home network. Every electrical point in the home is able to pick up a video stream, digital audio, digital data or a live Internet connection, instantly and without interruptions. By simply connecting a pair of adapters to any existing socket in the house, a home network is created in a matter of seconds. This means that an all-in-one device can be used by kids to play games online in their bedroom, parents can stream music to the kitchen or couples can use it to watch HD video in the living room, because fast data transfer rates of up to 200Mbps are available in any room - and all through a single console."