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Why is this device any better than just bridging your ethernet to your wireless peer network?

It doesn't require a PC or Mac, needs no drivers, and so can provide connectivity to devices such as Audrey, ReplayTV, TiVO, Xbox with network connector, or playstation2 with network connector.

I think it's closer to the Airpad since that uses USB power, except that this new device doesn't require a computer so it plugs directly into the ethernet port and allows any number of devices to connect to it -- none of which need be PC or Mac computers, and so no drivers are required.

Examples of such devices include Audrey [audreyhacking.com], ReplayTV [digitalnetworksna.com], TiVO [tivo.com], Xbox with network connector [xbox.com], or playstation2 with network connector [playstation2.com] just to list a few.

Slashdot ate half my post, 503 errors suck, here's the full post

Your post confuses me. I read your (broken) link (HTML isn't hard -- try it!) and it seems that "any number" is, well, one. And, unless you mean drivers (which the Airpad requires, but the new D-Link device does not,) I don't understand what software has to do with it.

Most importantly, the product you linked to requires a computer to be connected to the ethernet port, upon which drivers muct be installed, and into which the Airpad connects to allow other computers to share said connection.

In contrast, the new D-Link device plugs directly into the ethernet port and seems to allow any number of (and I do mean more than one!) devices to connect to it -- none of which need be PC or Mac computers, and so no drivers are required. Examples of such devices include Audrey, ReplayTV, TiVO, Xbox with network connector, or playstation2 with network connector just to name (and link) a few.

Maybe it's just me, but given the wording of your post, I expected more than one. I suppose "one" is "any number," but I think that's phrase is usually reserved for cases where there are several. I also expected an equivalent device (hint: USB-power isn't the main feature) which the device you mentioned is not.

And, since the Airpad costs $92 and requires a computer (PC or Mac only,) and the D-link device is $99 with no computer required I can think of (and link to) any number of possible devices for which this new product may have applications where the Airpad can't work.

My current addictions are:

• Grand Theft Auto III for PS2
  Combining racing, shooting, dark humor and wonton viloence in one game. Plus, you get to be the bad guy for once :).
• Tekken Tag Tournament for PS2
  Practice at home to play Tekken 4 in arcades and provide maximum pain to my adversaries.
• Final Fantasy X for PS2
  Ooooo... pretty...
• Yahoo! Eucher
  No one else in my family plays, so I play with complete strangers.
• Unreal Tournament on PC
  Team Deathmatch and Domination with 3+ teams is good. Mods like Jailbreak and FragBall are also highly time-consuming.
• Diamond Mine
  Great little Shockwave game. I play this constantly at work :)

Wow, looking at the list, it's amazing that I'm bored all the time...

My current addictions are:

• Grand Theft Auto III for PS2
  Combining racing, shooting, dark humor and wonton viloence in one game. Plus, you get to be the bad guy for once :).
• Tekken Tag Tournament for PS2
  Practice at home to play Tekken 4 in arcades and provide maximum pain to my adversaries.
• Final Fantasy X for PS2
  Ooooo... pretty...
• Yahoo! Eucher
  No one else in my family plays, so I play with complete strangers.
• Unreal Tournament on PC
  Team Deathmatch and Domination with 3+ teams is good. Mods like Jailbreak and FragBall are also highly time-consuming.
• Diamond Mine
  Great little Shockwave game. I play this constantly at work :)

Wow, looking at the list, it's amazing that I'm bored all the time...

My current addictions are:

• Grand Theft Auto III for PS2
  Combining racing, shooting, dark humor and wonton viloence in one game. Plus, you get to be the bad guy for once :).
• Tekken Tag Tournament for PS2
  Practice at home to play Tekken 4 in arcades and provide maximum pain to my adversaries.
• Final Fantasy X for PS2
  Ooooo... pretty...
• Yahoo! Eucher
  No one else in my family plays, so I play with complete strangers.
• Unreal Tournament on PC
  Team Deathmatch and Domination with 3+ teams is good. Mods like Jailbreak and FragBall are also highly time-consuming.
• Diamond Mine
  Great little Shockwave game. I play this constantly at work :)

Wow, looking at the list, it's amazing that I'm bored all the time...

Burnout for the Playstation 2.

Played this on demo at the local Wal-Mart, really good arcade-style racing controls, and when you slam into traffic going 100+ mph it's really fun to watch how many times your car flips :).