The n3 from Rokland: "most powerful wifi adapter I've ever seen"

That's what one of our customers had to say about the n3, our 802.11n wireless USB adapter for Macs, PCs, and Netbooks.

The reason we mention this is because several people have asked us where they can find independent reviews of the n3. While you may find some forum reviews by doing an Internet search, as the product was just released in July, they might still be few and far between. We did put the product up on eBay when it launched for maximum exposure, and have had many positive comments come in.

Below we have listed some of these comments. Please note that we have removed the user ID of each commenter, however you can verify the comments are genuine by viewing our eBay feedback profile at eBay.com (our user ID is rokland). If you go to the time and date of each comment shown, you will be able to verify it is genuine.

most powerful wifi adapter I've ever seen! a+++customer service. thanks so much!
Jul-14-09 05:29

Amazing! All my friends want one!
Jul-13-09 09:15

works well, connects to networks I couldn't get before
Jul-11-09 16:48

fantastic product, thanks! A+++!!!
Jul-12-09 20:33

WORKS GREAT !!!! GOT IT FAST !!!! A # 1 DEAL !!!! :) THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jul-30-09 17:18

Great increase in range. Item as described and arrived as indicated. Top seller.
Jul-26-09 02:59

Great product and great seller!! Thanks!
Jul-25-09 12:32

shipped quickly, no hassles, item as described, what more do you want. A+
Jul-22-09 07:33

Super Fast Shipping & Great Product! A+++
Jul-16-09 22:04

These are just a few of many, and we are excited that they have found the item to be just as great as we did in our testing. If you have any questions about the n3, please contact us.

Alfa AWUS050NH version 2 delayed...

In this June blog post we discussed the forthcoming Alfa AWUS050NH version 2 500mW 802.11n adapter that was supposed to be available in July. Alfa had discontinued manufacturing version 1 in order to make a version 2 which was to have improved range and sensitivity for 802.11g connections.

We just found out from Alfa directly that version 2, which was to ship out on July 22nd, has been delayed. There is no new ETA, however we would speculate early August availability.

A prototype of version 2 we recently received had some issues, and we are glad Alfa is taking the time to make sure the final shelf version will be an excellent product.

We will have the new version 2 model as soon as it is available. In the meantime customers have asked us if we know of any other place they can get the version 2. There is no other place, because Alfa does not have the version ready yet, and as an authorized Alfa reseller and distributor we will be the first to have it when it is ready. Some other retailers have the AWUS050NH model in stock, but those are version 1 units. Those retailers may not be aware a new improved version is coming, or they may be selling off the remainder of their version 1 stock.

If you are in the market for an 802.11n adapter with good range and need to get something right now, take a look at this and this.

Price cuts: Rok500 now $29.97, Rok500 now $31.97

We've been able to negotiate new lower prices from our manufacturers, and also reduce their global freight costs, for both the popular Rok500 500mW wireless USB adapter, and the RokN 802.11n wireless USB adapter for Macs and PCs. The Rok500 is now just $29.97 and the Rok500 is just $31.97.

Rokland talks about Twitter...

We've been using Twitter (@Rokland) for a while now, and find it a great way to keep customers and potential customers posted about new product releases, product updates, sales, etc. It is also a great way for people to send us quick feedback and responses.

The other day I was listening to a radio talk show, and a caller discussed Twitter, his voice dripping with contempt. "Twitter," he said, "is very fitting of it's name, it's filled with people who have nothing better to do than twitter away their time by finding out that their friend just made a sandwich, or their other friend just got home from the gym." Now that quote is not exact since it comes from memory, but it is pretty close.

This sentiment is one I hear often from people who really have not used the service that much (or at all). While some do use the service similar to a status update on Facebook, Twitter allows you to communicate with a broad range of people easier and faster than any other medium. To those that dismiss it in the manner the fellow on the radio, it is akin to dismissing the importance of email by saying "email is just for people who want to read jokes forwarded by their grandmother."

The netbook is dead, long live laptops?

If you haven't heard of netbooks, the latest craze in portable computing, head to your local Best Buy or other electronics retailer and you'll notice that the laptop selection has been reduced in favor of shelf space for much smaller laptop-like computers. These devices, the largest of them with a 10.1 inch screen, are cheaper, smaller, and lighter than laptops. They can be a bit tougher to use of course, with common complaints being the smaller keyboards and eyestrain from focusing on the little screens. But sales have ballooned over the past year, and now with service providers like Sprint and Verizon offering even lower-cost netbooks with a 2-year data contract, retail analysts expect sales to continue to grow for years to come.

But Joe Wilcox of eWeek says the netbook will soon be a thing of the past. You can read his list of reasons here. What do you think?

A) Netbooks are awesome, I already have one
B) I plan to get one soon because they are so cheap
C) They look cool, but I probably won't ever buy one
D) Joe Wilcox is right, the netbook won't be around for long

The n3 is here!

The n3 802.11n wireless USB adapter from Rokland just launched about 1AM EST, today, July 1st, 2009. We promised a July 1st launch date, and we made sure to deliver. A lot of people have been inquiring about the n3 based on our YouTube previews of the product, so we thought it was appropriate to begin the launch with a 45 second video spot which shows some great images of the item.

The n3 is an 802.11n standard long range WiFi adapter for use with Macs (running OS 10.3, 10.4, and 10.5), as well as PCs with Windows 2000 and later. It features an RP-SMA external antenna port, and it can clip on easily to the back of your laptop LCD. The best thing about this adapter aside from its appearance (it has a nice shiny reflective surface that matches many of today's netbooks and laptops) is the range it gets. We've got some videos on our blog from this past week showing off just what the n3 can do, so be sure to check them out!

I hope you guys have as much fun using the n3 as we did putting it together and getting it launched. We will have some more details regarding use in Linux in the coming weeks, right now for support purposes we are gearing this adapter toward Mac and PC users. While we have launched a number of Rokland branded products in the past, such as the RokAir, the RokN, and most recently the Rok500, this was by far the biggest launch we have done, and we feel this is the best product we have ever offered, both in terms of design and functionality. Please be sure to let us know what you think when you receive your item if you order one, and, if you like it, be sure to let everyone know via sites like Twitter, Digg, Facebook, and StumbleUpon. Thanks!

Alfa AWUS036H 500mw USB vs. Rokland N3 (Alfa killer?) PART II

We have conducted another head to head test of our N3 Wireless 802.11n USB adapter (street date July 1st) and the Alfa AWUS036H 500mW USB adapter.

The video shows the N3 picks up a few more signals than the AWUS036H. This was done on a different computer than the computer used in the previous test. Toward the end of the video is a back-to-back comparison from the screencast. While the N3 is a product made by Rokland, we are providing these tests to demonstrate how well it performs. When we launched the Rok500 500mW USB adapter earlier this year, while it got great range and is a great value, we were up front that it did not beat the Alfa 500mW USB adapter in head to head testing.

A look at the N3 802.11n Wireless USB adapter from Rokland (street date 7/1)

The N3 is set to launch July 1st. In this video you can get a look at the item next to the MSI Wind netbook. The surface of the N3 is polished and reflective, very similar to the Wind. It makes for a great looking accessory, but the N3 also packs a punch in the range department. Have a look at this video, and check back within a day for another range comparison test video between the N3 and the Alfa AWUS036H 500mW WiFi USB adapter.

Microsoft seems to take note of Apple's Snow Leopard upgrade offer

Earlier this month Apple announced that the new version of its Mac OS, called Snow Leopard, would be available as an upgrade for just $30. Microsoft is also launching a new operating system this fall- Windows 7. Previous Windows upgrades have been priced around $90-$100. This time Microsoft is offering an upgrade deal at a much lower price.

Over at the Microsoft online store (and a number of retailers according to Microsoft), you can upgrade to Windows 7 for as little as $50 if you pre-order it now. Microsoft says the promotion will run until a preset number of licenses have been sold. No word on what the official number is, but some analysts have predicted the upgrade offer should be available until sometime in July.

One nice thing about the offer is that Microsoft won't actually charge your credit card until the product ships in October, so you don't have to spend the $50 right now. No word on what their cancellation policy is in the event you change your mind about the pre-order come October.

What happened to the Alfa AWUS050NH 802.11n high powered wireless USB adapter?

As you may know, Alfa Networks manufactures the most popular and longest range WiFi product on the market- the AWUS036H 500mW 802.11g wireless USB adapter. Back in March they launched the 802.11n version, the AWUS050NH, to very good reviews. There was some discussion thereafter that while the AWUS050NH worked extremely well with 802.11n routers, the performance with 802.11g routers could be a little better. In June, Alfa discontinued the model in favor of a version 2 of the same model number, to be shipped to distributors instead. The new version has hit some setbacks and is not set to be ready for release until sometime in July.

If you are in the market for this model adapter, it is our understanding direct from Alfa that no retailers have the version 2 unit for sale right now. Alfa did ship a handful of test units to retailers (we did get some and all are gone). Some retailers still have a stock of the version 1 available. The version 1 works very well and is worth buying, but Alfa is touting improved 802.11g functionality on the version 2 model. We received about ten units of the version 2 (they worked great), and know they will be a hit with buyers when they are available in July.

As an authorized Alfa reseller, you can count on us to have the version 2 in stock and ready to ship as soon as Alfa launches them.