D-Link were showing off a couple of new routers at CES this year, and whilst in general, routers are pretty unimaginative pieces of kit that we just want to work (especially uPnP port forwarding!), these caught my eye for slightly different reasons.
Xtreme N 450 Router
The Xtreme N 450 is D-Link’s fastest router, with claimed speeds up to 450 Megabits per second (which compares to other devices which have claimed speeds of 300 Megabits per second – note the word “claimed” on both of these examples).
The Xtreme N 450 is a dual-band router (running at 2.4 and 5 GHz simultaneously) with 4 gigabit ethernet ports, printer sharing features and the company’s new D-Link Green technology which reduces power consumption through scheduling wi-fi only when needed and reducing power output by detecting port activity and cable length.
No pricing or availability as yet.
D-Link Xtreme N All-In-One 11 Router (DIR-685)
If you’re the kind of person who thinks tech should be hidden away in a cupboard you’re going to hate this one, but I thought it was pretty cool – the DIR-685 is an 802.11n wireless router with a couple of tricks up its sleeve.
Firstly, you’ll have noticed that 3.2″ LCD screen right in the centre – this is used for displaying diagnostics, but can also serve as a digital photo frame, connecting to an online service to display your photos along with streaming video, weather forecasts and more.
Secondly, slide a 2.5″ internal hard drive into the side of the router and it’s transformed into an all-in-one router and network storage device. Maybe not as powerful as your home server, but a neat solution all the same. Again, pricing and availability is still to be released.
Who said routers were dull? 
More Info: D-Link
