Networking

We don’t know exactly how, but Belkin’s claiming its new Gigabit Powerline HD Starter Kit adapters can outpace the current 200Mbps standard speed of most other powerline devices (not all of them, mind you) by five fold. Of course, the caveat here is that the touted 1000Mbps is under ideal settings, and there’s no telling what other network traffic, interference, or problematic wiring could lower that figure — still, assuming all conditions are sound, we’re talking some hefty numbers for an HD streaming network run via your home’s electrical system. It’s available now in North America at a penny under $150 for a pair of adapters, with a European release in early August.