D-Link Debuts First All-In-One Router with Built-In Photo Frame and Storage Space

Routers aren’t typically the sexiest tech tools, but D-Link has found a way to make a router look pretty damn good and cram some cool technology into it. Beyond being a 802.11n Wi-Fi router, the D-Link Xtreme N DIR-685 features a 3.2-inch LCD, SharePort technology for sharing access to peripherals, and space for a hard drive for enabling NAS storage. The D-Link Xtreme N DIR-685 offers a stylish, upright design, which makes it ideal for displaying in the living room or home office. Its touchscreen LCD shows graphical gauges, digital photos, streamed video, weather forecasts, and other live Internet content. On the back of the “router” are two USB ports, which allow users to utilize the integrated D-Link SharePort technology to share USB devices over the network—including printers and external hard drives. SharePort turns the local USB ports of the 802.11n router into a virtual port by utilizing a new technology of USB over TCP/IP.

And not to forget the DIR-685 is also a router. Its 802.11n Wi-Fi connectivity should provide the speeds you need to get all your Internet content, and it supports dual bands, including 2.4 GHz (for Internet sharing and most file transfers) and 5 GHz (ideal for heavy-duty media streaming and online gaming). The router also has space for a 2.5-inch hard drive with up to 500GB storage capacity, allowing users to access documents, photos, music and other media locally through the home network or remotely over the Internet. 

And if all of that doesn’t have you convinced that the DIR-685 is one of the coolest routers in the world, it  even gives a nod to the environment, employing D-Link Green technology that automatically recognizes port activity and adjusts power usage accordingly. D-Link expects the DIR-685 to start shipping in April 2009. No price has been set.