Lilbits (10-21-2014): Next-gen DSL tech could bring new life to phone lines

Back in the dark ages the only way for most people to access the internet was with a slow dialup connection (or by visiting a college or other institution that actually had a faster T1 line).

Then along came DSL, one of the first technologies to offer broadband speeds. But in recent years cable, fiber optic, and even cellular connections have come to offer much faster speeds.

But there may be some life in DSL yet. New technology called G.fast could enable data transfers as fast as 1 Gbps over old fashioned twister copper phone lines.

Here’s a roundup of tech news from around the web. You can keep up on the latest news by following Liliputing on Twitter, Google+ and Facebook.

• Phone lines might not be obsolete… G.fast tech could bring DSL internet speeds up to 1Gbps
  It’ll probably be a few years before G.fast technology is widely available, and it’s unlikely that you’ll actually see those maximum 1 Gbps speeds in real-world conditions right away. But there are an awful lot of copper lines already laid and G.fast technology could make them useful again, even for folks who might not have used a landline telephone in years. [CNET]
• Microsoft’s future phones will use the “Lumia” name, but they’ll drop the “Nokia” branding
  The move makes sense: while Microsoft acquired the rights to use the Nokia name for a few years when it acquired Nokia’s phone division, Nokia continues to exist as a separate company. Microsoft can build its own brand as it transitions away from the Nokia name. [The Verge]
• Android TV ported (unofficially) to the Ouya micro-console
  Have your eye on a Google Nexus Player, but don’t want to spend another $100 when you’ve already got an Ouya in your house? There might be an unofficial software port for that. It’s a work in progress and might never be as stable as a device that ships with Android 5.0 and Android TV. But where’s your sense of adventure? [XDA Developers]
• Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact up for pre-order for $500
  This 8 inch, waterproof tablet has a full HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core CPU, 32Gb of storage, and 3GB of RAM. [Sony]
• Someone has created a media player… from a Microsoft Excel sheet
  Say you want to watch some videos at work, but your IT manager has locked down your PC so you can’t fire up anything but Office. No problem. This Excel spreadsheet functions as a music and video player. No, really. [Github]