A U.S. company plans to launch a router that could be more attractive to users, yet powerful and complex, featuring a touch screen control and using Android software platform, called Soap.
The idea of putting a touchscreen on a router is not new at all, but most products of this type have poor graphic interface, a low number of applications available and prices too high. Soap routers that try to attract early buyers through Indiegogo campaign promises to provide high flexibility by using the Android operating system and its familiar graphical environment.
The producers present four different models, so far. Three of them are using a screen resolution of 800 x 480 pixels and a diagonal of 7″ while the larger model has a screen of 8.4″. Soap Solo, the smallest model provides an ARM Cortex-A9 processor with a frequency of 1 GHz, 1 GB RAM and 8 GB of internal memory. Soap Dual, the superior model offers a dual-core processor of the same kind, 2 GB RAM and 32 GB of internal memory, while the Quad Soap version jump to four cores.Soap 8.4, which will be the flagship, offering in addition to Quad an SSD storage with a capacity of 128 GB and a larger screen.
All four Soap (8.4, Quad, Dual and Solo) will offer two wireless modules, an 802.11ac Dual Band model with 4×4 architecture and 802.11n with 2×1 architecture, five Gigabit Ethernet ports, MicroSD slot, two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI video output and an internal SATA II port.
Like any router, Soap routers will offer parental control, programming access and filtering of content, but in addition provides antivirus scanning of Web traffic.
One advantage of the new routers is the software platform used, which are based on Android 4.4, and include a number of media applications.
Because they will offer support for Bluetooth 4.0, X10, ZigBee and LPD433 protocols Soap routers will integrate with existing household equipment and certification of Google Play will give you access to all applications offered by manufacturers when the native Soap Automation application is not compatible.
Users will be able to install applications for audio and video playback, Soap becoming a complex network player. The producer will also offer apps for Android remote control and Soap Mesh allows interconnection of two or more routers.
Soap routers will be made available from February next year, priced at 260, 310, 390 and 500 dollars depending on the complexity of each.
