Audio playback with MP3 files was a snap. When the menu option for music playback is selected, the ScreenPlay hops right to the appropriate directory and displays a track list. Tracks can be selected and played back, shuffled and so forth. Unfortunately moving up and down the track lists skips to the next song, so scanning ahead to find a tune while one is playing isn't an option. I couldn't find any menu options for playlist creation, and the remote has no "shuffle" button for random playback.
But ScreenPlay's audio playback can accompany slideshow presentations. The system is a bit rudimentary because you can only start the audio from the first track, but it's nice nonetheless. The slide-show mode features a few different fades and wipes to transition from one photo to another, and you can set the length of a time between transitions.
The ScreenPlay includes Iomega's Automatic Backup Pro to support the its additional role as an external hard drive. Tests using the open-source Iometer show the ScreenPlay fares about as well as most external hard drives--that's to say, it's considerably slower than our comparative model, a 160-GB Seagate SATA hard drive. The Seagate drive claimed a 56.11 MBps throughput compared to the 7.43 MBps throughput achieved by the ScreenPlay, for instance. But given the ScreenPlay's position as more of a media device than a simple storage unit, and that it plays back audio and video without a skip or pause, it's I/O performance in the desktop arena is secondary.
The two-piece power lead that comes with the device is interesting. It features a detachable "prong" section; that is, the plug itself can be removed from the power lead. No additional plugs or voltage converters are included, so the solution seems to hint at the possibility of a battery pack in the unit's future. Frankly, the ScreenPlay cries out for that option.
And for a better remote. The remote control is a "credit card" device; the buttons are blister style set in a membrane and require more than a light touch to press. Even more distressing is that the remote will turn the unit off, but not on. That's inconvenient.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
Maintaining existing network infrastructures often incurs huge technical debt before newer technologies are adopted over time.
Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, telecom infrastructure in the Middle East has expand to include terrestrial low-latency network infrastructure, which offers resilience and agility in navigating political complexities without relying solely on undersea networks.
