Not enough wireless USB QRM in the shack? heck no, Intel
introduces a competing technology to clutter the C-band called
Wi-Media!
http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=181502184
Intel promotes its WiMedia wireless media standard for personal
area networks at its developer forum.
By Andy Dornan, InformationWeek
March 9, 2006
URL:
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=181502184
We all use Wi-Fi, and we’ve heard the hype about WiMAX. But most
of the new wireless technology introduced at this week’s Intel
Developer Forum is based around yet another new standard: WiMedia.
Despite the similar-sounding names, the only thing the three have
in common is that Intel wants to build them into laptops by the
end of this year.
WiMedia is closer to Bluetooth, intended for personal area
networks that link cell phones to PDAs, or PCs to peripherals like
keyboards and printers. The difference is that it’s up to 160
times faster and uses less power, so it can replace a lot more
wires. The Intel demos stream high-definition video, while other
vendors in its Wi-Media Alliance are showing off Wireless USB. Due
this summer, the first products are radio dongles that plug into
existing USB ports, though digital cameras, mp3 players and other
gadgets with native WiMedia radios will follow soon after.
But USB cables will be needed for a while longer. In July, Belkin
will ship the first dongles based on CableFree USB, a rival system
developed by Motorola spin-off Freescale. This does exactly the
same thing as Wireless USB, but the two systems can’t talk to each
other. And neither is going away: The Wi-Media Alliance and
Freescale’s rival Ultra Wideband (UWB) Forum have each signed up
more than 200 members.
Freescale doesn’t have as many blue chip backers as Intel – the
only household names in the Forum are Samsung and Lucent, while
the Alliance has most of the PC industry – but it does have a few
months’ time lead in manufacturing. Its products are also slightly
easier to use, because they don’t require any new drivers for the
wireless link itself. “Wi-Media is USB in name only,” says Martin
Rofheart, director of UWB operations at Freescale. “Our system
works with your existing USB hardware and drivers, but Intel wants
you to upgrade your PC.”
Intel doesn’t dispute this entirely: It’s always said that its
wireless strategy is ultimately driven by a desire to grow the
market for CPUs. However, WiMedia Alliance members point out that
installing a driver only has to happen once, and won’t be an issue
at all when WiMedia member Microsoft builds support into Windows
Vista. They also point out that Freescale’s lead is slipping: The
Belkin product was originally due to ship this month.
Vendor rivalries aren’t the technologies’ only problem. Although
approved by the FCC, both are still illegal in most of the world
because they might interfere with other wireless systems. However,
the industry is confident that other countries will follow,
particularly as the next version of Bluetooth will be based around
either the Wi-Media or UWB Forum spec.
