Posted: 05th Jan, 2006 By: MarkJ
UltraWideBand (UWB) wireless networking, which has yet to become a single standard, is to be showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas today. Unlike Wi-Fi and
WiMAX, UWB is more likely to be used as a method of connecting computer peripherals over the air:
Freescale, the semiconductor company spun out of Motorola last year, said that its Cable-Free USB (CF-USB) technology would be used inside devices that Belkin and Gefen will launch later this year.
Belkin's four-port USB hub due in "early spring" is designed primarily for laptop use: four standard USB2 devices plug into the hub, which then links to the computer via UWB. Gefen promised a wireless USB extender which replaces a USB 2 cable between the computer and a device, with production scheduled in the first quarter of 2006. No prices were given.
Freescale's major rivals for UWB, the WiMedia Alliance backed by Intel and Texas Instruments among others, is still pushing its Certified Wireless USB standard but had no dates for shipping products.Super speed short range networks that operate at up to 400Mbps are also planned. More @
ZDNet.