When will “wireless” really mean wireless?
While many advances have been made in recent years to improve wireless devices, the tangle of cords on my desk is a testimony to the empty promises of this technology. Nearly every electronic device we own has to be connected to at least two cables some of the time: one provides power, and other allows you to sync up with other devices. Both of these cables may soon disappear due to new innovations which are expected to put the “wireless” in wireless.
A radio signal technology called ultrawideband (UWB) is expected to eliminate the need for sync cables and the like. It takes advantage of a large portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to move data quickly and wirelessly. It can interfere with other radio signals, though, so it’s potential range is limited to a few feet. Wireless USB technology takes advantage of the UWB signals, and it’s well-positioned to replace traditional USB hubs and ports.
Wireless USB systems are jumping on to the market in a big way, and many new products were unveiled at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. They are usually made up of two parts, a traditional hub and a dongle (gotta love that word) which plugs into a device’s USB ports. These products still require power cords, so the only cable you’re eliminating is the one connecting the hub to the PC. Wireless USB hubs generally have a maximum range of about 30 feet, but since they aren’t meant to penetrate walls, you are still essentially tethered to your hub. Some require specialty software, which is a big minus for most users, though Belkin’s CableFree USB Hub does not use software.
Next-generation PCs (many of which also debuted at the CES) are sporting built-in USB wireless transmitters which allows you to “ditch the dongle”. Industry giants Dell, IBM, and Toshiba all feature laptops with wireless transmitters. Those who support the wireless USB movement hope that this technology will spread to printers, hard drives, set-top boxes, cameras, MP3 players, and mobile phones. In order for this to happen, though, different players within the industry will need to collaborate to ensure compatibility and usefulness. Some analysts believe that wireless USB has taken so long to catch on because hardware such as music players and mobile phones haven’t included internal transmitters in new products. Once it becomes more common, though, we could see digital cameras which could wirelessly download photos to a portable hard drive or display photos on a high-definition TV without plugging it in. Industry experts predict that 2009 and 2010 will be the biggest years for wireless USB technology, and it will eventually become as common as corded USB is today.
One company is working to eliminate the other cable that plagues wireless hopefuls: the AC adapter. WildCharge has released a device which will charge Motorola RAZR handsets just by putting them on a pad. You can modify your phone to work with the WildCharger by replacing the battery cover with their adapter and plugging a short cable from the adapter to your phone’s AC port. As their website states, “any cell phone, music or video player or other mobile device we enable can be charged on any pad, and any pad can charge any enabled mobile device.” The pad currently works only with RAZR phones, but adapters are in the works for iPod Nano and iPod Touch. The pad is surprisingly inexpensive ($59.99), and this just might be the death of power cords. However, sometimes I think electronics companies enjoy confusing us with hundreds of slightly different AC adapters, so it will be up to them to comply with WildCharge’s vision.
As an article in last month’s Businessweek points out, “the idea that you could download pictures from your camera just by bringing it near your computer, then recharge it by setting down on the desk is compelling.” Right on, and I’ll add to that sentiment, “It’s about time.” True wireless is long over-due, and it’s good news indeed that consumer electronics companies are finally meeting our demands.
By Haley January Eckels