Agere, Ubicom Team for WLAN Reference Designs
Agere Systems and Ubicom are working together to develop 802.11b reference designs, with the first offering expected to be a single-board design for access point, repeater and Ethernet bridge applications combining Ageres two-chip Wi-Fi device and Ubicoms IP2000 processor and software platform. The companies expect to begin sampling customers in April. It will be offered as an upgrade to Ubicoms wireless development kit, and as a part of Ageres WaveLAN portfolio.
Read the full story on: CommsDesign
RIM Shrinks the Blackberry
Research in Motion (RIM) unveiled two new BlackBerry handhelds with a smaller design and more memory for European users at CeBIT Wednesday. The BlackBerry 6210 and BlackBerry 6220 allow users to make phone calls and check their corporate e-mail over GSM/GPRS networks. The 6210 works on 900/1900MHz networks around the world, while the 6220 only works on 900/1800MHz networks in Europe and Asia-Pacific, RIM said. Both models come with 16MB of flash memory plus 2MB of SRAM (static RAM).
Read the full story on: InfoWorld
CeBIT: BenQ Brings Video from PC to TV Over Wi-Fi
Designed to stream DVD-quality MPEG4 video and MP3 music over an 802.11b wireless LAN connection, the BenQ WM1000 is no simple Wi-Fi access point. The WM1000 can stream video from a PC to a television and is designed to be able to operate in the vicinity of other wireless access points without suffering from interference, said Jerry Wang, vice president and general manager of sales operations at BenQ. In addition to receiving video streamed from a PC, the WM1000 can handle input from a DVD player or cable television, he said.
Read the full story on: IDG
IPWireless Offers 3G Alternative
Data-only wireless broadband technology from startup IPWireless is designed to leverage the spectrum efficiencies of European universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) standards. With speeds of up to 3 Mbps upstream and 6 Mbps downstream and a service range of three to five miles from each base station, the IPWireless system can be implemented as a data-overlay network in a 3G business case or used in a last-mile setting. It is currently under evaluation by fixed and wireless operators, particularly for markets that previously have been neglected by telcos and cable operators.
Read the full story on: NewsFactor
CSR Promotes Third-Party, On-Chip Bluetooth Designs
Bluetooth chip specialist Cambridge Silicon Radio is partnering with a select few companies to help embed its technology into products aimed at niche markets. The agreements will give specific developers direct access to CSRs on-chip Bluetooth software, enabling the third party to act as a design house for custom on-chip software. The first company to sign up is Cambridge Consultants who will gain access and tailor the on-chip Bluetooth core software stack so as to develop quickly products for vertical markets.
Read the full story on: SiliconStrategies.com
Wozniak Has a New Date with Danger
Steve Wozniak resigned from Dangers board of directors but will join its newly created advisory board, the handheld developer announced Monday. Wozniak, an Apple Computer co-founder, last year formed Wheels of Zeus, a company to design wireless products. Although Wozniak was asked to step off the board to make way for a Softbank investor, he said he was more than pleased to make the change. “It made sense. My capacity is much more like an advisory board member anyway. Im much more concerned about Dangers products, quality and how those products are doing. As Danger moves away from being a start-up and its board focuses more on company operations, my value as a director was less,” Wozniak said.
Read the full story on: CNET News.com