ZigBee Alliance clears the way for new ZigBee PRO standard

The ZigBee wireless standard has already proven to be fairly successful in its current state, but it now looks like it'll soon be getting a boost, with the new and improved ZigBee PRO standard now apparently getting the all clear from the all-important ZigBee Alliance. Among other things, it supposedly improves the wireless technology's flexibility and ease of use, and adds a number of "advanced features," including support for larger wireless networks. While it appears to be all but a sure thing, the standard still has to go through the so-called "Golden Node" testing procedure, which focuses on interoperability between devices from different manufacturers. According Bob Gohn from Ember Corporation (a leading ZigBee firm), assuming all that goes as planned, the new platform should be ready for an official launch sometime in the fourth quarter of this year, although it's not clear when there might actually be some devices that take advantage of it.

[L @ Oct 13th 2007 12:38PM]

Pardon my ignorance - but what makes ZigBee a successful standard? I've never seen a single device having it...

[engadget @ Oct 13th 2007 2:07PM]

It's quite successful in the target market - remote sensor systems that have to operate from battery power for months or years at a time. I've built a few gadgets using Zigbee radios.

It's something that industrial systems designers love, but you're not likely to find them in consumer electronics.

[Michael @ Oct 13th 2007 12:47PM]

This is the first I've ever even heard of it.

[holycow @ Oct 13th 2007 1:09PM]

ditto.

[jbcaro @ Oct 13th 2007 1:22PM]

ditto^2

[almostinfamous @ Oct 13th 2007 2:43PM]

i was gonna say, pretty successful at hiding from the average consumer...

actually, the last i heard of zigbee was maybe 2005, when they were touted as the next big thing.

obviously they have gone into becoming the next niche player.

[Jagannath A @ Oct 13th 2007 9:42PM]

what hap to wibree :D

[Home Automation @ Oct 14th 2007 3:05PM]

ZigBee is a mesh network that is used by alot of home automation systems such as Control4.

It allows for lighting and audio controls to be placed around the home without having to run ethernet and power to each controller.

Check here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zigbee

[macphisto @ Oct 15th 2007 3:21PM]

You beat me to it. http://www.control4.com has a whole line of products that take advantage of ZigBee for communication, in addition to ethernet and wifi.

[Reinder @ Jan 18th 2008 10:17AM]

www.plugwise.com
!!!