Samsung's tiny 120Mbps Wireless USB chipset ready for Q2 launch

Today things are a bit more clear as to why Intel abandoned its own Ultra Wide-Band efforts in favor of off-the-shelf solutions: Samsung just announced its ultra-fast Wireless USB chipset. Samsung's tiny 8 x 8-mm (0.31 x 0.31-inch) chip operates in the traditional 3.1 ~ 10.6GHz Certified Wireless USB space and delivers a relatively blistering 120Mbps data transfer rate (measured, not theoretical) compared to the 50Mbps achieved by current solutions -- that's a single ripped 700MB film transferred in about a minute from a range of about 3 meters. It also features 128-bit AES encryption and other security mechanisms meant to safeguard your data during transmission. The SystemOnChip design consumes 300mW of power and brings a built-in ARM core, UWB (ultra wide-band) physical layer, and memory controller while interfacing with SD cards, MMC, NAND, and USB 2.0 without any additional circuitry. In other words, expect to see Samsung's Wireless USB in digital cameras, MP3 player, speakers and more when these chips hit mass production in Q2.

It's worth noting that Samsung is a member of the Wireless USB Promoter Group that pushes the "Certified Wireless USB" standard. However, with Wireless USB start-up WiQuest out of the picture and zero references made to the standard or use of the group's logo, this might very well be a proprietary grab at the short-range wireless space that has received very little interest from vendors to date. We'll find out more more when Samsung presents its WUSB solution for the first time at Mobile World Congress next week.

[Via Samsung Korea]

[Devin @ Feb 11th 2009 4:17AM]

sounds expensive

[drcreek @ Feb 11th 2009 4:19AM]

Ok. This Wireless USB sounds cool but. What the hell do we do for charging? How will a wireless pen drive be charged? All I can see is devices will have to have USB for charging so what's the point?

[rektide @ Feb 11th 2009 5:06AM]

.3 watts is relatively small power consumption; a decent AA rechargeable has 10 hours capacity at that rate. (1.2V * 2.8Ah / .3(V*A/h) = 11.2 hours)

[Neeko @ Feb 11th 2009 7:11AM]

rechargeable batteries..all i need is at least 8 hrs of use without a charge.

[bodyweapon @ Feb 13th 2009 2:54PM]

actually using a LSD battery like eneloop for calculation is better

(eneloop AA is 2ah@1.2v) which makes the calculation 2*1.2/0.3 = 8 hours only.

[Andreas @ Feb 11th 2009 4:23AM]

Oh, how I really want this to replace bluetooth. Anyone that used Toshibas or Widcomms bluetooth stack knows what Im talking about.

[superhobo @ Feb 11th 2009 6:28PM]

I feel your pain.

Although Widcomm saved me from the Windows XP default stack :shudder:

[Jamie Kephalas @ Feb 11th 2009 4:54AM]

Shameless.

[darkmax @ Feb 11th 2009 6:17AM]

less wires, less mess more time for fun.

[darkmax @ Feb 11th 2009 6:19AM]

BTW... more clear?... I've been noticing an alarming number of grammatical errors in Engadget recently....

[Neeko @ Feb 11th 2009 7:10AM]

give me wireless monitors..maybe a wireless usb mimo um740 7inch touchscreen. That would be prefect for my mac mini under my TV.

[Don-Don @ Feb 11th 2009 9:21AM]

God, I hope ultrawideband succeeds. Then I wouldn't have wasted my time writing a master's thesis on it.

[AbbasJin @ Feb 11th 2009 9:42AM]

i hope usb flash drives wont get bulky caz of batteries :( once they get wireless. now we need wireless charging on the go with this wireless usb standard. 3meter distance is fucking great for a standard like this. :) just sell it cheap yo

[Tony @ Feb 11th 2009 10:52AM]

I hate that always have to take out the SD card and plug it in to my PC's card reader
when I just want to import the few pictures I toke minutes earlier.

If digital cameras start having built-in Wireless USB, nice.


Just having the camera under 20 feet away from the computer and
I can still browse the recent pictures would be great.

[bolezhinkov @ Feb 11th 2009 11:49AM]

I tried the belking wireless usb router and it was definitely sub par. I'd love to be able to leave all my m-audio gear plugged into the usb hub and be able to operate it from my laptop without having to keep all the wire attached. thats the best use I can think of for it in traditional setups - plug all your deivces to a hub and wireless aceess with your laptop or something. wireless transfers to mp3 devices and stuff is ok as well, but some can already do that with bluetooth. maybe with the charging pad from CES you could eliminate cords from some devices?

[superhobo @ Feb 11th 2009 6:32PM]

WUSB needs to integrate inductive power transfer...although range would be a problem.