Sony outs world's first TransferJet chips for short-range wireless transfer
By Thomas Ricker 
posted November 30th 2009 3:01AM
posted November 30th 2009 3:01AM
Induction chargers like Palm's Touchstone are great and all but they lack one significant feature long mastered by USB tethers: data transfer. That could soon change as Sony begins pushing out its first TransferJet LSI in hopes of obtaining broad industry adoption of this newest form of short-range wireless transmission technology. TransferJet, remember, allows for a theoretical 560Mbps (closer to 375Mbps in the real-world) wireless transfer at a distance of about 3 centimeters -- a standard backed by big-hitting camera companies like Canon, Nikon, Samsung, Casio, Kodak, and Olympus and Japanese cellphone interests like NTT DoCoMo, Softbank Mobile, Toshiba, and Sony Ericsson. Just imagine yourself waving a TransferJet-equipped Sony Ericsson phone in front of your new Bravia TV and having all your photos and videos appear on the big screen and you've just seen the future. Individual samples are available now for ¥1,500 (about $17) in either PCI or SDIO-connector versions. Now head on past the break to see the tech in action from our CEATEC hands-on. 
sync and charge.
The reason for the delayed xperia's maybe?
wouldn't a hacker be able to seductively touch your pocket and download data from your phone while you're distracted?
@mocax
Not if the implementation is done correctly, with security in mind.
@mocax
Not if the hacker is hairy ugly fat man...
@mocax No.
@mocax I'd imagine so. Even these iphone noobs who leave ssh open tend to be the smarter bunch, yet they still get their noob asses owned. So I say, even if security is in mind, noobs will find a way to screw it up.
@mocax
TransferJet needs to be 3 centimeters away from your device, and just because you touch it it doesn't mean it autmatically transfer all your data to another device.
The thief would need to initiate your device to transfer data, and then decide on what data to transfer. Its not that easy.
I'm a little surprised that the maximum throughput is only 375Mbps. That's only slightly faster than the real-world throughput that should be achievable from the next generation 802.11n chipsets (which claim 600Mbps raw throughput, and so will probably deliver around half of that in usable bandwidth). I hope this doesn't become another irritating Sony-only standard which no-one else uses.
@jgpuff "I hope this doesn't become another irritating Sony-only standard which no-one else uses."
Oh shut up.
@Yoyodyne No I think you're the one that needs to shut up here. Sony proprietary technologies are a blight upon the land, annoying for customers and hampering adoption of non-proprietary standards. It's a very valid point.
The fact that they've got such a broad range of companies in their consortium is promising, but ultimately TransferJet was driven by Sony (I think...) who presumably own all the related IP. Just because others are in the consortium doesn't necessarily mean they'll put this $17 chip in their products.
Anyway, my main gripe was with the speed. It'll take about 90 seconds to empty a 4GB memory card over this link -- do I really want to stand holding my phone within 3cm of my TV for 90 seconds? Maybe they'll start integrating shelves into TVs so I can go and make a coffee while my photos download.
@(Unverified)
I'm sure that if Sony didn't get involved with the Compact Disc and let Philips go at it alone, it would have been a lot more popular. /sarcasm
Hopefully, the costs of the chips will come down dramatically as this gains adoption so this doesn't go the way of Apple's Firewire. I'd love to have the ability to transfer data between devices without connecting a cable. Placing my digital camera on a combination charger-TransferJet pad or dock (a la the Palm Touchstone) without worrying about lining up contacts or connectors would be so convenient.
@Willen
Apple's Firewire? You mean Sony's iLink? :)
Sony has just changed the game, thats amazing, I can't wait
@Hydra
Yeah propriety WUSB, wonderful, where do I sign up..
By the time Sony slaps its royalty charge on the standard it will have 0% of ever getting 'broad industry adoption'! Just like it never has!
Wait, when you say samples for around $17, do you mean that they're giving away a sample to anyone who wants it that works between 2 computers via PCI?
@gadgetboyj
Engadget isn't clear on this, either they can be selling individual SDIO cards to consumers or they could be selling "samples".
Usually 'samples' are prototype devices that other manufacters can use to build their system around.
For instance, if Dell wanted to include TransferJet in their next desktop they could buy the PCI and build drivers, etc. Or they could just check it out to see if they can easily intergrate it. Once they have everything in place they can order the chips at much cheaper bulk rate (probably a couple dollars) and have them installed in their machine.
Sony invents a new super short range data transfer scheme that is obsolete compared to already widely adopted technologies like 802.11n; why is this news?
There is no power transfer like implied by mentioning tethered USB or touchstone. Again. Why is this news?
@Indefinite Implosion So what exactly is a difference to just plugging the thing in? Apart from the novelty factor, that is!
@Indefinite Implosion
Wifi/bluetooth could be implemented in this manner.
So.. Sony creates a great piece of technology that can change the way we use everday objects and go about doing every day tasks: Shopping, HMV music stores etc..
but then wait.... why would sony even let other companies use their technology?
I look at sony the same way I look at Apple.. Their both that one fat kid who never shared his toys..
So.. what now Sony?
@Teqknowledgee Learn to read much?
"a standard backed by big-hitting camera companies like Canon, Nikon, Samsung, Casio, Kodak, and Olympus and Japanese cellphone interests like NTT DoCoMo, Softbank Mobile, Toshiba, and Sony Ericsson."
@Teqknowledgee
Sony has shared their "Toys" more then you think.
Think CCD and CMOS sensors, they resell their sensors in use in everything from Nikons, Pentax, Casio, Leica, and even Canon for their point-and-shoot CCDs.
The fact is they are a large supplier, and something like transferjet makes Sony more money if everyone uses it and buy their chips.
This reminds me of the bluetooth hype where it was gonna change the world of electronics, it didn't.
I'm still plugging devices into my computer to transfer data (e.g. iPhone to sync). The closest I have to efficient easy to use wireless transfer is my PS3 and Media Server which is software provided by independents.
@hardluckstories
Bluetooth mouse, remote, headset and keyboard seems popular enough. Hardly a failure me thinks.
at 375Mbps and with most cameras today running a cool 10 to 12Mpixels... I would be waving my camera in front of my tv for quite a little while I think.
Would this have the potential to replace bluetooth??
@johnbo no, why should it? There's little use-case overlap between those two technologies.
Uses a propriety ether that you have to buy at the sony store and fill the space in between devices with.
@Wwhat
First off, everything is proprietary, SD cards, USB, etc. The difference is if they open up the standard to other companies or not.
Secondly, its obviously open to all companies that want to implement it.
Let's also consider that this is first coming out on SD cards not memory sticks.
RTFA:
"a standard backed by big-hitting camera companies like Canon, Nikon, Samsung, Casio, Kodak, and Olympus and Japanese cellphone interests like NTT DoCoMo, Softbank Mobile, Toshiba, and Sony Ericsson."
@Boudou No need to read the details, the message is sent with the word 'sony' and there's no doubt after that.
imagine all those photos being projected at 540mbps directly into your nuts!
@johnbo
TransferJet only works 3cm from the device. As the name implies it designed to "transfer" data really quickly without plugging in devices between each other.
Bluetooth will still be used for your accessories. WiFi still used to connect to the internet.
Hitherto, if you wanted to transfer say a photograph between two devices, say your cellphone camera to your own point-and-shoot then you had to go through an intermediary (your PC). Either send yourself an email, then connect the device via USB or copy the picture via SD.
Now you just have to touch the two transferjet devices to each other after selecting what you want copied. takes a few seconds maximum. Beyond that you should be able to easily transfer data between devices that previously you couldn't transfer data between without a PC (like TVs, Printers, cameras, cellphones, MP3 players, etc)
You should be able to say, pick a song you have on your MP3 player and touch the TV to have it play that song, and/or touch the sound system and have it play it. Theoretical possibilities are endless.
..the real question is how much they could have this technology adopted. They seem to be off to a good start.
"TransferJet"? Sounds like an HP product...
"wireless transfer at a distance of about 3 centimeters"? Little more than an inch?
I'm no engineer, but it seems like they could have made the transfer distance better than that. (imho)