WirelessDisplay
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Intel wants you to stop hating meetings
The worst part about meetings isn't showing off your new presentation; it's how difficult it is to get your computer screen to show up on the TV. At Computex, Intel introduced its real-time collaboration solution Unite to remove some of the headaches associated with sharing presentations. The system uses a secure WiFi connection with a rotating PIN to connect to a Core vPro processor-powered mini PC connected to an office's display. Attendees download and install a lightweight client on their Mac or Windows machine and can share their desktop, annotate shared presentations and view up to four attendee's screens at once. It's a pretty straightforward solution. It makes meetings start quicker and gives attendees the ability to work together on a single presentation. But, it's the upcoming extensibility that could convince your IT department to drop your current solution for Unite.
CarKarPlay display mirrors your smartphone on your dashboard
Remember the good old days when mini Bluetooth keyboards just became a thing? Then you may recall a brand called iPazzPort, who is now launching what appears to be the world's first wireless display dedicated to mobile devices. Much like the brand, the device itself is just as awkwardly named: CarKarPlay. It's pretty much just a 7-inch, 800 x 480 screen with WiFi radio for AirPlay, Miracast and DLNA connections, meaning it'll support wireless screen mirroring from iOS plus Android, as well as media streaming from DLNA-enabled apps or devices -- including some Windows Phones. As the name suggests, it's all about having a bigger screen in your car.
MediaTek's wireless display solution beams video to TV, sets your mobile screen free (video)
While Miracast wireless display mode is now available on many Android devices, it is both loved and loathed -- loved by those who want just wireless screen mirroring, and loathed by those who want to keep doing other things on the smaller screen. If you belong to the latter group, then MediaTek's got your back. At CES, the Taiwanese chip designer showed off its solution that lets you beam video content to a Miracast-enabled display, without having to give up your mobile display for your other tasks -- be it internet browsing, emailing or even gaming. See for yourself in our video after the break. A company rep told us that in order to take advantage of this solution, app developers would need to use MediaTek's upcoming API to enable this feature. There's no word on when consumers will get to use this at home, but given that MediaTek's shipped more than 200 million smartphone processors last year, we're pretty sure that developers will want a share of this piping-hot pie.
Airtame wireless dongle mirrors your computer onto any HDMI display
Here's yet another option for wirelessly mirroring your computer screen to another display, but don't worry: This one is rather impressive. Airtame, the creation of a group of Danish folks, is an HDMI dongle that links your PC -- be it running Windows, OS X or Linux -- to whatever display it's plugged into over WiFi. Installation is a breeze: All you need on the PC side is just the software, and from there you can choose which dongles to beam your screen to. Yes, dongles, because you really can beam one PC to multiple screens, thus beating Miracast. We also played a game on one of the laptops, and the response time on the remote display was surprisingly good. Airtame's Indiegogo campaign has long reached its $160,000 goal, but you can still pre-order this $89 dongle in the remaining nine days left. Do also check out our video from the CES show floor after the break.
LG develops 'world's first' WiDi-enabled LCD panel for easy media streaming
If you like to stream content but you already have too many set-top boxes in your house, LG wants to help. Having already committed to implementing 5G WiFi chips in its upcoming HDTVs earlier in the year, LG Display has developed a PC monitor that, it claims, is the first to integrate Intel's Wireless Display (WiDi) tech directly into the LCD component. It's not the biggest panel out there, at 23.8 inches, but it does mean you'll be able to stream anything you like from your WiDi-enabled laptop without additional gear. And while the market for WiDi-enabled displays is pretty thin right now, LG has said it will offer up its integrated panel tech to OEMs and other monitor makers, suggesting that you'll soon have a multiplicity of options for your streaming needs.
AMD outlines Elite Performance laptop APUs with game-ready Wireless Display
AMD isn't focusing all its attention on its entry-level mobile APUs today: it's also providing details for the faster Richland-based models. The new A6, A8, and A10 mobile variants fall under the Elite Performance badge, and theoretically beat Intel to the punch with up to 71 percent faster 3D graphics than the current Core i5 family. They also muster about 7.5 hours of battery life with web use, or about an hour longer than we saw in the previous generation. The roster includes both regular power (35W) and low-voltage (17W to 25W) APUs, in dual- and quad-core editions. We're more interested in how well the chips play with other devices and software, however. Besides the face and motion gesture recognition that we've seen before, AMD touts a new take on Wireless Display with low enough latency for game sessions, support for 1080p60 video and native Miracast sharing. The Richland upgrade also introduces a new DockPort standard that can feed both USB 3.0 and up to three external DisplayPort screens through one cable. If you like what AMD is pitching, you won't have to wait to try it -- Elite Performance APUs have already been shipping with MSI's GX60 and GX70, and other vendors shouldn't be far behind. %Gallery-189172%
Apple tries for a patent on removable laptop touchscreens with wireless charging
We're all in favor of advancing the state of the art, but there are times when we suspect that research is more about "what if" explorations than anything else. Exhibit A: Apple's new patent application for a wireless display. The concept would let a touchscreen detach from its laptop base through a 60GHz ultrawideband format (such as WiGig) and keep its battery powered up through at least some form of wireless charging located in the laptop's hinge. It sounds viable when others have experimented with wireless displays before, but we'd note that both technical realities and corporate philosophies might stand in its way. Along with the usual challenges of battery life and wireless range, Apple has so far argued that touchscreen laptops are unwieldy and isn't exactly in a rush to supplement booming iPad sales -- even if granted, the patent may just be a matter of covering the bases rather than any kind of roadmap for a two-piece MacBook Pro. Still, we won't completely rule it out when many also thought Apple wouldn't make a phone.
Broadcom's 5G WiFi chips power LG's latest HDTVs
5G WiFi (better known to us as 802.11ac) makes Barry Allen look like a geriatric. Broadcom's been talking up the prowess of its 5G hardware for some time now, but the first chance we'll get to use it is inside LG's latest TVs. Open one up, and you'll find Broadcom's BCM43526 silicon, which promises to offer lag-free HD streaming from the internet or mobile device. The TVs will be making their way into stores across 2013, which'll be your first time to see if it works as well as promised. Update: Broadcom has also let slip that it's licensing Intel's Wireless Display technology in its WLAN chipsets. Of course, now that Santa Clara has made the standard mandatory for its 2013-Ultrabook designs, hardly surprising, Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Intel makes Touch, Wireless Display mandatory components for Haswell Ultrabooks
We're here live at Intel's CES press conference, where Kirk Skaugen has announced that companies who want to use the Ultrabook name and Haswell internals, it'll have to include touch as standard. The other new condition that Santa Clara is imposing is that the device must carry Wireless Display as standard. On the upside, at least you'll be able to see the images on your TV when your Ultrabook screen gets too greasy from your fingers. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Xiaomi Box taps the Chinese smart TV market on the cheap, flirts with AirPlay (hands-on)
The Apple TV may not be officially available in China, but there are already plenty of cheap Android TV dongles and set-top boxes over there to keep the folks occupied. That said, many of them don't offer a satisfying multimedia experience, so even for a latecomer like Xiaomi, there's still space for competition. Having just launched the much anticipated Xiaomi Phone 2, the Chinese startup recently announced that it had acquired digital content provider Duokan for some time, and the first fruit is this conveniently named Xiaomi Box. Even with the bundled one-meter HDMI cable, the pebble's priced at a competitive ¥399 (about $64) and we've been told it'll be available in mid-December. Better yet, it claims to be compatible with AirPlay right out of the box! Read on to see if that's the case with our pre-production unit.
ASUS shows off its first Thunderbolt monitor, along with 3D, WiDi and multitouch displays (video)
Take a stroll around ASUS' Computex booth, and you'll see a wall full of new displays -- and we're only half counting the one made for the PadFone. By our count, the company is getting ready to release four new monitors: one with multitouch, one with Wireless Display, one that does passive 3D and one with Thunderbolt (the company's first). Starting with the multitouch model, it has a folding hinge that allows the 23-inch screen to lie completely flat. As you'll see in the video below, it makes for a more ergonomic angle if you're playing simple games like Fruit Ninja, though we can also see it coming in handy for more social activities such as Scrabble or finger painting with kids. And as bizarre as the form factor might look, we also found the hinge mechanism easy to operate: it's reassuringly sturdy, without feeling too loose or rigid. On its own, the IPS, 1920 x 1080 display offers rich colors and wide viewing angles. As far as connectivity is concerned, there's a USB 3.0 socket, along with HDMI, VGA and a DisplayPort. Moving on, that 27-inch, 1080p 3D monitor has an MHL port, allowing it to work with select tablets and phones. There's 2D-to-3D conversion built in, but we have to warn you the three-dimensional experience is fairly lackluster. To use this you'll need passive, not active 3D glasses, and like other monitors that rely on this technology, you'll have to work hard at finding just the right position where the 3D really pops. Even after you settle into that spot, the three-dimensional rendering isn't nearly as convincing as on some other displays we've seen. If you the 3D starts to make you nauseous, you might enjoy it as a standalone display, thanks to its low-glare IPS panel. Want to connect it to a PC? There are also built-in DVI and HDMI / HDMI.4 sockets. Next up, ASUS is getting ready to ship its first Thunderbolt monitor, which has a 27-inch, 1080p screen, along with a DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Lastly, there's a 27-inch Wireless Display-compatible model with 1080p resolution, a DisplayPort and a pair of HDMI sockets. As far as all of these displays are concerned, we don't know pricing or availability, though ASUS was at least able to confirm that the Thunderbolt model is headed to the US. For now, check out our photos below and head past the break for a short video tour.
Intel collaborating with more system-on-chip vendors, bringing Wireless Display to more places
Intel's Wireless Display hasn't exactly generated AirPlay-level buzz, but there's no question that it's a beautiful feature to end up with on insert-your-next-system-here. In a bid to bring WiDi to even more places (and in turn, generate even more buzz), the company's reaching out to System-On-Chip (SoC) vendors -- including Cavium, Mstar Semiconductor, Sigma Designs, Realtek, and Wondermedia -- in order to slide the feature over to even more connected TVs, set-top boxes and "other home consumer electronic devices." In other words, "you'll soon be able to enjoy streaming your PC to your HDTV with WiDi technology built-in, without the need for an external adapter." Naturally, we'll be looking for proof as soon as the CES show floor opens up.
Intel and LG deal brings WiDi streaming to HDTVs without the dongle
Intel's Wireless Display tech has promised to pull together properly equipped laptops and nearby HDTV screens since its debut last year, but until now always required an extra add-on for the TV side of the equation. That will change next year, thanks to an agreement by the chipmaker with LG promising its Cinema 3D Smart TV line will be the first ones with WiDi built right in. Just like it does with existing dongles, compatible devices can stream content (including HDCP protected video like DVDs and Blu-rays, as of Sandy Bridge) to the display while displaying something different on their own screen, and don't require an active WiFi or internet setup to make it all happen. The press release (included after the break) promises demonstrations next month at CES, while some manufacturers like Philips have included similar technology, we'll see if this becomes a standard feature.
D-Link MainStage WiDi 2.0 adapter puts your laptop on the TV, is less dangerous than it sounds
It was only a matter of time before D-Link entered the WiDi fray. Even though Intel is pushing manufacturers to pack the wireless display tech into practically every laptop (and even a few tablets), options for actually getting that feed on your TV have been scarce. The decidedly nondescript MainStage adapter gives you at least one more choice and, since it boasts WiDi 2.0, you can beam 1080p video and 5.1 surround sound to your home theater from up to 33 feet away -- all while you continue to browse and chat on the small screen. You can find them now in all the usual places (Newegg, Best Buy, Amazon, etc...) for $129.99, but our neighbors to the north in Canada will have to wait till July to get their hockey-loving mittens on one. Check out the PR after the break.
Intel's convertible Keeley Lake concept laptop shows off Cedar Trail, we go hands-on (update: video)
Just before Intel's keynote at Computex, we decided to stop by at the chip maker's busy booth to see what it has up its sleeves. Luckily, we spotted a couple of Keeley Lake proof-of-concept convertible laptops, which are here to demonstrate what can be achieved using Cedar Trail processors. As you can see, the 12.1-inch screen sits on a swivel hinge, thus allowing users transform this fairly slim laptop into a tablet within seconds. Oh, you can also use the built-in Wireless Display technology to stream some sweet HD action over the air, provided that you have compatible devices. Alas, Intel says there are no commercial plans for this particular device, so hopefully someone will pick up this design. Update: We now have a quick video of Keeley Lake after the break. Enjoy! %Gallery-124834%
Fujitsu and partners show off cord-free display using SUPA wireless power (video)
Cords suck. They tangle, they get lost, they're never long enough, and you never have the kind you need. Indeed, wireless displays are nothing new -- but when you hear "wireless display," you typically think that they've managed to cut the video cable alone. Well, Fujitsu's taken it one step further here at CeBIT this week, throwing together what it claims to be the world's first totally wireless desktop display -- no video, no power. The imagery is handled via wireless USB and can connect to any appropriately-equipped PC, while the juice is sucked in using a newly-minted proposed standard for wireless power delivery called SUPA (developed with the likes of Fraunhofer) that can function over wide surface areas -- in this case, an entire desk. Right now it's just the display, but it's easy to imagine how phones, laptops, tablets, and anything else that requires continuous power or a quick, convenient recharge could benefit from this arrangement rather than needing a special mat (which is, of course, corded) lying around. Fujitsu tells us that SUPA can deliver about 25 watts in its current incarnation, which isn't going to keep your gaming PC going -- but it'll certainly handle your typical handheld device (or, in this case, a 22-inch monitor). The demo we saw was a little glitchy; the first time we visited the booth, Fujitsu was having a hard time getting the WUSB connection to light up, but it was up and running the second time we dropped by. We got the impression there wasn't quite enough bandwidth to deliver smooth video at this color depth and resolution, but it was good enough for data entry tasks. Likewise, the monitor appeared to flicker from time to time, suggesting that it was either right on the edge of that 25W maximum or just experiencing typical prototype hiccups. On a couple occasions, they lifted the monitor to reset it, and it only required 2-3 inches of lift before power was lost -- so this isn't the kind of thing where you can get up and wander around with a device and expect it to magically continue to charge (we'd be awfully concerned about being turned into beef jerky at those energy levels, anyway). All told, we're excited about this technology, assuming SUPA can gain enough critical mass in the marketplace to be relevant. They're expecting the first commercial applications next year... so in the meantime, enjoy our pictures and videos while you plan how you're going to rearrange your workspace once you don't have to worry about power cords.
Fujitsu launches 11.6-inch Lifebook PH50/C, complete with AMD Fusion APU
Now that AMD's Fusion is finally real, we're all sorts of excited to see what kind of numbers the E-350 Zacate APU puts up in honest-to-goodness machines like Fujitsu's latest. The minty fresh Lifebook PH50/C is just one of the many new lappies unveiled this week by the company, but this particular 11.6-incher has managed to grab our heartstrings and not let go. Boasting a cute, albeit familiar design, the PH50/C is equipped with a 1.6GHz E-350 APU, Radeon HD 6310 graphics, 2GB of memory, a 500GB hard drive, Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) and a 5,800mAh battery good for up to seven hours of life in ideal conditions. For those more interested in Intel's Sandy Bridge, the like-minded PH74/C gets powered by a Core i3-2310M, and given that it's a Japanese machine designed for Japanese owners, an in-built WiMAX module is thrown in for good measure. We're also getting the impression that both of these can be ordered up with Intel's Wireless Display technology, and considering that Buffalo just introduced a new WiDi adapter for this very market, we'd say things have lined up quite nicely. Pricing remains up in the air, but they should be out in Q1 for under $800 or so.
Buffalo's PC-TV1/HD adapter brings Intel Wireless Display support to Japan
So, you did it. You went out and purchased a WiDi-enabled laptop. Congratulations. Trouble is, you have no way to get those wireless transmissions to your television, and that's where Buffalo comes in. We've already seen a handful of Wireless Display adapters hit the market here in the US, but mama always said that more made things merrier. Buffalo's PC-TV1/HD is fairly simple; just plug it into your television via HDMI or composite video cords, sync it with your WiDi computer, and enjoy the spoils of watching (mostly) lag-free HD content flow from your laptop to your HDTV. Check it this March for ¥12,500 ($150), or just do what everyone else does -- buy a $4 HDMI cable, and swallow the fact that living in the future simply isn't worth going broke over.
Logitech intros $30 Wireless Speaker Adapter for WiDi-enabled laptops
A WiDi adapter, but only for music? It's true. Up until now, Intel's Wireless Display technology has been marketed as a means for transmitting video wirelessly from a PC to an HDTV, but apparently it's good for audio, too. Logitech has chosen CES 2011 to launch the box you see above, the Wireless Speaker Adapter for Intel WiDi-enabled laptops. The idea is fairly simple: place the box near your sound system, and connect it up via a 3.5mm auxiliary jack or using standard analog RCA jacks. From there, you can launch the WiDi software on your laptop, nail the 'Connect' button and watch as your PC pairs up with your speakers. If you aren't equipped to handle WiDi, there's a similar box, but for Bluetooth. Both are expected to ship in the US and Europe this May for $29.99 apiece.
Netgear's Push2TV HD WiDi adapter launched with 1080p support, WiFi range extenders follow
If you've been scouring the world for an adapter to enable your Intel Wireless Display-enabled laptop to do more than just look pretty in the living room, Netgear's got a refreshed box that deserves your attention. The second generation Push2TV adapter has been unveiled today, with an "HD" suffix finding its way in. The revised box now supports 1080p and Blu-ray transmissions, marking a vast improvement compared to the version launched at last year's CES. The PTV2000 is (thankfully) compatible with both existing and future generation WiDi laptops, and the dual-band wireless connectivity ensures that things will hum along just fine over 5GHz when that 2.4GHz band gets too jammed. It's expected to ship later this month in the US for $119.99, with the rest of the world to get it by the end of Q1. In somewhat less exhilarating news, a trifecta of WiFi range extenders are also being revealed. The Universal WiFi Range Extender (WN3000RP; $99.99) touts a compact wall-plugged design, and a pair of powerline solutions should work well for those looking to make better use of their home's power cabling. The Internet Adapter for Home Theater - HD+3D (XAVB5004; $169.99) is hailed as the fastest powerline networking solution currently available on the market, while the Powerline AV 200 Nano Adapter Kit (XAVB2101; $139.99) is described as the world's smallest 200Mbps powerline AV adapter. Per usual, you can find the releases in full just below the break. %Gallery-112749%
