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Broadcom intros a trio of 802.11ac WiFi chips for PCs and set-top boxes
Broadcom has focused most of its 802.11ac WiFi efforts this year on high- and low-end mobile chips. Today, it's swinging that attention back to bigger machinery like PCs and set-top boxes. The company's new BCM4350, BCM43556 and BCM43558 all carry more robust, 2 X 2 MIMO antennas that help them hit 866Mbps speeds and optimize traffic through beamforming. Any differences, Broadcom notes, revolve around everything but the WiFi. The BCM4350 carries a more PC-like set of interfaces that includes Bluetooth 4.0, PCI Express and SDIO 3.0; the BCM43558 drops the PCIe and SDIO in favor of USB 3.0, while the BCM43556 also sheds Bluetooth. Although we don't know which companies plan to use the nimbler wireless technology, it should ship to gadget makers in the second half of this year.
Sony slips out second generation TransferJet chip, partners begin to take notice
Bless its heart. Regardless of how loudly consumers yell, Sony can't seem to understand that creating proprietary formats that no other company has any interest in adopting isn't the brightest of ideas. The eventual fates of UMD, ATRAC, MiniDisc and countless others are proof of the outfit's ignorance, but somehow or another, it seem as if TransferJet has a modicum of a chance to gain some traction. Nearly a year after outing its first generation TransferJet chip, Sony is using CEATEC to spring its second generation one into action. From what we can tell, the primary addition to this chip is its native compatibility with USB 2.0 and PCI Express, with hardware and software improvements credited with an effective data transmission boost to somewhere north of 300Mbps. Potentially more interesting, however, is the lower power draw, which could lead to TransferJet embeds within smartphones, tablets, netbooks and other low-cost mobile computers. Across the pond(s) in Tokyo, Toshiba has been caught showing off a TransferJet SD card that could allow a potentially wider swath of devices to support Sony's wireless protocol, although the hardware typically has to be designed specifically to not interfere with the chip's ultra short-range transmissions, and software drivers have to be built as well -- not even all of Sony's new Cyber-shots support its existing TransferJet Memory Stick. We'll be digging for more details (ship date, price, etc.) just as soon as we can.
Samsung's new Wireless USB chipset enables HD streaming with less power
It's a beautiful combination, really -- lower power consumption, and support for high bandwidth applications. That marriage is evident in Samsung's newest Wireless USB chipset, which was built around Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology and designed to enable high-def streaming between a mobile host device and a tethered device for viewing. According to Sammy, the two-chip solution will be aimed at cameras, camcorders, TVs, PCs, tablets, beam projectors, portable HDDs, Blu-ray players and handsets, and given that it can handle a theoretical high of 480Mbps with an average power consumption of less than 300mW, even the weakest smartphone battery should be able to stream at least a single episode of Family Guy to the tele. Mum's the word on who all will be lining up to adopt this stuff, but since it's slated to hit mass production in Q4, we'd say those details should be worked out right around CES 2011.
Sony outs world's first TransferJet chips for short-range wireless transfer
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.
Trimble unveils rugged lineup of Nomad handheld computers
If Trimble's Juno ST PDA wasn't rugged enough to handle your oh-so-critical field duties (or unexpected drink spills), you'll be thrilled to know that the firm has you on the brain. The Nomad lineup of handheld computers weigh just 21-ounces, are designed to "fit comfortably in a user's hand," and pack a fairly decent array of specifications. Internally, you'll find an 806MHz processor, 128MB of RAM, and optionally, you can tack on integrated Bluetooth, GPS, a bar code scanner, two-megapixel camera, and 802.11g; additionally, an SDIO and CF slot, up to 1GB of flash memory, a daylight-visible VGA touchscreen, Windows Mobile 6, and a rechargeable Li-ion are on board. Trimble is offering up four separate Nomad 800 flavors depending on your level of necessity (and budget), all of which can be found real soon ranging from $1,699 to $2,499.
NXP delivers the next "world's smallest" WiFi chip: BGM220
Sheesh, this race for the "world's smallest" anything is seriously getting out of hand, but if it'll make our future handsets and wireless routers a tenth of a cubic centimeter smaller than before, we suppose we'll have to digress. NXP Semiconductors is reportedly ready to "start sampling a single-package 81-pin TFBGA WiFi chip that it says is the smallest device yet for 802.11 b/g connectivity." The GBM220 is, of course, eying the lucrative mobile handset market first and foremost, but handheld gaming systems and PDAs will certainly be in the mix as well. The chip itself comes in at a wee five- x five-millimeters, supports SDIO / SPI host interfaces, handles WPA2 / WMM, features an "ultra-low power drain," and should play nice with Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Symbian, and Linux. NXP's minuscule WiFi chip is slated to reach "volume production" by Q4 of this year, but you probably won't even notice the difference when planted in your forthcoming gizmo.[Via WiFi-Planet]
Haicom's HI-505SD Bluetooth-enabled GPS SDIO receiver
If you're looking for a quick and easy way to get GPS (and Bluetooth) onto your PDA, handset, or other SD-slotted handheld, there's not exactly a smorgasbord of offerings out there to choose from if you're not willing to sacrifice your flash-based storage, but Haicom's latest takes care of all those dilemmas in one fell swoop. The HI-505SD plugs directly into your device's SD slot and utilizes its battery in order to power up the SiRF Star III GPS receiver and Bluetooth antenna, but rather than whining about your sudden loss of storage, this SDIO adapter offers up a miniSD slot to cram a few extra gigabytes back into your machine. Interestingly, Haicom also sells a bevy of attachment cables in order to use this device directly from a power source, but we envision this slightly unsightly device spending most of its time docked in your Treo. Unfortunately, there's an absence of details regarding price and future availability, but we're sure these will be available for import sooner rather than later.[Via NaviGadget]
Spectec rolls out microSD-packin' SDIO GPS receiver
If that handy SD slot in your Treo (or similar smartphone) has gone lonely long enough, you've probably been waiting for "that killer device" to slam down in there and boast about. Thankfully, that time has seemingly come, as Spectec's latest SDIO GPS receiver packs a whole lot of functionality into a minuscule (and sleek) package. Unlike alternative GPS attachments for your handset, the SDG-810 provides a SiRF Star III 20-channel tracking adornment, is WAAS-enabled, and sports a microSD slot to carry up to 2GB of excess data (like maps, for instance) since your original flash memory slot just got occupied. While pricing information wasn't readily available, this nifty smartphone must-have should be available in your neck of the woods (read: everywhere) real soon.[Via GearDiary]
Zentek's 1Seg SDIO card
If you're looking for a little TV-on-the-go action of slightly higher quality than plain-old analog broadcasts, and happen to live in Japan, then Zentek may have just the solution for ya. It's just announced what looks to be the first 1Seg (or One-Seg, if you prefer) TV tuner on an SDIO card, which'll let you pick up those sweet terrestrial digital broadcast signals on your SDIO-equipped handheld or cellphone. Although, not unlike early developments in WiFi on SD cards, it looks like you'll have to put up with the card protruding more than just a little bit from your handheld device, as it measures about 2.1-inches long. (Hear that? It's the sound of thousands of these simultaneosly snapping in Japanese pockets). You'll also have to wait a bit to actually get your hands on one, with Zentek set to offer the device to OEMs in the first quarter of 2007.
