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IOGEAR's Wireless USB to VGA kit extends your monitor sans wires
Wireless VGA? Been there, done that. Wireless USB to VGA? Hello, IOGEAR. Said outfit has just revealed the world's first Wireless USB to VGA kit that enables users to extend or clone their desktop to another monitor sans wires. Certified by the USB-IF, this unit enables any machine with a spare USB port to stream video to a TV or projector with resolutions as high as 720p. So long as your USB dongle is plugged into your machine and the VGA adapter is connected to a display, you'll be good to go within a 30-foot radius. According to IOGEAR, the product is only compatible with Windows XP 32-bit or Vista 32- / 64-bit, but those with no qualms about that can grab one next month for $229.95. Full release after the jump.Update: IOGEAR pinged us to say that it's still waiting on USB-IF approval, though that should hopefully go down soon.
NEC produces Wireless USB host controller, on the hunt for end products
Oh sure, Wireless USB products are out there, but they're pretty far out there. We're talking deep back shelf type stuff. NEC Electronics is hoping to get the cord-free version of the well known peripheral standard into more and more gizmos by cranking out the uPD720171 Wireless USB host controller. The unit was designed with the PCI Express bus interface in mind, and it can also provide laptops with connectivity via the ExpressCard slot. The company claims that the $10 device can handle transfers up to 480Mbps within a range of three meters, but you'll be waiting a little while yet before testing out said claim in a finalized product.[Via SlashGear]
Kensington kills a few more cables with Wireless USB Docking Station
Look out, cable pundits, your next must-have gadget has arrived. Kensington's Wireless USB Docking Station is pretty straightforward -- you simply plug in up to five USB devices along with your external monitor in order to access all of those gizmos sans cabling from your Wireless USB-enabled machine. Sure, the range is capped at 15-feet, but never having to plug in that printer / scanner / external HDD / USB-powered fan again when setting up your work lappie at home will be a huge relief. Look for this one to ship soon for $229.99.[Via Electronista]
WiQuest makes secure pairing simple for display-less Wireless USB devices
Pairing up display-laden Wireless USB device with another machine is quite possibly one of the easiest processes known to man, but what if your W-USB device is screen-less? Enter WiQuest, the self-proclaimed leader in WiMedia-based ultra-wideband solutions, which has just revealed a new Wireless USB PIN Association method "specifically designed for Wireless USB-enabled devices that do not have a display." In its words, "once the Association process is initiated, a software screen on the host PC requests that the unique PIN printed on the Wireless USB device be entered and the secure pairing is completed -- wirelessly." We just love it when a good plan comes together.
AMEX offers up RM-mp1 media center remote
Though we'd certainly like to see a few hands-on shots of this beauty just to quiet that annoying doubter in the rear of our mind that this is merely a concept, AMEX's RM-mp1 is reportedly the real deal. Said remote features wireless USB, support for Windows Media Center, a built-in touchpad / laser pointer and a black or white motif. Beyond that, details are admittedly scant, but we'll certainly be crossing our fingers that this mystical device crosses the waters to America in short order.
Fanatec intros wireless Porsche 911 Turbo Racing Wheel
Sorry Mario, but your Wii Wheel just got lapped, backed over and left in the dust. Heck, even the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel looks toyish propped up next to this. Then again, neither of the previously mentioned accessories will put a $349.99 hole in your bank account, but did you really expect anything else from an officially licensed Porsche product? According to Fanatec, it took the firm seven years to acquire the license, and it required that the wheel be "the best out there." We can't judge the quality from here, but we can tell you it supports wireless USB technology and boasts a trio of force feedback motors, a 6+1 speed H-pattern gear shifter, cordless pedals, an automotive grade leather covering, a key-shaped 1GB flash drive for storing settings and compatibility with Sony's PlayStation 3 and PCs of (almost) all ages. Look at it this way: it's still probably cheaper than two tanks of premium.
NEC gifts LaVie J laptop lineup with wireless USB
We're a bit bummed that wireless USB-equipped laptops are merely trickling in versus pouring, but we reckon we'll take what we can get. Next on the docket is the LaVie J series from NEC, which consists of the flagship LJ750/LH along with the lower-end LJ730/LG and LJ700/LH. Besides the whole cord free USB thing, you'll also find up to a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo U6700, 2GB of RAM, a 12.1-inch display (1,280 x 800 resolution), 160GB of HDD space, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. The pain? Around €1,735 ($2,543) for the top-of-the-line stuff.
Wireless USB now an option in even more Dell laptops
Jonesing for more wireless USB options in your laptop? Dell's got you covered with extended availability of the $145 add-on in its XPS M1530 (plus its Gaming Edition), Inspiron 1525, which brings the tally to those and the 17-inch Inspiron 1720 and 13-inch M1330. Still out of the wireless USB loop: the low end 14-inch 1420, the XPS M1730, and the juggernaut M2010 (which really should have it by now).[Via Electronista]
Dell's XPS M1330 now with built-in Wireless USB
We not sure when Dell's XPS M1330 learned the new Wireless USB trick, nevertheless, it's sporting that option as of this morning. The $150 add-on integrates a Wireless USB module into Dell's slick 13.3-inch laptop while netting you a short-range Belkin 4-port USB hub for all your peripherals. See, it's not just phone news today. [Thanks, Srinivas N.]
IOGear busts out a wireless USB CardBus adapter
We're not certain making a huge investment in Cardbus adapters is the wisest financial decision you can make, but if you're looking to add a little Wireless USB action to your older lappy in the most upgrade-unfriendly way possible, IOGear's got you covered. The company's new Cardbus WUSB adapter does pretty much what you'd expect, but doesn't yet have pricing or availability details. Still, unless you've got a crying need to finally use that empty slot, we'd recommend you stick to one of the many USB-to-WUSB dongles trickling onto the market.
IOGEAR demonstrates WUSB Graphics Adapter
IOGEAR and DisplayLink are here with the second wireless USB demo at CES. This time, we've got an adapter that adds multiple "high-resolution" displays via a WUSB connection between laptops, desktops and their WUSB enabled monitors. IOGEAR's new WUSB to VGA Video Adapter supports "instantaneous mouse and keyboard movements" with output resolutions as high as 1680 x 1050 pixels and 16.7 million colors -- presumably less (they don't say) as you add multiple displays. Expect the Wireless USB Graphics Adapter (UGA) to be commercially available by mid 2008. We don't have a picture yet, but it's likely to look a whole lot like the DisplayLink reference design you're looking at to the right.
Video: WUSB streaming HD video
The Wireless USB packing Toshiba Portege R400 makes an encore performance at CES 2008 in hopes of putting your bandwidth fears to rest. Pushing data at 377Mbps (of a theoretical 480Mbps at 3-meters), you're looking at 1,920 x 1,080 pixel video sourced from the R400 and displayed on a prototype WUSB monitor sitting a few inches away. Not bad, eh?
Realtek and Intel to show off single-chip WUSB solutions at CES
It looks like Realtek and Intel will each be doing their part to push wireless USB (or WUSB) at CES, with the pair set to team up to demonstrate how their respective single-chip solutions work with one another. Those solutions include Realtek's RTU7105 Wireless USB device and Intel's Wireless UWB Link 3480 Single-Chip CMOS Wireless USB host device, each of which are interoperable in multiple WiMedia band groups, including multiple bands that meet existing worldwide regulatory requirements. Not exactly the most exciting stuff for casual consumers to be sure, but according to the two companies, this will be the first public demonstration of WUSB interoperability involving single-chip solutions for both the host and device and, given the likely preponderance of such devices in the not too distant future, that's certainly something at least worth taking note of.
Wisair wireless USB module hits the FCC
Wisair's been in the wireless USB game for some time already, and it now looks set to expand its offerings even further, with a new WUSB module of it's now making its debut at the FCC. As the device's manual helpfully informs, this one will let you set up an ad hoc wireless network between two computers without the need for a router or any network infrastructure, or between a PC and a USB-equipped peripheral like a printer or an external drive. Naturally, there's no word on a price or release date just yet, although it seems likely that the final product will come from another company and not Wisair itself, at least if the company's past track record is any indication.
NuVo releases Wireless USB Syncing Device for NV-M3 Music Server
Those not deterred by the NV-M3 Music Server's rather steep pricetag may be interested in knowing that a hard-wired connection is no longer necessary, making the previously unattractive device a bit more palatable. NuVo's Wireless USB Syncing Device (NV-USBW) enables the NV-M3 (pictured) to be installed without regard for where the user's PC is, as the Wireless-G connection that is provided enables PlaysForSure tunes to be streamed sans cabling anywhere within the home. That being said, we sincerely hope you didn't expect this thing to be cheap -- otherwise, the $399 pricetag for the NV-USBW is likely to be a real stunner.
Gefen introduces Wireless USB 2.0 Extender
Now that you've already shelled out for Gefen's wireless USB hub, how's about another gizmo from the company to tempt your USB-lovin' soul? The Wireless USB 2.0 Extender requires no drivers, works with Windows, Linux, and OS X-based systems and promises to transmit up to four USB 2.0 signals one hundred-feet through the air. Gefen stated that you'll recognize USB speeds "up to 54Mbps," and while we're all about ridding our work area of unnecessary wires, the $399 asking price still seems a bit steep.[Via SlashGear]
Belkin starts shipping the Network USB Hub
It was supposed to ship in June, but it looks like Belkin is finally shipping the Network USB Hub this week. The five-port USB hub "simulates a direct USB connection" that allows you to use all your USB devices over the network -- and special caching software even lets you use USB 2.0 devices at full speed. Looks like Windows users can nab one of these now for $129 -- Mac users are still waiting on driver support.[Via PC World]
Intel's USB 3.0 and Wireless USB 1.1 target speeds announced: so long Firewire?
Intel's announced USB 3.0 specification could push throughput beyond 4Gbps (300MBps) at the application level while introducing Quality of Service in support of HD video streams. Besides supplanting Firewire once and for all, a clear goal of the new "SuperSpeed USB" is to keep up with the transfer speeds of flash chips. "We don't want to be the bottleneck in the system," says Intel's Jeff Ravencraft who is overseeing the 3.0 initiative. Intel, HP, Microsoft, NEC, NXP, and TI will present the initial spec for a design review in November with first silicon to be stamped in "early 2009." While the new interconnect (pictured) will remain backward compatible with USB 2.0 and prior devices, new cables laced with an optical link and a max length of 2-meters will be required to take advantage of those high speeds according to a senior engineering manager with NEC. Meanwhile, a 1Gbps throughput is being targeted with Ravencraft's other baby: Wireless USB 1.1. Sounds great, but with existing 480Mbps Wireless USB silicon only achieving about 40Mbps in practice, Intel would be wise to focus on efficiency, not theory. Of course, it's all just a lot of smack-talk 'til they deliver, but with Apple running Intel inside now, Sony putting USB in their camcorders, and eSATA proliferating for external disks... well, Firewire's days sure seem numbered. [Via EETimes and The Inquirer]
Kensington's SlimBlade Media Notebook set relies on magnets not magic
In perhaps the largest dose of hyperbole you'll taste this year, Kensington is claiming to "reinvent the computer interface" with their new SlimBlade Media Notebook set. No, we're not talking mult-touch, speech, or thought control here; just magnets. Sorry, no magical Steorn energy, they're simply using magnets to attach a media remote and keypad module to the sides of a keyboard. Whoopee. The wireless laser mouse features a 360-degree scroll ball while the keyboard goes both ways with PC or Mac hotkeys. A Wireless USB micro-receiver controls all the modules and tucks away inside the mouse when not in use. The kit goes for $130, or $150 with the Vista MediaCenter / FrontRow enabled remote control. Pretty sweet all-in-all but hardly a re-invention of the computer interface.
IOGEAR intros USB-IF certified wireless USB hub
IOGEAR has launched its new Wireless USB (W-USB) hub and adapter kit, a combination of a receiving / transmitting base, and dongles which allow USB devices to communicate with the hub. Although we've seen a slew of these devices before (Belkin and Gefen's entries spring to mind), this is the first that we know of to be certified by the USB-IF, or USB Implementers Forum, which is basically the MPAA of USB devices... er, without the ratings. Regardless, the little package can get your USB devices to suddenly start rocking cable-free transfers at 480Mbps from 30-feet away, which should appeal to those of us looking for less clutter, USB-IF-blessed or not. The kit, which contains the base, antenna, power supply, and one adapter is available now for $199.99.
