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As we became increasingly more reliant on USB for
most of the devices that connected to our system the nest of cables behind the
average computer continued to grow.
Enter Bluetooth Bluetooth was released
a couple of years following the initial release of USB and grew in popularity
because it offered computer users a way to connect precious devices to the
computer without worrying about the tangle of wires behind the computer and the
inevitable "creative" wiring options required to connect two computers and
printers located across the room.
Bluetooth took off in Europe and Asia
Bluetooth has become very popular in Europe and Asia. Not only is Bluetooth
popular with computer users, but also cell phone users looking for a way to use
a hands-free headset without worrying about hauling around another wire. For
some reason the technology became very popular abroad, but many US computer and
cell phone users had security concerns about the technology or were unimpressed
with its relatively low speed for data-intensive applications.
We are on the verge of a revolution in
connectivity Wireless USB offers the convenience of
Bluetooth with the security and seamless integration of current USB technology.
In addition, the first release of Wireless USB (aka WUSB) will allow you to use
legacy USB devices wirelessly. Here's how it will work - you will plug a
Wireless USB dongle into your desktop or laptop and then plug the Wireless USB
hub into an external power supply - this could range from a few feet to several
meters away. Then you could plug your USB devices into the Wireless USB hub and
use them as if they were attached directly to your computer. This would be
especially useful for a printer, scanner or any other device you might want to
share with local computers but not necessarily over a network.
Differences between Bluetooth and
Wireless USB The most obvious difference between
Bluetooth and Wireless USB is the speed - empirically you will generally always
see speeds less than 1 Mbps with Bluetooth. Wireless USB, on the other hand, is
rated for 480 Mbps at 5 meters. Both technologies are slower at further
distances, but Wireless USB should always be faster than Bluetooth. Another
obvious difference between Bluetooth and Wireless USB is security - Bluetooth
devices are highly susceptible to signal-hijacking where as the security standard
for WUSB is very strict and should result in a much more secure connection -
this is very important for any application which may require the transfer of
sensitive data or information.
Time frame on Wireless USB
Wireless USB dongles and hubs are currently in production and should be
available for purchase in the first quarter of 2006. A few manufacturers have
already received approval from the FCC and other standards organizations.
Is Wireless USB right for you
If you can hold off a couple of months to try out a really cool wireless
technology I highly recommend that you consider WUSB. It may take some time to
refine the protocols and iron out a few bugs in the design but the wait should
be well worth it.
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