{mosgoogle}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 whereas 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.

Preston Wily is a product development manager for Sewell Direct.