Obviously, it's been convenient to operate plug and play bus-powered peripheral devices that use USB and FireWire connections, since all you need is the device itself and one data cable that, once plugged in, also draws juice from the computer to feed the device. However, admittedly, that definitely is less convenient than no cable or plugging at all.
A consortium was established on July 17 in Tokyo to promote a radically new and exciting close-proximity wireless technology, called "TransferJet." This new technology enables a high speed data transmission rate of 560Mbps (by comparison, USB 2.0 has the rate of 480Mbps), while eliminating the need for complex setup and operation. The idea is that just by holding two TransferJet-compliant products closely together (approximately an inch apart) you can transfer data automatically from one device to the other. For example, touching a TV with a digital camera enables photos to be instantaneously displayed on the TV screen.
Alternatively, multimedia content can be easily shared and enjoyed by touching a mobile phone to a portable player. TransferJet can be used as a universal interface across all consumer electronics devices.
TransferJet doesn't create interference by using a separate frequency, keeping the signal within a very short radius and implementing access point-free operation.
(Credit: TransferJet Consortium)TransferJet uses the 4.48GHz frequency and works in a very close proximity, so it therefore won't interfere with other wireless devices. Using low-transmission power (averaging at about 70dBm/MHz), the technology is also slated to have very high effective (real) throughput of 375Mbps. To put this in context, at that rate, one hour of high-resolution MPEG4 video can be transmitted in a few seconds.
The TransferJet Consortium consists of Sony, Canon, Eastman Kodak, Hitachi, Victor Company of Japan, KDDI, Kenwood, Matsushita Electric Industrial (Panasonic), Nikon, Olympus, Pioneer, Samsung, Seiko Epson, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, and Toshiba.
The group will develop specifications and guidelines to ensure interoperability between products that incorporate the technology. The consortium will also promote the advantages of this new technology across industries and directly to consumers, hoping, ultimately, to create and expand the market for TransferJet products.
(Credit:
Terrific Toys)
Finally, a USB gadget that's actually useful. We had pretty much given up on the one-time novel plug-and-play desktop devices until they became so common that practically anything that required electricity was being turned into a USB product. Thanko's recently released aromatherapy treatment was probably a new all-time low.
The "USB Hoops Basketball Game" is a undeniable exception to that trend, the first USB-worthy item in recent memory. Our only quibble is the obvious missed opportunity: The game keeps score on its own digital display, but the USB connection could have been used to create all types of neat stuff on the computer, such as online office tournaments.
Once again, Crave is always thinking of ways to keep your workplace at optimum productivity.
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