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Playing up
portability
The Consumer Electronics Show highlights Wi-Fi and 'USB-on-the-Go' 01/09/2003
LAS VEGAS – The Las Vegas Convention Center is awash in
radio waves as the 2003 Consumer Electronics Show revs up
Thursday. More than 250 companies have set up exhibits to demonstrate
the latest in wireless connectivity for PCs, car stereos,
cellphones and home entertainment centers. They join 2,000
electronics firms spread across 1.2 million square feet – a
record-breaking turnout for the show, which runs through
Sunday. As Wi-Fi (802.11b) wireless computer networking expands,
new radio concepts are being rolled out. Many are specifically
tailored to make video and music more portable. "We're starting to see a lot of entertainment-geared stuff,
and a lot of that is a recognition of the youth market," says
Brian Gratch, a principal at Gratch Associates of Chicago and
an expert on wireless products. "It's the younger folks that
are really doing the spending." In that light, several companies are showing off an
emerging technology called USB-on-the-Go (USB OTG). This
subset of the USB computer standard allows two devices to
exchange data without plugging into a PC as an intermediary.
TransDimension, one of several USB OTG
chipmakers at CES 2003, is demonstrating how this technology
allows, for example, a cellphone to plug directly into a
digital camera to send pictures over a wireless network.
Backers predict that by midyear, new lines of photo printers,
personal digital assistants and cellphones will begin a clear
trend toward a less computer-centric world. The advantage of USB OTG is its flexibility. As digital
cameras add this interface, it will be possible, for instance,
to print pictures on any printer, regardless of brand. A fledgling wireless company, cd3o, is previewing its line
of products that allow wireless distribution of MP3, Windows
media and other audio content throughout the home using the PC
as a music server. One of the products uses a remote control
equipped with an electronic voice that guides users through
their libraries of music to select songs. And SimpleDevices is showing off the first wireless
digital car product, which could open up a whole new realm for
mobile music. With Omnifi, a car stereo system connects via
Wi-Fi to the home computer, then downloads music from its
library to a removable hard drive. It is the same software platform that currently powers the
Motorola Simplefi, which is used to wirelessly connect PCs
with stereo systems. Both systems use a remote control to
navigate through PC-stored music. "What's happened with consumer electronics is that they've
started getting people comfortable with moving music around,"
says Mr. Gratch. "It's very exciting for people. These sorts
of products are very cool." Initial pricing for such convenience, however, could be
problematic in a shaky economy facing the prospects of war,
Mr. Gratch warns. Many of the products being unveiled at the
show don't have price tags. "Because of the uncertain economic climate now, I think
we're going to see [that] products north of $150 are going to
have a problem," Mr. Gratch says. Arriving on the market just below the critical $150 barrier
are products using a faster version of Wi-Fi, 802.11g. D-Link, for example, is rolling out its AirPlus Xtreme G
wireless router ($149) and DWL-G650 Wireless CardBus adapter
($69.99). These computer products transmit in the same radio
frequency as the popular 802.11b, but they are much faster (54
Mbps vs. 11 Mbps). As a result, manufacturers such as Linksys
and D-Link say their 802.11g products are far better at
transmitting video around the home or when used for gaming.
"You've also got a little better security with the G, but
it's still using that 2.4-gigahertz spectrum that's getting
really cluttered with everything from your microwave to your
cordless phone," says Mr. Gratch. "That remains a problem."
One of the strangest contraptions on the floor is the
MouseCaster from SmarTec. This $34.95 computer mouse doubles
as a digital FM radio, with the signals played through a PC.
It allows listeners to record songs and programs in a variety
of formats, and has a timer for programming station selections
and scheduling play. Users can also record radio programs and
play them back at their convenience, much as they would use a
VCR. Additionally, the timer serves as an alarm clock. SonicBlue, meanwhile, is displaying the wireless
connections for its new networked DVD player, the Go-Video
D-2730. By connecting with a home computer via Wi-Fi, the player
can move pictures, video clips and music from the PC to the
home entertainment center. Users can navigate through the PC's
library using an on-screen television menu or a software
interface displayed on the computer monitor. Several cellphone manufacturers are demonstrating phones
that automatically switch from cellular service to Wi-Fi
connections, allowing the units to access address books, music
and video files. One of the two satellite radio services, Sirius is
demonstrating how video can be streamed to a Kenwood car
entertainment center. Among the more unusual gadgets is the Evolution Robotics
ER1 Personal Robot System, which won a CES Innovations
award. By attaching a laptop and adding software and hardware kit
components, owners of this $500 system can customize a mobile,
camera-equipped robot to perform complex tasks. It can even
fetch a beer, the company says. Taken as a whole, the CES 2003 offerings represent the
continuing attempt to merge the functions of digital devices
in an American home, with fewer wires and less networking
hassles. "There's a blending between the home PC and the home
entertainment systems, your stereo and TV," said Forrester
Research's Charles Golvin. And, analysts say, that's a trend likely to run throughout
the decade. E-mail dbedell@dallasnews.com
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