Microtune cuts cord, adds Bluetooth radio to USB. (Top Technology Showcase).Microtune, a small company in Piano, Texas, has introduced a proprietary technology that allows devices to exchange data through USB USB in full Universal Serial Bus Type of serial bus that allows peripheral devices (disks, modems, printers, digitizers, data gloves, etc.) to be easily connected to a computer. ports--but without cabling, and with Bluetooth. The company's new Cable-Free USB MT0760-CF, the version of the product targeted for wireless printing, supports a standard data rate of up to 140Kbps, which Microtune says is comparable to the full-speed operation of a home printer using an RS232 cable. USB MT0760-CF is optimized for printers and supports the print modes and operations of Canon, Epson, Hewlett Packard, and 'Lexmark models. Two versions of the product are available, one with wireless print capability to 30 feet and one to 100 feet. (Note that the solution does require AC power cables.) CableFree USB utilizes the 2.4GHz RF band to transmit data, from a small form factor about the size of a USB "key-chain" disk drive. One dongle The term was originally slang for a "hardware key." Today, the term is often used to refer to any small adapter that has a short cable with connectors at both ends. See hardware key and PC Card dongle. adapter A device that allows one system to connect to and work with another. An adapter is often a simple circuit that converts one set of signals to another; however, the term often refers to devices which are more accurately called "controllers. uses the slave receptacle on the PC's USB port A USB socket on a computer or peripheral device into which a USB cable is plugged. See USB. (Type A), while the other utilizes the printer's master receptacle (Type A). The CableFree USB hardware solution is based on Microtune's MT0760 Bluetooth OneChip technology. The MT0760 integrates a complete Bluetooth silicon solution, including the 2.4GHz radio, baseband processor, flash program memory and USB interface into a single small BGA (Ball Grid Array) A popular surface mount chip package that uses a grid of solder balls as its connectors. Available in plastic and ceramic varieties, BGA is noted for its compact size, high lead count and low inductance, which allows lower voltages to be used. package. "The key to unleashing the potential of Bluetooth is finding the right application and making it available in the traditional retail channels, offering a practical product with a low price tag that is extremely simple to install and use, and packaging it in an appealing bundle," notes Joyce Putscher, director, Converging Markets and Technologies, In-Stat/MRD. "Our research shows consumers are very interested in simple wireless printing. Microtune has previously concentrated its Bluetooth efforts on voice and audio applications, where its technology offers distinct advantages. With its new CableFree USB product line, Microtune is attacking the potentially huge installed base of legacy PCs and peripherals to enable wireless functionality and is doing so with a complete solutions approach." Of course, CableFree USB does have some drawbacks: It is not USB 2.0 compliant, and thus cannot be used for more demanding applications (the company says a 2.0-compliant version is under development). It will not work with all printers. And it draws significant power--hence the powerline requirement. As a first effort, however, it is impressive. Microtune says the company has pending patents containing 68 individual claims, and it plans to extend the capabilities for networked printing with a 3-pack adaptor An alternate spelling of "adapter." See adapter. (tool) Adaptor - (Automatic DAta Parallelism TranslatOR) A source to source transformation tool that transforms data parallel programs written in Fortran 77 with array extensions, parallel loops, and layout directives to set. The company also has plans to introduce peer-to-peer communications Communications in which both sides have equal responsibility for initiating, maintaining and terminating the session. Contrast with "master-slave communications," in which the host determines which users can initiate which sessions. this year (A la USB OTG (USB On The Go) An enhancement to USB that enables portable USB devices to be cabled directly together without the need for a PC in between. Fully compliant with USB 2.0, USB OTG devices began to ship in 2002. ). The retail price of CableFree USB is expected to be less than $79. www.microtune.com |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion