FireWireless, Wireless USB, and UltraWideBand

[bascule]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/64/35662.html

Basically a consortium of vendors, tired of foot-dragging by IEEE, are trying to dictate a new set of standards for high speed, next generation wireless. They're apparently trying to make a unified PHY and MAC layer which can be used with a number of different protocol stacks, including USB and IEEE1394-derived ones.

Hopefully these devices will operate on frequencies high enough to limit them to line-of-sight operation...

[skroo]

Hopefully these devices will operate on frequencies high enough to limit them to line-of-sight operation...

Agreed. From the article:

"The MBOA will define PHY and MAC specifications to enable communications in the 3.1-10.6GHz band based on a dozen proposals put to the IEEE for the 802.15.3a PAN standard. On top of them will sit a software "convergence layer" currently being designed by the WiMedia Alliance, the PAN industry's answer to the Wi-Fi Alliance. Intel today said it has joined WiMedia."

I can just see some jackass trying for a 1kW ERP to set a distance record and microwaving himself or everything in his path.

[Dr3]

ultrawideband makes me horny :)

[murakami]

Agreed. From the article:

I can just see some jackass trying for a 1kW ERP to set a distance record and microwaving himself or everything in his path.

That would be cool! Sounds like the beginning of an urban myth.