Wireless Asia articles from April 2008

Wireless Asia archives from April 2008

Wireless broadband must meet user expectations.(THE SIGNAL)
April 1, 2008... The road to ubiquitous wireless broadband--or something close to ubiquitous--is fraught with challenges. One of them, of course, has been finding a sure-fire way to convince people to use it as a supplement to, or extension of, or possibly even...

SK Telecom eyes GPS market in China.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
April 1, 2008... SK Telecom sees gold in the Chinese location-based services market, and is betting millions on demand driven by government mandates and the Beijing Olympic games this August. SKT got the green light from the Chinese government in February...

802.11n powered by PoE? It' s true.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
April 1, 2008... When Siemens announced in January this year that its new HiPath 802.11n access points could deliver dual-radio, 3x3 MIMO functionality using industry-standard 802.3af PoE (Power over Ethernet), eyebrows across the industry were duly raised. But...

Wimax to give LTE a run for its money.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
April 1, 2008... In 2007, mobile Wimax spent much of the year justifying its existence in the face of growing HSDPA and EV-DO Rev A/B rollouts stealing its thunder, with LTE and UMB on the horizon to make mobile Wimax seem like an even more redundant...

Wimax port of call in Singapore.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
April 1, 2008... Singapore has become the world's first mobile Wimax ready seaport with last month's launch of the Wireless-broadband-access for SEaPort (WISEPORT) project. The project was jointly set up and launched by the Maritime and Port Authority of...

European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).(SHORT BURSTS)
April 1, 2008... The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) completes standards for NFC-based mobile contactless payments with the approval of a spec for the host controller interface (HCI) protocol that controls communication between the...

Motorola licenses its Wimax chipset-based radio reference design.(SHORT BURSTS)
April 1, 2008... Motorola licenses its Wimax chipset-based radio reference design, WTM1000 chipset modem solution, and essential IP to third parties, starting with Enfora.

Laird Technologies adds M2M capability in its products following is acquisition of EZURiO, a supplier of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi embedded RF modules that allow OEMs to incorporate wireless data communications solutions into their products.(SHORT BURSTS)
April 1, 2008... Laird Technologies adds M2M capability in its products following is acquisition of EZURiO, a supplier of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi embedded RF modules that allow OEMs to incorporate wireless data communications solutions into their products. Terms of...

Zigbee Alliance.(SHORT BURSTS)
April 1, 2008... The Zigbee Alliance forms a new group to work on making more Web-based applications interoperable with ZigBee, as well as making it easier for developers and system integrators to deploy ZigBee and to add additional features and functions,...

Mobile service provider GyPSii will provide content and location-based services during the Olympic Games in Beijing.(SHORT BURSTS)
April 1, 2008... Mobile service provider GyPSii will provide content and location-based services during the Olympic Games in Beijing via a partnership with Shanghai Rannuo and China Unicom.

Credit card firm JCB plans to offer over-the-air payments and other services this month using NFC-enabled handsets.(SHORT BURSTS)
April 1, 2008... Credit card firm JCB plans to offer over-the-air payments and other services this month using NFC-enabled handsets via a partnership with CASSIS International.

Andrew Wireless Solutions is chosen by Beijing Metro to install and supply wireless networking systems.(SHORT BURSTS)
April 1, 2008... Andrew Wireless Solutions is chosen by Beijing Metro to install and supply wireless networking systems to add coverage to six rail lines to handle the extra load during the Olympic Games.

BodyTel Scientific announces a distribution agreement with India's Pyramid Professional Services for BodyTel's Bluetooth-enabled blood glucose meter.(SHORT BURSTS)
April 1, 2008... BodyTel Scientific announces a distribution agreement with India's Pyramid Professional Services for BodyTel's Bluetooth-enabled blood glucose meter, which electronically measures a patient's blood sugar level and sends the data via Bluetooth...

Remote Data Exchange (RDX) deploys a GPS-based Passenger Information System (PIS) on Indian Railways.(SHORT BURSTS)
April 1, 2008... Remote Data Exchange (RDX) deploys a GPS-based Passenger Information System (PIS) on Indian Railways, allowing trains to display station information to passengers, as well as video clips, movies and music videos.

Infologix will integrate AirMagnet's wireless LAN and RFID technologies into its network solutions designed for healthcare customers.(SHORT BURSTS)
April 1, 2008... Infologix will integrate AirMagnet's wireless LAN and RFID technologies into its network solutions designed for healthcare customers, who will be able to monitor security and performance from a central console.

Secured Digital Applications.(SHORT BURSTS)
April 1, 2008... Secured Digital Applications lands a $825,000 deal to install a RFID-enabled warehouse management system for a third-party logistics firm in Guang, dong. The name of the firm was not disclosed.

Beyond the handset: advances in GPS and location-based services, such as geotagging, are driving growth of GPS into consumer devices such as cameras and laptops.(GPS FOCUS)
April 1, 2008... Recent achievements of GPS receiver manufacturers such as Air Semiconductors, SiRF, Qualcomm, u-blox, Glonav and Geotate (NXP Software's spin-off) are finally paving the way for intelligent integration of GPS in digital cameras. These...

WiMedia fight to defend its headstart: after effectively winning the UWB standards war, the WiMedia Alliance is fighting to justify its performance promises while new short-range/low power wireless techhologies gear up for battle.(RESEARCH NOTE)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Among all the battles over wireless standards, the high speed personal area networking sector has been one of the most fraught, with the long drawn out fight over ultra wide band (UWB) platforms still affecting...

Searching for silicon gold: the wireless chipset industry is giving Wall Street the short-term jitters, but between Asia's high-volume emerging markets and innovations looking beyond 3G, players say there's little cause for alarm.(Cover story)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] By some accounts, the semiconductor sector didn't get off to the best of starts in 2008. In March, analyst firm Gartner Group reported that excess inventories were pushing the industry into its "caution zone" where...

Mobilized medicine: healthcare facilities can gain specific benefits from harnessing mobile and adopting stronger communication tools for team use--once they get to grips with the chief elements of an effective wireless mobility solution.(VERTICAL FOCUS)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The healthcare industry has lagged behind other industry sectors in adopting wireless technologies--including financial services, real estate, manufacturing and government--yet it's also a sector that stands to...

Monitoring and troubleshooting: keys to converged networks: for successful transitions, operators migrating to converged networks and mobile data services must have the right troubleshooting and monitoring tools.(WIRELESS TECH)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mobile operators worldwide are in the midst of a major technical evolution. In the past, bulk of the service revenues were derived from voice services, with a small amount generated from low-bandwidth data services...

Building a better GPS diary: GPS can help transportation systems plan for more capacity without widening streets or building--if you've got the right data collection tool for the job. Here's how a group of academics designed and built their own GPS automated travel diary.(WIRELESS TECH)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most current transportation systems are at or have exceeded their maximum capacity, and adding capacity through building is no longer a viable option due to space or environmental constraints. Better planning--at the...

Wimax inside: Wimax may be the next phase of "connectivity anywhere", but "anywhere" includes inside shopping malls, airport terminals and subway platforms, which means more network challenges for operators.(TECH FOCUS)
April 1, 2008... Just as consumers expect mobile phone and wireless data coverage everywhere indoors and underground, they will have the same expectation of Wimax services. In fact, it is expected that the vast majority of wireless data interaction will take...

UWB fills sub-meter positioning demand.(TECH VIEW)
April 1, 2008... It sounds too good to be true: a technology that can see through walls, transfer gigabytes of data in seconds, utilize signals that go undetected because of their low frequency (and are thus secure), and provide a viable real-time location...

Enhanced GPS chip with Bluetooth.(WIRELESS GEAR)
April 1, 2008... CSR's new enhanced GPS (or eGPS) chip features embedded Bluetooth and FM radio designed to improve location-based services in mobile phones. CSR's Bluetooth silicon, with embedded support for eGPS, allows satellite measurements to be...

Lightweight spectrum analyzer for mobile.(WIRELESS GEAR)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rohde & Schwarz' portable FSL18 spectrum analyzer touts a compact eight-kilogram form factor suited for installation and maintenance of Wimax networks. Running on a frequency range of 9 kHz to 18 GHz, the FSL18...

Ruggedized access points for harsh environments.(WIRELESS GEAR)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Aruba Networks' new AP-85 line of access points are targeted for industrial and outdoor applications. The P-85 access points feature dual, high-power radios that deliver up to 200 mW (23 dBm) for wide-area...

M2M software simplifies data programming.(WIRELESS GEAR)
April 1, 2008... The iWOW M2M Open Protocol (or iMOP) software is embedded on top of TR-800 GSM/GPRS modules from iWOW Connections. iMOP aims to replace programming efforts to trigger data sending with user-friendly configurations for wireless reporting,...

RF module for Zigbee mesh networking.(WIRELESS GEAR)
April 1, 2008... Digi International's XBee-PRO ZNet 2.5 provides up to 1.6 kilometers RF line-of-sight transmission. This can increase the number of applications around a ZigBee mesh networking environment. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The extended range is...

Wireless temperature monitoring for hospitals.(WIRELESS GEAR)
April 1, 2008... AeroScout's Wi-Fi-enabled solution automates temperature monitoring for healthcare equipment in hospitals and clinics. A temperature monitoring application, which is part of AeroScout's Healthcare Visibility suite, can alert hospital staff...

Embedded module offers NFC integration.(WIRELESS GEAR)
April 1, 2008... Stollman's NFCMod+S embedded module supports reader/writer and peer-to-peer modes and is compatible with conventional tags and contactless smart cards compliant with near-field communications (NFC) standards. The NFCMod+S offers interfaces...

Smaller WLAN chips for home devices.(WIRELESS GEAR)
April 1, 2008... SiGe Semiconductor announced two new RF front-end modules that support wireless multimedia services in portable devices like laptops and home access points. The SE2547A and SE2548A modules measure 25 [mm.sup.2] (about one-third the size of...

M2M catches up to its own hype: if service providers and vendors had made a bigger song-and-dance about their developments, M2M could have been another showstopper in Barcelona.(ANALYST VIEW)
April 1, 2008... Something unusual at this year's Mobile World Congress was the absence of a single headline-grabbing topic. Those of you familiar with the event know what I mean. At last year's show you couldn't walk five meters without someone pinning you...

Artificial limbs coordinated via Bluetooth.(WIRELESS HORIZON)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Two Iraq War vets in the US--both of whom are double leg amputees--are using prosthetic legs outfitted with Bluetooth receivers strapped to the ankles, reports CNN. Computer chips in each leg send signals to...

Making everything mobile.(WIRELESS HORIZON)
April 1, 2008... The future of mobile devices should be one of divergence rather than convergence, says Martin Cooper, chairman of ArrayComm and the man credited as the pioneer of the mobile phone. Speaking at a press lunch hosted by the LiMo Foundation at...

UI: More than meets the eye.(WIRELESS HORIZON)
April 1, 2008... On the mobile user-interface front, a Japanese inventor reckons that operating your mobile device should be as easy as blinking. Literally. Kazuhiro Taniguchi, a researcher at state-run Osaka University's Graduate School of Engineering...

Projecting mobile projectors.(WIRELESS HORIZON)
April 1, 2008... One of the solutions to break the mobile device display barrier--which is to say, that tiny 2.5-inch screen we're all supposed to watch TV and surf the internet on--is a micro or "pico" projector that connects to the handset and projects...