Comdex Fall 2001 Report - Part 3: 802.11b :
The big news in 11b products was a slew of new stuff from Linksys. Here's the lineup (all prices are estimated street):
Instant Wireless Presentation Gateway (WPG11) $299 / No availability info - This was actually running in a live demo, but I didn't take a look at it. It allows multiple users to send their computer's screen output via an 802.11b wireless link to whatever you attach to the VGA connector on the box.
Instant Wireless to Ethernet Adapter (WET11) $129 / late Dec 01 - early Jan 02 - The pricing is the story on this device, since it's comparable in function to Symbol and 3Com products that sell for about $300. This little guy bridges Ethernet and 802.11b wireless, but from one Ethernet client device to a single Access Point (Ad-Hoc mode is not supported).
Instant Wireless Compact Flash Card (WCF11) $129 / Dec 01 - CF card with PocketPC drivers (no info on what processor platforms are supported). Linksys also throws in a CF to PC card adapter so that you can use it in your laptop, too.
Instant Wireless Print Server (WPS11)$149 / Dec 01 - Parallel port print server with 256K buffer and built-in radio.
Instant Wireless-Ready USB Print Server (PPS1UW) $129 / Jan 02 - Will share a USB printer through its Ethernet port. Add a WPC11 PC card and you can share the printer wirelessly, too.
Some pretty exciting stuff! If the past is any indication, I'd take the dates as optimistic, though.
In other Compact Flash news, SMC announced their EZ Connect 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash card (SMC2642W) -$132 / Dec 01. It's a Type II CF card that's 16-bit PCMCIA compatible and supports 64 and 128 bit WEP. I think they said that it comes with a PC card adapter so that it can also be used in a Windows laptop. SMC also launched the EZ Connect 10/100 Compact Flash LAN adapter (SMC16CF) -$99 / Dec 01.
Socket was showing their previously announced CF Wireless LAN card ($189 / now), which looks a lot like Symbol's Wireless Networker ($189 / now). Neither is cheap, but they both have a thinner antenna profile than the less expensive cards.
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I got to see Compaq's 802.11b iPAQ lineup in their off-floor meeting room, and confirmed that they've quietly killed off the old HomeRF connection point. I'll be trying to get the iPAQ stuff in for testing. Compaq is also sourcing rebranded Agere/ORiNOCO products for their "enterprise" customers. |
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Belkin was showing their recently introduced //Your friend has received an email.
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