[IP] HP unveils vision for personal communic
Begin forwarded message:
From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: October 9, 2006 10:22:57 PM EDT
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] HP unveils vision for personal communications
Reply-To: dewayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[Note: This item comes from friend John Wilson. DLH]
From: "john wilson" <johnresearch@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: October 9, 2006 10:56:35 AM PDT
To: dewayne@xxxxxxxxxx, dewayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: HP unveils vision for personal communications
Dewayne
Interesting article below re wireless comms trends, uwb personal hub,
etc
John
<http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,39020336,39283926,00.htm>
HP unveils vision for personal communications
Richard Thurston
ZDNet UK
October 09, 2006, 16:00 BST
Company believes mobile workers of the future will carry a personal
wireless hub to keep all their devices connected
HP has revealed its vision for the future of mobile devices by
unveiling, as a concept, a wearable wireless communications hub.
The hub — which resembles a wristwatch and would be worn on the arm —
would handle a user's connectivity requirements. All the individual's
other mobile devices would then communicate solely with the hub.
Phil McKinney, chief technology officer for HP's personal systems
group, said, "People want more powerful devices with more memory and
more radios, and you have to cram all this in. So we have this
concept of a watch, which is something we are driving to. Devices
just need to communicate with this watch."
McKinney said users would set up a personal area network using ultra
wideband (UWB), but also Bluetooth if they were still using today's
devices. All the radios for external connectivity — whether 3G, Wi-
Fi, WiMax or any other bearer — would be contained in the hub.
The hub would also allow a device, such as a smartphone, to
seamlessly move between different networks. McKinney added that
moving all the radios into the watch would mean radios could be
removed from each device, making devices simpler to use and cheaper
to manufacture.
HP's concept mobile hub
The wireless hub would use UWB to keep a user's devices connected
But McKinney rejected suggestions that data security could be at risk
with such a profileration of individual networks. He said devices
would only communicate with a device which had a MAC address white-
listed by the user. If a device was stolen, the user would need to
remove it from the white-list.
McKinney estimated that it will take until 2016 for a hub resembling
a wristwatch to be commercially available. Before that it would go
through several iterations, he said, first appearing as a credit card-
sized box that could be carried in the user's pocket.
HP also unveiled a range of related products, including a "Smart
Shelf" and adjoining Wall Display, which would act as a charger for
the hub and could also be used as a monitor.
In the nearer term, HP will soon release two versions of its popular
iPAQ PDA containing built-in satellite navigation software. The
RX5700 and RX5900 will ship for little more than it costs to buy
TomTom software on its own, HP said. The devices, which are Wi-Fi-
enabled and run Windows Mobile, will go on sale in November.
HP will also start selling its first laptop with built-in 3G
connectivity next month. The 6400 model, which will ship to
businesses for £799 (ex VAT), will come with a Vodafone SIM pre-
installed.
Weblog at: <http://weblog.warpspeed.com>
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