Research Capital - Today!Below are comments about Wi-Lan from this morning's comments from RC:
"Wireless Products Begin to Hit the Market
Motorola unveils first product that uses new ‘Bluetooth’ wireless technology. The company has developed a computer attachment to be packaged with IBM and Toshiba computers which works similar to a wireless modem. The attachment will allow communication between computers and other devices such as digital cameras, printers and mobile phones. Motorola also unveiled a ‘Bluetooth’ car kit to integrate car phones and various electronic vehicle systems, such as the audio system, and internet-based navigation system, or even door locks. Motorola says it expects to announce contracts with automakers later this year.
‘Bluetooth’, which is expected to be the next technology buzzword, works by letting electronic devices communicate over a short-wave radio frequency from up to 10 yards away from each other, even in different rooms. The name Bluetooth is borrowed from a Danish king who unified his kingdoms in Denmark and Norway.
The Bluetooth technology differs from WiLAN’s OFDM in that it caters to shorter distances (i.e. up to 10 yards) and has the capacity for up to 11 megabits per second but delivers only 1 to 2 megabits per second. OFDM in contrast is used to transmit data over multiple miles and currently transmits at 30 megabits per second with an objective of reaching 100 megabits per second. We are expecting a research comment on WiLAN from Rob Milham this week. As well, Philips is rumoured to release its new ASIC’s chip this week which incorporates WiLAN’s OFDM technology."