Processing .....please wait.. 
The article has been forwarded.... 
News >> Technology >>
Nokia introduces Wibree and WidSets
By agencies
|
Tuesday, 03 October 2006, 19:30 IST
Mumbai: Nokia introduced Wibree technology, an open industry initiative that extends local connectivity to small devices. Developed by the Nokia Research Center, the new radio technology complements other local connectivity technologies, besides promising more cost-effectiveness.
In a separate announcement, the company introduced WidSets, a phone manufacturer-independent Web 2.0 service that automatically multicasts preferred RSS feeds plus user-generated content. Nokia says the new service is all about broadening media reach to mobile phones, and connecting people to what they enjoy the most.
While Wibree offers connectivity between mobile devices / personal computers and small devices including watches, wireless keyboards, toys, and sports sensors; WidSets allows users to build a content library by choosing freely from RSS feeds to blog posts to photo uploading sites, then multi-casted to Gen-Now Java-enabled mobile devices.
Wibree is designed for applications with low power consumption, small size, and low cost. It complements close range communication with Bluetooth-like performance, within 0-10 m range and data rate of 1 Mbps. Wibree will be implemented either as stand-alone chip or as Bluetooth-Wibree dual-mode chip, with small devices such as watches and sports sensors based on stand-alone chip, and Bluetooth devices based on dual-mode chip.
Meanwhile, WidSets is mobile phone browser-independent; allows users to include their own Web sites or blogs; and involves free signing-up as also minimal data consumption.
Presently, Nokia is in the process of defining the Wibree interoperability specification, along with a group of leading companies representing semiconductor manufacturers, device vendors, and qualification service providers. While Broadcom Corp, CSR, Epson, and Nordic Semiconductor have licensed Wibree for commercial chip implementation, Suunto and Taiyo Yuden are contributing to the interoperability specification in their respective areas of expertise.
As per current estimates, the first commercial version of the interoperability specification will be made available during Q2 of 2007.
Commenting on Wibree, Dr Bob Iannucci, head, Nokia Research Center, said, "Wibree technology is an important development that opens up new market opportunities, and a whole new range of possibilities for mobile users. Our aim is to establish an industry standard faster than ever before, by offering an interoperable solution that can be commercialized and incorporated into products quickly."
Talking about WidSets, Dieter May, vice president and head - emerging business unit, Nokia, said, "Immediate access to information is expected by people today, thus we wanted to make it easy for everybody - from an individual blogger to a Web service provider, to automatically have mobile access to Web site content."
"We also believe WidSets will be attractive to new users who are not so familiar with Web 2.0. The easiest way to get started is to visit the WidSets Web site at www.widsets.com, create an account, browse the Library, and start exploring the service," May said.