Wireless USB a step closer

Wireless USB will change how we connect digital cameras, MP3 players, printers and flash drive to our PCs

The six Staccato devices are:

• SC3221R USB External Host Wire Adapter (HWA) Dongle
  A small Host Wire Adapter dongle that's similar in size to a USB flash drive, which plugs into any USB 2.0 port and allows it to make use of Wireless USB.
• SC3222R HWA Mini Card
  For notebooks supporting internal PCI Express Mini Card slots as a build-to-order or configure-to-order option. 
• SC3223R USB Embedded Device Wire Adapter (DWA) Daughtercard
  This is designed to be integrated in peripherals already supporting a wired USB 2.0 interface.  By connecting a Device Wire Adapter to an existing USB device interface, any application can instantly enabled device functionality based on Certified Wireless USB.
• SC3224R Combo Bluetooth Mini Card
  This card combines both Bluetooth and Certified Wireless USB technology onto a single PCI Express Mini Card form factor.
• SC3225R HWA Half Mini Card
  A card which is half the size of a standard PCI Express Mini Card, allowing for greater flexibility.
• SC3226R SDIO Card
  This provides Certified Wireless USB support in an SDIO Card form factor for embedded applications.

NEC has also announced the uPD720180 DWA chip.  This will allow wired USB peripherals to make use of Wireless USB.  The chip will allow four wired USB devices to use the Wireless USB connection.

I think that the technology will be very useful and convenient - as long as the security is good Wireless USB devices are still a way off though.  This is because manufacturers will have to go through a long list of testing and detailed checklists before going to the certification process, which, initially will be overseen by Intel's Wireless USB Platform Integration Lab.

I'm quite eager to see Wireless USB devices, but I'm a little skeptical as to the benefits when it comes to printers and hubs because Wireless USB will replace one wire, but power cables will remain, so it doesn't offer a truly wire-free world.  But it is taking us one step closer.  For devices such as MP3 players and digital cameras, I think that the technology will be very useful and convenient - as long as the security is good.

What do you see as being the pros and cons of Wireless USB?