When will we see cell phones capable of delivering WiFi N speeds? It might be a lot sooner than you think actually. It looks like Atheros has developed a new AR6003 chip capable of bringing 802.11n WiFi connectivity to portable devices. The chip will deliver speeds of up to 85Mbps via the 5GHz band and it will be very energy efficient. In fact the new chip will use 20% less energy than the current AR6002 WiFi chip which is great news for smarpthone users. One of the main issues with WiFi N chips is that they consume a lot of energy.

The product is currently being tested by various companies and we might see it arrive on future smartphones and other portable devices really soon.

via Electronista

Tags: 802.11n, AR6002, AR6003, Atheros, Mobile News, smartphones, WiFi

Just like we were expecting the new Bluetooth standard was presented today. It’s called Bluetooth 3.0 + HS and we hope it will replace soon the previous standard. And there’s new technology for us. Bluetooth 3.0 will use WiFi 802.11 protocols which means that it will soon be capable to interconnect various gadgets between them and we’re promised faster transfer speeds. That new 802.11 Protocol Adaptation Layer or PAL will bring us speeds of up to 24Mbps which is amazing.

The first question that came to mind was power-related. How much power will fast transfers need? And here’s where the good stuff starts. That PAL thing will remain inactive between transfers and idle power usage will be really low. Another great feature is the possibility of upgrading certain Bluetooth 2.1 modules straight to v3.0 as long as a 802.11 WiFi radio is present. That means that some mobile Bluetooth modules will never be upgraded and you will have to purchase new equipment to enjoy faster transfer speeds.

Broadcom, CSR and Atheros will offer silicon solutions to manufacturers and we might expect those future gadgets capable of Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity to arrive sometime in the next 9 to 12 months. It’s a lot to wait but I am sure it’s worth it. Check out the video above for a demo and let us know what you think.

via Press

Tags: 802.11, Atheros, Bluetooth 3.0, Bluetooth 3.0 + HS, Broadcom, CSR, Mobile News, PAL, Portable Devices, WiFi