When Compaq Computer Corp. announced
its new
Evo line of workstations and notebooks earlier this week, it may have
found an aesthetic and ergonomic way around a major, new bone of contention.
The new line will be armed with MultiPort, an optional, snap-in wireless
solution whereby users can plug a module into the USB-interface that fits
flush against the notebook display with no extending antenna. It makes
the new machines look as if they were built for the wireless age.
But apart from its aesthetic good looks and hassle-free functionality,
it also allows the user to move back and forth (if needed) between the
802.11b and Bluetooth wireless specifications depending on the module
that’s plugged in.
“Intersil is thrilled that our PRISM technology is a part of Compaq’s
new approach of adding built-in wireless capability to notebooks,” said
Larry Ciaccia, vice president and general manager of Intersil’s PRISM
Wireless Products business.
Intersil, (NASDAQ:ISIL)
the Irvine, Calif.-based silicon technology developer that stands on the
verge of establishing the faster
802.11g specification, is enabling the IEEE 802.11b-based WLAN MultiPort
module using its PRISM technology. The Bluetooth MultiPort module is enabled
through a single-chip Bluetooth solution called BlueCore, developed by
CSR of Cambridge, England.
Note, however, that even though both 802.11b and Bluetooth can exist
on the same device, that doesn’t mean they can co-exist in the same environment.
But courting both 802.11b and Bluetooth still makes for smart business,
especially given the amount of uncertainty surrounding the two specifications.
Both standards operate within the FCC’s unlicensed 2.4GHz spectrum but
do cause significant interference with one another.
In fact, Intersil was one of 13 companies that petitioned the FCC on
Oct. 25, 2000, to ensure that Bluetooth’s frequency-hopping technology
doesn’t interfere with 802.11’s predominant method of data transmission,
known as Direct Sequencing Spread Spectrum (DSSS) systems. But Compaq’s
modular solution really ends that great debate. Corporate users will stand
ready to adopt whichever prevailing standard wins over their chief technology
officer.
Intersil wasn’t alone in helping Compaq develop the WLAN adapter card.
Intel and Celestica also participated in the collaborative venture. Each
team member brought silicon, hardware, board design and software expertise
to the project.
The 802.11b-based MultiPort module will be priced at $189 while the
Bluetooth module will have a suggested retail price of $199.
