Cheap Wireless for Accessories

morcheeba writes "Yet another wireless protocol for personal computers! In addition to existing 802.11 variants, bluetooth, and ultra-low-power newcomer zigbee, Cypress semiconductor is releasing a simple low latency, low cost (<$2), medium speed (200kbit/sec) protocol with USB human interface devices (HID) compatibility. Partners include Saitek (game controllers) and NMB (keyboards & mice). EETimes has an informative article."

Low cost?

[Jacco de Leeuw]

low cost (<$2)

That's what they said about Bluetooth too.

And how much does a Bluetooth cost nowadays? $100? $200? That's absurd.

Re:Yet Another

[WARM3CH]

I don't think so. Those mentioned protocols address different needs than Bluetooth. For example, Zigbee is targeted to those sensory applications that need to transfer data with a very low duty cycle. WirelessUSB tries to do what it's name suggests, replacing the cables in a USB connection. On the other hand, Bluetooth supports multiple transfer profiles. For many applications, it's serial profile excells as many developers are quite familiar with it and have used serial ports in PC or micros for years. Using it does not need you to write a complex software protocol stack like that of USB. You just get a sigle chip bluetooth solution, connect it to your micro's serial port and that's it!

Re:802.11 vs. Bluetooth vs. newcomers

[evilviper]

Bluetooth has recently been killed by 802.11.

What a troll, and you actually managed to get moded up for it.

No, bluetooth has not been kiiled off by 802.11... I don't know of 802.11 being used in a single product where bluetooth would otherwise be used.

I have never seen an 802.11 keyboard, mouse, headphones/headset, cellphone, etc. There is plenty of room for bluetooth. It may not be taking off just yet, but it isn't dying, and it remains to be seen IF something else will killi it off eventually.

Re:802.11 vs. Bluetooth vs. newcomers

[carndearg]

I don't think this technology will be seen off by 802.11 because it is pitching at a fundamentally different application and marketplace to that of Bluetooth.

Reading some of the stuff on the site as I understand it thay are aiming it as much at industrial applications as the kind of wireless netwiorking applications we'd think of. In that context I'd say it would be more analagous to an I2C serial bus for low speed communications than the ethernet you'd use 802.11 for.

You wouldnt use ZigBee(where on earth did they dream that name up?) for a WLAN roll-out but would you use 802.11 for a mouse or an RF keyfob for your car?

Re:wifi home

[Daengbo]

Yeah, I never bought this argument from my ex. I sit on the toilet all the time, and I never fall in. Somehow, I always manage to check first. Your laziness is not my problem, but if you want to insist, we can be fair, and I demand that you help me not pee on the seat by raising it after every flush, or I can't guarantee the results.