Sony Starts a Standards War Over Wireless USB

Stony Stevenson alerts us to news out of CES that Sony has kick-started another standards war, this time over wireless USB. Ars notes that Sony "[never was] one to settle for an open standard when the opportunity to push a proprietary alternative presents itself." Sony's TransferJet technology uses low-power UWB at very short distances to transfer data at a nominal 520 Mbps. Almost every other large technology company — including Intel, Microsoft, HP, and Samsung — has embraced the W-USB standard, which promises transfer speeds of 480 Mbps at distances up to 3 meters, vs. TransfeJet's 3 centimeters.

Jobs would be proud

[dkarma]

Sony is demanding the industry use their proprietary product / idea?
Sounds like they're taking hints from Apple.

Re:Sony obviously....

[snl2587]

I wouldn't necessarily regard SACD as a failure; even though it was planned as a replacement for CDs it still found its niche among audiophiles.

Of course, your main point is still valid...after the whole rootkit fiasco I don't even touch regular Sony/BMG CD's anymore...

Re:Losing a battle to win a war.

[ivan256]

Which is why they continue to add codecs that are generally used for non-commercial media, right? You can install Linux on it using a menu item which is specifically for that purpose, but the menu item ended up there because they were paying attention to other things. It was "easier" for them to support alternative operating systems, and to support customers that upgrade the hard drive themselves. They're not focused on the non-BluRay aspects, so they accidentally continue to add code that makes the system more open....

Right...

Re:3cm?!

[jpetts]

Benefit is that it is much more difficult for your device to be accessed maliciously. I can see a definite advantage in a system where you know that you must have such proximity to be able to effect data transfer. This is a good thing, since it requires intent before access can happen. Got a new device, and want to transfer your address book to it? No problem: just put the devices side by side and sync. Don't want anyone to be able to access your address book (yes, I'm talking to you, Paris)? Don't put your device alongside another device.

This is a GOOD idea.

Re:So, someone explain to me

[Moonpie Madness]

You must be the most gullible person in the universe to think that a 3cm range device is meant to be a ranged device. Your devices are actually supposed to remain in full contact. You sit your cam down on the pad, and in a couple of seconds you pick it back up. There's nothing universal about it.

This may be lame, but it's not Sony's version of USB wireless.

On another note, since you set it down and pick it up pretty quick, it works like a can opener. If you nudge it half an inch and it stops working, you just put it in place and it's done in a few seconds. It's not a flaw at all. the device knows whether you want to upload your files solely because the device is in range. You don't have to push buttons or look to see what files have moved already or categorize where the files go. Once it's in range, it automates everything and you are done in a few seconds.

This has nothing to do with USB. The Sony haters are really blowing their credibility. Sony's on fire this year. Granted, I have no use for this device, but I can think of many who do. USB wireless can't compete with this, because it's entirely a different thing.

Re:Losing a battle to win a war.

[Broken scope]

If I remember correctly, some people were saying that sony only added the linux feature so that it be could considered a personal computer which is taxed differently in the EU.

Re:Losing a battle to win a war.

[ivan256]

Now it seems Blu Ray has won it will be interesting to see if PS3 development starts to be more tightly focused on directly making money with the PS3.

Considering their announcement that the PS3 now costs under $400 to manufacture, you're probably right there. But that doesn't imply they're going to make the system less open. Their fancy graphics chip is still only accessible to licensees, and they seem to think that is sufficient for them to milk cash out of developers. It *is* sufficient.

The PS3 seems to me to be more born of learning the lessons of their failings with the PSP, and not of their focus on BluRay.

Re:PS3 Blu-Ray

[Anonymous Coward]

You can call BS, but as someone who spends their days writing software for consoles I can say you're a fucking idiot.

The PS3 has Blu-Ray because it offers vastly more storage and bandwidth. Even if games stay small enough to fit on DVD, they will benefit from Blu-Ray's higher transfer rates - which is very important considering the very large increase in the size of RAM we have to fill on the PS3 compared to the PS2. An example of this is that in the previous game I worked on, the player character's assets (meshes, animations, textures) consumed about 16MB - that's half the memory you have on a PS2, and even then we keep the animation and texture data compressed in memory.

The PS2 was a streaming architecture, and the PS3 is even moreso - consider that the Blu-Ray drive is CLV rather than the cheaper CAV type that DVD is - perfect for streaming worlds because you have a constant disc bandwidth.

There are already games in development for the PS3 that have exceeded the size of DVD9. Friends at a studio a day's drive from here are currently at 15GB with their dataset. Mind you though it's probably not all unique, as they're probably doing like us and duplicating data on disc to eliminate seeking, etc.

Re:PS3 Blu-Ray

[Anonymous Coward]

If Sony isn't forcing the choice on us, then where is the option to get Blu-Ray OR HD-DVD PS3s? Where is the choice?

Blu Ray vs HD DVD [tvpredictions.com] 25/50Gb for BR or 15/30/51GB for HDDVD). Both have capacity. Both provide the same Audio/Visual experience. Both support the same specs.
Differences?: Old equipment to make (HD DVD) or new equipment to make (Blu Ray). And Blu Ray has extra DRM to get in the way of 'honest' customers (Although, hopefully that has been, and will remain to be, broken)

No amount of 'ZOMG STOP SAYING THIS BULLSHIT!!!' is going to change the fact that Sony didn't give the choice of players, thus it's not to hard to say they are forcing this crap on us. Sony is a major supporter of this, and they are NOT known for making 'standards' or caring about YOU. Sony gets as little of my money as I can get away with for a multitude of reasons (rootkits, crappy lock-in standards, etc).

Tell me to shut up about sony? YOU Shut the fuck up about Sony. Fuck them and fuck fanboys like yourself.

You like apples? How you like THEM apples?

Re:Losing a battle to win a war.

[Anonymous Coward]

And it's all thanks to the foresight of Ken Kutaragi. He knew that in order to make the PS3 network centric, it had to be compatible with existing industry standards. If the other divisions of Sony (e.g., electronics) had more say in designing the PS3, I doubt they would have done the same.