Kobo unveils WiFi version of wireless eReader

Electronic book maker Kobo is adding a model with WiFi wireless connectivity, upgraded with efficient performance, and a longer battery life.

Kobo said that the new Wireless eReader enables consumers to shop on the go, directly with one touch of the 'Shop' button, and also helps them receive wireless deliveries of newspapers and magazines.

This new version supports open standards including EPUB and PDF; offers wireless connectivity with WiFi 802.11 b/g; and comes with a new 16-greyscale, 6" eInk screen. The new version of the eReader turns pages 2.5x faster than older version.

In addition, the new WiFi eReader offers 1 GB of built in memory, and new apps for iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, Android, Mac, PC, Linux, and also support for other eReaders and open APIs.

Kobo CEO Michael Serbinis said, the new generation of its wireless eReader enables customers to shop and update their library on the go with efficient performance.

The new Kobo Wireless eReader will be priced at US$139.

Polycom Unveils Next Generation SpectraLink 8400 Series

Polycom has expanded its leadership in voice over Wi-Fi products with the introduction of the next-generation Polycom SpectraLink 8400 series handsets for wireless voice and data applications. The new series features a new standards-based application platform, integrated barcode reader, and a wide range of interoperability.

With the SpectraLink VoWi-Fi telephones, people can stay in contact and access important data from any location in the boundaries of the enterprise Wi-Fi network. They are designed to help productivity and responsiveness, while meeting communication needs for healthcare, industrial, and retail markets, all with a low cost of ownership.

"For the small and specialized market of voice over WLAN, the 8440 moves Polycom out in front of the pack as the first such device that supports an 802.11n interface," says Michael Finneran, UCStrategies UC Expert. "We have yet to see an 802.11n-capable WLAN handset from Cisco, Siemens, Motorola, Ascom, or Vocera."

Finneran adds, "The 8450 model which incorporates a bar code reader is the more interesting development as it could allow users, particularly in the health care vertical, to package voice with other CEBP applications on the device and could put Polycom’s success on a different trajectory."

The Polycom SpectraLink 8400 series has an open application platform and browser capabilities designed to support enterprise, as well as industry-specific applications, such as hospitals contacting nurses and doctors, and inventory control for retail businesses. It's designed with the input from multitudes of customers to have a user-friendly interface and broad accessory support, while the total cost of ownership is up to 33% lower than competing solutions.

New LaCie Wireless Space comes with integrated Wi-Fi

LaCie has unveiled its first all-in-one wireless storage hard drive, the Wireless Space for people who want more storage without the hassle of wires.

The new drive, which has been designed by Neil Poulton will let you connect it to your existing Wi-Fi network, allowing you to access files wirelessly throughout the home, and can serve as a central storage solution for all your backups.

If that wasn't enough you'll also be able to increase your Wi-Fi performance, as the Wireless Space can also act as a b/g/n access point, and even serve as a full-featured router.

The drive is also compatible with UPnP/DLNA and iTunes, so you can stream music, movies and photos from a central location and play them on any device.

Additionally, the Wireless Space is Time Machine compatible while Genie Timeline Software for scheduled backups will sort out PC users.

The LaCie Wireless Space is available as of today, in 1TB and 2TB capacity through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Corner, and LaCie Reseller+ at prices starting from £179.90.

Fujitsu to release wireless charging tech for 2012

Fujitsu on Monday announced that it has developed wireless charging technology that can charge devices in just 1/150th of the time that is currently required by devices like the Powermat. It relies on magnetic resonance and can charge more than one device. Unlike the more common electromagnetic induction method, the Fujitsu way does not need the power receiver and transmitter to be in alignment.

Magnetic resonance also works on a range of a few feet, and a single transmitter can chargemultiple devices. The prototype charger Fujitsu is showing uses handset with a built-in wireless charger that lets it charge within the range of the transmitter, regardless of its position, at 85 percent efficiency.

A market release is due for 2012, with the first supported devices to be cell phones. Fujitsu also aims to bring the technology into garages and parking spots to power electric cars.

Energizer unveils Qi Wireless Power for iPhone, BlackBerry

Energizer has rolled out the Inductive Charger. The plate uses the Qi standard to charge the BlackBerry Curve 8900 and the iPhone 3G/3GS without wires. Both smartphones need a special add-on, either a battery door for the Curve or a full case for the iPhone, but never need to switch back; the iPhone case appears to block the Dock Connector, however.

The base plate itself isn't limited to the two devices and should power up any Qi-capable device that uses 5W of power or less. A USB port also provides an option for those who need to charge a device through conventional means. Energizer hasn't said how long either of the phones takes to reach a complete charge versus a wired link.

Inductive Chargers should reach stores in October with a price of $89 for the core device. The BlackBerry and iPhone cases cost the same $35. Energizer hasn't said if or when it plans to ship cases for more recent phones from either company or for other devices.

Samsung unveils Wireless USB Chips

On Thursday, Samsung announced its latest two-chip wireless USB solution capable of transmission speeds up to 480Mbps with an actual throughput rate of 200Mbps. The result is reportedly 10 times more power efficient than 802.11g Wi-Fi.

The product is made up of 2 chips, S3C2680, a baseband processor with an ARM 9 core, built-in NAND flash controller, SD I/O, and two USB 2.0 PHYs; and S5M8311a, a separate RF transceiver.

The chips can be deployed in SD cards, USB dongles, or embedded directly into consumer electronics. Samsung says the solution is particularly suited for digital cameras and HD camcorders for high throughput local content sharing.

"The ability to handle wireless high-speed data transmission while consuming less power is a key requirement for many consumer electronic devices," said Yiwan Wong, vice president, System LSI marketing, Samsung Electronics. "Due to power/performance issues, previous generations of [Wireless USB] products were unable to meet the consumers' expectations. Samsung's new WUSB chipset delivers up to 480Mbps (Megabit per second) data transmission rate, at an average power consumption of less than 300mW. This level of power efficiency greatly increases the attractiveness of WUSB connectivity in consumer electronic and mobile applications."

Mass production of the chips is likely to begin in the fourth quarter of 2010.