WiFi Direct launched - Bluetooth killer

Have you ever asked yourself that the bluetooth technology in you cellphones or smartphones is basically WiFi? Or at least the principle of it that it's a connection wirelessly? Have you ever wished for WiFi connection speed with Bluetooth technology in mind - faster file transfer from one device to the other e.g. smartphone to smartphone?

So, what do you think of the recently launched WiFi Direct by WiFi Alliance? They have basically made a faster Bluetooth, in essence, way of connectivity. Fast WiFi speed and the ease of connectivity of the Bluetooth all in one, WiFi Direct.

WiFi Direct basically gives your Bluetooth more bandwidth that it deserves. With the word WiFi, we always relate it with a router, or an access point, don't we? With the latest WiFi technology, you can connect to other WiFi Direct capable device without the use of a central gateway (router).

"Bluetooth 3.0 tries to address this issue too – the handshake between devices happens in Bluetooth (so no router needed), then the actual transfer goes over an 802.11 connection (achieving up to 24Mbps in the process). But for it to work, it requires both devices to be BT 3.0 compatible and those are still quite rare." -GSM Arena-

In WiFi's latest technology, the devices does not need to be of the same version, all it needs it that both devices are Direct-enabled, via a firmware upgrade. All Direct connections will still be secured with WPA2 (Wireless Protected Access), and it works with 802.11 b/g/n and supports 2.4GHz and the 5GHz channels. This new technology might also put DLNA in peril, since one of the applications for this technology is that a Direct-enabled device can transmit a video to a wireless enabled (of course, it should have WiFi Direct with it) TV, which is basically what DLNA is addressing.

Below is a snippet from GSM Arena on devices that have WiFi Direct certification.

• Atheros XSPAN® Dual-band 802.11n PCIe Mini Card (AR928x)
• Broadcom BCM43224 Dual-Band 802.11n 2×2 MIMO PCIe Half Mini Card
• Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6200
• Ralink MIMObility 802.11n 2×2 PCIe Half Mini Card
• Realtek RTL8192CE-VA4 HM92C00 PCIe mini card

Source: GSM Arena




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