Bluetooth 3.0 is currently in the works but it looks like a new kind of short range wireless technology may be set to replace it before it is even out of the lab. Developed by researchers at Melbourne University in Australia, GiFi is a new short-range wireless data transfer technology that could make its way into mobiles as soon as next year.
Here comes the science bit. GiFi utilizes a 5mm square chip and a 1mm wide antenna burning less than 2 watts of power to transmit data wirelessly over short distances, much like Bluetooth. Unlike Bluetooth however, GiFi can hurl data through the air at speeds of up to 5 Gbps. Better still, GiFi operates on the 60 GHz frequency band that is largely traffic free. All this for a miserly $10; we think someone at Melbourne University is probably hearing the sound ‘kerching’ right about now.
Considering Bluetooth 3.0 will be limited to 480 Mbps when it is launched, we reckon it will have a hard time fighting off GiFi when trying to secure buyers in the mobile manufacturing world. Certainly one to look out for.
(theage via The Boy Genius Report)
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