Microsoft heads for home networking

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://msnbc-cnet.com.com/2100-1040-942986.html">http://msnbc-cnet.com.com/2100-1040-942986.html</a><br /><br />It seems that Microsoft is entering the hardware arena in a big way - low-end computers last week, Wifi hardware this week, and we also know they're working on a Bluetooth keyboard + hub. Slag their operating systems all you want, but I've always been a huge fan of Microsoft hardware - I use a Natural Keyboard Pro and an Intellimouse Explorer mouse, and haven't had any problems with either of them. If Microsoft can hit a good price point with their Wifi gear, the Microsoft brand will have them flying off the shelf.<br /><br />"Microsoft is looking to uncork a bottleneck for its software and services in the home by selling networking products, starting this fall, company representatives said. The software giant has a team developing 802.11b wireless home networking products within the same hardware division that creates keyboards and mice. Company representatives declined to comment on the details of the future products, but said that entering the home networking market was in line with the software giant's interests."

[possmann]

Enough of the 802.11 wifi stuff... How about doing something really new - elevating BT status and use throughout the industry by developing a low cost hardware networking system for home use using BT - Class 1. This is basically all you would need for home...

I just want to see this start getting into gthe mainstream of things rather than waiting um-teen years before it finally rolls out enough to be cost-effective. Of course, by that time the Europe market will be on the next generation of something else and we (the US) will have to play catch-up once again...

[Jason Dunn]

Enough of the 802.11 wifi stuff... How about doing something really new - elevating BT status and use throughout the industry by developing a low cost hardware networking system for home use using BT - Class 1. This is basically all you would need for home...

I'm not dissing Bluetooth, but in it's current 1.0 form, there's simply not enough bandwidth. I need broadband speeds from my wireless when I'm at home. I'm willing to accept slower speeds when I'm out and about, but it's not like Bluetooth was designed to be a Wifi killer (and vice-versa).

[klinux]

Ditto what Jason said. BT is a cord replacement technology not meant to be used broadband communication. To say stop elevating wi-fi is like telling the firewire users to abandone it for USB 1.0.