01-22-2006, 01:00 PM
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Executive Editor, Android Thoughts
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,233
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Belkin Announces CableFree USB Hub - Use USB Devices Wirelessly
"Belkin announces its new CableFree USB Hub, the industry�s first USB Hub that does not require a cable to connect to the computer. This Hub allows people to place their laptop anywhere in the room while still maintaining wireless access to their USB devices, such as printers, scanners, hard drives, and MP3 players. This is the first UWB-enabled product to be introduced in the U.S. market. The CableFree USB Hub�s wireless functionality is enabled by Freescale Semiconductor�s Ultra-Wideband technology"
From the "Oh that makes it a lot easier" department comes this press release. While the device isn't cheap at $129, it can go a long way on untangling the rats nest of cords we all seem to have, and might be a way to improvise wireless sync - after all, now the cradle / USB cable can go with you around the room. No real mention on range (They liberally use the word 'room' in the release). Let's hope it has some nice distance to it.
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Dr. Jon Westfall, MCSE, MS-MVP
Executive Editor - Android Thoughts
News Editor - Windows Phone Thoughts
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01-22-2006, 04:25 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,725
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I need something like this in the worst way right now. My desk at college is a tad small...and with a desktop replacement laptop in a docking station, a printer, external hard drives and tons of other tech gear, I have almost no free space. If I could relocate my multi-function printer somewhere else in the room, it would be great. Unfortunately, the only place that it could go is too far to run a USB cable, and I'm afraid if I use an Ethernet print server that I would lose the scanning functions. $129 is not cheap, but I'm definitely considering this. Has anyone seen it for sale yet? I looked a couple days ago and couldn't even find it on the Belkin site other than the press release.
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01-22-2006, 06:55 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 69
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According to documentation on the Freescale web site (makers of the chipset behind the technology), it has a 10m range at full speed, which is 114 Mbps. So it is basically like the short range Bluetooth (class 2), only much faster. Pretty sweet, even if it is slower than USB 2.0.
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01-22-2006, 07:00 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,183
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Cool - that means we can share peripherals wirelessly too?
<thinks>
Hmm so I could plug in a keyboard and mouse ... no that's just too weird!
</thinks>
;-)
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01-22-2006, 11:59 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 72
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Reading about the unit on the CNet site, keep in mind that the unit communicates with the computer wirelessly but all perpherials are connected by cables just like a tethered unit.
What would REALLY be exciting if there could be modules which would allow ALL cables to be eliminated.
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01-23-2006, 12:34 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 312
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Bystander
Reading about the unit on the CNet site, keep in mind that the unit communicates with the computer wirelessly but all perpherials are connected by cables just like a tethered unit.
What would REALLY be exciting if there could be modules which would allow ALL cables to be eliminated.
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Yeah, that would be cool. But for laptop (desktop replacement) owners like myself, this is a godsend.
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01-23-2006, 01:49 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 18
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But doesn't this device need to be plugged into power? I can eliminate one USB cable to my PC and replace with with a power lead to the wall?
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01-23-2006, 02:42 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 88
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this would be good for me
Since I use a LCD TV as my moniter, a bench between me and the TV, and the PC is below the TV, I need to stand up and walk to the PC to plug in a usb thumb drive , sd card or camera. It would be handy if I put this device on the table / bench which is closer to me.
Nevertheless, it's a bit pricy... and not out yet 
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01-23-2006, 04:25 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,043
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At first glance this seems fairly attractive - wireless access to my external hard drive without having to connect it to my PC and boot that unstable bit of nonsense would be a blessing. But for now I'll stay with wired connection to the hard drive from the Toshiba, as there's little to no likelihood of that setup crashing in the middle of listening to tunes or watching a movie... or transferring large numbers of files to backup an SD card.
What I've been hoping to hear about is the wave of WUSB devices and adapters I heard about last fall. We were supposed to see integrated WUSB in some new models of WM devices by now, and certainly in notebooks, according to someone with an 'inside' informatiton source. Oh well, it'll come eventually. I'd love to be able to buy a handful of compact WUSB dongles to plug into whatever, to have done with all but the headphone and charging wires. Wireless headphones still scare me a little... tinfoil hat sort of things.
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01-23-2006, 04:40 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 41
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I'll buy as soon as it's available!!
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