LAS VEGAS-Known as the two-headed monster of the personal computing industry by the nickname Wintel, the heads of Microsoft Corp. and Intel Corp. made special mention of the importance wireless technology will play in the future of consumer electronics during their respective keynote speeches during this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
In addition to a number of personal computing devices running the company’s Window’s software, Microsoft Corp.’s chairman and chief software architect, Bill Gates, spoke of the impact traditional wireless local area networks would play on the continued growth of computing devices and introduced a new application for its software that utilizes a non-traditional wireless technology.
“Wi-Fi is getting better, increasing the speed, moving up to have capabilities for automatic security and quality-of-service capabilities that will bring voice and video onto that Wi-Fi network,” Gates said. “We see Wi-Fi networks being in virtually every digital home. We see them being at almost every workplace, a lot of increased penetration there.”
Gates noted Microsoft was building additional applications into its Windows software providing easier access to 802.11-based networks and also was looking to support wider-area high-speed network technologies.
“The wide-area third-generation networks are very important,” Gates explained. “That gives you connectivity wherever you are.”
Gates also heralded Bluetooth, noting the advantages of having the ability for a handset to talk with a personal computer or being able to use a wireless keyboard or mouse, both of which Microsoft just happens to market.
For customers who want to deal with the complexity of Windows but don’t have the arm strength to lug around either a personal digital assistant or wireless phone, Gates announced its Smart Personal Object Technology designed to bring the wonders of Windows to the common wrist watch.
The super-timepieces, made in conjunction with Citizen Watch Co., Fossil Inc. and Suunto, include a number of “enhanced timekeeping characteristics,” including the ability to set themselves to different time zones as well as the all-important ability to display personalized Internet content that is automatically updated using Microsoft’s DirectBand wireless technology.
Gates explained that the one-way network, which the company worked with SCA Data Systems Inc. to deploy, uses sub-carrier FM channels to transmit data to the watch automatically updating select information.
Microsoft said it was working with a number of broadcasters including Clear Channel Communications Inc., Entercom Communications Corp., Greater Media Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc. to build out network coverage in more than 100 of the largest population centers in (the North America by the end of this year.
While Gates used his keynote address to wow the audience with gadgets and guest appearances from a number of high-powered celebrities, Craig Barrett, chief executive officer of Intel, took a more low-key approach to get across Intel’s vision of the wireless future. Intel did prove its increasing support for WLAN technologies by running a number of demonstrations at the show using 802.11 networks.
Barrett noted that in addition to a worldwide digital conversion being driven by personal computing devices, wireless technologies are drawing more consumers to devices that allow them to take the digital experience with them. To help support that mobility, Intel said it would continue to provide native support for wireless technologies on its chipsets, including its soon-to-be-released Centrino chips for notebooks, even if that meant it would cut back on the actual processing speed in return for greater battery life.
Intel also plans to make a bigger push for its Xscale technology for PDAs and cellular phones as well as Personal Media Players and Smart Displays that use 802.11b technology to provide a mobile viewing screen for home computers.
