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We don't need no steenking standard!
We've considered PowerLine networking to be dead, or at least in a deep coma
due to the lack of any viable products. But as we prowled the CES floor
visiting the various PowerLine networking companies, we alternated between being
optimistic that useful products are on the way, and fearing that the the efforts
could be still-born if the industry doesn't pull together behind a single
standard...
The HomePlug
alliance
is "a non-profit corporation established to provide a forum for the creation of open specification for home powerline networking products and services,
and accelerate the demand for these products and services through the sponsorship of market
and user education programs", according to their Web site
FAQ. They have selected Intellon's
PowerPacket 14Mbps technology as the basis for their Version 1.0 specification,
with field trials scheduled for "early 2001". If all goes well,
product shipments would begin in "late Summer" of
this year.
Given this major accomplishment, and the fact that the competing HomePNA
phoneline and WiFi and HomeRF wireless technologies have a 1 to 2 year head
start, you'd think that everyone would say, "Ok, that's over with, now
let's go get some market share!". But you would think wrong,
because as I visited Enikia,
INARI, and Power
Line Networks' stands, the mood was more like no standard existed, with
each company vowing to push ahead with their different (and incompatible)
standards.
The two exceptions to this scrappy bunch are Phonex
(they're the folks who make the "wireless" phoneline and modem jacks
that you see at Radio Shack and Home Depot) and SonicBlue's Diamond/HomeFree
group. Both are planning product shipments in "late Summer", at
a price point somewhere in the $80 to $100 per node
range. So stay tuned... this soap opera isn't over yet!
Bluetooth
bites down
This "Personal Area Networking" (PAN)
technology keeps chugging along with real products shipping soon from
recognized vendors. 3COM was showing PC Card and
USB adapters and an Access Point. Shipments of at least the PC
card (which has a cool "Xjack" retractable antenna) should
begin in February, but are designed to the 1.0b standard (see below)
TDK had their PC card and USB adapter
(which they said was being redesigned to a cabled style for robustness)
at their booth, but won't be ready to ship until late Q2 2001, partly
because they're waiting for Bluetooth 1.1 to be approved.
Intel
was also showing some Bluetooth hardware over in the Technology
demonstration area of their booth, but we made the poor guy who was on duty
so nervous with our questions (and our "Press" badge) that we
didn't get much information. (They didn't look like they were close to
releasing any products anyway.)
One warning flag that we picked up was to pay attention to the version of
the Bluetooth standard for any products that you buy. Look for
products that are designed to at least version 1.1. Anything
earlier than that, and they may not work together.
One warning flag that we picked up was to pay attention to the version of
the Bluetooth standard for any products that you buy. Look for
products that are designed to at least version 1.1. Anything
earlier than that, and they may not work together.
