Ofcom (the telecoms regulator in the UK) has just approved the use of Ultrawideband (UWB). This technology connects devices within a radius of about 30 metres at 2 gigabits per second. This means that devices such as TVs and DVD players would not need interconnecting cables but could be in different rooms and still work.
What does this mean for connectivity at home? At home it means you can more easily and less messily connect up speakers, tv’s, computers and DVD players. This could render things like Apple’s TV box as useless, especially if you can wirelessly stream from a PC or laptop to any TV in the house. Companies like bskyb who offer paid satellite TV in the UK may be a bit cautious about such a technology, as it would make rogue broadcasting of the signal much easier. This does mean that mobile entertainment in the home – such as distribution of tv signals to mobile devices and laptops in the house – much more easy and realistic.
So it looks like there is just one more step needed to become an entirely wireless society – and that is wireless power. But if the Irish company steorn are to be believed free wireless energy is not too far in the future!