[IP] Wireless diversity (was: iPhone Disassembly)

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Christian Huitema <huitema@windows.microsoft.com>
Date: July 1, 2007 3:34:58 PM EDT
To: dave@farber.net, Thomas Leavitt <thomas@thomasleavitt.org>,  
Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@warpspeed.com>
Subject: RE: [IP] Wireless diversity (was: iPhone Disassembly)

> From: Thomas Leavitt <thomas@thomasleavitt.org>
> Date: June 30, 2007 3:31:21 PM PDT
> To: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@warpspeed.com>
> Subject: Re: [Dewayne-Net] iPhone Disassembly
>
> .. three separate and incompatible wireless  (GSM/Edge, Bluetooth,
> and Wi-Fi) along with separate wireless RF chipsets, built into a
> single device. Does anyone see something wrong here? :)

Welcome to the brave new world of wireless innovation. My 2-years-old
cell phone has the same combination as the iphone, plus infrared. A
growing fraction of laptops have similar capabilities. In fact, the
number of radios is likely to increase in the coming years. Wi-Fi
operates in two bands (2.4GHz and 5GHz). Multiband cellular networks
(700, 900 or 1800 MHz) are being joined by WiMAX (2.5 or 3.5 GHz).
Bluetooth (operating at 2.4GHz) is going to be complemented by UWB
(operating between 2.5 and 10 GHz, depending of set-up), and probably
later some new standard at 60 GHz. But that only covers classic
"networking" applications, local area (Wi-Fi), wide area (cellular and
WiMAX) and personal area (Bluetooth, UWB and 60GHz). Devices may need to
support other applications like FM radio, digital video broadcast, GPS,
RFID, near field communication, and sensors. If the trend continues,
future mobile devices could sport a dozen radios!

-- Christian Huitema





-------------------------------------------