Intel Corp. will start shipping wireless networking products in August that enable workers to connect their notebooks to a LAN (local area network) at speeds of up to 11M bps (bits per second). The products will include a wireless LAN PC card, which slots into the side of a notebook allowing data to be sent and received across the airwaves, and a wireless access point, which acts as a hub connecting devices to a company’s existing wireline network. The products are based on an industry standard called IEEE 802.11b, which supports transmission speeds of up to 11M bps. That should be fast enough to support high bandwidth applications such as video streaming, voice over IP (Internet protocol) and large file transfers, as well as everyday applications like e-mail. Intel already offers a wireless networking system for home and small office users called AnyPoint. The AnyPoint products are based on a different standard called Home RF, which supports transmission speeds of up to 1.6M bps. The Intel PRO/Wireless 2011 LAN PC Card and the Intel PRO/Wireless 2011 LAN Access Point will be priced at US$199 and $999, respectively. The products are due to go on sale in August. Intel, in Santa Clara, Calif., can be reached at http://www.intel.com/.
Prices listed are in US currency.