In March, Targus debuted a wireless optical mouse/pointer/presenter (the Kordell Stewart of wireless accessories), and a combination pack of a wireless numeric keypad and mouse.
The dual-purpose minimouse is ideal for giving presentations from a notebook or laptop computer. The mouse can be switched between presenter and mouse mode, and features a built-in laser pointer, scroller wheel, page up/down, volume up/down and e-mail hotkeys, all in a footprint the size of a business card.
Targeting mobile workers who manage data on spreadsheets, Targus said its new keyboard/mouse combo is the industry's first wireless numeric keypad and wireless minimouse bundled with a shared USB receiver.
The shared receiver works with both devices to free other USB ports for other peripherals. The mouse and keypad feature on/off switches and auto power-saving management technology. The wireless keypad features an expanded 19-key design, with the addition of the "Backspace," "00" and unsynchronized "Num Lock" keys, designed to make data entry more efficient.
Adjacent Data
Nokia, Philips Electronics and Sony established the Near Field Communication (NFC) Forum to enable touch-based interactions in consumer electronics, mobile devices, PCs, smart objects and payment services.
Touch-based interactions allow users to access content and services intuitively by touching smart objects together and connecting devices by holding them next to each other.
With NFC-enabled devices, the companies say, people will make travel reservations on their PCs, download the tickets to a mobile phone or PDA by bringing the device next to the computer, and then check in for the trip by touching the handheld device to the departure gate kiosk -- no paper or printing needed.
Nokia, Philips and Sony want other companies from mobile communications, consumer electronics, chip manufacturing, computing, media and entertainment, telecom, and payment services to join the NFC Forum.
NFC technology evolved from a combination of contactless identification (radio frequency ID tags) and interconnection technologies, and operates in the 13.56 MHz frequency range over a distance of typically a few centimeters.
NFC technology is standardized in ISO 18092, ECMA 340 and ETSI TS 102 190. NFC is also compatible to the broadly established contactless smart card infrastructure based on ISO 14443 A. -- Near Field Communication Forum
Switching WLANs
The Airespace 4000 WLAN Switch is a big part of Airespace's Wireless Enterprise Platform, coordinating security, radio frequency (RF) management, intrusion detection, service quality and mobility functions across a wireless network.
The switch works in conjunction with Airespace Control System software, Airespace 1200 Access Points (APs) and third-party APs to provide network managers a WLAN solution that enables business-critical wireless applications. From voice and data services to location tracking, the Airespace 4000 WLAN Switch provides the control, scalability and reliability for IT managers to build enterprise-scale wireless networks.
The Airespace 4000 WLAN Switch comes in two models: the 4012, which provides 12 auto-sensing 10/100 Ethernet interfaces, and the 4024, which provides 24 auto-sensing 10/100 Ethernet interfaces. The Airespace 4000 WLAN Switch delivers wire-speed switching and optional industry-standard power over Ethernet (PoE) on each 10/100 interface. PoE functionality can be used to power Airespace APs or any third-party 802.3af-compliant device.
Both Airespace and third-party APs can directly connect to the 10/100 Ethernet interfaces on the Airespace 4000 WLAN Switch. The Airespace system provides seamless intra-subnet and inter-subnet roaming across these APs. The Gigabit Ethernet interfaces or Fast Ethernet ports on the Airespace 4000 WLAN Switch can connect the Airespace system to existing wire-line infrastructure for seamless network integration.
APs can be directly connected to an existing LAN infrastructure, such as a Layer 2/3 switch. These APs automatically connect to an Airespace 4000 WLAN Switch using the lightweight access point protocol, an emerging Internet Engineering Task Force standard. All traffic from the APs is subsequently tunneled to the appropriate Airespace 4000 WLAN Switch.
The Airespace 4000 WLAN Switch supports industry standard Layer 3 encryption, including IPSec with DES, 3DES and AeS CBC. At Layer 2, the system also supports 802.1x (EAP), WEP, WPA with TKIP-MIC and AeS. At Layer 1, the system provides complete RF security, including protection against dictionary and denial of service attacks, and wireless intrusion. -- Airespace
Wireless Fleet Management
I.D. Systems Inc. rolled out the latest generation of its wireless hardware for tracking, securing and managing fleets of vehicles and other equipment.
The Universal Vehicle Asset Communicator (UVAC 02) can be installed more quickly and easily than earlier generations, and features expanded interactive software screens, a more ergonomic keypad and newly built-in components, which reduce the cables, connections and brackets required for installation.
For equipment operators, a larger keypad and one-touch function keys make the UVAC 02 easier to use, even with gloved hands. Equipment operators can also rely on a new array of light-emitting diode (LED) indicators for recognizing alerts more quickly and clearly. For easier maintainability, UVAC 02 improvements include an internal antenna, integrated electronic identification reader, integrated LEDs, and a more robust keypad, which add up to a reduced risk of accidental damage and improved tamper-resistance.
The vehicle-mounted UVAC 02 is designed to improve workplace safety and security by restricting vehicle access to trained, authorized operators (required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and providing electronic safety inspection checklists. It is designed to reduce fleet maintenance expenses by automatically reporting vehicle issues in real time, basing maintenance schedules on TrueUse operational data, controlling equipment overdue for maintenance and helping management determine the most economic replacement schedule for equipment.
The UVAC 02 is also designed to improve productivity through vehicles being in the right place at the right time, increasing equipment visibility and accountability, and providing management with various fleet-utilization reports. -- I.D. Systems
