Introducing Wi-Fi Direct

Filed in archive Wi-Fi on October 15, 2009

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The Wi-Fi Alliance is nearing completion of its new Wi-Fi Direct specification, which will enable Wi-Fi devices to connect directly to one another without joining a traditional network. The Alliance expects to begin certification for the new specficiation next year.

"Wi-Fi Direct represents a leap forward for our industry," says Wi-Fi Alliance executive director Edgar Figueroa. "Wi-Fi users worldwide will benefit from a single-technology solution to transfer content and share applications quickly and easily among devices, even when a Wi-Fi access point isn't available. The impact is that Wi-Fi will become even more pervasive and useful for consumers and across the enterprise."

"Essentially, Wi-Fi Direct turns supporting devices into access points, allowing them to connect to one another without joining a traditional network," writes AllThingsD's John Paczkowski. "They’ll support typical Wi-Fi ranges and the same data-transfer rates, which in the case of 802.11n is some 30 times faster than the three megabits per second for Bluetooth."

"Call us crazy, but we get this feeling we're going to dig this protocol -- now, if only we could actually count on seeing shipping products before we're too old to enjoy it, we'd be set," writes Engadget's Darren Murph.

More here from The Inquirer ... more here from TUAW ... more here from ZDNet ... more here from InformationWeek ... more here from Electronista ... and the press release is here.