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Sony and Others Form TransferJet Consortium to Make Short-Range Wireless Tech
Posted by Kit Eaton at 7:14 PM on July 17, 2008
Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, Toshiba JVC, Kodak, Hitachi and a bunch more companies have today announced that they're forming the Transferjet consortium to develop an "interoperable wireless transfer technology." Sounding like a challenge to Bluetooth, Transferjet will apparently operate at a theoretical 560 Mbps rate. Plus it could allow pairing as simply as touching two devices together: your camera could display pics on TV simply by sitting it atop the screen. Sounds like a great consumer solution, but since the consortium has yet to define specs, it'll be a while until the project bears fruit. With big players like this aboard though, other wireless data systems must be feeling the pressure. Press release below.
Tokyo, July 17, 2008 - Sony Corporation, Canon Inc., Eastman Kodak Company, Hitachi Ltd., Victor Company of Japan, KDDI Corporation, Kenwood Corporation, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic), Nikon Corporation, Olympus Imaging Corporation, Pioneer Corporation, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Seiko Epson Corporation, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, Toshiba Corporation today announced an agreement to form a consortium to develop specifications for interconnecting products using "TransferJet" a new interoperable wireless transfer technology that enables rapid transfer of high resolution video, music and images. The "TransferJet Consortium" (www.transferjet.org) plans to promote a wide range of products and services incorporating TransferJet technology with the aim of accelerating its adoption throughout the consumer electronics industry.
TransferJet wireless technology enables a high speed data transmission rate of 560Mbps, while eliminating the need for complex setup and operation. Directly touching two compliant electronic products together allows files to be transferred automatically, without the need for an access point. For example, touching a TV with a digital camera enables photos to be instantaneously displayed on the TV screen. Alternatively, downloaded music content can be easily enjoyed by touching a mobile phone to a portable audio player. TransferJet can be used as a universal interface across all consumer electronics devices.
The "TransferJet Consortium" will develop specifications and guidelines ensuring interoperability between products incorporating the technology, establish licensing schemes and administer the use of the TransferJet logo. The Consortium will also promote the advantages across industries and to consumers. Through these initiatives, the Consortium will aim to create and expand the market for TransferJet products.
"TransferJet Consortium" Members (as of July 17 2008 )
Sony Corporation ("TransferJet Consortium" Administration)
Canon Inc.
Eastman Kodak Company
Hitachi Ltd.,
Victor Company of Japan
KDDI Corporation
Kenwood Corporation
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd (Panasonic)
Nikon Corporation
Olympus Imaging Corporation
Pioneer Corporation
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Seiko Epson Corporation
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications
Toshiba Corporation
Tags: bluetooth | data | gadgets | transferjet | wi-fi | wireless
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Z4N5H1N
Posted 8:48 PM 17/7/08
Sony will somehow turn this into proprietary garbage that only works with their products. They'll manage to make it slightly different than what the other consortium members are using, so that Sony "TransferJet" products will only communicate with other Sony products.
You heard it here first.
Z4N5H1N
ArmyCats
Posted 9:08 PM 17/7/08
@Z4N5H1N
No they won't do that...
(For example: If someone's got a great Samsung monitors, if Sony only make devices that interact with Sony devices, they'll lose the potential customer that might want to buy a Sony camera to have gadget sex with the Samsung monitor...)
ArmyCats
Nick-Tick
Posted 10:49 PM 17/7/08
Though Sony has had a reputation for making sure that their products can only be used/upgraded with their other products, I think that they would be absolute idiots to not make theirs compatible with other brands. It would make transferring between PCs/Macs more difficult if it only worked with certain brands. Also, what if you wanted to transfer a picture to a friends camera but they don't have a Sony. Consumers will think of that when purchasing new products. Sony has to recognize this by now.
Nick-Tick
grok666
Posted 10:38 PM 17/7/08
@ArmyCats: You don't own many Sony products, do you? My Sony camera uses such a memory stick. There was no reason on earth to not use a standard SD type of memory other than to force the customer to use THEIR memory cards.
grok666
strider_mt2k
Posted 10:58 PM 17/7/08
Get bent, Sony, Bluetooth is already here.
Massive waste of resources.
strider_mt2k
bobvilla
Posted 11:42 PM 17/7/08
They might want to find a better name.
bobvilla
ezman
Posted 11:29 PM 17/7/08
@ArmyCats:
Sony Ericsson w580 = M2 memory stick (ever heard of it? me neither), proprietary charger, headphone jack, and USB transfer connection.
Sony camera = Memory Stick Pro, proprietary charger.
Do I need to go on? Not saying that I don't LOVE some of the products that Sony makes, but they are pretty into themselves and their proprietary wares when it comes down to it.
ezman
powerball
Posted 2:36 AM 18/7/08
If you don't like Sony, don't buy their crap. Who is doing most of the research into these new technologies. I mean if you are the only one pouring money into this stuff, that's on Sony as a company. So don't buy their stock and don't buy their stuff.
I bet if someone came up with a great idea, they would support it. Look at iPod, what a blow to the balls that was when Sony made the walkman a household name. Now many of their recievers have iPod docks. I really think its how you look at it. Other companies are not putting out new technology, where you have to develop everything to go along with it. You could call it proprietary, but when you are the only one doing it, there really isn't a choice.
Plus, at least they didn't come up with the xD card, after ms and sd were available as options.
powerball
powerball
Posted 2:28 AM 18/7/08
I bought a canon camera 7 years ago and bought a cf card, i bought a new one 3 years ago and got an sd card. I bought an sdhc card and it doesn't work. I bought a canon camcorder and it only takes micro sd? What, my phone takes micro sd and I can't use my camera cards, geesh. They all have different charges to. Canon sucks I guess, oh well. I'm also pretty sure that memory stick came out before the SD card.
powerball
ArmyCats
Posted 3:27 AM 18/7/08
I guess I just luckily missed all those "Sony Only" products :P
Had:
Sony TV (no need for any third party accessories)
Sony MD Player (which worked with all brand MDs)
ArmyCats
gildow
Posted 8:25 PM 17/7/08
No way this is sounds like a to challenge to bluetooth as the communication distance of TransferJet is only about 3cm...
gildow
Zencyde
Posted 11:08 PM 17/7/08
And Wikipedia article created. :D
Zencyde
Zencyde
Posted 10:37 PM 17/7/08
Whatever happened to Wireless USB?
Zencyde
steaky
Posted 3:25 PM 18/7/08
lol at the Sony haters. Can't read the rest of the details to see its lots of other CE's involved?
steaky