Embedded Wi-Fi Chips Approaching a Billion Electronics Devices

Market researcher In-Stat tells us that “Because of its large installed base in mobile PC’s and home networks, flexibility, and mature ecosystem, Wi-Fi is a valued. . . technology for the consumer electronic (CE) market.”  In-Stat analyst Victoria Fodale says that “The sheer volume of digital TV shipments will make it a strong market. . . . “  In-Stat predicts that the compound annual growth rate for CE Wi-Fi devices through 2012 will be 26%.

That means that embedded Wi-Fi chips could end up in almost a billion consumer electronics devices by 2012, according to a recent Cnet news article.   In-Stat states that “. . . more than 294 million consumer electronics devices with Wi-Fi shipped in 2007.  But that number is quickly growing and will likely reach 1 billion by 2012.”

In-Stat also reports that because mobile handsets are the fastest-growing embedded Wi-Fi device right now, dual-mode cell phones will become the largest category of Wi-Fi devices by 2011, surpassing PC’s.  There are several reasons so many electronic devices are opting for Wi-Fi connections; for one, prices are coming down, WAY down.  Another factor is increased battery life.  Apple’s iPhone, among others, comes with Wi-Fi.

Right now, most televisions use ethernet for their internet connections, but in the future, digital TV’s “. . . are expected to use Wi-Fi. . . wireless technology could be used to connect TV’s to various devices like set-top boxes and DVD players in an effort to eliminate cords.  The only cord needed would be the power cord.”

David Katzmaier reviews TV’s for CNET, and he can “. . . see (Bluetooth) being used for things like wireless surround speakers and remote controls . . . even to integrate cell phones into the TV experience. . . .”

I am wondering, personally, if wireless technology can make it easy for people like me, with a wireless digital picture frame, to access internet content such as Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube, to name just a few.  We’re already watching videos on our wireless frames; if these bigger sites featured RSS, FrameChannel could pick them up and wireless picture frame owners could watch their favorite videos and movies on our wireless frames, bypassing the television set altogether.

Chumby and the Ambient Web

We mentioned the Chumby in a blog post last week. Today, Forbes posted an article covering the Chumby, the Ambient Web, and digital frames. The author describes the Chumby and similar devices, as extremely useful but mentions the difficulty new products like this may encounter in attracting a niche of users.

Like any new technology, there is unlimited potential for various uses of the Chumby-WiFi frame, RSS newsreader, music player-but we have yet to see just how new wireless enabled gizmos like the Chumby will be widely adopted by the mass market.

Read the full article from Forbes HERE.

CNET Reviews the Chumby

CNET published a review of the Chumby yesterday. An excerpt is below. To read the full review, please visit CNET’s website.

The Chumby ($179) is a plush, softball-size Linux computer that includes a 3.5-inch touch screen, speakers, and Wi-Fi. An adorable little machine for hosting music, photos, videos, and Web applications, the Chumby distinguishes itself from the world of ultramobile PCs and portable video players with its deliberately simplified scope and approachable, durable design.

With its beanbag shape and soft exterior, the Chumby resembles a computer designed by Teddy Ruxpin. Measuring 5 inches wide by 4 inches tall by 3 inches deep, the Chumby feels like the perfect gadget to place under your arm and take around the house…

The biggest hurdle Chumby faces is its ambiguous purpose. We love that the Chumby can be used as an RSS reader, an Internet radio, an alarm clock, an iPod speaker dock, a photo frame, an IPTV, and countless other things–but it’s hard to decide exactly where it belongs in the house. Whatever use you find for the Chumby, its essential features can be divided into three basic camps: clock, audio, and widgets.

As it stands now, the Chumby isn’t the most practical device, but if you have a general love for the Web, digital music, and new technology, you’ll have no problem finding a fun use for the Chumby in your home.