Gefen Unveils Wireless USB 2.0 Extender

By NEWS RELEASE | January 20th, 2006

Cable-free USB 2.0 extension is a reality for industry solutions provider Gefen. Expected to hit production in Q1 2006, the Gefen Wireless USB Extender supports the instantaneous transfer of data using Freescale Semiconductor’s Ultra-Wideband wireless solution and marks the initial release of UWB-enabled products for the U.S. market.

Working with any USB 2.0 certified device, Gefen’s Wireless USB Extender uses small sender and receiver units connected to the computer and the extended USB device. By plugging the receiver, small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, into the USB port on the target device, an instant wireless connection is achieved. No USB cables are needed to deliver data from the sender to the receiver, which can be connected to the camera, keyboard, printer or any USB 2.0 device—up to 30 feet from the computer.

“Ultra-Wideband technology supplies a much-desired solution for the millions of USB 2.0 peripherals already in homes and offices throughout America,” said Martin Rofheart, Freescale’s director of the Ultra-Wideband Operation. “We’re thrilled to have Gefen as one of the key early adopters of the technology and look forward to consumers experiencing cable-free USB.”

To date, there are more than 700 million USB devices in the market, according to market research firm In-Stat. By 2008 it is forecast that there will be 3.5 billion total USB-enabled hosts and devices in the market, the firm stated.

“Our desire is to provide a suite of products that allow consumers to easily and instantly replace wires between their existing PC and peripheral devices, the majority of which have USB 2.0 ports,” said Hagai Gefen, CEO. “This solution is ideal because it requires no upgrade, no software installation and can easily leverage consumers’ substantial investments in PCs, digital cameras, MP3 players, digital camcorders, printers, etc. We believe wireless USB 2.0 is the perfect cable replacement solution.”

About Freescale Semiconductor
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NYSE:FSL, FSL.B) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. Freescale became a publicly traded company in July 2004 after more than 50 years as part of Motorola, Inc. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale, a member of the S&P 500, is one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies with 2004 sales of $5.7 billion (USD).

About Gefen Inc
A leader in the high definition digital domain, Gefen delivers advanced technologies with multiplatform extension, switching, distribution and conversion capabilities. Gefen equipment is utilized all over the world in professional AV/IT and consumer electronics/home theater environments. Their add-on hardware maximizes system functionality and enhances operability by enabling AV systems to go beyond their original functionalities. Solutions support an array of connectivity interfaces including HDMI, DVI, dual link DVI, HD-SDI, SDI, VGA, RCA, USB, Firewire and RS-232. A selection of high quality cabling is also available. Additional information may be found at www.gefen.com.