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News Release from: Texas Instruments (April 2001-March 2006) | Subject: Wanda concept design
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 19 March 2003
A wireless PDA concept called Wanda
Mobile device manufacturers will be able to deliver simultaneous wireless voice and data connectivity with a novel triwireless PDA concept design from Texas Instruments.
Mobile device manufacturers will be able to deliver to consumers and mobile professionals simultaneous wireless voice and data connectivity with a triwireless PDA concept design from Texas Instruments Codenamed "Wanda" (for wireless any network digital assistant), the concept design is powered by TI's OMAP processors, multiple TI wireless technologies, and Microsoft's Windows-Powered Pocket PC operating system (OS)
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 8 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Wanda is the industry's first concept design to integrate wireless LAN, Bluetooth and GSM/GPRS technologies to enable simultaneous phone calls, web browsing, mobile commerce, Bluetooth-enabled capabilities, such as printing and headset listening, and integrated DSP-accelerated multimedia applications.
"In-Stat/MDR's latest report indicates growth in the PDA market near 20% per year over the next five years, with the most significant growth rate anticipated in 2003", said Cindy Wolf, an analyst at In-Stat/MDR.
"The proliferation of integrated PDAs that enable multiple functionalities, including cellular, 802.11 and Bluetooth, will help to facilitate the continued market growth for devices that enable high levels of connectivity and customisation".
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By allowing for the seamless integration of one, two, or all three wireless capabilities, the modular Wanda concept design will accelerate time to market and enable manufacturers to deliver distinctive configurations, services and feature combinations, including a high-performance camera, to meet the needs of unique market segments.
"Giving consumers multiple wireless connections in a single device will open new horizons to end-users, providing the communications connections to enable true mobility, increasing user connection time and energising the PDA industry", stated Richard Kerslake, Worldwide Director of Marketing, Wireless Computing, for TI's wireless terminals business.
Microsoft's Pocket PC software will provide added performance and functionality by enabling a stylish interface, robust features, easy navigation and more ways for users to customise their devices and communicate with friends and coworkers.
"By empowering device manufacturers to bring Pocket PCs with integrated GSM/GPRS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, this concept design provides a powerful, versatile, ready-to-manufacture platform for anytime-anywhere connectivity", said Andy Haon, Director, for Microsoft's Mobile Devices Marketing Group.
"With this concept design, Texas Instruments raises the industry bar on the wireless capabilities of Pocket PC devices".
TI's Wanda PDA concept design integrates a variety of TI's leading wireless technologies, including: the OMAP1510 application processor, delivering the performance and power efficiency needed to enable rich multimedia applications; the BRF6100, the industry's first 0.13um Bluetooth single chip solution to integrate digital RF processing (DRP), resulting in significant reductions to power, total solution size and cost; the TNETW1100B, an 802.11b MAC/baseband processor specifically designed for mobile/embedded wireless LAN applications; and TI's TCS2100 GSM/GPRS chipset, which includes a high-performance digital baseband, a highly-integrated analogue baseband with complete power management functions, along with a rich software suite, including a complete GPRS/GSM protocol stack.
In addition to its Wanda PDA concept design, TI also provides complete reference designs which allow mobile device manufacturers to jump-start new product development, eliminate some design tasks and shorten time-to-market.
Accelent Systems, a leading enabler of embedded devices, developed the Wanda PDA concept design based on TI specifications.
As an independent OMAP Technology Centre and a Gold-level member of Microsoft's Windows Embedded Partner Programme, Accelent provided its valuable engineering services and Pocket PC OS expertise that will help manufacturers get to market quickly with this robust, power-efficient new design based on TI's OMAP platform.
The Wanda concept design is scheduled to be available in April 2003.
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