By 2012, In-Stat estimates a whopping 1 billion new devices will ship with Wi-Fi. In the near future, products like printers, smart-phones, digital cameras, personal media players, digital photo frames, game consoles, even televisions, DVD players and speakers will include Wi-Fi. Have you thought about how to integrate or fully utilize your Wi-Fi function? Or what are the best ways to synch, share, show, and print the digital content among different Wi-Fi embedded devices?
Intel has a solution. Intel® My WiFi technology can resolve the problem. Intel® My WiFi Technology is a Wi-Fi Personal Area Network (Wi-Fi PAN) technology that allows a single Wi-Fi adapter in an Intel® Centrino® 2 notebook to function like two separate adapters. The operating system sees two Wi-Fi interfaces and each interface offers a service. One interface can connect to any standard Wi-Fi certified Access Point (AP). The other interface enables a Wi-Fi PAN that can operate concurrently with the Wi-Fi Local Area Network (Wi-Fi LAN) connection. CE devices with embedded Wi-Fi see this Wi-Fi PAN network as just another Wi-Fi network to which they can associate.
You can say that this is a second revolution in wireless technology. Making connections among all your WiFi embaded device will no longer be a hassle. Intel has released the application on their web site for user download and experience. This software works on Intel® Centrino® 2 system. It only supports Windows Vista and Windows 7 OS.
Finally, Intel has also started to provide “My WiFi” Logo Certification Service to various Wi-Fi embedded products. For question or if you need more detailed information, please write to us at service@allion.com
For those of you new to device testing, here’s a look into product testing at a third party testing facility.
Device testing ensures the quality and interoperability of a product. In order for devices to achieve certification from a company or standards organization, the device must pass compliance tests, which ensure it will work properly with other certified products.
Nearly all companies require conforming a product to stated specifications and protocols to ensure functionality and compatibility with products from other manufacturers. Test procedures are developed in partnership with standards organizations (such as Bluetooth SIG, USB Implementers Forum and Wi-Fi Alliance) and the industry leaders who guide enabling technology.
Device test labs offer test and measurement and can benefit developers throughout each product stage. Using a third party test lab offers neutrality, cutting-edge testing methods and the ability to observe and address trending problems. Testing labs provide valuable feedback to product developers and standards organizations. Using a third party test lab is often a cost effective test solution – developing an in-house test lab calls for expensive equipment that requires frequent updating and a dedicated staff proficient in device testing.
After a device reaches all benchmarks and passes all checkpoints, certification can be established. Working with a trusted test lab throughout product development ensures quality testing and moves the product along through the development cycle.
PCI Express (PCIe) is the latest standard for PC expansion cards and was designed to replace PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) standards. PCIe is used in consumer and industrial applications, including linking motherboard-mounted peripherals such as SATA drives, USB ports and sound cards and also as an expansion card for add-in boards.
The next advancement in the widespread PCIe standard is PCIe 3.0. The future standard will offer double the interconnect bandwidth of the previous generation, enabling higher data transfer speeds. PCIe 3.0 is currently in development by the PCI-SIG, the industry organization chartered to develop and manage the PCI standard, and is anticipated to be released in Q2 2010. PCIe 3.0 offers backward compatibility with previous generations of PCI technology, including software, clocking architecture and mechanical interfaces.
PCIe compliance tests are used for testing PCIe systems and add-in cards. The five PCI Express compliance test areas include electrical testing, configuration testing, link protocol testing, transaction protocol testing and platform BIOS testing. For PCIe 3.0 systems, add-in cards or devices to be placed on the Integrators List, the system or product must pass interoperability and compliance testing. Working with a third-party testing facility will ensure that the product or system can comply with PCI compliance testing.
Microsoft offers hardware suppliers a testing program for use of the Designed for Windows logo. This logo ensures that systems and devices will function properly with Windows operating systems and signals to customers that the product has been tested to verify it meets Microsoft standards for Windows compatibility.
Microsoft’s Windows Logo Program may seem complicated to vendors unfamiliar with the process for having their system or device receive logo certification; however, third party testing facilities can guide you through the steps and work with you to get your product or system tested and logo certified.
Allion has been an authorized testing site for the Windows Logo Program for the past decade. The purpose of Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) is to ensure the compatibility of products and systems with Windows operating systems. WHQL provides test kits to qualify products, systems and servers for the Designed for Windows logo program and for inclusion on the Windows Hardware Compatibility List (HCL).
Allion is experienced with each aspect of WHQL testing and provides vendors with advice on what is required to achieve a passing result. As Windows 7 approaches, we’re looking forward to testing for Microsoft Windows 7 compatibility. Visit the Microsoft site for an overview of the WHQL process.
