Cisco Systems' Linksys division agreed to acquire privately-held KiSS Technology A/S, a developer of networked entertainment devices, for approximately $61 million in cash and stock. KiSS, which is based in Horsholm, Denmark, has a product portfolio that includes home video products such as networked DVD players and networked DVD recorders. KiSS's technology platform also has the capability to extend to other consumer electronics products. KISS recently introduced an IPTV set-top box which is compatible with Windows Media content. The product is already marketed via Denmark�s first broadband TV channel, TV-2 Sputnik, for viewing content over an ADSL connection. The KiSS MediaMate works in both standard-definition and high-definition streaming, and will also be certified to Microsoft�s PlaysForSure program. The MediaMate is equipped with a 802.11g connection. It uses the same chip technology from Sigma Designs as KiSS Technology�s other DVD-players and hard disk recorders.
Ultra-Wideband (UWB) is quietly becoming one of the most strategic short-range wireless technologies in the market, moving from niche deployments into the mainstream of smartphones, cars, and smart spaces. As the ecosystem matures and next-generation implementations arrive, UWB is shifting from nice-to-have to a foundational capability for secure access, sensing, and high-performance device-to-device connectivity. UWB Technology Market Development Unlike Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, or legacy IEEE 802.15.4 implementations, UWB combines three powerful attributes in a single radio: secure ranging, radar-like sensing, and low-latency, high-throughput short-range data. This allows networking and IT vendors to architect experiences that blend precise location, context awareness, and rich interaction in ways traditional connectivity stacks cannot easily match. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research, UWB is expected to be one of the fastest-growing wireless connectivity...