Monday marks the start of certification for WiFi Direct devices, which means that in the near future it could become a lot easier to link your digital devices.
WiFi Direct, which is being developed by the WiFi Alliance, uses traditional WiFi technology to connect devices quickly, seamlessly and securely. WiFi Direct has been described as a Bluetooth killer but, while it certainly could replace the need for Bluetooth, it also has many more applications and capabilities than Bluetooth.
WiFi Direct uses standard WiFi technology but its application is very different. First, no existing WiFi network or router is needed; the technology uses peer-to-peer connections. Also, the process of connecting devices is much simpler than trying to use current tethering or ad hoc networking for laptops and smartphones. It is designed to be as simple to set up as a Bluetooth connection.
WiFi Direct also makes good use of existing WiFi devices. For example, any PC or laptop that already has standard WiFi 802.11x hardware can connect to a WiFi Direct-enabled device. That means that if you bought a WiFi Direct printer this holiday season, it could instantly connect to your PCs and other WiFi-enabled devices.
