Motorola, the wireless technology giant, announced that it is developing, with video game companies, chips which will allow gamers to play each other on wireless networks at home.
According to Motorola the new technology aims to create a low-power, low-cost and ultra-low-latency wireless gaming system. The attempt mainly emphasizes Motorola's attempt to seize a piece of the video game pie which seems to have become a sure money maker in these troubled economic times.
We're engaged with all the key gaming companies to understand their needs and their market requirements, Motorola spokesman Steve Howard told Reuters. Gaming is obviously one of our key market spaces.
Netwroked gameplay, as in online versions of console games, is widely accepted as the next logical step in the future of video games. The main adversary of such efforts, so far, has been the issue of latency. Latency refers to the time interval between the sending of data and to the receipt of a response. Most current products do not offer a satisfactory latency value. According to Howard Motorola's new chips will produce the desirable ultra-low-latency.
Although the chips were first announced in May by Motorola, they are expected to enter production in this quarter and first reports suggest they will offer an impressive, 5 megabits per second at a range of up to 15 yards. According to Howard the chips are quite different to other wireless data protocols such as Bluetooth and 802.11, even though Motorola's technology also uses the unlicensed 2.4 gigahertz radio spectrum.
The idea is to be able to have that technology work in conjunction with some of the other standards being developed. claims Howard.
According to the Interactive Digital Software Association, 31 percent of gamers have at some point used online gameplay.