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TransferJet Consortium Works Towards Touch Data Transfer Tech

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the ease-of-use dept.

Iddo Genuth writes to tell us that many of the large tech companies have banded together in order to develop TransferJet technology. Discussed earlier this year, TransferJet promises to allow rapid data transfer between devices in close proximity. "The group of companies involved in the development of TransferJet has been tagged the 'TransferJet Consortium' and includes many industry giants such as Sony, Canon, Kodak, Nikon, Pioneer, Toshiba, Samsung and many others. The companies intend to market a broad array of products and services incorporating TransferJet technology with the intention of increasing its usage through the consumer electronics industry. With this new technology, there will be no need for access points or complex data transfer setups. By touching the two devices together, intuitive operation will kick in and the files will be transferred automatically."

11 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. Data Theft by harryjohnston · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A short 3cm transmission distance minimizes any risks of data theft.

    I do hope there's a bit more to it than that. There are all sorts of situations in which someone could bring a hostile device within 3cm of (say) a mobile phone without being noticed. For a start, consider a commuter train during rush hour.

    1. Re:Data Theft by lysergic.acid · · Score: 2, Informative

      obviously both devices still have to activate their TransferJet feature so you won't accidentally start a transfer just by brushing your cellphone against someone else's. i think what they mean is that the devices need to be within 3 cm of each other during the transfer so that someone can't walk up behind you while you're transferring to an intended target and intercept the transmission.

      so if you want to transfer sensitive data, you just need to survey the area within a 3 cm radius of your device to make sure that you can safely make the transfer. as opposed to having a 6 ft. transmission distance and having to survey a much larger area.

      if something is within 3 cm of your device, you'll know. but it's much harder (and more awkward) to try to extend your personal bubble 6 ft. and keep other people from snooping in on your transfer.

  2. Just like IRdA? by mediocubano · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I thought IRDA (Infrared) was supposed to do this - my Palmpilot had infrared syncing, and HP tried with some of its printers, and I had a Motorola 2-way pager that also had the ability. My Dell laptop still has an infrared window on it.

    1. Re:Just like IRdA? by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 3, Interesting

      RF based technology has pretty much murdered IRDA, presumably because dealing with IR line of sight was seen as a nuisance(the proliferation of 2.4ghz RF silicon, and thus its reduced price, probably didn't hurt). There may be other reasons as well, IRDA seemed to slip underwater surprisingly quickly and quietly for something so cheap and simple.

    2. Re:Just like IRdA? by wsanders · · Score: 3, Insightful

      IRdA is slow as hell.

      This will be much faster, and secure, assuming they can find a way for radio waves to travel 3 cm and then stop themselves.

      Of course, a towel provides effective IRdA security.

      --
      Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish, and he'll say "WHERE'S MY FISH, YOU IDIOT?"
  3. Missing from list by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    he new close proximity wireless transfer technology automatically initiates the transfer of files such as high resolution videos, music, and images,

    ... viruses ...

  4. Pickpockets in a crowd by overshoot · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well, the security implications certainly give a new meaning to "putting the touch on him."

    --
    Lacking <sarcasm> tags, /. substitutes moderation as "Troll."
  5. Sir Howard... by Rick+Richardson · · Score: 3, Insightful

    http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/2008/07/22/sony-and-company-introduce-transferjet/

    "I thought Sir Howard was supposed to put an end to this type of thing. Apparently not, as Sony is back with another proprietary technology. Making it worse, they are offering up a wireless technology to transfer video and image wirelessly, a market where there are seemingly PLENTY of standardized technologies to do just this. Sure, theyâ(TM)ve pushed a consortium around TransferJet [PR], at least giving this effort the appearance of an industry-wide effort, but in the end this looks and feels like classic Sony pushing an internally developed technology as a solution where there already is one."

  6. I thought WiMedia won by doojsdad · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Wireless USB (WUSB) and Bluetooth 3.0 are already using WiMedia http://www.wimedia.org/en/index.asp

  7. Off With The Editor's Head ... by strelitsa · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ... is the cry every time I see the phrase "close proximity". Is there any other kind of proximity?

    --
    No mod points, no meta-moderating/Firehose/all the other free work Slashdot wants me to do.
  8. Another attempt to sell more dongles by rukcus · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Quoth the Article:

    The small size of the chips will allow them to be connected to any USB capable computer and possibly to other USB capable devices. In 2009 Sony plans to launch the first TransferJet-based products.

    This is really what the technology is about. You'll still need to buy another round of cables to connect your mobile devices to your PC. At a predicted cost of $40-50, this is exactly like the cellphone charger dilemma. This is what it's about.