Dell and Lenovo receive Wireless USB certification: The Dell Inspiron 1720 and Lenovo ThinkPad models T61 and T61p not only include ultrawideband (UWB) radios, but are approved by the group that manages the USB spec as Certified Wireless USB. The ThinkPad is shipping ($1,814); the Dell is due later, along with its pricing. There are no peripherals yet that use Wireless USB, but this is part of the break in a five-year-old logjam. I was told in 2002 that wireless USB (not in its current form) over UWB was coming that Christmas.
Iogear and D-Link also received certification on their wireless hub and adapter kits, which are similar or perhaps identical in internal design to Belkin's previously announced product. (These are driverless USB dongle plus AC-powered hub sets that are pre-paired with each other.)
Early startups may look to Austin forum for matchmaking: The Wireless Seed Stage Forum, Oct. 17 in Austin, Tex., might be a boost to firms trying to ramp up from early stage prototypes to a full-blown deployment or production. The forum will look for seed-stage wireless firms, and invite the best of them to pitch directly to investors. The forum coincides with the Texas Wireless Summit (Oct. 17-18). It costs $500 to put your firm in contention for an invitation. (The organizer is a non-profit--the Austin Technology Incubator.)