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Wi-Fi Direct connects gadgets on the go: The death of Bluetooth?

The Wi-Fi alliance has announced Wi-Fi Direct, a new specification that will see devices connecting to each other without the need to connect with a router

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
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Richard Trenholm

The Wi-Fi Alliance has announced a new specification to cut out the wireless middleman. If certified with Wi-Fi Direct, devices such as printers and cameras will be able to connect directly to each other without connecting to a network.

Bad news for the tinfoil-hat wearers among us, but good news for everyone else. Ad hoc Wi-Fi networks will mean you can carry out local tasks such as printing from a camera without needing a cable, or worrying about joining a network. This could be the death of Bluetooth, even as the third version of Bluetooth is upon us.

Just this morning we plugged in our Eye-Fi card, and were prevented from using the wonder of wireless because of our Wi-Fi network automatically redirecting to a splash screen. Imagine if all cameras packed Wi-Fi, like the Samsung ST1000, and could print or upload pictures wherever you are, without worrying about joining a network. That's the future, that is. Well, it's 2010, anyway.