Qualcomm: Mobile technologies for tomorrow

While the American chip maker has a full order book in this field, they are also trying to develop innovative mobile technologies in the hope that they will be widely adopted by the industry, or even end up becoming a standard.

In this way, the American group developed a display technology which reminds us of those used in ebook and e-paper readers aimed at replacing LCD screens. Its benefit is that it doesn’t use rear lighting, only using energy when the display is changed.

While at the beginning of 2009 Mirasol screens were hardly any bigger then 2.4" on the diagonal, Qualcomm is now presenting 5" displays which are colour compatible. It is possible to imagine these being integrated into ebooks, a market that may not be too difficult to get a foothold in and which is planned for take off this year,.

Mirasol is already present in a certain number of small gadgets as a replacement of monochrome LCD screens, with the technology being capable of displaying moving images. Of course, this will lead to a lot higher energy use, but the results may prove very interesting.

To be convinced of its potential you don’t have to look any further then ebook readers like Barnes & Nobles Nook, with its e-paper monochrome 3.5" colour LCD screen, and additional content which is available.

Will Qualcomm be able to make a name for themselves in this field where the E Ink VizPlex technology reigns? The battle is far from won but the addition of colour and the innovative possibilities offered by Mirasol make this a technology to watch over the coming quarters.

eZone, the end of cables and chargers?
Imagine coming home in the evening, leaving your mobile phone with your keys in the entry, and the telephone begins recharging itself without being plugged in to a charger.

This is what the eZone technology that Qualcomm is developing promises. We were able to look at this during the MWC 09 show in Barcelona where it was displayed as a concept without any real commercial perspectives yet provided.

Ten months later, the project has matured and commercial applications are anticipated for 2010. The eZone system assures wireless recharging from a base station, without using the induction theory which can lead to high energy loss.

Its advantage over other solutions is that the gadget doesn’t need to be aligned with the charging station or in contact with it. It simply needs to be in the recharge "bubble" for the charging to begin (a radius of about twenty centimetres). The field isn’t disrupted by the presence of small metallic objects, like keys or coins, and credit cards aren’t demagnetised by it.

The gadget can be moved in the recharge zone without affecting the process, which takes two hours to completely recharge a mobile phone. Over time, eZone should start to be implemented in all electronic gadgets, making it being possible to recharge five devices at the same time, with it being possible to set recharge priorities on the devices.

The interest of eZone will obviously be due to the diverse range of supported products and the integration of the device into the home which will bring with it new user habits, as you will no longer have to wonder where you have left the charger.

Once again, Qualcomm is looking to their own space in this still immature market that is being examined by industrial groups like the Wireless Power Consortium who are developing their own standard. It won’t be enough to have a good technology, as they will also need to find a way to make such devices indispensible...