Agere BluOnyx Media Hub

Agere this morning provided an early glance at the BluOnyx, a credit card-sized portable server that hosts media for virtually any device. Storing as little as 1GB or as much as 40GB of data, the hub is equipped with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to stream music, video, and other content wirelessly around a room, regardless of the device type: owners will even have the choice of a "digital campfire," according to Agere, that can share the same songs or video clips with multiple users. The BluOnyx further doubles as a backup for the content and sports SD card as well as USB connections for copying files without the need for a computer. The server is lastly useful as an Internet gateway for cellphones or other hardware that can connect to the Internet but doesn't have its own service, Agere says. Prices will vary between $99 and $250 depending on storage, but will depend largely on third-party adoption: as a core component maker, Agere plans to license the BluOnyx to other companies for a release in early 2007.

By Electronista Staff