Anaren Inc.’s Wireless Group announced the release of its first AIR for WICED™ Smart Bluetooth module and Atmosphere on-line developer platform as part of a strategic engagement with Broadcom Corp. This new relationship advances the goal of both companies to support designers, innovators, and end-equipment manufacturers looking for intuitive, easy-to-use developer tools, like Atmosphere, that will simplify the challenge of ‘going wireless’ and speed up their time to market.
“All along, our customers have told us that they want to reduce the development costs and time to market for adding wireless technology to their end products,” said Mark Bowyer, Anaren’s corporate business development manager. “It’s great to work with Broadcom on our AIR module family to help non-RF savvy manufacturers go wireless. And it’s even better to now engage with Broadcom on our new Bluetooth Smart module and support tools, which combine to make it extraordinarily easy to connect embedded products to the billion-plus Bluetooth equipped mobile devices out there in the market.”
In beta trials of its new module and Atmosphere tool, customers were able to get their product “proof of concept” running in 90 minutes or less. “Our goal is to help innovative customers get a wireless product into the market in around 90 days,” said Bowyer. “At the same time, we’re cutting a huge amount of dollars from their project development budget with our easy-to-use developer environment.”
Among the specific features Bowyer credits for the lower barrier to product developers are the modules’ small size, low cost, pre-certification to global standards and comprehensive technical support to the mass market group of customers. “Beyond the module itself, the goal of Atmosphere is to enable any OEM to quickly and painlessly turn a mobile Bluetooth Smart device -- such as an IPad, IPhone or Android-based device -- into a mobile control panel. In that respect, we believe we are one of the few companies that allows any embedded developer to generate and push software to both the end device and the mobile device simultaneously.”
“Anaren’s demonstrated strength in providing developers with easy-to-use and unique graphical APP builder tools, guided by great-out-of-the-box-experience philosophy and dedicated technical support align perfectly with Broadcom’s strategy of making our technology easy to use and widely available to companies both large and small,”said Sid Shaw, Broadcom senior product line manager, wireless connectivity.
“The Bluetooth special interest group continuously looks at and offers tools that make development with Bluetooth simple, easy, and accessible for everyone,” said Steve Hegenderfer, director of developer programs at the Bluetooth SIG. "With the rich set of tools our members offer, along with those the SIG will bring to market, developers can add wireless connectivity to their devices and applications and leverage Bluetooth technology to bring about unprecedented innovations. We are excited to work with partners like Anaren to advance support of the developer community and foster ongoing creativity.”
Additional information can be found on the company’s website: www.anaren.com