More than a few companies are betting that the next Cisco will make its fortune providing connectivity to the home networking market. The latest of these is InnoMedia Inc, which used the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas as the launchpad for a wireless internet sharing product. InnoMedia’s InfoAccess uses digital spread spectrum technology to network desktop and portable computers to the internet, using a single account, one phone line, and one modem, cable modem, ADSL or ISDN terminal adapter. Small businesses might want to think twice about InfoAccess, however, as the device makes it possible for users to play networked games. InnoMedia execs suggest that families will be the first to benefit from the product, owing to its being comparatively easy to install and to those networked games. They point out that InfoAccess could also be useful in older buildings where running wires is impractical or expensive. The device connects to PCs through the computer’s serial port and supports data interface rates up to 115.2Kbps. Priced at $199/pair, InfoAccess is scheduled for release some time this month.
