Broadcom Launches Wi-Fi Video Phone Chipset

Broadcom has introduced a $39 chipset that could enable cell phones that can play video, make VoIP calls, and connect to the Internet at high speeds via Wi-Fi wireless networking connections. The company says that such phones will enable business travelers to say good night to their children face-to-face. The chipset includes the BCM1161 mobile VoIP processor, the BCM4318E AirForce One single-chip 802.11b/g Wi-Fi solution, and the BCM2702 VideoCore multimedia processor. The chips support H.264 and H.263 video communication standards at rates of up to 30fps, meaning that the video won’t be as jerky as previous cell phone videos and will be more akin to TV-quality video. The chipset is in production and was on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this past January.