We saw a wireless HDMI box from ASUS at the show and pushing communication without the need for wires isn't entirely new technology. Intel's WiDi works by using an existing WiFi card and adding some nifty software to compress the local framebuffer and then exports it to a Netgear adapter that's plugged into the externa multimedia box or display - usually a TV - via HDMI or RCA.
The 'one-button' technology is integrated into a trio of Core i5 laptops that will begin shipping on the 17th January from Best Buy in the USA. Sound a little complicated? Intel demonstrates WiDi in action in our video.
Intel claims that it can push 720p video over the WiFi link and future versions will dial this up to 1080p. As the communication is broadcast over WiFi, range will be better than the generally line-of-sight wireless options available to users now.
All good, then? Not quite. The video fails to inform you that one cannot push protected content - DRM - to the display. What's more, only a handful of laptops, bundled with the Netgear receiver, will have the technology built in. Should you require a second receiver, it will set you back a cool $99.
We still reckon that Intel is on the right track with WiDi, and it will be interesting to see where it is in a year's time.
