Intel Announces WiDi - Wireless Laptop A/V Out

This would be great for next-generation consoles.

While they may not be the most efficient tool for the job, laptops make great little home theatre PCs given that nearly all of them have both audio and video out. The hardest, and perhaps most hassling part is getting them hooked up and then trying to operate the laptop while it's tethered to the TV. Intel believes it has the answer to that hassle with the Wireless Display – or WiDi.

Officially unveiled at CES, the technology uses 802.11n WiFi technology to stream video and audio wirelessly to an adapter hooked up to a TV. It's a pretty slick trick for those who hate wires.

"Computing in the home is rapidly expanding beyond the PC," said Intel Corporation President and CEO Paul Otellini. "The TV will continue to be a focal point of the home while becoming smarter, much in the way phones are evolving into smartphones. New user interfaces and forms of connectivity will change the way we interact with entertainment in the home."

Of course, for it all to work, Intel wants to keep everything in the family, which means you'll need one of the new mobile Core i3, Core i5 or Core i7 processors with Intel HD integrated graphics, Centrino Wireless N, and Windows 7.

The wireless adapter box will cost an estimated $100 and will ship January 17.

More on CES 2010.