::UPDATE:: IOGear has its own wireless USB announcement today…

Here’s another way to cut the cords on your laptop: Go Ultra-WideBand, also known as Wireless USB.

It’s kind of like Bluetooth but faster. Data rates are up to 480 megabits per second at distances of up to 30 feet, according to D-Link in Fountain Valley, which is announcing its first UWB product today.

D-Link starts with a USB kit that includes an adapter and a 4-port USB hub. Plug in a USB printer, USB scanner, USB hard drive or other USB device to the hub and you’ll be able to access them wirelessly from your laptop. Think of this new technology as a way to dock your laptop in an invisible docking station.

D-Link says that it’s “among the first” to get certified. But I first experienced the technology last winter when Toshiba showed me how it works with its first UWB laptop, the Portege R400. Wirelessly, it was connected to a nearby monitor and speaker system.

It immediately made me think of a wireless docking station, which would come in handy for Apple users since Apple doesn’t offer docks. But alas, this D-Link kit doesn’t look like its Mac friendly, although it is plug-and-play USB. I’ll have to check with D-Link about this.

The D-Link adapter (DUB-1210) and hub (DUB-2240) should ship by the end of the year for $120 each or $220 for the kit (the DUB-9240).

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