The technology allows peer-to-peer wifi connections between devices like smartphones and cameras-- without the need for wifi networks or access points.

Range and speeds are the same as existing wifi's (200m, 250Mbit/sec). The system employs the latest WPA2 security protections.

Wifi Alliance as an example tells of a user taking photos from a ship's upper deck and sending pictures to a laptop (wifi direct-enabled) on a deck below.

The first Wifi Direct certified devices include Atheros XSPAN Dual-band 802.11n PCIe Mini Card (AR928x), Broadcom BCM43224 Dual-Band 802.11n 2x2 MIMO PCIe Half Mini Card and Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200.