ATI Technologies today announced that it will include TransDimension's USB On-The-Go (OTG) technology in its new Imageon display co-processor for PDAs and smartphones.

USB OTG is a supplement to the USB 2.0 standard that allows mobile devices to connect directly, without the presence of a PC. For example, a PDA could print to a printer, receive type from a keyboard, exchange pictures with a digital camera or connect to speakers.

"Handheld devices are becoming smarter, and it is increasingly important that those devices communicate and share information with each other," said Azzedine Boubguira, ATI's director of marketing for the Handheld Products Group.

"While the industry is still waiting for new and reliable wireless connectivity interfaces to establish needed critical mass, USB is widely available, and we are glad to be first to embed USB OTG which adds more functionality and flexibility to standard USB."

Last month, Qualcomm announced that it licensed TransDimension's USB OTG technology for their next-generation wireless chipsets.