WiMAX

ALSO NOTED: WiMAX Nokia N810 goes on sale; T-Mobile confirms an Android phone in '08;

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> AT&T gets GPS-enabled Blackberry Pearl 8110. Article
> Acer to launch Windows Mobile device. Article
> WiMAX Nokia N810 goes on sale but there's still no WiMAX. Article
> Helio adds push Gmail support. Article
> T-Mobile confirms that it will have an Android phone this year. Article

And Finally... Comcast launching wireless service? Article

Asus preps new Eees, WiMAX laptop

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:59:57 -0400

It's often been said that Asus' Eee PC--that sub-$500, ultraportable wonder--created an all new category of mobile device and a quick glance at the competition that has sprouted up since pretty much confirms that fact. But the company won't be able to coast on the Eee PC's success forever--at least not without an updated model. To that end, there are two new Eee models on the way. First up is the 8.9" Eee PC 900 model, which comes with either Linux or Windows XP pre-installed, 1GB of RAM and up to 20GB of storage--it will land in the U.S. on May 12 for $549. On the more distant horizon is a 10" model with a larger keyboard, which was recently confirmed by Asustek CEO Jerry Shen, though other details remain hazy.

And what of the WiMAX Eee PC, you might ask? While we haven't heard any news on that front in quite a while, we do know that Asus is now preparing to launch a different WiMAX machine that will take the form of an update to the company's full-sized Aspire 5920 laptop. While details on the machine itself have yet to be revealed, Asus has confirmed that the laptop not only will work on Sprint's XOHM WiMAX network, but also will be sold through Sprint as part of a service bundle.

For more on the latest from Asus:
- check out this Crave article on the Eee 900
- this PC World article on the 10" Eee
- and this InfoWorld article on the WiMAX machine

Nokia to unveil WiMAX N810 at CTIA?

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:59:56 -0400

As we count down the days until CTIA, the rumor mill keeps on churning out tidibits regarding what we might see on the show floor. Here's one that's especially tantalizing: Nokia will release a WiMAX-enabled version of its N810 Internet tablet on April 1st, the first day of CTIA. As you'll recall, we got our grubby little mitts all over the impressive N810 last year, at which time I said that "I suspect that these sorts of tablets are aimed to prime the market for WiMAX devices." Very interesting...

For more on the rumor:
- see this Boy Genius Report article

What's you WiMAX plan B?

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:59:56 -0500

WiMAX can't be declared dead, yet, but it's pretty darned puny from a marketplace perspective. So, just in case the whole WiMAX thing doesn't work out like you'd hoped, what are you going to do for the high-speed wireless access that your mobile employees need? On the one hand, 802.11n is rapidly moving toward final approval and codification, and is becoming a more realistic corporate option in the process. On the other hand, EV-DO and HSDPA are each maturing rapidly and offering high-speed access through existing networks. 802.11n and the latest in 3G technology will likely each be widely available before WiMAX rolls out in every major market--but there's always the chance that the new Sprint announcement will move things forward in a WiMAX direction. Keep your options open--that seems to be the wireless rule of the day.

For more on the state of WiMAX:
- Read the wireless thoughts at NetworkWorld

Why one wireless and not another?

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 06:59:59 -0500

Sometimes, the hype can almost deafen you. The sheer volume of email, phone calls, advertisements, and "special messages" that surround new product introductions (especially when the product in question involves billions of dollars worth of investment) can keep you from understanding anything about the true value of the product and its underlying technology. That's been the case with WiMAX for the last couple of years, and I fully expect the volume and tempo to pick up considerably in the coming months. Why? It's almost time for Sprint and other companies to start making money back on their significant investments in the technology infrastructure buildout.

The problem is that the rollout is unlikely to be smooth. I say that because I'm hearing whispers out of Sprint that indicate they haven't learned some very important lessons over the last 20 years. A Sprint official recently said that people looking for a cellular-like "unlimited data" option were going to be disappointed. He also indicated that the model for subsidizing hardware (you know, the "sign up for a year and we'll give you the phone" model) was going to change. What I hear from this is that they're going to make customers pay more up front, then meter the use. I have one thing to say about that: ISDN.

When DSL was starting to roll out a decade ago, equipment vendors told me their biggest fear was that the phone companies would treat it like residential ISDN, a promising technology use that was killed quickly and efficiently by a carrier who didn't have a clue about successful pricing models. The same pricing models that killed ISDN are now being considered for WiMAX. I can't be the only person who's worried about this.

WiMAX is promising for many applications, but it's far from the only wireless game in town. 3G and 4G cellular networks and free or low-cost WiFi hotspots will all compete with WiMAX in the mobile arena. If Sprint blows the pricing, they'll probably still find customers (ISDN is, after all, still available), but they'll ensure that the market is far smaller than it could be with single-price, predictable monthly pricing. Will Sprint and the other carriers figure this one out in time? We'll know the answer starting in the second quarter of this year. -Curtis

P.S. In observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday next week, IT-Wireless will be published on Tuesday, instead of Monday. See you next week!

WiMAX to be put to the test

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 06:59:58 -0500

The United States is getting ever closer to widespread licensed WiMAX deployment. Sprint's XOHM service has begun very limited tests and is still scheduled to go public in the second quarter of this year. Customers looking for pricing and purchase models that mimic those used in 3G cellular devices are almost certain to be disappointed--Sprint has made it clear that both monthly service pricing and device subsidies will be significantly different from cell models when WiMAX eventually rolls out. The market is anxiously watching Sprint's WiMAX rollout for clues about what customers will accept, and how the finances will work for the data-centric WiMAX network. Stay tuned…

For more on the WiMAX launch:
- See the complete article at WirelessWeek

New Sprint WiMAX devices

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 06:59:58 -0500

Few people would have picked something like it for the first in a new category of wireless devices, but the Eee PC from Asus looks like it will be the first generally-available computer with WiMAX capability built-in. The big surprise is that the Sprint devices with WiMAX communications are rather more modest, with a couple of PC-card modems for laptop computers the only things on display at the recent CES. This all could be part of the Sprint plan, since they've been talking up the "open" nature of the XOHM network as they get ready for the big public rollout of WiMAX in the US.

For more on the short list of Sprint WiMAX devices:
- Read the complete report at DailyTechRag

Get ready for OFDM

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:59:57 -0500

Orthogonal Division Frequency Multiplexing (OFDM) may not be at the center of your radar screen, but if you build wireless systems or applications, you should be learning about OFDM and what it does for wireless communications. A technology foundation of WiMAX, OFDM will be a key ingredient in allowing mobile WiMAX to have an impact on the work life of mobile professionals. OFDM makes it possible to squeeze more channels and more effective bandwidth into a given slice of radio spectrum--that's a win for WiMAX, the service providers, and the users.

For more on OFDM:
- Read the technology analysis at WirelessWeek

A year-end look at the future of wireless

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:59:56 -0500

We've reached the end of 2007, and now it's time to look ahead to what we'll see in the wireless marketplace for the coming year. According to a panel of experts, some of the factors controlling news in 2008 will be:

Google will continue to push into many aspects of wireless communications.
The 700 MHz spectrum auction will open more than just another radio band--it could open an entirely new wireless business model.
The WiMAX build-out will either accelerate or come to a halt. Many experts think that WiMAX faces a narrowing window of opportunity before 4G cellular data arrives--in 2008, we'll know whether the believers are ready to put up towers.
Wireless devices will get faster and more capable as we move into the Wireless 2.0 universe of technology and expectations.

There's much more--you can use the information to plan you year, or to set up an office pool on which technologies will really win in the coming year.

For more on a wireless 2008:
- Read the prognostications at WirelessWeek

Does 'My Location' threaten privacy?

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:59:56 -0500

Lately, it's been hard to find a wireless arena in which Google isn't making news. Here's one, though, that might not have made it to your business radar: Google's "My Location" feature within Google Maps for phones is being viewed as a possible privacy risk. The system, which provides an approximate user location based on cell-tower triangulation rather than GPS, is described by Google as completely anonymous, but privacy advocates, pointing to recent stories of federal agents requesting cell phone user data, say you can't be too careful. It makes Google's plan for WiMAX seem very simple by comparison.

For more on the possible "My Location" risk:
- Read the security analysis at CIO-Today