Dell to Add Cingular's HSDPA to Laptops

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/09/22/HNdellcingularnetwork_1.html?source=rss&url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/09/22/HNdellcingularnetwork_1.html' target='_blank'>http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/09/22/HNdellcingularnetwork_1.html?source=rss&url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/09/22/HNdellcingularnetwork_1.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Dell and Cingular currently offer notebooks with Cingular PC Cards that can connect to the carrier's EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) network. Now it also plans to embed a modem into a notebook that can connect to Cingular's HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) network, said Anne Camden, a Dell spokeswoman."</i><br /><br />Here's a follow up to our story from earlier this week about <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9269">Dell planning to embed EV-DO</a> into future laptops. It looks like they are actually planning to give customers a choice of highspeed wireless access. So you won't have to worry about your laptop running a different wireless connection from your mobile phone. Embedded wireless highspeed in my laptop sounds really cool. I can't wait. :mrgreen:

[Jerry Raia]

If you decide to change carriers you are kind of stuck though.

[Mike Temporale]

Oh, good point. I imagine this wouldn't be too easy to swap with a different card. And how do you get a SIM for it? :?

[Mark Larson]

I'm underwhelmed. They'll probably require a 2-year data agreement and charge full price for the chip, and us consumers will get screwed for a little convenience.

[HalM]

Neat idea, but unless you can have one data plan that covers the laptop and the phone, data will be way too expensive. Give me EDGE or EVDO on my phone and if I need to connect with my laptop, I'll use the phone as a modem.

[Mike Temporale]

Neat idea, but unless you can have one data plan that covers the laptop and the phone, data will be way too expensive. Give me EDGE or EVDO on my phone and if I need to connect with my laptop, I'll use the phone as a modem.

So, you're saying all you would require is Bluetooth on your laptop and Bluetooth/EDGE on your Smartphone. Sounds like a better solution to me. :mrgreen:

[ARW]

Neat idea, but unless you can have one data plan that covers the laptop and the phone, data will be way too expensive. Give me EDGE or EVDO on my phone and if I need to connect with my laptop, I'll use the phone as a modem.

So, you're saying all you would require is Bluetooth on your laptop and Bluetooth/EDGE on your Smartphone. Sounds like a better solution to me. :mrgreen:

You have to remember however that those of us visiting tech sites are not the norm. Your typical coroprate road warrior doesn't have the time or inclination to use a phone as a modem. They just want an on/off switch for EDGE or EVDO.