Integrated Pocket PC Devices in the Works

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://www.eweek.com/article/0,3658,s%253D701%2526a%253D22271,00.asp">http://www.eweek.com/article/0,3658,s%253D701%2526a%253D22271,00.asp</a><br /><br />We've seen the pics of the HP "Starfighter" (now known as the HP Jornada 928), and the Toshiba with integrated wireless, but here's the first official word from Microsoft on these two devices. I was most excited about the HP 928, but it's only being released in Europe for the time being. And the Toshiba? That depends if the telco in my area (Telus) launches CDMA2000 anytime soon...<br /><br />"At the CTIA Wireless show in Orlando, Fla., next month, Microsoft will tout the next version of its Pocket PC operating system. The upgrade will include support for data and voice, as well as an integrated phone dialer and other wireless telephony features, Suwanjindar said. It's slated to ship in the first half of the year, along with products that support it. <br /><br />Also at CTIA, Audiovox Corp. will unveil a Pocket PC device similar to its Maestro handheld that has integrated capabilities. It will support Code Division Multiple Access and upcoming 1XRTT third-generation networks. Sprint PCS Group and Verizon Wireless will be subsidizing and selling the devices the same way they do with phones, according to sources close to Audiovox, in Hauppauge, N.Y. <br /><br />Hewlett-Packard Co. and Compaq Computer Corp. also have plans for Pocket PC PDAs (personal digital assistants) with integrated voice and data. HP's device, which will support GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) networks and look much like the company's Jornada 560, will ship first in Europe in the first half of the year, officials of the Palo Alto, Calif., company said. <br /><br />Compaq will be discussing plans for an integrated wireless iPaq at CTIA, but the Houston-based company also will continue to offer expansion sleds for its existing line of iPaqs, including a triband GPRS pack due next month."

[HR]

Most important thing to corner all competitors: must have always on email and SMS.

[JohnnyFlash]

battery life already sucks. How exactly do they see this playing out?

[innersky]

I wish someone would make a stinger announcement...
Or even better, a release.

[James]

I'm not all interested in something with cellular type wireless til the carriers get rid of bandwidth caps, stop rerouting traffic (like smtp to only their server), and bring the price down. 802.11a would be much more interesting to me right now.

[Dave Conger]

bandwidth caps...and bring the price down. 802.11a would be much more interesting to me right now.


I totally agree. You don't really seem to get a lot for your money. The serivce is decent if you want to check you email anywhere or do some tasks, but if you are using your PDA as a mobile PC sustitue, then you are kind of in trouble. Until the US gets some good quality, 3G style networks, I don't see much reason to fork over a lot of cash for ok service.

[popko]

That depends if the telco in my area (Telus) launches CDMA2000 anytime soon...

You live in Al or BC ?

Telus is not doing a good job here in Vancouver. So we all gona have to wait ... :?

[spg]

bandwidth caps...and bring the price down. 802.11a would be much more interesting to me right now.


I totally agree. You don't really seem to get a lot for your money. The serivce is decent if you want to check you email anywhere or do some tasks, but if you are using your PDA as a mobile PC sustitue, then you are kind of in trouble. Until the US gets some good quality, 3G style networks, I don't see much reason to fork over a lot of cash for ok service.

I agree with both, out here where I live cell phone service starts dropping out, much less any bandwidth over wireless. But with my trusty cable modem and wireless AP I can use 802.11b almost anywhere on our 2 acres of land. Plus the college were I work has 802.11b in all the buildings, and many outdoor areas. Same goes with my church. I would very much like to have a PocketPC with built-in 802.11b. Although I guess the companies are doing a good thing in thinking in broader terms. If we had a decent cellular network this kind of thing could really take off. The problem is they are building the product before the infrastructure is there. Anyway, just my two cents.

[i]~Spencer

[HR]

Cell companies, form the nature of their busies model, would not want to give you a pipe to the internet, like land-line ISPs do. With ISPs you are free to choose your services, Internet standards and application. The Internet by its nature is free and open and companies compete for consumers openly. If cell companies just gave you a pipe to the Internet, they will relegated themselves to making money on connection time only – not very lucrative. Their aim it to lock you into their own proprietary, closed services, what they would call "added value", and make "added" money. You want SMS? No problem; pay for each word or byte. You want mail? No problem; pay extra monthly fee.

[James]

I agree with both, out here where I live cell phone service starts dropping out, much less any bandwidth over wireless. But with my trusty cable modem and wireless AP I can use


I live not far from AT&T Wireless' world headquarters, and get a very weak signal far too often just around my condo. In far too many places around the greater Seattle area, I run into dead zones that city blocks long.


thing could really take off. The problem is they are building the product before the infrastructure is there. Anyway, just my two cents.


This occurs far too often IMNSHO, though I can certainly understand why. When people are trying to throw money at you to do something for them, one is likely only to do enough to give them the very basic thing they want so one can grab the cash from the next guy in line too....

[Jason Dunn]

You live in Al or BC ?


Right below my name is says "Calgary, Alberta". :lol:

[TinMan]

I'm not all interested in something with cellular type wireless til the carriers get rid of bandwidth caps, stop rerouting traffic (like smtp to only their server), and bring the price down. 802.11a would be much more interesting to me right now.
I suspect you'll be waiting quite some time if you expect to see Wi-Fi-like speed from commercial data carriers/providers anytime soon. The 1900 MHz PCS spectrum most often used for CDMA in the U.S. is far from infinite. CDMA 1x is a new protocol, but it adds nothing to the spectrum (though spectrum caps have been lifted). It might be worth checking into just how much spectrum the A, B, C, etc., PCS bands contain.

A current CDMA data call (14.4 Kbps) does not consume much more bandwidth than a voice call. Move into 2.5/3G and things start to change: a single data call can consume the bandwidth of multiple voice calls. Considering several major markets are already saturated (i.e., oversold), methinks voice calls will be a priority for the near future (with data gaining importance, over time).

What we need is some kind of mobile XML (or whatever) spec, that can work well under limited bandwidth conditions. Naturally, this is possible right now (try viewing www.msnbc.com on your Pocket PC--the speed is perfectly adequate, even at 14.4 Kbps), but perhaps a clear-cut standard is needed (not WAP, and certainly not web-clipping).

BTW: While 802.11b(a/x) is indeed cool while you are in range, it's not really a solution for the "always connected" user. Plus, if the number of users increase to cell-phone levels, things will get messy, fast (it is public spectrum after-all).


-Mike Lynch

[James]

[What we need is some kind of mobile XML (or whatever) spec, that can work well under limited bandwidth conditions. Naturally, this is possible right now (try viewing www.msnbc.com on your Pocket PC--the speed is perfectly adequate, even at 14.4 Kbps), but perhaps a clear-cut standard is needed (not WAP, and certainly not web-clipping).


Definitely not WAP. WAP is EVIL! A mobile XML or something similar might not be too bad...but then anything (including web-clipping) is better than WAP.

msnbc.com is evil too...I've never seen so many ads at a news website before! and pop-ups on top of that?! what has the world come too?