WiFi In Your Car For Only $3,500, Plus Monthly Fees

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://online.wsj.com/article_email/0,,SB110488144715416968-IdjgINplaZ4m5uqaX6GaaqHm4,00.html">http://online.wsj.com/article_email/0,,SB110488144715416968-IdjgINplaZ4m5uqaX6GaaqHm4,00.html</a><br /><br /><i>"Road warriors may soon have a new weapon -- a fast Web connection in their cars via satellite. <a href="http://www.raysat.com">RaySat Inc</a>., a closely held company in Vienna, Va., says it has developed a satellite antenna that can turn a moving car into a rolling "hot spot" -- with Internet access for any onboard laptop or pocket computer equipped with the wireless-networking technology known as Wi-Fi."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2005/20050105-autowifi.gif" /><br /><br />That Frisbee looking thing on the roof is the antenna. It will run roughly $50-$200 per month and support downloads up to 2mbps. Uploads would be at a more measured pace of 128kbps, which would prevent you from doing full motion video conferencing while blasting down the freeway at 75mph. It is only really dangerous though if you are trying to show your colleagues a broadcast of a Power Point presentation while snarfing down a Big Mac. :shocked!: Couple this with the Microsoft Windows Media powered upcoming <a href="http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/story.jsp?id=2005010511190001487161&dt=20050105111900&w=APO&coview=">video service from Sirius</a>, well then you have the makings of some serious highway entertainment. Wonder if you have to activate your car?

[rcobourn]

Reverse war-driving, anyone? :)

I never realized how demented I was until I read this and immediately started coming up with reasons why I need it.

They need to do something about the size of that dish though... looks like a spare tire.

[JonnoB]

This would be awesome for a tour bus or motor home on vacations or while travelling about the country. I bet the latency is too high for online gaming, but if not - my kids would love to play Halo 2 online while going somewhere. I can see these as part of a rental solution.

[marcm]

That would be neat if it was battery powered and could be mounted on your back, like a backpack! You could go anywhere, and still have internet! Or on a bike would be nice too... (as you can tell, I don't have a car or my license yet... :cry: Anyways, :drool:

[powder2000]

I have seen this a few times on "Pimp My Ride" :oops: . About the only show I watch on MTV!

Inside, the dish actually rotates to maintain the proper direction to the Satelite. Looking at it from the side, it really isn't that thick.

[R K]

I think a 3G solution (1xEVDO or UMTS) would be a lot more practical and affordable than this.

1xEVDO
Hardware = $800
Service Plan = $80 per Month

Satelite
Hardware = $3,500
Service Plan = $200 per Month

[JonnoB]

I think a 3G solution (1xEVDO or UMTS) would be a lot more practical and affordable than this.

Try using your 3G solution on interstate 80 driving through the middle of the Nevada desert. I believe the real value of satellite service is the same as satellite phone - service anywhere.

[aerin44]

I also think 3G is a far better solution for the majority of people. My UMTS solution from ATT was $400 for the card and is about $70 per month. I get speeds between 200K and 400K. At the moment it can only be used in a few cities. But who besides truck drivers really need to have access on a highway in the Nevada desert. The other benefit is that I can use it in an airport or restaurant. I can't see any reason why I would pay so much for a service that is tied directly to my vehicle and therfore drastically limits where I can use it.

[dean_shan]

You could turn this into a money maker. You stick this on a tourbus and charge per hour. I'm sure tourists would love to be able to email photos back to grandkids and what not.

[JonnoB]

Definately has limited uses, but I can see a very useful service is upstream speeds improved for reporters etc to upload video feeds without a huge boom on the roof. This is cool, but still niche.

[Damion Chaplin]

But who besides truck drivers really need to have access on a highway in the Nevada desert.

Hmmm... Burning Man anyone? 8)

[marcm]

I wonder if this is similar to what might be coming to airplanes soon... The one for airplanes would have to be faster and support more people though... :wink:

[Darius Wey]

I am now adamant that in our current digital age, a phone is no longer a phone. And now a car is no longer a car. All we need now is automated driving, and then we can truly take advantage of the joys of in-car entertainment. ;)

[xoiph]

But who besides truck drivers really need to have access on a highway in the Nevada desert.

Hmmm... Burning Man anyone? 8)

I was thinking the exact same thing :silly:

[bjornkeizers]

Awesome. Though, that AWACS dish has got to go, obviously :D

I'd love to have one the size of a large BT GPS unit - just so I could carry it with me in my backpack or even strap it on the outside and do WiFi while walking or biking (of course, not at the same time, you know what I mean :D )

[boeman]

This would be a great tool for storm chasers... Real time weather updates can become real expensive during storm runs! Getting this data off of the internet using free feeds from NOAA and cheap weather applications would make chasing safer, more successful and cheaper all at once!

[davea0511]

I think a 3G solution (1xEVDO or UMTS) would be a lot more practical and affordable than this.

Try using your 3G solution on interstate 80 driving through the middle of the Nevada desert. I believe the real value of satellite service is the same as satellite phone - service anywhere.

I'm guessing somewhere around 90% of all driving is done in metro areas.

[davea0511]

Soon as this goes into production I should start making and selling plastic fake ones. Whoever did that with fake car-phone antenneas 20 years ago made a killing off wanna-be hipsters.

[JonnoB]

I'm guessing somewhere around 90% of all driving is done in metro areas.

I have no stats to back me up, but I bet that mile for mile, that is wrong. It is actually on the interstate with big-rig trucks and such. Many 18-wheel vehicles have sleeper cabs, I bet those guys would love it as well and there is plenty of them to make a market. Bad thing is that these are too expensive.