08-11-2003, 04:30 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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SanDisk SD Wi-Fi Card: A Poor Performer?
"Several manufacturers already offer CompactFlash-based 802.11b cards that can Wi-Fi-enable some PDAs and smart phones, but SanDisk is the first out with an SD (Secure Digital) Wi-Fi card. The SanDisk Connect Wi-Fi product was due in stores August 1. The unit lists for $129. Eventually, many more PDAs and smart phones will come with slots for the postage-stamp-size SD format cards. For now, though, SanDisk is only supporting Pocket PC devices, and because the card only works in slots enabled for SDIO (SD Input/Output), an extension of the standard, there are only 14 devices that can use the SanDisk card."
The article goes on to talk about the testing of the Sandisk SD WiFi card, and the fact that the performance was inferior to CF and PCMCIA solutions. I wonder, is this what we should expect from making everything smaller to fit in the SD form factor? Are you willing to put up with a loss of performance for the marvel that is WiFi in an SD form factor? I think I am, but then again, I don't have one of these yet. :wink:
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08-11-2003, 05:12 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 405
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Having an Axim, I'm not really looking for something that sticks out past the side of my PDA. I can at least get my Axim in my Columbia case with the CF wifi card installed if I want (an impossibility with an SD wifi). I might feel differently if my SD slot was top mounted.
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08-11-2003, 05:35 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 153
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The article lists Dell X3 but not Dell X5? mmm...
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08-11-2003, 05:46 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,264
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ux4484
Having an Axim, I'm not really looking for something that sticks out past the side of my PDA. I can at least get my Axim in my Columbia case with the CF wifi card installed if I want (an impossibility with an SD wifi). I might feel differently if my SD slot was top mounted.
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On the current X5, there is no SDIO, so really the only thing the SD is useful for is memory, so being side mounted is no big deal. If newer models have SDIO, hopefully, they rething the placement to a top mount.
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08-11-2003, 05:50 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1
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Does anyone know if/when/where this item is for sale? Thanks.
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08-11-2003, 05:50 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 784
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I can't wait for the day when every PDA comes with WiFi built-in. I really would've liked to have WiFi built into my 2200.
__________________
T-Mobile Dash | HP iPAQ 4100 | HP iPAQ 2210 | HP iPAQ 1910 | Intermec 6651 | Toshiba E570 | Compaq iPAQ 3600 | Casio Pocket Viewer
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08-11-2003, 05:55 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 153
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It's mio 558.
(ok I just remember X5 has no SDIO)
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08-11-2003, 06:23 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 405
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Goldkey
On the current X5, there is no SDIO, so really the only thing the SD is useful for is memory, so being side mounted is no big deal. If newer models have SDIO, hopefully, they rething the placement to a top mount.
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As was pseudo-reported before, the X5 may actually be SDIO capable (with a properly pinned out card). That non-withstanding, my point was really about the side SD slot, not if it worked on my PDA or not.
those darned borg.......just to literal :roll:
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08-11-2003, 06:37 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 47
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This test would have been a lot more useful if they would have compared the SD card to other cards in the iPaq. I'd guess most of the difference they're seeing is attributable to comparing a PDA's throughput and power to full-size PC-cards and CPU's. My notebook with an orinoco has always been faster with better range than any of my PDA's. Not really much of a test. I'd hardly expect the iPaq to match the throughput of a full-sized pc even if they were running identical cards, let alone SD versus PC-card and PCI.
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08-11-2003, 08:02 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 157
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by djtipmothee
I can't wait for the day when every PDA comes with WiFi built-in. I really would've liked to have WiFi built into my 2200.
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I agree.
Personally, I'm displeased with how many of the current PDA manufactures are marketing the PDA as "Wifi upgradable" but to find out that the only way to "upgrade" to wifi is by using a sub-quality SD wifi card. If the manufactures truly understand how important wifi is, which I'm sure they do, why can't there be a true upgrade solution where built-in wifi is a choice among the models or upgrades?
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