Always-connected notebooks are the future |
4 Comments |
Posted by Peter Wolchak at 4:04 PM | E-mail this post
I really like my job, in part because I get to try out all the latest gadgets. This is obviously fun (as with the iPhone I've had in) but it also lets me use technology that is truly game changing.
One example of that is the Sierra Wireless Compass 597, a cellular modem which looks like a USB drive and connects your notebook to the Internet.
The Compass 597 (info here and here) is not the first notebook cell modem on the market but its small size and ease of use make it a joy to use. And it isn't until you actually use one of these that you realize how always-on connectivity changes your computing experience. The payback for a regular road warrior is obvious, but even people who head out of the office for a few meetings a week will see a lot of benefit. Coupled with a small notebook (like this HP business model or even a funkier Dell XPS M1330), and a cellphone, you've got a portable office you can pack in a messenger bag.
But as good as this is, there is better coming. Notebooks with built-in 3G wireless radios are already on the market, and as these become more common we will start to see cellular providers (Bell, Telus and Rogers) sell discounted notebooks to customers who sign up for a cell contract, in exactly the same that cellphones are currently deeply discounted. At least that's the contention of this article and I think that the author is dead right.
I can envision a time when mobile providers all have racks of notebooks alongside the Nokia, Apple and RIM phones, and customers buy one package that includes a cellphone, a notebook and cellular service for both. (I would opt for a higher-end notebook, in the same way you can buy a premium phone today instead of taking the "free" one.) I think a lot of people would be tempted by such a package, especially as each element would contribute to a bundle discount with the cell service shared between the devices. This would also harmonize billing and support and the functionality of it links well with the increasing interest in online cloud-computing models.
Throw in the fact that mobile providers are looking for new revenue streams and it becomes even more obvious that this idea is a winner.
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Posted by Peter Wolchak at 4:04 PM in Computers & Software
, Portable Device & MP3 Players
, Product Reviews
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| Comments (4)
Bruce Walker on November 22 at 10:38 AM | Report abuse
I would like to get into the internet a lot more easily at any truck stops or any other area away from home.will the URL be the solution to my internet problems?Remember to include the cost.
becca on November 22 at 4:20 PM | Report abuse
Bruce: This is already possible in Canada by subscribing to a new service now being offered by both Bell and Rogers (and likely other companies in other market areas). For prices ranging from $18 to $45 per month, you either pop a USB-key-like object (Rogers) into your laptop, or connect the laptop to a moden that you plug into an electrical outlet wherever you are (Bell).
The Bell product is bulkier but you get more choice in package prices. I think they both use cell-phone towers to relay data, so in some rural and northern areas of the country you would not get a connection. Rogers has a map on its web-site that shows where their device works; I'm not sure where to get that info for Bell.
In any case, the price is no more than I am now paying for my high-speed connection at home, so I can't see any downside and am planning to switch. I just need to do a little more research on the various packages to figure out which will fit my needs best.
I don't know what your question about URLs means, sorry.
Tariq Qurashi on November 23 at 8:06 AM | Report abuse
I completely agree with the authors assessment of where things are going. I also agree, with what he is saying about the utility of having a cell phone and a notebook.
As a person who has done it both ways, I find that, a cell phone and a notebook combination IS more useful than having a blackberry or similar PDA and a stationary PC.
Derek on November 23 at 10:15 AM | Report abuse
It is a great idea but I already know the connection charges will be astronomical and beyond what I am willing to pay. I am a gadget freak but refuse to play the wireless game until the prices are more in line with what we are actually getting. These providers should realize it would be more prosperous to drop the prices and connect everyone rather than taking advantage of a few that will pay anything because they feel that they need the service. If these idiots stopped giving the providers a blank cheque, the services would be better priced.