Qualcomm adding the kitchen sink to Gobi, including EV-DO Rev. A, dual-carrier HSPA+, and LTE
By Paul Miller 
posted March 25th 2010 6:04PM
posted March 25th 2010 6:04PM
The whole point of Gobi is that you can buy one device and use it with multiple network technologies or carriers, but apparently Qualcomm isn't kidding around about the idea. It just announced a slew of data chipsets (voice still isn't part of the picture) with all sorts of new goodies. New technologies supported include EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (the five people on earth using Rev. B will be thrilled), HSPA+, dual-carrier HSPA+ (which looks to be the evolutionary end of HSPA), and LTE. The mother of all these chipsets is the MDM9600, which can do LTE up to 100 Mbps, dual-carrier HSPA+ up to 42Mbps, HSPA+ up to 28Mbps, and EV-DO Rev. A / Rev. B. Qualcomm also says it's moving Gobi beyond just laptops, with USB modems, e-readers, and "gaming devices" now in the cards. No word on when they'll start showing up, but much of it will have to do with carrier rollout as much as Qualcomm's ability to ship these out the door.
Needs more WiMax
@yankees368 Beat me to it! How many different LTE bands will it support, it seems that, like with WiMax, they're launching it on tons of different frequencies.
I'm a fan of this but man-o-man do they need to make more user-friendly software instead of manufactures of the devices these go in.
Lenovo for example uses Gobi and the software for connectivity is worse than Windows ME.
@Distant Maybe they should just use the RNDIS mode and let you configure through the browser, there should be enough power for a simple AMSS web server.
Will these chipsets finally support more than three 3G-bands in one device?
Nothing to see here people. Move along now.
WOW
My Sony VAIO P has Gobi. It would be really great to have Gobi in it if Sony had put a SIM card slot in it and not locked it to Verizon.
Don't get me wrong, it's a fine computer and I'm fine with my Verizon account with it but it seems stupid to needlessly neuter it's capabilities because of a marketing agreement with Verizon.
I wonder how many device manufactures will really take advantage of the multi-carrier possibilities of Gobi and instead use it for flexibility on their end and lock it to whomever makes THEM the best deal, not consumer flexibility.
No love for WiMax?
Now how do we get them to make it for Voice Basebands as well so we can have a Cell Phone that would work on any CDMA or GSM Network and with all 3G Bands.....
Gobo needs to support both bands of AT&T and T-Mobile 3G before it continues it's obscure cellular network standard roundup.
I LOL'd at the title. Thanks for the laugh Engadget.
The whole point of Gobi is that it is made of cauliflower and is super delicious...
@ravissimo Yum... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloo_gobi