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Mobile data card growth slows dramatically in Q4 2008
Who woulda thunk it? A global recession leads to belt tightening, and belt tightening leads to fewer mobile data card sales. According to a new report from ComScore, that's exactly what happened at the tail end of last year, where WWAN card growth slowed to just 5 percent compared to 28 percent in Q4 2007. Still, carriers can't grumble too loudly -- after all, at least it grew. In fact, PC data card adoption rose 63 percent overall in 2008, and if any of these 4G services can see rollouts of significance, we suspect 2009 will show equally positive numbers. The reality is that mobile data is still priced far too high for the average Joe or Jane to stomach; most mobile broadband plans run upwards of $50 per month and require a two-year contract to get a free or cheap card, and unless one is planning to be on the road an awful lot, buying in just doesn't make sense when times are tough. In other words, cut us a break on these mobile data rates, operators -- it's what Uncle Sam would want.[Via mocoNews]
Sierra Wireless AirCard 402 plays PC Card and ExpressCard roles
We can't say there are an awful lot of folks out there looking for a single mobile broadband card that'll play nice in both PC Card and ExpressCard slots, but for that niche that's intently paying attention, have a look at this. The Sierra Wireless AirCard 402 is the company's first to offer such 2-in-1 functionality, and it's designed to operate on EV-DO Rev. A networks handling speeds of up to 3.1Mbps (downlink) / 1.8Mbps (uplink). Users can also bank on the company's TRU-Locate GPS service to "quickly and accurately establish location for local searches and navigation." There's no mention of a price or release date, but it should be on hand for us to peer at during CTIA this week. [Via ExpressCard-Info]
Pretec 32GB SDXC, 666x CF card and 64GB ExpressCard SSD eyes-on
We first caught wind of SDXC back at CES, and just today Pretec announced the world's first SDXC card. Much to our pleasure, said card was on hand at the outfit's booth at CeBIT. Sadly, we were forced to photograph the one behind the glass bubble, as some incredibly evil individual managed to swipe the product sample from the outfit's booth last night (seriously, the Polizei are out for you!). Also on hand was a devilishly fast 666x CompactFlash card along with a mighty capacious 100GB CF card that hums along at 233x. Last, but certainly not least, was the 64GB ExpressCard SSD, which looked suspiciously like most every other ExpressCard we've ever seen. Unfortunately, these newcomers were so new that pricing information wasn't yet available, though all of the devices mentioned will be shipping this year. We'll keep you posted on further deets, but till then, feel free to meander around in the gallery below.
Pretec unveils 64GB and 128GB ExpressCard SSD drives
The kids at Pretec sure love taking things to the limit. Whether they're announcing the world's smallest microSD reader, the largest CF card, or submerging their new flash drive in water, they have a certain fondness for the dramatic gesture. While the company's newest endeavor doesn't provide an occasion to head down to the shooting range, the new ExpressCard SSD is available in both 64GB and 128GB flavors denominations, and boasts hardware-based AES256 encryption / decryption and a dual ExpressCard / mini-USB interface. On the scene now at CeBIT 2009.
Lenovo Constant Connect brings BlackBerry email to ThinkPads automatically
After two years in development, Lenovo Constant Connect is finally here. A groundbreaking new tie-up between Lenovo and RIM has led to the creation of a $150 54mm ExpressCard -- which slots into any ThinkPad from around Summer '08 onward -- and automatically pulls down any email sent to your BlackBerry via Bluetooth, even if the laptop is completely powered down. The idea here is to always have your most recent inbox available within eight seconds of opening your machine, and thanks to the card's dedicated Bluetooth radio and 500MB of inbuilt storage, it can pull down and send out emails so long as the card and your 'Berry are within 30 feet or so from one another. Aside from needing an ExpressCard slot, you'll also need a handset with OS 4.2 or higher. It's designed to work with Exchange, Outlook, POP and Gmail, with Lotus Notes support coming in 2H 2009; as for availability, the card will be available through Lenovo and its partners in early Q2 here in America, while those elsewhere in the world will have to wait until the latter half of the year. Full release and demo video is after the break.
AVerMedia comes clean with new line of TV tuners
AVerMedia's starting off the year on a good foot, and it's introducing a number of new TV tuners for a variety of applications. Kicking things off is the AVerTV Hybrid PocketExpress ($89.99), which brings ATSC / NTSC / Clear QAM / FM Radio tuning to one's 34mm or 54mm ExpressCard slot. Next up is the AVerTV Bravo ($49.99), which slides into your PCI Express x1 slot in order to handle digital TV tuning and all the PVR functions (record, pause, rewind, etc.) you'd expect. The AVerTVHD Volar Max ($69.99) holds it down on the USB 2.0 front, while the AVerTVHD Duet can tune two digital signals at once for $79.99. Have a look at the read link for all the intimate details on each.
Verbatim cranks out ExpressCard SSD for PC and Mac users
While certainly not the first ExpressCard SSD we've seen (heck, it's not even the first one from this week), we're practically drooling at the thought of these becoming more pervasive. Here at Macworld, Verbatim has announced its new 34mm ExpressCard SSD for PC and Mac users, which promises to be some five times faster than USB-based ExpressCards thanks to its true PCI-Express interface. The drives will ship at the end of next month in 16/32/64GB sizes, and we're told to expect read speeds of up to 125MB/sec and write speeds of up to 30MB/sec. Curious about pricing? Try $99.99, $149.99 and $299.99 from least capacious to most.
PQI showcasing microSATA SSD, ExpressCard SSD and more at CES
Good heavens, it's been years since we've seen anything noteworthy leave the labs of Power Quotient International. Thankfully, the outfit will be relevant once more when CES rolls around, as its forthcoming SSD line has quite a few big hitters. First up is the 1.8-inch microSATA SSD S518, which is destined to squeeze into tight spaces in capacities of up to 125GB, while the 32GB ExpressCard SSD S520 finally gives you a reason to utilize that funky slot over there that's gone untouched for months. There will also be a 2.5-inch SATA SSD S525 (available in sizes up to 125GB) and an elusive e-SATA Combo Card S530. As for details on pricing and availability? You'll have to wait till the show gets rolling for that, but the full release is waiting just past the break to tide you over.[Via PC Launches]
Samsung's SWC-E100 XOHM WiMAX ExpressCard gets reviewed
Now that Sprint's XOHM service is officially live in downtown Baltimore (and working in cars, phew!), how's about taking a look at the card that's handling the magic? Samsung's SWC-E100 ExpressCard, which was conveniently leaked by Sprint early last month, is a "simple, inexpensive" card that does a more-than-adequate job at placing you on the mobile broadband superhighway. Reviewers at PC Mag dubbed it a "solid first effort from Samsung for getting laptops onto Sprint's fast XOHM WiMAX network," and while the card "worked as advertised," the inability to work with EV-DO or any non-WiMAX protocol was sort of a downer. Furthermore, the card won't play nice with OS X and there's no external antenna port, but they do bundle a potentially important extra: a PC Card slot adapter for users with aging laptops. Bottom line? Not too shabby for $59.99 sans contract.
Synchrotech adds slightly better MicroU2E-MV USB ExpressCard adapter
Not exactly a huge upgrade, but that MicroU2E from last year has been revved to support 1.5v ExpressCards -- and with more volts comes more supported devices. It's still about fifty bones, should you need one for your MacBook (Air) or whatever other ExpressCardless machine you've got kicking around.[Via Macsimum News]
ExpressCard Standard 2.0 accommodating faster speeds soon
Somewhere in a dark corner at CeBIT, PCMCIA managed to let out a whisper that informed a few flies on a nearby wall that ExpressCard Standard 2.0 was on the way. Today, however, we've received confirmation that said update is on track for a "second-half 2008 / early 2009" delivery. Put simply, v2.0 is "being developed to accommodate the significantly faster speeds increasingly demanded by today's high-performance mobile technologies," and we're also told that it will comply with PCI-Express 2.0 and SuperSpeed USB, which is "planned for release later this year as part of the USB 3.0 specification." For the paranoid, you can rest assured that the new release will be very backwards compatible, though we aren't told when to expect hardware that will reflect the changes.
ASUS ROG XG Station finally launches
Phew. A few more months of nothing and we would've been forced to put this thing on vaporware watch. None of that nonsense will be necessary now, however, as ASUS has finally gotten its act together and officially launched the ROG XG Station. Hailed as the "world's first VGA and multimedia docking station," the ExpressCard-interfacing unit comes bundled with a 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT, four USB 2.0 ports and a snazzy display for good measure. Not unlike ASUS at all, there's nary a mention of a price or release date -- so yeah, we're right back where we started.
AVerMedia launches AVerTV Hybrid NanoExpress TV tuner
AVerMedia is expanding its ExpressCard TV tuner line, as it has officially announced that its CES-honored AVerTV Hybrid NanoExpress is finally shipping. As expected, the 54-millimeter slim-fit card -- which fits completely within the ExpressCard slot without protruding at all -- is designed to function with Windows XP / Vista and pick up ATSC (digital), NTSC (analog), FM radio and ClearQAM signals. You'll even find AVer MediaCenter software bundled in to handle H.264 real-time recording capabilities -- all you need to do to get in on the fun is hand over $89.99.
Yoggie's Gatekeeper ExpressCard keeps your laptop secure
Yoggie, the company that just loves to take those pesky security duties off of your computer's plate, is offering up yet another Linux-based mini-computer designed specifically to safeguard your laptop (and keep it focused on more important duties). Rather than utilizing USB, however, the Gatekeeper Card Pro slides right into that oft-neglected ExpressCard slot, giving laptop owners 13 security applications and the ability to rest easy. Of course, whether or not this convenience is really worth $199 is another question entirely.[Via PC World / Yahoo]
Panasonic launches 64GB P2 card, AJ-PCD35 ExpressCard adapter
Now that you're already penning a purchase requisition for one of those fancy new P2 HD camcorders, you might as well toss a couple of Panny's new 64GB P2 cards (model AJ-P2C064) and its AJ-PCD35 ExpressCard adapter on there, too. Yep, Panasonic has chosen NAB Show 2008 to double up on its current 32GB P2 card and to introduce a five-slot P2 memory drive with an ExpressCard interface. Put simply, the latter can hold all five cards from a fully-loaded VariCam 2700 / 3700 camcorder (or any other P2 rig) and give users the ability to upload content on the go with their ExpressCard-equipped laptop. Regrettably, the company didn't bother doling out dollar figures just yet, but we'd go ahead and file 'em both under "expensive."[Via I4U News]
Siemens' Gigaset SE68 WiMAX ExpressCard arrives before the network
Talk about putting the cart before the horse. Without a bona fide WiMAX network for mass consumer use up and running yet here in America, Siemens is making sure you're really ready for its onset by announcing its first WiMAX ExpressCard. The Gigaset SE68 WiMAX is based on the IEEE 802.16-2005 standard and complies with Wave 2 specifications (including MIMO A / B), supports beamforming and has actually been demonstrated as functional way over in Singapore. With a network in place, users can expect mobile broadband speeds of up to 20Mbps, and while no price is given, you can just circle the entire summer of 2008 in anticipation of its arrival.
AirQueue gives your MacBook Air's USB port more reach
Given the fact that most (all?) 3G USB modems won't even fit in the MacBook Air's ultra-cramped USB port, it's practically a foregone conclusion that some of that sex appeal is going to be forfeited when busting out a dongle to keep using your current wares. Enter the AirQueue, which is hailed as the first USB extender designed specifically to work with the MBA -- whatever that means. Truth be told, we can't figure out exactly what makes this any different than other extenders made for helping folks out in a squeeze, but at least it's only $6, right? Oh, and if you're aiming to make things extra unsightly, be sure and pick up the pictured $38 ExpressCard adapter -- your coffee shop style quotient will be tanked in no time.[Via MacsimumNews, thanks RD]
SanDisk FlashBack ExpressCard adapter enables continuous backups onto SD cards
Oh sure, there's a million and one ways to rightfully cram an SD card into an ExpressCard slot, but does your current multicard reader provide continuous backups out-of-the-box? SanDisk is certainly hoping not, as it's waving its nifty FlashBack Adapter around at CeBIT and boasting of its ability to "automatically and continuously back up and encrypt critical data onto an SD flash memory card." Put simply, this device enables you to access the recent copies of your most important files should your system crash or become doused with any number of liquids while working. On a positive note, this thing will indeed play nice with SDHC cards; unfortunately, it's made to work seamlessly with Windows only. Still, you suits out there can snap one up in Q2 for $29.99 and simultaneously vaporize any hope of using computer failure as an excuse for not doing work.
Sony Ericsson brings its first HSPA ExpressCards to the table
They're lagging a bit behind the competition in the dog-eat-dog world of high speed data cards, but one of Sony Ericsson's two models has a little trick up its sleeve that should still manage to win over a customer or three. The EC400 and EC400g both support the full HSPA suite -- HSDPA and HSUPA, that is, offering up to 7.2Mbps down and 2.0Mbps up -- on the 850, 1900, and 2100MHz bands, while GPRS and EDGE are supported on 850, 900, 1800, and 1900. Here's where it gets interesting, though: the EC400g adds an integrated GPS receiver, a feature occasionally seen on CDMA cards but pretty unique in the GSM camp. Both should be available in mid 2008.
Verizon launches Kyocera KPC680 EV-DO Rev. A ExpressCard
Still waiting around to hop on the Rev. A highway? Although last week would've been a swell time to do so, now's not too bad either, and Verizon Wireless customers have yet another option at their fingertips. The Kyocera KPC680 ExpressCard is available now for anyone interested, and enables BroadbandAccess users to reach average download speeds of 600kbps to 1.4Mbps and upload speeds that range from 500kbps to 800kbps when situated in a Rev. A area. Additionally, this thing sports a "breakthrough" (ahem) antenna design that "moves the antenna away from the device as it is opened, providing greater sensitivity, dual external antenna ports for signal flexibility and a compact form factor." Get yours now for just $49.99 after a mail-in rebate and throwing your John Hancock on a two-year agreement.
