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Sierra Wireless intros 'ruggedified' AirCard 501 and 502 modems
Sierra Wireless has just announced two new ExpressCard modems for HSUPA wireless users. Sporting download speeds up tp 7.2Mbps and upload speeds up to 5.76Mbps, the AirCard 501 supports 850 / 1900 / 2100 MHz bands, while the AirCard 502 covers 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz. Both are backward compatible with UMTS, EDGE and GSM networks world 'round, and they're being touted as "durable," meaning there are no little antennas or plastic pieces to break on you. That last part should be good news to all of you post-apocalyptic Road Warriors out there (or not -- they're still just regular ExpressCards, as far as we can tell). The AirCard 501 is slated for release later this month, while those of you interested in the AirCard 502 will have to wait until the first part of 2009. [Via Slash Phone]
Sierra Wireless intros Compass 597 EV-DO USB modem
Truth be told, there's nothing extraordinary about Sierra Wireless' latest EV-DO USB modem. It plays nice with Rev. A networks, includes a microSD slot, and comes with TRU-Install to simplify the setup procedure. Granted, it is "the only product in its class to include a connector for an external antenna (saywha?)," and it is remarkably small, so it's still worth a look if you're currently doing without. As expected, you'll reach downlink speeds of up to 3.1Mbps and upload speeds of up to 1.8Mbps, and the built-in GPS antenna is a nice bonus, too. Unfortunately, we've no idea how costly this one will be, but be on the lookout for a Q2 launch. [Via MobileBurn]
Sierra Wireless intros Apex 880 USB HSUPA modem
Sierra Wireless sure doesn't seem to be skimping when it comes to USB HSUPA modems, with it now following up its recently-released 880U and 881U models with its new and somewhat improved Apex 880 modem. About the biggest addition here is an always useful microSD card slot, which should let you ditch at least one USB thumb drive from your bag. The modem itself is also slightly smaller than the previous models, measuring just 85mm x 37.5mm x 15mm. Otherwise, you'll get the same peak data speeds of 7.2 Mbps on the downlink and 2.0 Mpbs on the uplink as before, and support for tri-band UMTS and quad-band GSM/ EDGE networks to keep you connected at all times. No word on a price just yet, but it'll apparently be available in January.[Via Electronista]
Updated AT&T availability dates!
Like pretty much everything else in life, carriers' launch dates tend to slip, sometimes to the extreme (oh, come on, you can't tell us you've never procrastinated to the point where you couldn't make a due date!). To that end, we've gotten an updated look at AT&T's expected drop dates, and it seems like the wait has gotten a little longer for a few of the more anticipated handsets in the pipe. Some devices like the red version of the Nokia 6555 have slipped a couple weeks, while others -- the lowly Samsung A127 comes to mind -- have actually moved up. The Pantech Duo has also been pushed out from October 9 to the 30th, possibly to give the just-launched Tilt a little breathing room in the spotlight. Click on for the full list![Thanks, Kal-El]Update: A second source is telling us that the Duo is still tracking for shipment "on or about" the 9th. Of course, the proof is in the pudding -- but either way, at least we'll be getting our Duo on before the month's out.
Updated look at AT&T's upcoming launches
We've just been tipped on a fresh roadmap for AT&T's fall launches, and goodness, there's a little something for everyone in here! Note that these are order dates, subject to change -- not necessarily in-store dates -- so your mileage may vary trying to grab these devices on the dates you see here. First up, LG rolls out the CG180 and CU515 "Chiwoo" on October 2. Nokia adds another color for the 6555 on October 11, red, which we think will suite it quite nicely. Speaking of new colors, Sony Ericsson brings a black version of the W580i on October 9. The Pantech Duo -- a device we suspect many folks are getting fired up over -- should hit on the same day. From Motorola, the Q9 Global becomes orderable just a few days from now, September 25, alongside the Tilt from HTC. UTStarcom outs the AMOI-sourced 5700 on October 9, giving folks a low cost (albeit non-3G) Windows Mobile option. RIM gets busy with the Curve 8310 on October 4, effectively sunsetting the original 8300 by adding GPS into the mix. On the data modem side, Sierra and Option will both be contributing HSUPA devices in October. Let's hear it for speedy uploads! Follow the break for the full roadmap.[Thanks, Superman]
Sierra Wireless intros AirCard 880U / 881U USB modems
Hot on the heels of the AirCard 595U, Sierra Wireless is expanding its HSUPA offerings with a new duo of USB modems. The AirCard 880U and 881U both connect to your Windows or OS X-based computer via USB, sport the company's TRU design features, and offer up a "theoretical maximum [upload] speed of 2Mbps," while downlink speeds tout a "theoretical maximum of 7.2Mbps." Additionally, in areas where HSUPA networks aren't available, both modems are "fully compatible with HSDPA, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS, and GSM network technologies on all frequencies currently used worldwide." The 880U is said to be "optimized for Europe and Asia, while the AirCard 881U is optimized for North America," and both units are slated to ship out next month.[Via Macworld]
Verizon intros Sierra Wireless AirCard 595U EV-DO Rev A USB modem
BroadbandAccess customers, meet Sierra Wireless' AirCard 595U EV-DO Rev A USB modem, which is (almost) finally available to you through Verizon Wireless. Designed for use with your USB port, this EV-DO Rev A modem can also be connected through the included docking cradle, and even comes bundled with VZAccess Manager software. Additionally, the device boasts an internal, removable battery to "ensure there is always enough power support to handle peak or fringe area transmission requirements," and should be available for those interested on August 30th for $179.99 -- after you mail back a pesky rebate and sign your name to a two-year agreement, that is.
Telus upgrades select EV-DO areas to Rev. A, 'full coverage' by year's end
While it's no big surprise, Telus has finally gone official with its EV-DO Rev. A details, explaining that Southern Ontario, Montreal, and Winnipeg can now enjoy the speedy luxuries of Rev. A technology. The speed boosts are part of a $100 million investment to roll out EV-DO across Canada, and while it seems that only select locales can look forward to average download speeds of approximately 450Kbps to 800Kbps at the moment, Telus did note that these "enhanced speeds" would grace "the company's full existing EV-DO coverage areas later this year." As for connecting up with the service, Telus will offer a variety of Sierra Wireless cards to fit a myriad of setups, and those springing for Panasonic's CF-19 or CF-30 Toughbook can jump right on if you purchase the embedded modem.[Via TheBoyGeniusReport]
A look at Verizon's busy summer
Please, we beg of you, take these dates with the proverbial grain of salt -- but according to sources, the dates draws near for what could be one of the busiest phone launching quarters for The Network ever. Word on the street is that several phones should be launching shortly including UTStarcom Libra at the end of June, the Palm Treo 755p, UTStarcom Titan, Sierra Wireless 595U USB aircard, and the Motorola Q9M (aka iPhone Killer) rounding out the month of July. A few other honorable mentions we'd like to throw in for ya: looks like the Samsung I760 might be forced to downgrade to Windows Mobile 5.0 in order to make the summer launch schedule, the Treo 800W is on track for late August and BlackBerry Pearl 8120 some time in the fourth quarter of the year. Not a bad list, eh?[Thanks, Jesse and HTC Kid]
Telus gets a pair of Sierra Wireless modems
All that newly-launched EV-DO rev. A happiness in southern Ontario, Montreal, and Winnepeg doesn't do a heck of a lot of good without hardware to match, so Canada's Telus has teamed up with Sierra Wireless to deliver a pair of modems that take full advantage of the speed. The 595U is a USB modem that already sees duty on Sprint, offering up support of PCs and Macs alike with average download speeds ranging from 450 to 800 kbps and uploads commanding 300 to 400 kbps. Look for it soon for $99.99 CAD (about $94) on a three-year agreement or $349.99 (about $331) commitment-free. The other unit, the MP 595 GPS, is intended for public safety, transportation, and field service applications with military-spec ruggedness, integrated serial, USB, and Ethernet connections, and a GPS receiver for vehicle tracking. Needless to say, it won't be available from your friendly local Telus outlet, but interested parties should be able to call the carrier directly to get hooked up.
Sierra Wireless AirCard 875U now available on AT&T Premier
At long last, the wait for Sierra Wireless' AirCard 875U on AT&T is over, as the USB WWAN modem has just popped up on the firm's Premier webstore. Unsurprisingly, this 2.2-ounce portal to the world connects via USB 2.0 and provides interoperable service between BroadbandConnect and EDGE networks. You'll find all the quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA love you could ever need here, and while Windows 2000, XP, and Vista users are all taken care of, it looks like the OS X crowd will have to sit this one out for awhile. So if you're interested in hopping on the 3.6Mbps mobile internet highway, head on over to AT&T Premier with $379.99 (or $149.99 with a new two-year contract) ready to hand over.[Thanks, Jake]
New rugged 3G modems from Sierra Wireless
If you're one of those who needs a vehicle-mounted wireless modem for street use -- or you just like the novelty of a roving hotspot -- you may want to take a peek at some new ruggedized modems from Sierra Wireless. The wireless data modem company is releasing a few models in its "MP" series of product meant for industrial use and abuse (like in a delivery vehicle or ambulance, not necessarily the back seat of your Roller). The newer MP 595 GPS model will give you EV-DO Rev. A speeds if you're into CDMA, while the MP 875 will hook you up on that HSDPA / UMTS network with GPRS / EDGE fallback when necessary (and we hope that's never).
Sierra Wireless' AirCard 595U EV-DO Rev A USB modem coming in April
It wouldn't be a solid wireless trade show without some hot 3G modem announcements, and sure enough, Sierra Wireless is kicking off CTIA with pricing and release info for its AirCard 595U EV-DO Rev A USB modem. Better late than never -- we were expecting this zippy peripheral sometime late last year -- the 595U will be available from Sprint next month for "as low as $49.99," which means that you'll be signing a two-year contract and mailing in some rebates. Sure going USB isn't quite as convenient as built-in 3G or ExpressCard / PCMCIA models, but our lone slot is already filled with a MoGo Mouse, and we wouldn't give up that convenience for anything.
Telus, Sierra Wireless carrying EV-DO Rev A to Canada
If the Canucks out there have been getting a bit jealous at all the Rev A love going around down south, your resentment ends now -- well, sometime this year, anyway. Thanks to Telus and Sierra Wireless, EV-DO Rev A connectvitiy is headed to Canada in the coming months, as interested users will be able to pop the AirCard 595 into their laptop's PCMCIA slot and reportedly reach peak speeds of up to 3.1Mbps downstream and 1.8Mbps upstream. Of course, it is noted that typical speeds will range between 300 to 400Kbps whilst uploading, and 450 to 800Kbps on the downward slope, but you Canadians will probably take what you can get, eh? Unfortunately, there's no set dates for the future rollouts, and "select markets" is all we have to go on for availability, but we do know that Telus will be charging $349.99 for the AirCard 595 sans a contract, or you can lock yourself in for a whopping three years if you've only got $99.99 to spare.
Hands-on with Sprint's 1H '07 roadmap?
Authenticity is tough to verify here, but what we've heard from an inside source here regarding Sprint Nextel's launch estimates for the first half of the new year -- including some devices that have already hit the streets -- seems totally plausible, if not probable. Samsung's been tapped to provide three: the m300 "Vivace," m510 "Fantasy" (apparently a minor update to the m500), and -- most interestingly -- the m620 "Flipper," which we've now heard from multiple sources will be a CDMA version of the nifty F300 Ultra Music Edition, scheduled to launch with Sprint on April 1. Sanyo brings a total of five to the party, two of which have already launched: the 3200, 7000, 7050, Katana II (hopefully sporting EV-DO this time), and M1. Sierra Wireless and Novatel will team up to bring three more data devices to market, the 595U, 597E, and Express (the XV620, we're guessing?). Moto's on the hook for three devices, the Q (wow, we haven't heard it called "Franklin" in ages) and a pair of iDEN / CDMA hybrids, the ic502 and ic902. Rounding out the offerings will be the 6800 -- an HTC Titan variant -- and the previously-unmentioned Palm Sherlock (a CDMA version of the 680 or 750, we'd wager). Not a bad lineup considering this all theoretically goes down in the first six months of the year, eh?[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
Sprint / Sierra Wireless extend EV-DO Rev. A support to Mac users
While the Wintel crowd has been enjoying that Rev. A speediness for some time now (in certain locales, at least), the Mac faithful have been fairly well shut out up until now. Thanks to Sprint and Sierra Wireless, all that changes today, as the Seirra AirCard 595 PC Card now works in OS X 10.4 or later. The free Watcher Lite 1.0 software is currently available from Sierra's website, but before you go dashing out to pick up a card, you will still need a Windows-based machine to activate the device or have it pre-activated before heading into your Mac. Furthermore, don't plan on utilizing that ExpressCard slot either, as the only supported card thus far rocks a PCMCIA interface. Nah, Macworld hasn't hit full swing just yet, but this news is a real fine way to get things rolling.
Sprint / Sierra Wireless extends EV-DO Rev. A support to Mac users
While the Wintel crowd has been enjoying that Rev. A speediness for some time now (in certain locales, at least), the Mac faithful have been fairly well shut out up until now. Thanks to Sprint and Sierra Wireless, all that changes today, as the Seirra AirCard 595 PC Card now works in OS X 10.4 or later. The free Watcher Lite 1.0 software is currently available from Sierra's website, but before you go dashing out to pick up a card, you will still need a Windows-based machine to activate the device or have it pre-activated before heading into your Mac. Furthermore, don't plan on utilizing that ExpressCard slot either, as the only supported card thus far rocks a PCMCIA interface. Nah, Macworld hasn't hit full swing just yet, but this news is a real fine way to get things rolling.
Verizon's EV-DO Rev. A network launches Friday?
Sprint may have beaten big ol' Red this time around, but Verizon's not about to let a little friendly rivalry get them down. Rumor has it that the nation's largest CDMA carrier begins rolling out its EV-DO Revision A network this Friday, starting with ten cities (Sacramento and Salt Lake City among them) and a little data card we like to call the Sierra Wireless AirCard 595. Like Sprint's Rev. A launch, Verizon customers lucky enough to get their hands on the requisite equipment should see a substantial improvement in upstream speeds (we're guessing 300-400kbps) with a more incremental boost in the opposite direction. Pricing for the AirCard 595 should start at $150 on a two year agreement, topping out at $270 commitment-free.[Thanks, htckid]Update: GigaOM now reports a Verizon official as stating that it already has a handful of markets running EV-DO Revision A as is, and while they intend to launch a Rev. A-capable card in the near future (almost certainly the previously mentioned AirCard 595), it will not be announcing the launch of the network in an official capacity until it takes a significant number of additional markets live. Of course, official announcement or no, customers might be able to take advantage of some turbocharged wireless data in the near term just as soon as that AirCard starts shipping.
Sierra Wireless to provide HSDPA for new Intel-based UMPCs
For all you internet junkies out there (and if you're reading Engadget on a Friday night, we're referring to you), you'll be pleased to know that Intel's newest chipset for next-gen UMPCs are getting some 3G love from Sierra Wireless. This dovetails nicely with the announcement yesterday that Intel's Santa Rosa chipset would be also be getting some HSDPA action, but from cellphone giant Nokia. Intel also said that its newest ultra-mobile chip will be based on the Core 2 Duo, will only draw half as much power, and will measure just one quarter the size of the current chipset. Ok guys, we don't mind you shrinking the devices, but for the love of Gordon Moore, please don't make those screens any more squint-inducing.
Helio to launch EV-DO / WiFi card with Boingo
Word on the street has Helio launching its first data product as soon as tomorrow, which appears from this leaked kiosk mockup to be a Sierra Wireless AirCard 580. That would normally seem plausible enough -- assuming we can forget that the 580 is merely a Rev 0 device -- except for one critical detail: our sources tell us Helio's launch will combine EV-DO data with service through Boingo's network of WiFi hotspots. That leads us to believe that the 580 in the mockup is simply a placeholder for a different, hybrid card, or Helio's going to be assuming that its users are capable of bringing their own WiFi radio -- probably a safe assumption considering the percentage of notebooks that ship with integrated 802.11 these days. The partnership with Boingo makes a lot of sense, seeing how Helio's CEO is Boingo's founder and chairman, but given the ever-increasing ubiquity of EV-DO coverage (particularly anywhere Boingo would have a hotspot), we'll be curious to see Helio's marketing angle on this one.[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
