WiBro
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Samsung / SK Telecom PC card: an HSDPA, EV-DO, WiBro love-in
Prepare that national ego for a beating son, 'cause SK Telecom and Samsung have developed a Korea-only mobile data card sure to make you feel like a chump. Having just launched their HSDPA service days ago, it's no suprise to see Korea's largest mobile operator demonstrating a PCMCIA data card which supports both HSDPA and EV-DO. However, this card also packs in WiBro setting the stage for some good ol' fashioned head-to-head action against Korean Telecom. KT's WiBro service is set to go live in just days while SK's offering is only just now in pilot, with a limited commercial offering said to be starting next month when this card should drop for retail. But who knows, afterall SK's fledgling HSDPA service is said to offer equivalent speeds to KT's WiBro and at least initially the two complementary services are targeting the same market segments. So SK's not in a rush, if ya dig?[Via Akihabara News]
iRiver N12 to go up to 2GB
Sure, we weren't exactly brimming with excitement about the iRiver N12, when we first caught sight of it a couple of weeks ago. But we've heard at least one good thing about the new player that sets it apart from its lookalike predecessor, the N11: the N12 will be available in capacities of up to 2GB, for a price in Japan of about ¥21,980 ($195). Other specs remain the same: OLED display, and support for MP3, WMA and PlaysForSure. Yeah, we know what you're thinking: iRiver's about to give up on the digital audio player business altogether in order to focus on WiBro gaming, so why should I even consider buying one of their players? Well, don't worry. We still don't expect this one to make it to the US, so unless you're in Asia, chances are they're not about to try selling it to you to begin with.
iRiver tries to 'Wing' it with portable gaming device, still facing delays
Engadget brings word of iRiver's WiBro gaming device, the Wing (previously known as the G10). The portable underdog is again facing delays that will likely push its launch to year's end and limit its release to Korea.The Wing is packed with some impressive features, including a 4-inch LCD, compatibility with most common audio and video formats, WiFi, WiBro, and 6GB NAND flash memory, but it's crippled by a $315 price tag. iRiver is desperate for a consumer hit, but the Wing is up against stiff (and cheaper) competition.[Via Engadget]
iRiver's future: WiBro gaming or bust
We have a soft spot for some of iRiver's digital media players, even if they've largely gotten lost in a crowded marketplace. But we may not be seeing too many new models from the company. Faced with the evaporation of its market share, both at home in Korea and in the crucial US marketplace, iRiver is attempting to remake itself as a vendor of portable WiBro gaming consoles. The transition is likely to be a bumpy one. Although iRiver showed off its first gaming console, the G10 (now renamed the Wing), several months ago, that model continues to face delays, and is now expected to show up no sooner than the end of the year, and then, in all likelihood, only in Korea. Sure, the Wing has some tasty features, including a 4-inch LCD, compatibility with most common audio and video formats, WiFi, WiBro and 6GB NAND flash memory. But at an initial price of about $315, it'll be competing directly against dozens of cheaper Korean DMB PMPs, hard drive-equipped players from vendors like Apple and Creative, and gaming consoles like the DS Lite, which will be on the market in Korea well before the end of the year, at a price well below $315. Still, iRiver probably has little choice but to try something drastic: the company's sales have plummeted from close to $1 billion two years ago to just $39 million in the first quarter of this year. We'll be sure to check out the Wing -- and, in the meantime, we'll be on the lookout for fire sale pricing on the Clix. Read - iRiver's strategyRead - G10 specsRead - Wing delays (sub reqd)
POSDATA shows off WiBro PDAs for Korea
When a manufacturer takes styling cues from a number of popular devices -- in this case, the RAZR, the Wizard, and the gone-but-not-forgotten Clie -- and throws in a number of high end features whose acronyms make us a little weak-kneed, the resulting products are bound to be pretty sexy. Such is the case with a trio of WiBro-capable PDAs being marketed under the Flyvo brand by POSDATA, all of which run Windows CE 5.0 Professional Plus on an ARM processor and let you get your 'net on with WiFi as well in case you have to travel outside of Korea. Introduced at this year's Wireless Broadband World Forum, these upcoming devices (which frustratingly lack either names or model numbers) also feature either 512MB or 1GB of flash RAM, with two of them adding T-DMB and VoIP capabilities, and the high-end model throwing in a little GPS action to boot. Lucky Koreans will be able to pick these up -- and possibly even drop their cellphone services altogether -- sometime early next year. Keep reading for more pics...Read- The one that resembles a WizardRead- The one that resembles a PSPRead- The one that resembles a Clie
