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Intel Preps WiMAX, 3G Push in 2005, 2006.

Centrino Ushers Astonishing Mobility

Category: Mobile

by Anton Shilov

[ 05/17/2004 | 12:58 PM ]

Intel said last week that it prepares a strong push into the advancement of connectivity of mobile computers sometime in 2005 or 2006. The company indicated plans during the meeting with analysts in New York, USA, that it would integrate 3G or WiMAX connectivity into one of its next-gen Centrino platform.

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Communications have changed the way people treat personal computers. Not a lot of consumers are interested in PCs with no connection to the Internet these days. However, being not satisfied with WLAN that is available only near special hot-spots and GPRS that allows only relatively low-speed connection, end-users aim at something that is fast and is available everywhere. High-speed Internet and availability everywhere is something that 3G and WiMAX technologies are able to offer later in this decade.

Various versions of WiMAX allow devices to connect to a network at speeds of up to 70Mb/s in the range of 31 miles around the “access point”. 3G is next-generation implementation of cellular phone technology, such as GSM, that allows to connect to the Internet at the speeds of up to 2Mb/s (depending on the situation and network settings).

WiMAX is heavily proposed by the comm giants Intel and Nokia. 3G is an industry standard supported by a broad range of companies, including Nokia and Intel.

This is not the first time when Intel talks about technologies beyond WLAN supported by it Intel Centrino platform and technologies that fit into PDAs and advanced mobile phones. Earlier the company said that its next-generation flavour of Centrino – the platform code-named Sonoma will sport all possible versions of WLAN, also known as Wi-Fi, such as 802.11a, 802,11b and 802.11g. The company’s later-on plans integrate Bluetooth as well as Wireless USB connectivity features.

Later this year Intel Corp. is expected to unveil Sonoma – a platform for mobile computers that would handle DDR2, PCI Express, Serial ATA, High-Definition 7.1 audio and a lot of other advantages beyond the original Centrino platform.

No actual details on the platforms with support for 3G and/or WiMAX have been said during the meeting with analysts and press.