Rumor: Palm and Apple Working Together on Wi-Fi
According to an anonymous source, Apple and Palm Inc. are working together to develop an 802.11 access card for the next generation of Palm's handhelds. As often happens with rumors, details are extremely sketchy, not even including what form the device will take. It could be designed to plug into the SD port like Palm's Bluetooth SD card or connect to the Universal Connector like the Xircom Wi-Fi sled.
If Palm was looking for a large company to work with on producing and marketing a Wi-Fi product, Apple is a reasonable candidate. Apple was the first large computer maker to embrace Wi-Fi, which it calls Airport. It makes a line of access stations and PC cards for its Mac models.
The main disadvantage of Wi-Fi for handhelds is it draws a great deal of power, greatly limiting the amount of time it can be used. This is why the Xircom Wi-Fi sled for Palm models has a built-in battery. The Toshiba e740, which has a built-in 802.11b radio, can only use if for 2 hours before its battery is drained.
While there are some concerns about whether a Wi-Fi radio can fit in something as small as an SD card, SyChip is confident enough that it has announced it will have one ready by the end of this year.
Wi-Fi isn't the only option for wireless networking. Palm's Bluetooth SD card or Sony Bluetooth Memory Stick, which are already available, in conjunction with a Bluetooth network access point, can do it right now, albeit with less range and slower access than 802.11.
About 802.11
802.11, also called Wi-Fi, is used to create a wireless, Local Area Network (LAN) and allows connections across ranges as great as 100 meters and speeds up to 10 Mbps, depending on power level and objects interfering with transmissions. Connections are made via access points and consequently multiple devices can be connected to the network through an access point, provided they are within range.
Related Information:
- PIC: Wi-Fi SDIO Card Under Development (June 12, 2002)
- Apple: AirPort Products
- Intel: Xircom Wireless LAN Module
- PIC: Palm Bluetooth Card on PalmStore (March 12, 2002)
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Road Warriors
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James Sorenson
RE: Road Warriors
Then take the WiFi signal and rebroadcast it back as bluetooth?
Best of both worlds.
RE: Road Warriors
RE: Road Warriors
Then take the WiFi signal and rebroadcast it back as bluetooth?
Best of both worlds. "
Bluetooth and 802.11b use different protocols and frequency ranges. Any adapter would basically include both a fully capable Bluetooth and 802.11b card. If you have both in yr device now, then - basically - you already have this (ie: a 802.11b sled and a BT SD card in the same Palm unit). I suppose have both on one card might be nice - but considering the technology, it would have to be a sled (802.11b on SD is still a ways off).
How about a BLUETOOTH 802.11b bridge
http://www.possio.com/spread.asp?dynfile=tech&cat=2&loop=2&dh=2
Always thought this might be the way to go. Battery powered, although it's something else to carry...
cheers.
RE: Road Warriors
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News Editor
RE: Road Warriors
Quasi realted question
Probably not a sled
RE: Probably not a sled
It's impractical and expensive. Current PFfard/CD/SD are abundance, nobody would want to buy a sledge that would cost twise as expensive and only work for one model.
RE: Probably not a sled
...Unless your device only has a single expansion slot.
One would think nobody would want to buy a device with a single slot if they had any intention of using any of these wired or wireless devices in the first place...
Sleds may well be a grim reality until more users and manufacturers wake up, or PPU comes down enough that they include these onboard.
RE: Probably not a sled
The Intel 802.11b sled works with the m500, m505, m515, m125, m130, and i705. Palm uses a standard connector for all these models so companies can make accessories that fit all them.
RE: Probably not a sled
Bluetooth is just as bad ...
These wireless technologies for mobile business are nothing but hype. In the coming years, when battery performance in small devices improves, then one might be able to use these technologies for business critical application.
In the meantime, my Bluetooth stick now remains a novelty purchase and I only ever envisage using it for PPP connection or wireless syncing when I'm at home and near a cradle - or perhaps for emergency connectivity usage on the road.
RE: Bluetooth Memory stick not typical of Bluetooth
RE: Bluetooth is just as bad ... Are you so sure?
RE: Bluetooth is just as bad ...
RE: Bluetooth is just as bad ...
And any HandEra 330 owner can get 6 hours continuous or better with the Symbol 802.11b CF card. Battery life of an M50x with bluetooth, higher res screen like a Sony, and dual slots like Toshiba's.
RE: Bluetooth is just as bad ...
I like everything i hear about Handera - though i have never had the pleasure of seeing or using one. Only 2 things would hold me back: 1) no-colour 2) wierd 240x320 res.
The first is self-explanatory. The second point: How does handera deal with bitmaps intended for 160x160? On a Sony, it doubles the x and y - causing it to look the same. How does Handera deal with this? Does it just keep the image small or does it have some sort of extrapolation algorithm? If its the later, don't bitmaps look off with every other pixel being doubled? I realize that my post is completely off topic, but i have been wondering about how this works on Handera for a long time.
RE: Bluetooth is just as bad ...
RE: Bluetooth is just as bad ...
They can indeed look a little thicker or slightly off. But most of the major titles you'd use are high-res on the 330 so that's not often an issue. Many of the rest won't bother you. If it does you go into the prefs and specify that that app should run in 160x160 mode, either centered on the screen in the upper left. Problem solved (though the app displays smaller). What's nice is that in scale-to-fit mode, 160x160 apps form objects and fonts are replaced with high res ones on the fly. So for the most part you won't notice a difference between running the app on a 160x160 device or a 330. But the high-res ones (including built in apps) are pure beauty on the rich monochrome, brightly backlit screen.
This spoken as a user with a broad range of 140+ apps currently installed, as well as 802.11b
RE: Bluetooth is just as bad ...
I use a HandEra myself, but 6 hours isn't true. 2.5 hour maximum. 802.11 is draining my battery. Bluetooth is THE choice when it comes to low power.....FULL STOP.
RE: Bluetooth is just as bad ...
RE: Bluetooth is just as bad ...
mmm...
How much does Xircom cost and how long will it last on full charge batt?
1.$299 (that would be $299 + $350 m515 == $650)
2. Nobody knows how long it will last (heck wonder who can afford it at that price)
3. the sledge is the size of a bluewhale.
4. Very limited practicality on current Palm applications. (can't browse the web without proxy, second biggest wireless apps after email and messaging)
----
now the e740 can do 2hrs continuous Wi-fi connect at $599 out of the box, with all software apps behaving in familiar manner as in desktop.
----
If Palm can do wireless video streaming for one hrs continuously at similar price and size, than PIC can start dissing E740. But I am afraid hyping a $299 sledge that only can do limited text apps won't cut it.
RE: mmm...
According to PC Magazine, the Xircom Wi-fi sled works for 8 hours. That's 4x as long as the e740.
> heck wonder who can afford it at that price
The e740 costs $600. Who can afford it at that price?
>the sledge is the size of a bluewhale.
e740
4.9" x 3.1" x 0.6
m505 with Xircom:
4.9" by 3.1" by 1.1"
Plus with the e740 you are stuck with a second rate os.
RE: mmm...
>According to PC Magazine, the Xircom Wi-fi sled works
>for 8 hours. That's 4x as long as the e740.
Yeah, using an ugly monocrome 160x160 screen
> heck wonder who can afford it at that price
>The e740 costs $600. Who can afford it at that price?
The e740 is not an add-on. Is a complete PDA with 2 slots plus a Wi-Fi card.
>the sledge is the size of a bluewhale.
>e740
>4.9" x 3.1" x 0.6
>m505 with Xircom:
>4.9" by 3.1" by 1.1"
Again, we are talking about a 400Mhz StrongArm 64Mb/CF/SD/Wifi versus a miserable m505
>Plus with the e740 you are stuck with a second rate os.
Plus with the m505 you are stuck with a dead os (os4)
RE: mmm...
The m505 has 16-bit color screen. The m515's is even better.
> we are talking about a 400Mhz StrongArm 64Mb/CF/SD/Wifi versus a
> miserable m505
There is no such thing as a 400MHz StrongArm. The e740 actually uses an XScale chip, and, as everyone knows, PPC 2002 can only run XScale processors at ~200 MHz max, no matter what the rated speed of the processor is.
RE: mmm...
The screen on the m505 looks like monochrome (and still 160x160!); no comparison with the Toshiba's one
>There is no such thing as a 400MHz StrongArm. The
>e740 actually uses an XScale chip, and, as everyone
>knows, PPC 2002 can only run XScale processors at
>~200 MHz max, no matter what the rated speed of the >processor is
XScale runs at 400Mhz; maybe you mean that it is performing like a 200Mhz S/Arm; in any case is not a 33Mhz Dragonball.
RE: mmm...
--(
RE: mmm...
--(
RE: mmm...
wow, I am impressed.
RE: mmm...
I think a MERGER might be in the works!
RE: I think a MERGER might be in the works!
welcome to the world of ''macrumors''
RE: welcome to the world of ''macrumors''
I for one am a happy Mac/Palm user who's also quite happy on that silly Windoze OS... :-P
Palm Wireless Connectivity Strategy
http://ragingbull.lycos.com/mboard/boards.cgi?board=XTND&read=7862
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