More Details of Palm's Wireless Plans Emerge

Posted By: Ed Tuesday, July 11, 2000 1:41:46 PM

Alexis Martial, Palm's Director of Engineering, Europe, said at Mobile Insights's Go Mobile Europe conference that, by next year, Palm will support both Bluetooth and GPRS.

"Our Bluetooth rollout strategy is quite aggressive but I can't give you any specific dates," Martial said. The company is already designing new clip-on Bluetooth modules with innovative designs. He went on to say that they aren't yet committed to designing Palms with built-in Bluetooth but they are still considering it.

Palm is also planning to release clip-on modules that support wireless Internet access over GPRS (general packet radio service), a packet-switched wireless technology that most of Europe's GSM operators are deploying to speed up data transmissions, Martial said. These will be followed by an integrated device with built-in GPRS support before the end of 2001.

GPRS is capable of offering speeds as high as 115Kbps, although, in real-world situations, speeds will more likely be similar to the 56Kbps offered by wired modems.

This is very good news for Europen users, as most wireless access there is provided by GSM. GSM is used in the U.S. by some companies, like VioceStream Wireless and Pacific Bell.

This doesn't mean much for users of rival wireless methods, like AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon.

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what about palm speed

bboyes@systronix.com @ 7/11/2000 6:40:06 PM #

on the palm, comm speed is 115k max, this sets a hard limit... will palm ever add a faster interface as handspring has?

RE: what about palm speed

ed@palminfocenter.com @ 7/12/2000 8:32:57 AM #

Yes. Palm has already announced that, by 2001, they will support the new Secure Digital (SD) slot:

http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=1011" CLASS=NEWS TARGET=_NEW>http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=1011

SD usable for other than memory?

bboyes@systronix.com @ 7/13/2000 2:40:04 AM #

Whew, the size of a postage stamp... is this intended or practical for use with anything
other than memory devices? For example how would you use this form factor for a
camera like the eyemodule, a pager, or interface to other hardware? I searched (briefly)
for a preliminary specification and didn't find one, just a lot of press releases. Can anyone
point me at a specification? I'm especially curious since we are working on a SpringBoard
module and it seems spacious compared to SD!

GSM

Joey Bahr @ 7/11/2000 7:39:44 PM #

Seeing things like the GPRS and SMS and others convinces me more and more that companies like Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, and Alltell need to switch over to GSM.

RE: GSM

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/12/2000 11:45:29 AM #

I think we've all been waiting for marketing to finally realize that people in the US would like to have more GSM products available to them.

Build Bluetooth in!

Kip Ingram @ 7/12/2000 10:50:46 PM #

I really hope Palm decides to offer units (preferably Palm Vx style) with Bluetooth built completely in. Having to clip on a separate unit would be a "chore".

GSM

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/13/2000 4:35:13 AM #

I have been a GSM user exclusively, first w/ Omnipoint, and after the merger, now w/ Voicestream. Its great to see Palm latching on to the best wire- less phone system available, now lets hope to see GSM phone makers include this technology in their complete line of phones, not just on the most expensive.

Blue Tooth is the way!!!

Big_Thomas @ 7/13/2000 2:03:23 PM #

I hope that Blue Tooth technologies continue to progress. I work closely with communication systems, and I think this type of system can finally make "wireless", truly wireless.
Big_thomas@email.com

GSM? That's good for Australia, too!

Garth Kidd @ 7/14/2000 8:48:20 AM #

This is the best wireless news I've heard from Palm so far. Rather than wait for their propietary network to spread, we'll be able to use GSM roaming. Wicked!

GSM? That's good for Australia, too!

Garth Kidd @ 7/17/2000 9:05:28 PM #

This is the best wireless news I've heard from Palm so far. Rather than wait for their propietary network to spread, we'll be able to use GSM roaming. Wicked!