WowMAX
Went to CEATEC today. Lots of cool stuff. Heard one piece of news that may make me change over: WiMAX, already tempting as an Internet-everywhere solution for $50/mo. for (theoretically) 40 Mbps, will be converting to WiMAX version 2 in 2012. The speed of the new wide-coverage wireless Internet? 330 Mbps. Yep–three times faster than current fiber-optic speeds offered in Japan. (Again, theoretically.) And it’ll work when you’re at high speed, like when the bullet train you’re on is going faster than 300 km/hr.
The portable, battery-powered WiFi converters (which take the WiMAX signal and translate it into WiFi emanating from your backpack or pocket) also are available, meaning you can have a mobile WiFi signal with you all the time (that you’re not underground) for your laptop, iPad, and even the iPhone if you want to keep the data plan charges to a minimum.
Wi-Max has been in Korea since about mid 2008, called “Wibro”. Speeds of nearly 40 gig/sec (download).
They sell a device called the “egg” which acts like a portable router. Just put it in your pocket, bag, or purse.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/11/123_43867.html
I’m in the U.S. now. I just bought a Ipod Touch 4g. I’m completely able to use the device as a phone when I have wi fi connection, using skype. Only down side is skype doesn’t receive text messages (it does send them, though).
The price, I was told was about $20 a month for the service, but I think that is on top of existing cell phone service, mine was $30 a month (roughly speaking).
I think I see where this is all headed: all wi-max all the time for $50 a month in about 4 years. Perhaps all information coming over that service: phone, data, television, etc…
Always thinking in terms of digital convergence.
My goal now is to get one of my geek friends to build a “Dick Tracie” front end to skype(or whatever) and for mareware to produce a new sport convertable protector for the new Ipod (they had one for the old Ipod and already have one for the new Iphone, so it’s just a matter of time… maybe by christmas). Then I will wear the device on my wrist.
Going Dick Tracie style means I won’t have to dig through my pockets to answer the phone, just lift my wrist up and tap on the screen. My hands will be freed up. If I’m riding a subway, and I want to watch something, I just lift my wrist up or if I’m sitting, just look down. Sans hands.
When I’m not using the device, then it should be in watch mode, perhaps showing time and weather (as android devices seem to default to now). By the way, they are already wearing the new Nano as a watch (http://www.watchmynano.com/)
Article on the nano as a watch: (http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/2010/09/27/20100927iwatch0927.html).
^ I’ve long thought that Apple should just make a damn wristwatch — the industry has been stuck in 1980 forever.
I didn’t get 3G on my iPad since I expect these hotspot solutions to be good enough in the future.