A Compact Flash radio for 3G will offered by NTT DoCoMo for highspeed data access by handheld and desktop computers.
The card - P2402 - will enable videophone and other wireless data services offered on FOMA at speeds of up to 384Kbits/sec downstream and 64Kbits/sec upstream. It allows connections to other FOMA handsets and ISDN fixed-line videophones. A basic digicam and headset will also be required to make video calls. FOMA uses W-CDMA for an effective 200-500kbps mobile speed.
In the United States, Sierra’s AirCard 580 uses Verizon’s CDMA-based, 1X EV-DO network (in San Diego and Washington, D.C.). It gets similar speed (200kbps-500kbps) for $80/month but requires a larger PC card.
The Convergent CF GPRS card ($200) is also a phone when you install Running Voice GSM. Telesym and VLI (right) also do “free” VoIP over Wi-Fi networks. Plug in a CompactFlash camera or SD WiFi card ($100).
PDAs that include built-in WiFi as well as dual slots (for CompactFlash and SD/IO) include the Fujitsu Siemens Pocket Loox 610 and the Toshiba e805. Sharp is prepping a Linux-based Zaurus PDA with a 4″, 480 x 640 transflective screen and integrated WiFi with dual slots, too.
Adding 3G cellular data service to PDAs and laptops is one way to go, but adding Wi-Fi In Cellphones with devices like the SD WiFi card is another approach. Wi-Fi cellphones are expected to show up next year.
The Antelope mobile computer (below) is about the size of a deck of cards and runs Windows XP. The handheld features a tiny 1GHz computer with 256MB of RAM and a 10 or 15GB hard drive. The core — which costs $4,000 — pops into a docking station with a screen and keyboard if you want to use it like a desktop, or into a smaller PDA-type shell if you need something more portable. A handheld XP computer with built-in WiFi and EDGE/GPRS or 1XRTT cards should cover most of the bases.
Microsoft’s Wireless Provisioning Services features automatic handoff and automatically configures settings when using Windows XP with Windows Server 2003 and 802.1x. Other secure 802.1x client software is available from PCTel, Meetinghouse and Padcom.
New Tablet PCs, Panasonic Toughbooks and Linux Tablets may cost less and do more than tiny XP handhelds. Lycoris Linux-based TabletPC software features Open Office and wireless connectivity for under $2000.
On the phone front, 
AT&T Wireless offers Motorola’s MPx200, a clamshelll Windows Mobile-based Smartphone for $299.
Motorola’s Linux-based A760 clamshell phone (right) features a mobile phone, a digital camera, video player, MP3 player, speakerphone, advanced messaging and Bluetooth.
Motorola’s 1xEV-DO phone (below) features a built-in camera, OLED outer display, and a 160-by-128-pixel LCD for streaming video. It’s only available in countries with advanced telecommunications.
TI and Sun are teaming for mobile services. Their Connected Limited Device Configuration HotSpot Implementation (CLDC HI) will be integrated into TI chipsets for handsets and wireless OMAP applications processors. The aim is to reduce the complexity of Java technology-enabled handset production.
TI said it expects to offer complete GPRS chipsets and handset reference designs, including Sun’s CLDC HI, by the second quarter of 2004. The Java implementation of TI’s OMAP platform can be fed with Sun’s Content Delivery Server.
ARM is promoting the PowerVR MBX core , developed with Imagination Technologies, for realistic 3D graphics on mobile devices. ARM chips are used in Palm and Pocket PC devices, as well as the majority of mobile phones. Texas Instruments’ OMAP (Open Multimedia Applications Platform), will license the core for use in Palms, PocketPCs and Symbian smartphones.
3G/3D-TV anyone?
Still, for mobile data rates over 300kbps, “3G” may have a tough time beating “4G” or ubiquitous Wi-Fi in speed and cost. Evolving “standards” like 802.16e and 802.20, some claim, may deliver 1 Mbps mobility, faster and cheaper than “3G”.
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