During KNXTcomm08, Sprint’s CEO Dan Hesse announced that they will launch WiMAX in September in Baltimore and run trials in Chicago and Washington, D.C.
“Consumers still can’t seem to get enough data,” Hesse said. “WiMAX can deliver blazing fast speeds to all manner of devices, not just cellphones.”
The Nokia N810 is nothing new, but the added Wimax is, and we decided to spend a little time with it to see how it performed. One of the features that Nokia mentioned was the ability to detect and connect to Wimax networks automatically. You can see in the video that this takes a little while, so don't expect instant access. We loaded Wikipedia in 13 seconds, which although not bad also isn't overly impressive. We also got to see the N810 streaming live TV via the third party Hava, think Slingbox, albeit not over Wimax. Overall we still have to wonder why Wimax? Especially when you consider that Sprint has pushed back the launch and every other major U.S. carrier seems to be moving towards LTE. Video after the break.
Nokia's just made their new WiMAX-enabled N810 internet tablet official today. Their press event was held in the hot Las Vegas sun so that, after the announcement, they could hoist press members up into the heavens with a crane.
What did we find out at this big press event in the sky? Find out more about the N810 after the jump.
Sprint has decided not to dwell on their ridiculously bad 4th quarter, instead focusing on the future and its 4G technologies. New CEO, Dan Hesse, talked a bit about the next generation, mentioning possible devices that would be both CDMA and WiMAX compatible, operating on Sprint's XOHM service. This news would certainly help CDMA compete with GSM, which is used by just about every country. Not mentioned was the date this would launch, if this would be a soft launch or an actual launch, or how many devices would feature this capability.
We'll be interested to see if CDMA can actually combat the omniscient Goliath that is GSM.
While the name seems a bit difficult to say, Xohm (aka Zome, like Rome) is their official branding for their new WiMAX service, expected to soft-launch toward the end of 2007 and fully launch next year. Just in case you've been living under a rock, WiMAX is the upcoming technology that fits under the "4G" category of cell phones. It's seen as a long-range method of hooking up data. While Sprint doesn't tout any specific download speeds in their press materials, likely because they're still finishing up the technology, WiMAX speeds are known to be about 10Mbps if you're 10 kilometers from the tower. WiMAX speeds vary depending on how close the user is to the tower, ranging from a maximum of 70 Mbps all the way down.
Now, if only T-Mobile could get into the 3G cellphone game. Scratch that, maybe they should concede the 3G game to Sprint, Verizon and AT&T, and try to leapfrog into 4G. Worth a shot...
Nokia says the N800 Tablet will be Sprint's first WiMAX compatible device. While not a phone technically, the current iteration of the device uses WiFi and fills the internet communicator part of the iPhone equasion, but only costs about $350. Nokia has always positioned the N800 to be open-source friendly, so VOIP clients for Gizmo Project and Skype already exist, creating a data-only demon device that can occasionally support voice. Worth it? We're not sure yet, but WiMAX rollouts make us excited.
Nortel which has been concentrating on the emerging WiMAX market for a while claims that its now ready for mobile WiMAX or 4G. It now plans to develop and manufacture its own mobile WiMAX (802.16e) equipment.
“While Nortel has traditionally focused on infrastructure equipment, in this next-generation world, we see the need to offer – and prospective customers have told us they want us to offer – a full ecosystem of products to go along with the new infrastructure,” says Daniel Locklear, the company’s director of product marketing for wireless networks.
Google and Sprint Nextel are working together to develop a mobile Internet portal that will utilize the WiMax wireless technology to offer Web search and social networking. Sprint's chief technology officer, Barry West is thrilled, as he believes it will increase Sprint’s brand value.
"If you think of the Internet you automatically think of Google," West said. "Obviously having a powerful partner on the Internet helps us become synonymous with the mobile Internet."
The Clearwire Mobile WiMax notebook card has been given the green signal by the almighty FCC, so expect it to drop anytime soon! The card has been developed by Motorola and thanks to the on board WiMAX wave 2 technology one will be privy to twice the speed and 60% enhanced range performance when compared to Wave 1. For now the card supports Microsoft Windows Vista and XP operating systems and seeks to push forward the Motorola’s wi4 Expedience solution.
Perry Satterlee, Clearwire president and chief operating officer said, “We expect the new laptop card to broaden our potential customer base with more opportunities for customers to access and experience our fast, simple, portable, reliable and affordable wireless broadband services.”
Looks like Nokia is upping its ante by introducing WiMAX mobile phones in the year 2008. For the uninitiated WiMAX provide high-speed Internet access from portable devices like cellphones and is almost 10 times cheaper than 3G.
"Nokia plans to bring its first WiMAX enabled mobile device to market in early 2008," Nokia said in a statement
In a press release timed to coincide with the CTIA Wireless show, Sprint announced yesterday that plans are in place to launch a mobile WiMAX initiative in selected markets by the end of 2007. Commercial service will be available by April of 2008, and full service will reach 100 million people by year end 2008. This release also announced the creation of a new WiMAX Device and Chipset Ecosystem program to facilitate the development of new technology in this rapidly growing arena.
The 2008 launch calendar was listed in this release also :
Motorola will develop Chicago*, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Minneapolis; Samsung will develop Baltimore*, Boston, Philadelphia, Providence and Washington D.C.*; Nokia will develop Austin*, Dallas*, Denver, Fort Worth*, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Antonio* and Seattle.
Although cell phones that include WiFi data connections are nothing new, this is. Sanyo are building handsets that include the new WiMAX wireless standard. This new standard has better range than the existing wireless LAN standards; while 802.11g only works within a few meters of the access point, WiMAX can cover several city blocks with a single transmitter, and the system still works if there are obstructions between the transmitter and the receiver. Although the announcement (which was made by Beceem, who make the WiMAx chip that Sanyo are using) didn’t mention which network may be using the new handset, it is most likely to be Sprint, who recently announced that they are spending $3 billion dollars over the next few years building a WiMAX network. Sprint already sell the Sanyo M1, which we reviewed here.
4G cellular is the promise of the future – and is defined by the Wireless World Research Forum as the cell phone network that will be all IP based, and packet switched. The standard paving the way to a 4G reality is WiMax - which promises full mobility at broadband speeds and is the pet project of Intel these days.
In the old days, we used to laugh about 3G being the technology of the future – saying it always would be. 4G is not so much of joke, the world is going in two directions simultaneously – mobile, and packet-based. Its about time the two were joined. With heavy focus by giants like Intel, barring any new technical issues, we feel confident it will be upon us sooner than 3G ever was. Deployments have already begun in India, and in the Southern US.
The Nokia N810 is nothing new, but the added Wimax is, and we decided to spend a little time with it to see how it performed. One of the features that Nokia mentioned was the ability to detect and connect to Wimax networks automatically. You can see in the video that this takes a little while, so don't expect instant access. We loaded Wikipedia in 13 seconds, which although not bad also isn't overly impressive. We also got to see the N810 streaming live TV via the third party Hava, think Slingbox, albeit not over Wimax. Overall we still have to wonder why Wimax? Especially when you consider that Sprint has pushed back the launch and every other major U.S. carrier seems to be moving towards LTE. Video after the break.
Nokia's just made their new WiMAX-enabled N810 internet tablet official today. Their press event was held in the hot Las Vegas sun so that, after the announcement, they could hoist press members up into the heavens with a crane. 
While the name seems a bit difficult to say, Xohm (aka Zome, like Rome) is their official branding for their new WiMAX service, expected to soft-launch toward the end of 2007 and fully launch next year. Just in case you've been living under a rock, 
Nokia says the N800 Tablet will be Sprint's 
Google and Sprint Nextel are working together to develop a mobile Internet portal that will utilize the WiMax wireless technology to offer Web search and social networking. Sprint's chief technology officer, Barry West is thrilled, as he believes it will increase Sprint’s brand value.
access from portable devices like cellphones and is almost 10 times cheaper than 3G.
In a 
Although cell phones that include WiFi data connections are nothing new, this is.