A while back, Nokia sneak previewed their WiMAX internet tablet. It has now started shipping in the US.
Nokia N810 Wimax internet tablet
The N810 Internet tablet features Wifi support, a large touchscreen and a slide-able QWERTY keyboard. It runs a mobile version of Linux and looks pretty sleek.
The tablet is listed at US$433 (after rebate).
Motorola has signed a multi-year contract with Wi-tribe Pakistan under which it will provide a WiMAX infrastructure and related services. wi-tribe is a joint venture with a number of big names behind it, including Qatar Telecom, and has plans to establish networks across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Wateen Telecom and Mobilink have already made waves with their WiMax offerings. This deal brings another contender to the table and should increase the reach of this technology across Pakistan.
InfoWorld has an interesting review of a recently deployed WiMax network in Reno, and how it performs in real world scenarios.
The results showed WiMax (or OFDM to be more precise) to be fast and reliable, but only if used from a fixed location such as a coffee shop or within an office. The service degrades fast and can’t compete with the likes of 3G when used from fast moving vehicles or trains. It also has limitations when it comes to high-bandwidth uses, such as large videos and 3D gaming.
Nonetheless, the ease-of-use and high performance of WiMax will outweigh its cons and will play a large part in its successful adoption. Expect to see more offerings such as this one, especially in areas where wireless is a more suitable and cost-effective medium than copper or fiber.
According to Craig Barret, ex-CEO and current Chairman of the Board for Intel Corporation, Wimax technology will reach up to 50 million people by the end of this year and a billion by the year 2021.
That’s quite a figure from a source that has the muscle to change the course of technologies such as Wimax. The success of this technology depends a lot on vendor support and Intel being a major one, this could give Wimax the boost it currently needs.
Fujitsu, along with Jurong Technologies, has announced plans to develop WiMAX products and predicts that it will reach sales of up to $1 billion within a few years. This adds another major manufacturer to the growing list of large companies with WiMAX products.
