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emergence of the netbook brings word of a new OS
Some stories emerge and snowball so quickly, that trying to piece them all together in a coherent manner takes a keen ability to make sense of all the developments. There has been a quite a bit about netbooks, low-cost PC notebook computers, in the news recently. Netbooks are experiencing a tremendous growth in sales world-wide. A previous post had detailed how telcoms in India have started bundling these PC’s with long-term mobile data contracts. In North America, Verizon now offers a sub-$200 netbook for it’s mobile data subscribers.
From GigaOm, news of a new entrant to the market and the dramatic rise in netbook sales:
In developed countries with high rates of broadband Internet usage in homes, mobile Internet will be seen as a separate category from fixed broadband offerings. In the UK, incumbent operator BT is adding mobile broadband to its consumer packages, positioning the technology as a complement to fixed broadband:
BT Total Broadband customers can now get up to 8Mbps cellular broadband including 1GB of monthly data usage. The lowest option costs £15.65 per month over 18 months for both fixed and mobile broadband, with BT claiming HSDPA download speeds of 7.2Mbps.
In developing/majority world countries, where broadband Internet usage rates are low, consumers are less likely to see the services as complementary. As speeds on next-generation wireless networks catch up to what is typically expected of wired connections like cable, there will be less of a distinction between the two types of service. Already there are devices on the market that blur the distinction between fixed and mobile Internet service and hint at the exciting possibilities convergence will offer down the road.
- Novatel’s MiFi 2200, a 3G Wi-Fi router.
The New York Times recently covered the Novatel MiFi 2200, a device that will be made available from Verizon in North America in mid-May. It is a new take on existing cellular-modems as the device uses a cellular 3g signal from a mobile network to create a portable Wi-Fi hotspot anywhere you take the device. The Wi-Fi signal covers about a 30ft. radius and can be shared with up to 5 users.
What is incredible about this device is that Verizon even suggests that the MiFi device could be used as a primary family Internet service at home. Just two short years ago, sharing a cellular-modem account was discouraged by the same provider–a real sign of the maturation of the ability of 3g networks to carry greater traffic.
Mobile Internet offerings from operators like Vodafone and Digicel are to be expected and do not come as a surprise for anyone. Leadership at TFL should take notice of the BT case. Combining mobile Internet, fixed Internet, voice, and IPTV in a consumer package could make TFL Fiji’s first triple-play or quad-play threat.
The Vodafone Americas Foundation, the non-profit arm of the global mobile operator, announced winners of a very unique competition. Last week, the foundation announced winners for its Wireless Innovation Project. The competition called for innovators and entrepreneurs to come forward with ideas on how new wireless technologies can address problems in the developing world.
More than 100 applicants submitted entries for the contest. The three finalists were teams from Columbia University, University of California-Berkeley (Go Bears!), and the University of California-Los Angeles.
A short 4 minute video on UCLA’s entry can be seen here:
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