Notatel to Release first EV-DO and HSDPA ExpressCards
April 11th, 2006
Novatel Wireless announced plans to develop the industry’s first EV-DO (Evolution Data Optimized) and HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) 3G external PCI ExpressCards/34, also known as external ExpressCards. Currently laptop manufactures and major wireless carriers are testing pre-release versions for a public release later this year. Currently standard EV-DO and HSDPA wireless modem cards are only available in PC Card format (54mm) which had been the industry stand for some time. Today’s smaller and lightweight notebook PC’s are being equipped with the both PC Card (Bus Card) and the new ExpressCard formats with PC Card being phased out in the future.
ExpressCard Explained:
There are two sizes of ExpressCard modules. One is 34mm wide (ExpressCard/34) and the other is 54mm (ExpressCard/54). Both modules are 75mm long and 5mm high. Host systems can provide any combination of slots for either width of module. It should be noted that the 34mm module has the advantage that it will also work in the slot designed for the 54mm wide modules but not vice versa.
ExpressCard is a hardware standard replacing CardBus, both developed by the PCMCIA. The host device supports both PCI Express and USB 2.0 connectivity through the ExpressCard slot, and each card uses whichever the designer feels most appropriate to the task.
Hewlett-Packard began shipping systems with ExpressCard in November of 2004, Lenovo integrated the slot into their flagship ThinkPad T43 in May 05. Dell Computer also incorporates this in their Inspiron product line. Apple Computer replaced the standard PC Card slot with a single ExpressCard/34 slot in their MacBook Pro laptop in January 2006.
