ExpressCard slot on new laptops

[Kobus Rossouw]

Please help - I do not know to much about these things! I went to look at new laptops, the one that caught my eye was a 12" AMILO SI 1520(Fujitsu Siemens) with a ExpressCard 34/54 Cardreader 4in1, the card slot is smaller than the current slots on standard laptops. According to the sales person it is "new technology". My question was if you can get an external card reader for the laptop that will, without problems, run your HSDPA/3G card(HUAWEI type). Nobody thus far could even come close to answering this for me!

I spoke to Vodacom(do not even ask), after 5/6 mails WE could finally determine that my new HSDPA/3G card is a HUAWEI Mobile Connect 3G card, not Novatel/Merlin or the Options type. Vodacom say Vodacom UK are in a test phase with these new express slots - we will probably not see this happening in SA for a long time.

Please help, I'm sure there must be an external USB cardreader for the 3G card, plus the sucker that I am - I want THAT specific laptop.

Thanks
Kobus Rossouw

 

[Glipsie]

Yup. Got a USB -> PCMCIA converter for a client the other day. Don't have the exact details, will try and get them later. Thing was pretty expensive, close to R1000. Place that sells them is in Woodmead if you're in the JHB area

Glipsie

 

[Glipsie]

I think the client only has a 3G card, not an HSDPA one. But it seems the Huawei cards are supported. Not sure which model you have
http://www.elandigitalsystems.com/usb/u132.php

Huawei E600 wCDMA
Huawei E618 CDMA
Huawei E620 CDMA
Option wireless Globetrotter 3G and Fusion card models*1 UMTS/GPRS/EDGE/WiFi

pic: http://www.teampctechnology.com/product_detail.php?id=508

SA dealer listed as:
http://www.microd.co.za

Glipsie

 

[vodacom3g]

The manufacturers gave a date of around August for the Express Card HSDPA cards.

In the meantime an external USB->PCMCIA adapter could work.

We're still testing the new Elan E132 which is supposed to work, but have not passed it yet.

If your Huawei card is the 620, it's HSDPA.

Kobus, What is the dimensions of the FS laptop? Price?

The 1720 (I think) is also very small with a pcmcia slot.

 

[Kobus Rossouw]

The manufacturers gave a date of around August for the Express Card HSDPA cards. Sounds promising!

In the meantime an external USB->PCMCIA adapter could work. Where in Cape Town do I get it.

We're still testing the new Elan E132 which is supposed to work, but have not passed it yet.

If your Huawei card is the 620, it's HSDPA. Yes, 620

Kobus, What is the dimensions of the FS laptop? Price? 299mm(W) x 220mm(D) x 23.9mm(front)/32mm(back)(H), 1.7kg, On 2 week special for R9,999-00. It has the new DUE processor, 512MB x 2(1024MB), 80GB Harddisk. I recon they dropped the price because they have no answer to the 3G card slot.

The 1720 (I think) is also very small with a pcmcia slot.

Yes, if I remeber correct it is a 14" and the price was R7,999-00, but also the Express slot.

 

[Kobus Rossouw]

I think the client only has a 3G card, not an HSDPA one. But it seems the Huawei cards are supported. Not sure which model you have
http://www.elandigitalsystems.com/usb/u132.php


pic: http://www.teampctechnology.com/product_detail.php?id=508

SA dealer listed as:
http://www.microd.co.za

Glipsie

It is the E620, by the way is this the correct way to reply?

 

[Kobus Rossouw]

Yup. Got a USB -> PCMCIA converter for a client the other day. Don't have the exact details, will try and get them later. Thing was pretty expensive, close to R1000. Place that sells them is in Woodmead if you're in the JHB area

Glipsie

I'm down in Cape Town, I suppose I will just have to find a reason to justify the R1,000 - although that is last of my concern! Thanks

 

[antonbijl]

by the way is this the correct way to reply?

I'm not too sure if the mods have an opinion on this, but I think it's up to the individual. Most used is probably the quick reply (not including quote), because it's quick...

If you're responding to a specific question, I personally prefer to do the quote, but delete everything except the question I'm addressing, as I've done here.

HTH

 

[Kobus Rossouw]

Any further assistance on an external expresscard reader that will work. I need more input please!
Kobus

 

[vodacom3g]

Any further assistance on an external expresscard reader that will work. I need more input please!
Kobus

I don't think there are any external express card readers available yet. The cards are still a few months away.

 

[WatchDog]

I think Vodacom took their eye off the ball on this one. Apple introduced a PC with an expresscard months ago and many other manufacturers stated their intention to use this technology a long time ago. Why the delay??

 

[mooK]

Is it a new version of ExpressCard you're talking about? I got my laptop a year ago and it's got one.

 

[vodacom3g]

I think Vodacom took their eye off the ball on this one. Apple introduced a PC with an expresscard months ago and many other manufacturers stated their intention to use this technology a long time ago. Why the delay??

Not a Vodacom function, rather the guys who (should) manufacture the Express Card cards, such as Option and Novatel.

Vodacom/Vodafone does not design and/or manufacture hardware.

It appears their (the manufacturers) priority is:

1) PCMCIA
2) Embedded laptops
3) Express Cards

 

[Dave A]

Discovered this little pleasure two weeks ago when I got my HSPDA card. The whole story is here - Really inconvenient when I was trying to solve a problem in a rush and resulted in some pretty heated exchanges.

According to Fujitsu Siemens the advanced slots are the new technology and should become the standard in place of PCMCIA slots. Apparently widespread overseas already.

The upshot of it all is this:
Vodacom says it's the computer manufacturer's responsibility to solve the problem,
The computer manufacturers say it is Vodacom's responsibility - their new HSPDA offering incorporates "redundant technology", which is why Vodacom has such a good special on HSPDA (and run out of 3G PCMCIA cards?)
The client gets a card with a contract he/she can't use.

FS has no intention of investing in a solution - they are unsure if their PCMCIA reader works on the Vodacom HSPDA card and I'm still waiting for one to try.

Feel like piggy in the middle here. It's gone round in circles with no end in site.

Oh yes - and the HSPDA card does not work in the Vodacom wireless router either, although Vodacom reckons it might solve that one soon.

 

[magus]

That is why they call it the "bleeding edge", folks. You want to be an early adopter, you pay the price.

 

[vodacom3g]

The upshot of it all is this:
Vodacom says it's the computer manufacturer's responsibility to solve the problem,
The computer manufacturers say it is Vodacom's responsibility - their new HSPDA offering incorporates "redundant technology", which is why Vodacom has such a good special on HSPDA (and run out of 3G PCMCIA cards?)
The client gets a card with a contract he/she can't use.

FS has no intention of investing in a solution - they are unsure if their PCMCIA reader works on the Vodacom HSPDA card and I'm still waiting for one to try.

Feel like piggy in the middle here. It's gone round in circles with no end in site.

Oh yes - and the HSPDA card does not work in the Vodacom wireless router either, although Vodacom reckons it might solve that one soon.

You're completely missing the point.

Vodacom does not manufacture adaptor cards, nor does it dictate to the manufacturers which form factors to produce. Just like you, Vodacom is dependant on the manufacturers to produce cards that will work in as many systems possible.

In this case it seems the laptop manufacturers are ahead of the card manufacturers, having launched systems with Express Slots, while the card manufacturers will only have devices available by August.

But spare a thought for the card manufacturers, the new cards have substantially less real estate than normal PCMCIA cards, yet must still squeeze all the same technology (including 4 radios) into the smaller space.

Not quite as easy as making a smaller memory card.

BTW, the router firmware supporting HSDPA is available for download on www.vodacom.co.za.

 

[Dave A]

You're completely missing the point.

Well yes and no.

I've got some sympathy for Vodacom; this constant shuffle in terms of peripheral attachment technology is rather irritating, but that's the techno world we live in - constant change. Faster, lighter, smaller.

My view is that it is in the interests of all parties to work together to resolve the issues - preferably in advance - as opposed to passing the buck as present. My first question when faced with the problem was "What is the workaround?" Not only does no-one have one but they are not working on it either - despite this being a known issue for some time.

And on the known issue side of the coin - no-one is warning of the potential problem when the client is making a buying decision either.

A comment on living on the "bleeding" edge - particularly in this instance - here's a thought:

Where is take-up on HSPDA going to be? Those mobile folk that live on the "bleeding" edge. And these folk have certain characteristics.

For example, if they do have a PCMCIA slot and they do sign a two year contract on HSPDA, they probably won't enjoy the fact that they are now married to their laptop for the next two years because all the new stuff has a different slot.

I am a good client, prepared to pay for good service and attention, and I'm far from alone.

 

[vodacom3g]

As stated before, the card manufacturers will, based on their analysis of the market and in consultation with their partners (of which Vodafone will be one), determine their priorities. This is their right as a company and we can only try and influence it.

It seems their current thinking is:

1) Produce PCMCIA cards as this have the biggest footprint in the market. There are many, many more laptops out there with PCMCIA than Express Slots.

2) Develop embedded laptops with the laptop manufacturers. It seems they believe this will give them the biggest footprint, just like WiFi in today's laptops.

3) Support new and not so widely available cards, including Express Cards.

So, if you have a laptop with no PCMCIA slot, you're caught in the time lag so often see between different product manufacturers, at least till around August this year.

Vodacom is acutely aware of this problem and practically suggest the following workarounds. These are often discussed on this forum.

1) Use a PCMCIA to USB adaptor such as the Elan U132. - tested OK with most of the HSDPA cards
2) Use a 3G/HSDPA router - ditto
3) Use a handset as an external modem - no HSDPA yet (phones are in test) but lots of 3G options.

 

[Dave A]

1) Use a PCMCIA to USB adaptor such as the Elan U132. - tested OK with most of the HSDPA cards
2) Use a 3G/HSDPA router - ditto
3) Use a handset as an external modem - no HSDPA yet (phones are in test) but lots of 3G options.

Thanks for the reply - it's great to get answers.

Hopefully Vodacom customer care at Gateway, the KZN regional manager and his technical guy read this forum one day (HINT: Please spread the word within the regions).

Will try the options. Thanks again.

 

[nishkar]

U132 USB Adapter

These are the contact details for the U132 Adapters:

Cards are about R1150incl.

Micro-D (Pty) Ltd
Unit 2 Woodview Office park
1 Humber Street
Woodmead, 2146
South Africa
011 803 2111