Vodafone Ad for Blackberry Storm
Blackberry Storm launch video for Vodafone.
What’s the real world difference between 3G and Wi-Fi?
Courtesy of Infosync World
A reader asks an interesting question about the difference between 3G and Wi-Fi. Our answer may come as a surprise to many.
Reader James K. asks: I’m new to the Internet use on the phone. What’s the difference between 3G and Wi-Fi, and what’s the difference of the U.S. and abroad 3G bands?
First of all, the difference between U.S. and abroad 3G bands is the operating frequencies. In fact, T-Mobile’s 3G network also operates on a different frequency than AT&T’s 3G network here in the U.S. So, if you buy an unlocked phone, it’s important to make sure it supports your carrier’s 3G frequency. Here’s an overview of the 3G frequencies:
The lower the frequency range, the better reach a frequency will offer and the fewer base stations are required to get the cellular fun flowing. Recently, Verizon Wireless won a large portion of the 700 MHz band auction, which will enable the carrier to build a mobile broadband network that could be truly nationwide. And the technology they will deploy for this network is LTE (Long Term Evolution), which is 4G technology offering significantly improved network stability and response times as well as higher data speeds.
That said, a lot of your cell phone usage actually goes through the Internet backbone, which is also why the major carriers are usually major Internet providers. So the difference between 3G and Wi-Fi actually mainly comes down to the way of wirelessly connecting to the Internet backbone. If you have a private Wi-Fi network connected to a reliable Internet provider, nothing will beat that. Most carriers will not allow you to connect your cell phone to a Wi-Fi network for making calls though, and especially not for free (unless you’re using VoIP clients), despite the fact that you may have arranged for everything to work smoothly yourself. On the other hand, a Wi-Fi network of course have limited reach, so if you’re on the road, there’s currently no other option than choosing 3G in those scenarios.
In the future though, the lack of theoretically available bandwidth may force network providers to use whatever is available in a more rational way, which will ultimately let you pay for only one data subscription, and then use it however you wish. Sprint, Clearwire and Google have already taken the first step to that future by starting the deployment of the Xohm network in Baltimore, based on long-range Mobile WiMAX network technology.
admin @ November 15, 2008
HTC G1- G-Phone Review and Video
Computers and Internet, Wireless News Comments (0)
We’ve got a couple of these en route to Bermuda to our offices now. Already have two of them sold so will be interesting to see how they perform in the flesh and what they can really do. Review follows after the Cnet video.
Product summary from Cnet:
The good: The T-Mobile G1 features a full QWERTY keyboard, 3G support, Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth. The Google Android operating system offers good integration with Google applications as well as access to the Amazon MP3 Store and YouTube. As more applications become available, the G1 will also become a more powerful smartphone for all types of users.
The bad: The G1 doesn’t include a standard headphone jack and lacks stereo Bluetooth and Microsoft Exchange support. There are some annoying design quirks that make the smartphone uncomfortable to hold and difficult to use. The GPS tracking was disappointing, and speakerphone quality wasn’t the greatest.
The bottom line: While we’re not in love with the design and would have liked some additional features, the real beauty of the T-Mobile G1 is the Google Android platform, as it has the potential to make smartphones more personal and powerful. That said, it’s not quite there yet, so for now, the G1 is best suited for early adopters and gadget hounds, rather than consumers and business users.
Specifications: OS provided: Android; Installed RAM: 192 MB; Processor: QUALCOMM 528 MHzMSM7201A;
admin @ November 10, 2008