Ian Grayson03 September 2007, 10:36 AM
You won't be locked to Vodafone, or Telstra, or any other telco for that matter, with Fujitsu's latest HSDPA capable notebook.
 Fujitsu's Q2010: the HSDPA capability can be used with any carrier -- so you're free to choose the best deal. |
With HSDPA mobile networks attract growing numbers of speed-hungry data users, notebook manufacturers are rushing to incorporate the necessary hardware into their offerings.
Latest cab off the rank is Fujitsu which has shoehorned HSDPA wireless capabilities into its new LifeBook Q2010 model.
The unit's inbuilt Sierra Wireless MC8755V PCI Express Mini Card module can deliver theoretical data speeds (in an ideal world) of up to 1.8Mbps when connected to an HSDPA network.
It's also able to roam onto GPRS services when outside HSDPA range. Unfortunately for regional users, however, the module is not compatible with Telstra's Next G service due to the non-standard 850MHz frequency Telstra uses.
The Q2010 has a 12.1-inch WXGA TFT screen and tips the scales at just over one kilogram, making it an attractive choice for road warrior types wanting portability and fast data connection in a nifty package.
Fujitsu PC Australia product manager David Niu says the notebook is not locked to a particular mobile network, and users are free to use an existing mobile account and SIM card.
"It has been certified by Vodafone, which is essentially sharing the same network with Optus, and operates on the same spectrum as Hutchison Three," he told APCMag.com.
Niu says both Fujitsu and Vodafone will provide support for users wanting to make use of the HSDPA capabilities, but stresses that it's very easy to get a connection up and running.
"HSDPA support has been enabled, and the supported profiles should have been integrated into the 3G connection software, hence it is quite easy to configure and enjoy enhanced download speeds of up to 1.8Mbps today," he said.
He skirted around the issue of whether it was up to Fujitsu or a customer's mobile carrier to assist with 3G configuration difficulties, though. (And you can bet that unless you're using your carrier's card and software, they probably won't want to support you.)
The Q2010 is built around an Intel Core Solo Processor and ships with either a Windows Vista or XP operating system. It has 1GB RAM and an 80GB hard disk as standard. Other connection options include Ethernet and Bluetooth.
The unit's recommended retail price is $3,899 -- pricy for the system specs, but the notebook is among the world's thinnest, lightest notebooks, so that would no doubt command a manufacturing cost premium.