ATLANTA-PC maker Lenovo is selling a laptop computer that has built-in support for Cingular Wireless L.L.C.’s EDGE- and UMTS/HSDPA-based networks. The laptop is selling online for around $1,900.
“ThinkPad users can now enjoy wireless broadband Internet access via the Cingular BroadbandConnect service without needing a separate PC card or additional hardware,” said Scott Smith, president of Lenovo Americas.
Lenovo is one of a number of laptop makers installing wide-area wireless technology into their products, including Hewlett-Packard Co. and Sony Corp. The move is notable as wireless carriers position their high-speed networks against a growing number Wi-Fi hotspots, many of which are free to use. Laptop makers for years have been embedding Wi-Fi technology into their products.
In addition to supporting Cingular’s array of WWAN technologies, the ThinkPad T60 also includes an embedded Wi-Fi chip for access to wireless local area networks.
Cingular offers a handful of data plans beginning at $20 per month for 5 megabytes of data transmission up to $80 per month for unlimited access. The carrier also offers an unlimited Wi-Fi/3G plan for $100 per month.
