***HTC “4G” WiMAX smartphone due Q3***
A sales lady at one of the major Taiwanese Teleco’s let slip a surprise bit of info; apparently HTC will have a WiMAX enabled smartphone in Q3 of this year. Probed further, she realized her mistake and refused to comment further. HTC was not represented at the WiMAX Forum.
***Android ready with WiMAX support***
In relation to the HTC revelation above, Mediatek showed an example touchscreen cell phone using its ARM based MT7118 WiMAX SoC running Google Android OS. The phone is capable of connecting to both GSM and WiMAX networks simultaneously – although at what cost to battery, we don’t know.
We expect, however, that most cell phone companies will want to use a joint WiFi/WiMAX chip to save space, something Mediatek apparently doesn’t offer yet .
***Most of Europe unlikely to see WiMAX adoption***
After chatting to several hardware companies, most seemed convinced WiMAX will never be adopted across the majority of Europe. Most cited the “closed networks” of strong local telecos that are too invested in DSL, Fiber and GSM to change, and that developing countries offered more opportunity for them.
Unfortunately it looks like real competition is not an option for European customers, who will continue to pay over the odds for mobile data.
***No more visits from the gas man***
It’s the end of erotic fantasies everywhere as bored housewives will soon no longer open the door to gasmen to “read the meter”. WiMAX will soon enable utility companies to remotely check your meter usage in an instant, at any time day or night.
Tatung InfoComm, a subsidiary of Tatung Group displayed its prototype “Energy Management Revolution” device allowing remote control and reading of services by the utility company, as well as the option for home meter viewing on any PC; so no more digging around in the basement or under the stairs.
***Samsung encourages bad habits***
It seems that any conference is an excuse to plug 3D these days, and Samsung was no exception at at WiMAX Forum Congress Asia 2010.
After being jumped on by an excitable Korean lass with 3D glasses (unfortunately, only figuratively speaking), I donned the shadey shades and started watching the flashy trailer. “Oh, it’s much better if you go closer” she exclaimed with a handy shove to the back.
Ending up not two feet from a 42” image, I wondered how Samsung would convince parents this is a good idea after years of nagging kids not to sit so close to the telly.
–
Matt Black is a freelance contributor to RCR Unplugged, residing in Taipei, Taiwan.
