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Merlin posts

Rogers slated to get Novatel X950D and MC950D data cards

by Sean Cooper posted Mar 20th 2008 @ 7:46PM

Rogers seems set to sponge as much cake as they can out of your overtaxed mobile pockets with the announcement of two new HSPA data devices, the Novatel X950D and MC950D. We've seen the USB-friendly MC950D pop up before, but as a refresh: it rocks 7.2 Mbps triple-band HSPA, supports most popular OSes, quad-band GPRS / EDGE, and may well still be the world's smallest HSPA USB modem. The X950D, however, will be making its worldwide debut on the friendly Canadian provider's network, and we're sure a goodly pile of Canadians will be whooping it up at this news. Sporting triple-band HSPA, Mac and Windows-friendly, quad-band GPRS / EDGE, Novatel's newest express port product also features backwards compatibility with a handy PCMCIA adapter. Pricing on both is apparently the same: $49.99 on a three-year contract. Of course, with data rates what they are, that $50 is definitely gonna get you in a whole heap of trouble if you don't mind your bits.

Merlin XU870 meet Verizon; Verizon, Merlin XU870

by Michael Caputo posted Apr 10th 2007 @ 4:14PM

There's no doubt that The Network gives its customers plenty of options, especially when it comes to traveling across the pond -- and the latest addition to its ExpressCard lineup is no exception. Enter the Merlin XU870, which rocks triband 850 / 1900 / 2100MHz HSDPA and quadband EDGE and GPRS support. Yes, that's right, this is a GSM piece meant exclusively for Verizon's global roamers. The XU870 is expected to support Windows, Apple, and Linux operating systems and is expected to cost $370 with no contract, $299 with a one year contract and $249 on a two year ~~indentured~~ service contract on Verizon's GlobalAccess plans. You should be able to buy this around April 12.

[Thanks, HTC Kid]

Novatel's Merlin EX720 ExpressCard hits Sprint shelves

by Chris Ziegler posted Feb 22nd 2007 @ 8:08AM

The world just became a little less of a cold, dead, meaningless (or at least data-less) wasteland for Sprint customers rocking ExpressCard slots (of either the /34 or /54 variety) thanks to the official release of Novatel's Merlin EX720 modem on Sprint's website. Riding atop Sprint's glorious EV-DO Rev. A airwaves, the EX720 should deliver up to 1.4Mbps down and 500kbps up to virtually any ExpressCard-equipped device that needs it (MacBook Pros included), provided that the requisite $179.99 (after contract and rebates) has been forwarded to the appropriate bean counters over at your network. We can almost picture Cingular and T-Mobile folks seething -- for what it's worth, we feel your pain -- but hey, Sprintheads, go get your WWAN on.

Novatel gets their XU870 HSDPA ExpressCard out the door

by Paul Miller posted Oct 11th 2006 @ 4:19PM

They laughed when you bought that fancy new laptop with an ExpressCard slot, they scoffed when you "gave into the man" and signed up for Cingular, and they've been waving that PCMCIA EV-DO card of theirs in your face for what seems like an eternity now, but your vindication is finally nigh! Novatel just announced that their Merlin XU870 HSDPA ExpressCard, the first of its kind, is now shipping. The card can manage HSDPA, UMTS, EDGE and GPRS, both here and abroad, and while it currently tops off at 3.6Mbps, a forthcoming software update will bump that to 7.2Mbps once the carriers are ready. Apparently this thing has already started to ship to leading carriers in Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal and New Zealand, and while we're not exactly sure when you'll be able to grab this thing off the shelf of your neighborhood electronics shop in the States, the XU870 is official, legit, "shipping," and all that good stuff, so we're going have a party all the same. Who's bringing the chips?

[Via laptoping]

Novatel's XU870 HSDPA ExpressCard

by Ryan Block posted Jun 23rd 2006 @ 4:29AM

It's not exactly a mystery as to which US carrier would be interested in picking up an HSDPA ExpressCard, but now that we're finally starting to see these 3G devices announced (by Novatel, anyway), our appetites are whetted and we're sitting on our hands awaiting carrier announcements. Novatel's Merlin XU870, when snagged by Cingular (or T-Mobile Europe, or Vodafone, etc.) will serve as your basic tri-band HSDPA / UMTS / EDGE / GPRS device capable of 3.6mbps speeds out of the box, and future upgradeable to 7.2mbps (via software update as new HSDPA revisions roll out). In other words, please get us a few of these immediately, thanks.

Novatel's EV-DO Merlin XV620 ExpressCard gets PCMCIA approval

by Donald Melanson posted Jun 19th 2006 @ 10:59PM

Novatel's announced that their EV-DO-rocking Merlin XV620 Wireless ExpressCard has gotten approved by the PCMCIA trade association, making it the first EV-DO ExpressCard on the market -- albeit a bit later than the rumored May launch. Still, the news should please users with a laptop that has an ExpressCard/34 slot but no built-in 3G support, who can now take advantage of the speedy, although somewhat pricey EV-DO network, getting data speeds up to 2.4 Mbps. Now, one of the biggest markets for the card would seem to be MacBook Pro users, but according to Novatel's website the XV620 only supports Windows XP and 2000. Which means Mac users will either have to forego their precious OS for the unfamiliar waters of Windows via Boot Camp or wait who knows how long for Novatel to release some native Mac drivers.