Globetrotter -- Engadget Mobile

globetrotter posts

FCC filing foretells ExpressCard data modem for T-Mobile subs?

by Chris Ziegler posted May 27th 2009 @ 12:27PM

It's great that T-Mobile's actively selling its 3G data network -- which still has that new-network smell, may we add -- to laptop users, but it won't be maximally useful until they've got both USB and ExpressCard options on the shelf. They've got the USB bit out of the way -- so turning our attention to the ExpressCard side, it seem that Option's GlobeTrotter Express 442 might be in the works (the 441 is pictured here, but the 442 is identical in appearance). This versatile piece covers fully four different WCDMA bands with up to 7.2Mbps HSDPA on the downlink and 5.76Mbps on the up, making it very, very useful no matter what country you might take the card to (of course, roaming charges are another matter altogether). No word on whether T-Mobile is actually planning on stocking the 442, but we're encouraged to see it pass the FCC's testing with AWS on board, so we'd venture to say it's a strong possibility.

[Via Cell Phone Signal]

Vodafone, Option kick off HSUPA offering in Germany

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 9th 2007 @ 9:22PM

Some of us are still clamoring for mere 1.8Mbps HSDPA -- complete with a pedestrian 384kbps on the upstream side -- to go live in our neck of the woods, but that's not stopping Vodafone from rolling deep (way deep) in Germany. Voda has gone live in Bavaria with an Option GlobeTrotter Express HSUPA card, "customized to the exacting requirements of the operator" and offered at retail as the "Mobile Connect Card Express UMTS Broadband." The ExpressCard/34 offers a Cardbus adapter in box, firmware upgradeability, download speeds as high as 7.2Mbps, and a staggering (albeit theoretical) 1.45Mbps upstream. Mobile web server, anyone?

[Via Slashphone]

Option GlobeTrotter Express 7.2 gets FCC love

by Chris Ziegler posted Jan 26th 2007 @ 11:17AM

If AT&T plans to roll deep with 7.2Mbps HSDPA this year, we reckon they need some equipment on store shelves, so FCC approval of Option's GlobeTrotter Express 7.2 certainly bodes well. Besides tri-band UMTS / HSDPA and quadband GPRS / EDGE, the card features a nifty zero-CD installation feature that copies drivers directly from the card itself. No word on release -- or whether AT&T will even carry it, for that matter -- but we're guessing we can find a few MacBook Pro users out there who are about ready to raid the FCC's offices and swipe this thing today.

Cingular adds Globetrotter GT MAX to 3.6Mbps stable

by Chris Ziegler posted Dec 20th 2006 @ 3:50PM

If the promise of 3.6Mbps downstream data (eventually, anyway) on the wings of Cingular's HSDPA network gets you out of bed every morning, but the AirCard 875's bulbous antenna is enough to make you want to cry, just feast your eyes on this little number. Option's Globetrotter GT MAX is the latest (and only second) data card to hit Cingular with support for the higher HSDPA data rate, while still preserving a veritable who's who of backward compatibility (GPRS, EDGE, and plain ol' UMTS) on four GSM and three WCDMA bands. Unlike the aforementioned AirCard from Sierra Wireless, the Globetrotter has a nifty little retractable antenna that'll likely be a hit with road warriors weary of removing modems from their slots when trying to pack the PC away. Look for the Globetrotter GT MAX to be available today from Cingular for a nice, round $49.99 after rebate on a two year agreement.

[Via PHONE Magazine]