Elan USB Connectors for AirCards & Other Options

Adrianna Amaral, DJ Carter, Mike Kinman and I have been searching for a work around for the new PC slots. These are slimmer and called ExpressCard. All of the new Dell computers seem to have these. Assorted other models within a manufacturer's range also seem to have them. The new MacBook Pro also uses Express Cards. I have taken customers to Circuit City to check the PC slots. I found a mix within the same brand. Sadly, you can't discover this most of the time on the Specs of the box or sheets. It just isn't listed. The only way to tell for sure is to pop out the dummy card. If it looks like it has a step in it, then it's the new slot. If it is pretty much rectangular, then you are good to go with our AirCards.

If you haven't come across this problem, you probably don't sell very many AirCards. For those stores busy with AirCard sales, this has been an irritating cause for lost sales or returned AirCards.

At one point I had found a USB connector that created a PCMCIA slot for an AirCard. I ordered it for a customer and it cost about $50 with $10 shipping. Sadly, all the bookmarks at the store were "redone" and now that information is lost, unless I can sleuth it out again.

Until then, Elan makes two such USB connectors. The U111 (works with both the Sierra Cingular card and the Sprint Merlin we sell as well as older models). You can click this link to buy it for $130 (until I can source a less expensive alternative). http://www.teampctechnology.com/product_detail.php?id=511

The touted U132 doesn't seem to be for sale anywhere yet, although all the releases state it is already out. The estimate for the cost on the U132 is $150-200, although I am not clear on what the difference is. As near as I can tell, it is more of a style difference. The lines seem a little more sleek on the U132. On the site above, however, the company uses the photo for the new adapter, not the previous one.

Elans site for sourcing where to buy their products is here http://www.elandigitalsystems.com/buyourproducts.php


STOMPBOX - A geek with too much time, or a lot of volition created his own solution to this problem AND his creation let's you create a wireless hotspot with an EVDO connection. Conceivably, this would also work with the Sierra Card. Looks easy enough to make (ahem), a little awkward in design for in a truck, but interest enough to mention. Dubbed the StompBox, you should check it out at http://mobilitytoday.com/news.php?n=004735&p=evdo_stomp_box

CDMA EVDO USB Modem - Compact and cool. Has a SIM slot, but why is it there for a CDMA piece of equipment? No one is sure. This is still in developement, but looks very SWEET. Still to be released by Falcom as the SAMBA 3G.

A cheaper Junxion Box: Kyocera KR1 Portable Router. This gets you the same PCMCIA slot and then distributes your EVDO signal like wifi. At $299, it saves $300+ over the Junxion Box. The Kyocera EVDO router has four 10/100 ports and one slot for an EVDO PC card. It supports up to 2.4 Mbps download, which pretty much as fast as you can go right now.

Users can use the 802.11b/g connection or plug their computers directly into the ethernet ports. All the standard router features are there, firewall, DHCP, NAT and access control.