Macs with 3G: More connectivity, more problems
So, earlier this week, when I was showing my age by ranting about how tablet business will never catch on, I made what I do think was a relevant point: a supposedly 3G-enabled tablet would add one more telecom charge to family budgets, which, in the target market, might already be stressed by a hefty AT&T iPhone bill. The same thought occurred to me when I heard the rumors, based on Apple job postings, that 3G radio receivers might find their way into future Mac notebooks. The possibility was strengthened based on mention of WWAN hardware in Snow Leopard beta releases.
At first glance, this seems like a reasonably awesome idea. No more looking for free Wi-Fi networks! Connectivity from the beach! In fact, such a chip might allow us to jettison wired connectivity altogether. When my wife and I got iPhones last year, we got rid of our landline phone service, but kept the DSL; if we had shiny new laptops with 3G chips in them, we could go completely wireless, right?
But The devil, as it always is, is in the details. Most of us have gotten kind of accustomed to the idea of more or less unlimited Internet connectivity for a flat fee. And, more to the point, most of us have gotten accustomed to the idea of one Internet connection per household, shared with a wireless router. The latter idea could be covered by a router that connects to the Internet over a 3G connection -- something like the MiFi hotspot. It wouldn't surprise me if Apple had such a thing in the pipeline, an Airport station (Airport Mobility?) that didn't need to be plugged into the wall. That would explain the search for 3G experts, anyway.
Ultimately, I do think that our computers will be connecting to some kind of pervasive wireless network. The question will be how we'll pay for it. The last few years, which have featured debates about net neutrality for wired and wireless carriers and escalating wireless fees, have shown that telecom companies are very keen to get as much out of us as they can. But there's only so much that people are willing to pay for. Unless there's some reasonably way for someone to pay for the pervasive Internet all at once for all their devices, I'm not sure it will catch on.
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MiFi but better...
Not as sheik but more secure, more options, more people allowed to access, etc, etc,:http://www.cradlepoint.com/category-lists/mobile-users
Really, i don't think so.I
Really, i don't think so.I think if the function is more powerful, the problem as a bug is very common.I support apple, because i love the apps of it very much, although sometimes i need to use a tod a dv to convert video files or somethings like this,i don't care.3G is as well as Wifi, not isntead of.
That you say things like "a supposedly 3G-enabled tablet would add one more telecom charge to family budgets, " and "And, more to the point, most of us have gotten accustomed to the idea of one Internet connection per household, shared with a wireless router." you seem to be making the bizarre assumption that 3G connectivity would be implemented as a replacement for wi-fi. This would clearly be insane and as such I can't imagine Apple doing that. Not this decade anyway,Adding 3G capability isn't a big deal you seem to be trying to make it out to be and nor does it have any of the issues you are suggesting. Other companies have been putting 3G capability in their machines for a while. Go look at Asus netbooks for example. Some of them have 3G ability. They also have wi-fi.