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WiMAX continues push into new devices
Handhelds, embedded notebooks and built-in vehicle information systems put consumers in touch with their surroundings.
As regional mobile broadband
networks emerge using WiMAX and pre-4G technologies, new applications emerge
while remaining connected to Internet services anytime and anywhere. A promising
new application that continues to gain traction is vehicle and personal
navigation. The latest addition to this trend came from Mercury of Korea. The
company announced the immediate availability of its EyeStar Navigation MD5000
vehicle navigation device operating on the WiBro service for the South Korean
market.
Mercury touts the use of mobile broadband technology to deliver speeds faster
than HSPA, even while moving at speeds up to 120 km/hour. The system is an
on-board computer equipped with a Monahan 624 MHz processor, LG's DMB (mobile
TV) chipset and a separate PIP chipset. Mapping is accomplished through the
Mappy United software. It also provides a trip display dedicated to specific car
models, including Kia Opirus (known as Amanti in North America), Renault Samsung
Motors SM5/7, GM Daewoo Winstorm and Tosca, and more.
In addition to the convenience features offered for passengers, the system
operates as a black box allowing it to view and record video in case of an
accident. A camera captures footage 12 seconds before an accident and 6 seconds
afterwards. Other features include an FM radio tuner and an AV-Out connection
for rear camera and DVD player options.
The Mercury MD5000 is available for KRW1,000,000 (about US$990).
Consumers have multiple options for identifying the ideal mobile broadband
navigation solution:
- Embedded Wi-Fi + GPS support
o Solution connects wirelessly to the wireless infrastructure of the transport type (car, bus, or train - for example)
o Apple's 3G iPhone is an example of this product class - Built-in to vehicle dash or
rear-seat console
o A wired connection is made to a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) router, which could be WiMAX or a 3G+ connection.
o The computing system is built-in to the vehicle dashboard or in a rear-seat console, such as the Mercury MD5000 WiBro navigation device - Embedded WiMAX support
o An always-on WAN connection built into a portable device supports use in vehicles or pedestrian applications
o This new category of Personal Navigation Devices (PND) is catching on for the mobile workforce and metropolitan commuters. - Upgraded to WiMAX
o WiMAX is added via an expansion slot (PCMCIA/CardBus/ExpressCard), internal module (mini-PCI), or interface port (USB)
o This after-market option will be popular for notebook PCs, sub-notebooks and early UMPCs
By Jeff Orr
ORR Technology, LLC
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