Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Rogers has just announced the addition of two new high speed data modems, the Novatel X950D and the MC950D. Both modems are tri-band HSPA and Quad-Band EDGE/GPRS and according to Novatel are made to offer “maximum performance and durability.” The X950D is an ExpressCard modem and the MC950D is a USB modem.

While Rogers has announced the modems they are not yet available, the X950D and the MC950D are both set to be released later this summer, both will retail for $49.99 with a three-year agreement.

Read [Novatel Wireless] Via [EngadgetMobile]

Sony Ericsson has announced the EC400 and EC400g ExpressCards. The EC400 and EC400g both have support for HSDPA and HSUPA with speeds up to 7.2 Mbps down and 2.0 Mpbs up. Overall pretty standard features except for the EC400g which also has an integrated GPS receiver.

Expect the EC400 and EC400g to be available around the middle of the year.

Read [Sony Ericsson]

Cards for your digital still camera… cards for your digital camcorder… flash memory cards for file portability.... With the plethora of memory card formats in use today, you need a card reader that’s not only fast and portable, but versatile as well.

Griffin’s 5-in-1 works with the ExpressCard/34 or /54 slot found in Apple’s MacBook Pro and many recent Windows laptops. It’s the fastest way to transfer data from your memory cards, comparable to or better than USB 2.0 High-Speed (up to 480 Mbps). Contrast this with the 12 Mbps you get from USB 1.0 card readers, and even slower rates when transferring directly from the camera.

Griffin’s new ExpressCard/34 5-in-1 card reader handles the whole spectrum of modern memory card formats, directly supporting:

• Memory Stick and Memory Stick PRO


• SD Memory Card


• MultiMediaCard


• xD-Picture Card

...and with your card adapter, the 5-in-1 also supports:

• Memory Stick Duo


• Memory Stick Micro


• miniSD


• microSD


• RS-MMC


• MMCplus


• MMCmobile

Griffin’s 5-in-1 works with both Mac OS and Windows XP right out of the box for $29.99.

Read [Griffin] Via [MacWorld]

Belkin is at the head of its game with their new Notebook Expansion dock, the first available in the consumer market. Media centric consumers, this dock is definitely for you. As most gadgets on the market, it’s attractive, silver and compact so, I won’t concentrate on its design. You’ll have to sacrifice your notebook’s ExpressCard port, but in return the dock will quadruple your available bandwidth allowing you to run high quality DVDs without compromising other USB 2.0 devices. The dock connects at 2.0 Gbps, enabling it to provide “unparalleled graphics quality and flawless video reproduction at a superior 1600x1200 resolution in 32-bit color.” A first look at the price, $199, may be daunting when compared to other USB 2.0 devices however, the one unit can be used for multiple laptops and a 2 Gbps transfer speed—need we say more.

Check out another pic after the jump.

Read [Belkin]

Verizon launched the long overdue EVDO ExpressCard the other day, but what about your desktop?  I’m not really sure why you would have the need for things such as EVDO on your desktop but who am I to judge?  Other things that are more likely to use that shiney new ExpressCard slot are SATA, TV tuners, and maybe even a coffee maker.  The card, manufactured by Kuroutoshikou, uses your existing PCIe slot and converts it for ExpressCard use.  It even comes with an added bonus of a USB 2.0 port...just because they wanted to see you smile.  The device will be available in Japan later in the month and will run you around $40 if you can find it on the web.

Via [Engadget]

So you’ve had your MacBook Pro for months now, and have been waiting for Verizon to release an EVDO ExpressCard for that useless slot you have.  It’s time baby!  Verizon has officially started shipping the Novatel WIreless V640 ExpressCard/34 if you order online, and will be in stores August 24.  The card connects to Verizon’s high-speed data network, and retails for $179.99 with a two year contract, $229.99 with a one year.  Now you can make that long, boring train ride a little more action packed.  Head over to VerizonWireless.com and swoop up an EVDO ExpressCard.

Via [MobileTracker]
Read [Verizon]

The Apple MacBook has been out for a few weeks now and we have had a couple of interactions with it. Not enough to writeup a full review but we logged enough Apple Store hours to offer our impression.

The new MacBook is a 13-inch laptop that replaces both the iBook and the 12-inch PowerBook G4. The MacBook box is a slightly smaller version of the thin MacBook Pro box. It comes with the Apple Remote and MagSafe power adaptor. It comes in both standard Apple White and a new Black. We preferred the look of the white in addition to the fact that the black model is extremely overpriced.

Compared to a 15-inch MacBook Pro, the MacBook seems quite small. The MacBook is slightly thicker but weighs 5.2 pounds, compared to the MacBook Pro’s 5.6 pounds. Unfortunately the MacBook is clearly bigger than its predecessor the PowerBook. Not only wider which we expect from the widescreen display, but thicker and heavier too. If you’re an iBook G4 user, you’ll find the MacBook slightly smaller, but slightly heavier.

The 13-inch widescreen display with a native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels is glossy, which we liked, like Sony and Toshiba units.
Another major change for Apple is the brand new keyboard on the unit. It looks very different (keys are very spaced out) but it seemed to feel natural to type on. The MacBook also does not have a latch to close the unit but rather uses a magnet (which we find unnecessary since a hinge like my Sony VAIO S series works just fine). With two fingers on the mouse pad your click becomes a Ctrl-click/right-click.

Above the screen in the built-in iSight camera, has Front Row software, comes with the remote, has built in wireless and Bluetooth, all like the MacBook Pro. The MacBook’s also got built-in audio input and output, in both digital and analog forms, and support for external displays up to 1920 x 1200 resolution. The MacBook seems to be missing a PC card or ExpressCard expansion slot, a back-lit keyboard, lack of dual-link DVI support, and could have better video card.

Although the MacBook is Apple’s lowest-priced laptop, it’s about as far from a “low-end” model as you could get. Although you can no longer buy a new Mac laptop for under $1,000, the cheapest MacBook (a $1,099 model) features a dual-core 1.83 GHz processor: even the lowest-priced MacBook is a remarkably powerful system. A maxed-out MacBook will cost you $2,049 ($2,199 if you want it in black!), with a dual-core 2GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, a 120GB serial ATA drive, and a SuperDrive.

Overall - We have not spent enough time with the laptop to offer a true rating but we doubt you will go wrong with Apple’s new, very powerful, 13” widescreen laptop.

Novatel’s X620 EV-DO ExpressCard arrived at PC Labs. Novatel’s card is important because a growing number of notebooks from Apple, Dell, Lenovo, HP and others only have ExpressCard slots, and up until now, high-speed cellular has only come on phones and PC Cards. Novatel is building the card for both Sprint’s and Verizon’s networks.

The card doesn’t come with any Mac drivers, but I got it running just fine in Windows XP on our MacBook Pro using Boot Camp, and on an HP Pavilion dv5000. Novatel told me previously that the Mac drivers will come as part of an online update from Apple, once the card is released. So far, the card works just like a PC Card. Load the new version of VZAccess Manager that comes with the card, pop it in, and it works. I was zipping along at 700 kbps in minutes.

Read [Gearlog]