Filed under: Hardware, Macbook Pro
Engadget Mobile takes Verizon's V640 ExpressCard EV-DO adapter for a spin
Ryan Block takes copious pictures and tests the speed of the newish Verizon V640 ExpressCard EV-DO adapter over at Engadget Mobile (setup involved putting the card in and hitting 'OK'). If you haven't tried EV-DO, then you don't know what you're missing. It is basically wireless broadband (that is a horrible oversimplification, but do you expect anything less from me?) and if you live in an area with coverage it means you can be untethered and connected all at the same time. It is sweet, and a blogger's best friend.
Thanks, Josh.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Rick said 3:26PM on 8-24-2006
That title isn't grammatically correct. Remove the "a" and you'll be ok.
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Carl Trimble said 3:27PM on 8-24-2006
Yes, but is it scaleable? LOL
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Rich said 3:32PM on 8-24-2006
Actually, remove the blogger and this blog will be ok when it comes to grammar.
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Daniel D said 4:09PM on 8-24-2006
Scott are you going to take that from him? Give him a -1 Star to show him who is boss around here and undermine his credibility at the same time.
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Scott McNulty said 4:13PM on 8-24-2006
Daniel, I reward helpful comments (like Rick's), but I don't penalize.. umm 'less' helpful comments like Rich's.
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Rich said 4:31PM on 8-24-2006
Just tellin' it like it is...
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Dr.Wasabi said 4:40PM on 8-24-2006
Thanks for the post, but in my opinion there's more cooking in the background. ExpressCard is one of the biggest failures in Apple history.
After more than 6 months how many hardware companies have migrated their PCMCIA products or introduced a new ones complying the new format? Let's do a list and take our conclusions.
Key companies in the world such as Vodafone had to say goodbye to their (very good) solutions in high-speed mobile Internet and create a new and absurd external solution based on USB format (a safe bet for anyone/any country) but not so mobile as we used to taste with our iBooks.
I have a MacBook Pro. And I can't deny that this laptop was a huge step forward. But after 6 months I'm still wondering what the hell is that small bay for?
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Dr.Wasabi said 4:42PM on 8-24-2006
Sorry guys for the long post. It was way too long...
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tsecam013 said 4:51PM on 8-24-2006
wow, companies actually make ExpressCard products?
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Tony said 5:29PM on 8-24-2006
Yes, companies actually make ExpressCard products. You can get EC media readers (5-in-1, 4-in-1, etc.), EC SATA II cards, and more.
Unless Apple begins putting an external SATA port on the MacBook/Pro, ExpressCard is the only way you're going to get it...
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Robby C. said 6:18PM on 8-24-2006
do you have to be a Verizon customer to use this?
Or can u just buy it, and ur ready for wireless internet?
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Jason Bush said 6:49PM on 8-24-2006
The express cards sit way to loose in the slot. I had the firmtek sata expres card and any slight movement and the card disconnected. The are not held in place very well. I'll pass on express cards until there is a way to secure them in the slot better.
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Joe said 7:41PM on 8-24-2006
ouch. the only data plan (near me) is $80/month for unlimited, minimum 1 year contract.
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Dr.Wasabi said 11:30PM on 8-24-2006
ExpressCard... what a clown! Any of you smart guys can show me any ExpressCard Apple product based?
Cause as far as I know, Apple was the only responsible of introducing this stupid technology, so I guess it is fair to ask them for any product related: nothing.
You, like me, we paid for that bay/technology and what for? Was an Apple lame movement for gaining more space in their laptops. Next step?? We will see next January MacBook Pros thinner and lighter. Of course without this unusefull bay.
PD.- Signed by a MBP very happy owner
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Destro said 9:50AM on 8-25-2006
Dr. Wasabi, please get a clue before you speak. ExpressCard is an INDUSTRY STANDARD that Apple just happend to be first (as far as I know) to implement. Other companies are using it in their laptops too, and if you spent half as much time searching for EC products as you do complaining about them, you'd find plenty.
So, please stop asking other folks to do your work for you and find them yourself. Google is your friend.
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Leonard Nimrod said 11:15AM on 8-25-2006
Dear Dr. Wasabi,
I apologize for the poop comment, that was way out of line and uncalled for.
Sincerely,
Leonard Nimrod
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Josh B. said 11:52AM on 8-25-2006
It's kind of funny to watch people complain about something that they've done no research about. Yes, there aren't as many ExpressCard options out right now as PC Card (PCMCIA). It's a somewhat new technology and has been adopted by several of the other industry leaders including Apple. I wonder if these people that complain are the same ones that complained when Apple introduced FireWire. These days there aren't too many devices that use FireWire 800. The only one that I can think of that I use is a medium format digital back for shooting tethered photography. Am I irritated that the FW800 port takes up space and there's not many devices available for it? No, because I know that as the industry picks up speed, more and more peripherals will come with available FW800 options.
The future is now.
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skipandmadge said 12:32PM on 8-25-2006
ExpressCard wasn't implemented first by Apple. Several HP, Fujitsu, and LG laptops included and /54 width slots about a year ago.
Many of these manufacturers have also hedged by including BOTH ExpressCard and PCCard slots, but more and more area appearing with only ExpressCard slots. Many new Dell laptops are ExpressCard only, but unfortunately everyone except Apple and Sony are confusing customers by including the /54 width slot.
From the outside a /54 width ExpressCard slot looks the same as a PC Card slot. I can't wait till people shove ExpressCard/34s in a PC Card slot and bend all the PC Card connector pins. (Please note, /34 cards fit in a /54 slot, and *most* ExpressCards are being designed as /34).
Now, as for *why* all these manufactures are going to *fail* by moving to ExpressCard? Well, they're not. There are three major reasons for moving to ExpressCard and away from PCCard.
1) Cost: Adding a PC Card slot to a laptop design requires adding a dedicated PCCard Host Adapter (a PCI bridge). This is an extra component that is no longer necessary with ExpressCard.
2) USB: Each ExpressCard slot supports 1 USB connection. Every laptop has USB on-board so no extra silicon is required to support the ExpressCard USB connection.
3) PCI-Express: Each ExpressCard slot supports 1 PCI-E lane. Again, most laptop chipsets have moved away from the legacy PCI interconnect and to PCIExpress. No extra silicon is required to support the ExpressCard PCI-E connection. This single PCI-Express connection supports a far greater throughput than the best CardBus connection ever could.
So by moving away from PCCard and to ExpressCard, all laptop manufacturers are reducing their cost and complexity while simultaneously providing a higher-datarate expansion port.
Give it a year and CardBus slots (and cards) will be considered archaic.
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doug said 1:04PM on 8-25-2006
if you have a motorola E815 you can use it for wireless bluetooth modem for EVDO. I use mine with a Powerbook G4 and it works great without having to spend for dedicated plan with Verizon or getting a card. I think you do have to have the Vcast or internet package that allows you to do the web over the phone and have a phone where the firmware has not been updated to disable this feature. This is not supported by Verizon, of course, but it does work and work well.
This is where I learned how to do it:
http://www.jasongilstrap.com/2005/11/motorola-e815.html
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Leonard Nimrod said 4:30PM on 8-25-2006
Dr. Wasabi,
If you look at any OEMs higher-end notebook you'll see an ExpressCard bay. This is usually in the 54mm variety, not Apple 34mm. If there was one compalint you should have it would be for opting for the smaller width bay.
Apple didn't invent EC, but they are (once again) the ones who saw the need for better technology and decided to make a change. utilized and who got the other OEMs to jump on board.
You should read up on USB. If not for Apple's decison to add USB to it's machines your PC would still be using parallel and serial cables to connect to periphels. Also, if Apple hadn't decided to not include floppy drives in thier machines I bet those would still the norm among all OEMs. Whether you belieive that Apple sees the future of computing or mold the future of computing, either way you must admit that you smell like poop.
And the MacBook Pro has only been out for 6 months and there are already a large number of cards ranging from the one in this article to SATA II to dual Firewire 800. Seriously a good move for Apple and the industry all around. Try getting that kind of speed from PCMCIA! If history is any guide then even low end notebooks will have this funcitonality within two years and by Christmas there will twice as many cards as their are today.
What type card are you pining after, Dr. Wasabi? I have an in with Jesus, I'll see what I can do.
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