Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, Wireless, Video, Airport, Macbook Pro
Apple sneaks draft 802.11n card into MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo
The Core 2 Duo MacBook Pros are hitting the streets and MacRumors is reporting that the wireless card is identified as a D-Link RangeBooster N 650 which is described as "Up to 650% Faster & 5X Farther than 802.11g".Since another "draft 802.11n" card was found in the Core 2 Duo iMacs , there is added speculation on the rumor sites that the upcoming iTV product will also support the unfinished 802.11n protocol, granting us faster speeds and greater range than the current 802.11g standard. Let's hope!
if you haven't gotten your paws on one yet, here are some unboxing pics to salivate over and some initial hands-on reports in the MacRumors forums.
Thanks, Trevor!
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
P Diddy said 11:24AM on 10-26-2006
im slightly confused. the specs listed on apple's website regarding the wireless card lists the devices as 802.11g... why wouldn't they list the actual devices???
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dan said 11:46AM on 10-26-2006
This makes sense with the iTV device around the corner. Even if the ratified "N" specs differ from the cards in the new iMacs and MacBooks, Apple can support these cards with the iTV. Which would increase the marketbase for the device to include anyone who bought one of these products, instead of just computers with the finished N spec.
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totoro said 12:04PM on 10-26-2006
@P Diddy,
802.11n isn't officially ratified. If Apple advertises right now they provide "n" compatibility, and something changes down the road (that incredibly long road in this case), they would be on the hook for fixing it. This way, they can say "we only guaranteed "g" compatibility. Of course, given how slow the ratification process has been going, they may just bite the bullet and advertise "n" as well at some point-but right now they aren't in a hurry (they don't have an "n" compatible apple branded router anyways yet, so..)
I'm just a bit concerned now about iTV-if it requires "n", the new iMacs and new MBPs will be compatible right out of the box, (and I assume the next-gen MacBook will have the "n" card as well) but what about the rest of us? Will Apple also ship USB 2.0 "n" adapters at launch? Or try to get us to upgrade our whole machines?
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Brian said 12:11PM on 10-26-2006
I'm really hoping that they update the Airport routers soon with technology like this.
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Aron T said 2:12PM on 10-26-2006
Let me just say i'll be pee-issed if the iTV requires N support. They announced the iTV well-before I bought my core duo mbp and I would have waited however long necessary without question if I had known.
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paul said 4:55PM on 10-26-2006
So just to confirm...this card will not be able to take advantage of it's "N" capabillities until Apple sends a firmware upgrade, correct? Or if I buy a RangeBooster N 650 Router (DIR-635) now, it will only get "G" specs, right?
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Nick Pulido said 5:22PM on 10-26-2006
Check this article out...AirFi anybody?
http://macnewsonline.com/wp/2006/10/23/apples-wireless-future/
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dfitz said 12:48AM on 10-31-2006
So if the N spec changes between now and 2008, are the MacBook's wireless cards upgradable?
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