Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

errrr.. Gizmodo!

Discuss:

http://gizmodo.com/375981/is-wimax-a...an-open-letter

Dear Sprint and Intel,
I'm sorry to hear about your recent WiMax delays and struggles, I really am. The Xohm service was originally scheduled to launch this month, but all you've given us are a few prototypes and half-baked demos in controlled environments—the public has yet to see the technology truly in action. WiMax in general and Xohm in particular have the potential for greatness, but you guys seem to have lost your way. Here are all the signs that WiMax may be washed up:

• When the rollout is already slower than people initially hoped, the aforementioned delays are never good.

• Aside from the Nokia N810, Asus Eee PC and Everex Cloudbook, Xohm lacks any mainstream WiMax-compliant devices, and we were hoping CTIA 2008 would be a good time to hear about them. An infrastructure is only as good as its end-user products (and vice-versa).

• Speaking of that, where are Intel's WiMax-compatible chips? What about the 20% of 2008 devices scheduled to have WiMax? What about the Montevina chipsets allegedly eagerly awaited by Lenovo, Acer, Asus, Panasonic and Toshiba? WiMax needs some love from its $2 billion champion.

• Xohm partners we spoke to were under the impression that a full Xohm demo would be set up for CTIA. However, Wired's Joe Brown attended Nokia's press conference and noted the N810 WiMax Edition Tablet was demoed over Wi-Fi. What's up with that?

• Similarly, while previewing the N810's HAVA Player at Nokia's booth, the Hava rep told me he was using Wi-Fi for demos because the Xohm booth just across the hall didn't have a strong enough WiMax signal. What ever happened to 10Mbps at 10 kilometers?

• The WiMax demos that did work seemed promising, but the people running the booth operated with a healthy amount of paranoia. We weren't allowed to get too hands-on and they tried to kill our photos, suggesting perhaps things weren't as fully functional as they seemed.

• An early WiMax service rolled out in Australia last month suffered an EPIC FAIL, quickly closed up shop and prompted the CEO to say "WiMax may not work." Could Xohm be suffering from similar problems?

• WiMax's direct 4G competition, LTE, chosen by America's two biggest and most powerful wireless carriers, already seems to be gaining steam, not to mention showing well in recent demos.

So guys, anything we can do to help? I want the future of technology to actually make it to the future. Lord knows I'd feel better knowing I could play World of Warcraft lag-free while sitting in the middle of the Mojave Desert, not that I own WoW or plan to visit the Mojave Desert, but you never know. Seriously, just give me my damn WiMax already!!

Signed,
Adrian Covert

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

ugh, makes me think of engadget and foleo...

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Yeah, but hopefully Sprint and intel won't fold like palm did. what wussies!!!

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Meanwhile, at the other side of the pond:

http://www.enforta.com/geography.html
http://synterra.ru/services//wimax1/
http://www.maxiphon.ru/wimax/

All these will provide you with WiMax access right now using current equipment, at modest prices. They are all operating in Russia though :)

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Yeah, apart from the three hottest devices anyone's thinking of running over WiMAX, there's nothing. (Oh, wait, I forgot the WiMAX iPhone with hour-and-30 battery life; that's what we're missing?)
OTOH, at least they're not calling for ditching it...

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

The biggest cities in my country are covered with WiMAX. The prices start at $30 per month and the service is very good received from the public.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Not an official Nokia answer, but for those of you interested in the details (since I was there)......

The press conference was held outdoors, away from the main halls, and included a crane that took the press people about 180 ft straight up. That makes it a little hard to get proper WiMAX coverage in the area.

The RF interference in that hall was *insane*. Think about all the different cellular base stations and the hundreds of WiFi access points competing for essentially the same RF spectrum and you'll understand why this was so hard. I wasn't there when Adrian spoke to the Hava guy, but clearly there was some miscommunication -- the issue was RF interference not, signal strength from a booth that was 40 yards away.

On an unrelated note, in the Xohm booth itself, once they sorted out the immediate interference issues, the N810s ran beautifully on the WiMAX network.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

1890s mindset: since there are no superhighways yet, let's not build any cars.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

What is your country, Bundyo? It's not like we should all automatically know that, is it?

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Yeah, sorry. Bulgaria.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Hehe, I thought you were Russian. I guess the Cyrillic letters threw me off ;) :)

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

The cyrillic alphabet originates from Bulgaria ;)

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

I just want to make a Off Topic comment (sorry),

wow, I didn't know that :). I always associated with Russia because it was probably the 1st language I saw with Cyrillic letters in it.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Oh Nokia, you're such an enigma. Refuse to give me US 1900mhz HSDPA for my phones and then announce this WiMax device before the infrastructure has any momentum whatsoever.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Ahhh, Gizmodo...

Just wait until Apple presents anything WiMAX capable, then it will suddenly turn into the killer network for them.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

so in other words, gizmodo is no better den engadget when it comes to slanted news? :rolleyes:

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Just speculation on my part, but I have a hard time seeing wimax going anywhere in the US. Other areas of the world I can not speak to, though they seem to be ahead of North America in many respects.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Cyrillic Alphabet:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrillic_alphabet

Hey, Bundyo, I have just found you are missing Ы and Э =)

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

It's quite simple: operators (and above anything else US operators) are very annoying when it comes down to features and what is accepted and what not. Sometimes the investment is not worth.

WiMax, otoh looks more interesting because it's fresh ground, so all the previous legacy is avoided.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Right, because again, everyone should not build any devices to support that infrastructure until it's viable.

Oh, wait: the N810 WE has wifi and bluetooth tethering, too. My bad.

:rolleyes:

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Sprint Xohm Launch Officially Delayed
CTO blames backhaul provisioning, logistics...
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/S...-Delayed-93257


Comcast Xohm Deal Not Happening?
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/C...appening-93217

Australian ISP CEO: Wimax a 'Disaster'
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/92913

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Nokia, you're not going to charge more for this right? I mean what if WiMax goes the way of HD-DVD? I can still use BT tether or WiFi ... but then it's as useful as my e61i with 2100mhz HSDPA in the US. Sure it still connects to EDGE networks - but such a bummer knowing the radio is right there there and yet so unusable.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Again: at the cusp of every paradigm shift, everything's a gamble. But you sure don't gain market share by NOT trying.

Oh, and acevid: the Australia rollout disaster has already been explained, and it wasn't the technology that was at fault.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Of course you're right texrat - but you gotta admit - even HD-DVD had more momentum than WiMax. I'll still buy the friggin thing regardless since I'm a sucker that way :)

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

It took ~400 million bucks to derail HD-DVD though.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

hmm, i must have missed that one. could you care link to it? would be interesting to read.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Just seems like the device and it's killer feature (anywhere broadband) and the reality on the ground as far as the network that's supposed to deliver said broadband aren't matching up..yet.

Every consumer has a threshold of what they're willing to gamble their money on (even a consumer that fits the tablet user profile)...I'm not a Sprint or Nokia innvestor..why should I gamble my money on their device and network? It's a honest and reasonable question...

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/..._wireless.html

"Google intends to commit a minimum of $4.6 billion to bidding"

Now that the auctions have ended and AT&T and others are forthcoming about their intentions, we know the stakes are a bit higher in the 4g mobile arena.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Why can't Nokia just simply produce an LTE compatible device too? Nothing wrong with hedging your bets, not to mention with the results of the 700mhz auction, it seems it might be a better plan anyway.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

<sarcasm> I am sure it has nothing to do with the fact that the LTE standard (specifically release 8 of UMTS) is not finalized. </sarcasm>

"Dammit Nokia! Hurry up and deliver products to standards that haven't been invented yet. And do it quick. And cheap!"

Did I miss anything? :)

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

In my case, I will probably see LTE before I see Wimax.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

What does it have to do with derailing WiMax though?

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

You probably won't *see* them at all. :)

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Yes, it's a reasonable question, but it hasn't quite been put to you yet. I suspect it will not be anytime during Q2. Keep in mind that Nokia has said they will sell the 810wme retail only where there is a network.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

The thing that bugs me about WiMAX is the NIT's have a non trivial list of issues that need work. Here they invest time, money, and marketing into a new feature that will have little to no impact on the current deficiencies or appeal of the device. I'm sure there was some high "muckety-muck" meeting that decided that the NIT's would be a great way to trail blaze on WiMAX and, well, if it didn't pan out it's not like most people would care.

WiMAX is doubly silly since, like it or not, EDGE would have probably maxed out the bus bandwidth of this device and allowed it to interoperate with data networks in almost every country. That would have immediate impact on the community and appeal of the NIT's and solved an issue that many people have with the device.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

brontide, I don't think any decision on the platform is going to make you happy at this point.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

And yet I still try to give positive ( and negative where necessary ) feedback, develop work arounds for crappy defaults, and write scripts to sync data for iTunes and iPhoto. All you seem to do is add one or two line replies or Troll people who are critical of your employer.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

So they should cease all hardware and software development until your personal list of bugs and issues are fixed? You do realize that the hardware team can't really do anything about software issues, right? And that the software team can still work on other issues while the hardware team is working on a new tablet? (see Diablo for the perfect example of this incredible phenomenon :rolleyes:)

To you perhaps, but you're developing a bit of a reputation of an unsatisfiable customer. :) WiMAX does appeal to a lot of people, and may very well solve many of their on-the-go data access issues in the short-term, and perhaps all of them in the long.

EDGE maxed out the 'bus bandwidth'? Which 'bus bandwidth', exactly? EDGE will get you 15KB/sec max, that's certainly not maxing out any 'bus bandwidth' that I know of. EDGE is the past, Nokia is looking towards the future.

. . . and turning the device into a cellphone will take a hell of a lot more time and energy away from that "non trivial list of issues" of yours than simple WiMAX compatibility.

Looking back at you laundry list of issues, I can see that most of the issues are either long-term issues (major UI stuff), hardware issues, or currently already actively being worked on (Modest, rtcomm, etc).

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Unless you live in Canada.... We need something that isn't tied to *any* cell provider as the entire wireless data industry is totally screwed here. I don't even own a plain cell phone because of what the industry has become up here. We've had great wired access (cheap and fast) for a long time but wireless is probably the worst on this planet or any other.

So WiMAX is just one contender and I welcome the attempt. Not that I'm jumping on the bandwagon. In fact I'd rather see something that is more likely to be a global standard but anything right now can only help to shake up the incumbents.

As for Nokia taking a risk I don't see it as too much of a problem since they can likely replace and rebrand the IT with whatever radio they need. I'm not likely to be the early adopter unless I get a break on the price but I'm keeping my eyes open.

Re: Gizmode flames Wi-Max
 

Well, a 115 kb/s serial link, if you integrated the module as I (jokingly) suggested, via the serial console pins. Of course, I'm not even sure what speed that is, 115k is an assumption, but... ya know, it could max out something.