Sony Ericsson GC89

As if they needed to further cement their exposure and power in the mobile technology market, Sony Ericsson have released an excellent quad-band PC card in the shape of the Sony Ericsson GC89. Yet again Sony Ericsson has extended the market with this quality offering which is aimed at the laptop and notepad market, with particular interest for the mobile business person. The PC card offers direct access to the latest EDGE software as well as Wi-Fi functionality. The card has been designed for the mass market and due to extensive research and development it is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh operating systems This is the latest offering in the GC range, which has included the GC82, GC83, and GC85 PC cards, which were all ground breaking in their own right. Extensive investment in research has allowed the Sony Ericsson GC89 to go that one step further and offer a great service to the PC market.

The card has been programmed in such a way as to pickup on all of the possible network variations throughout the world including, EDGE, GPRS, CSD, SMS and GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800 and GSM 1900 bands. All you need to do is plug this card into your laptop or notepad and you have instant access. One of the more interesting factors about the technology is the ability to pick up on the expanding number of so called "hot spots" which are currently turning up in the major cities around the world. This Wi-Fi facility allows the user to "piggy back" connection signals in the various hotspots (some of which are planned, and others due to excessive use in any one area) alleviating the requirement for a direct phone line connection. This particular facility will become more popular over the next few years, with many deliberate "hot spots" due to come into operation in some of the major financial centers of the world. The Wi-Fi connection offers 802.11b and g connectivity with data transfer speeds reaching in excess of 50 Megabits per second!

The early GC offerings have been upgraded in the Sony Ericsson GC89 to take into account the most up to date technology, which includes use of the latest EDGE technology. The EDGE protocol was developed to allow the speedy and efficient transfer of large packets of data (such as presentations, spread sheets, etc) and is predominately aimed at the business end of the market, where many users will be constantly on the move, with no direct access to a phone line on many occasions. While there have been similar protocols in the past, EDGE offers an unrivalled speed and reliability factor, thereby ensuring that the major market providers such as Sony Ericsson are now integrating this facility as standard.

The Sony Ericsson GC89 could not be easier to install and is compatible with the main operating systems and software applications including, Windows, MS Exchange, MS Outlook, Netscape, CRM, SAP, Siebel, Messenger to name but a few. The card also takes into account the Macintosh OS system, with full computability ensured. The fact that the card and associated software is able to align itself so easily with the above applications adds to the overall attraction. The Sony Ericsson GC89 is ideal for people who are constantly on the move and tend to depend on thei laptops to transfer and receive data. The Wi-Fi facility can be priceless when you need to send or receive large amounts of data, which are time critical.

The EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) software is popular with Third Generation phones (3G) technology, and allows the delivery of broadband speed Internet connections to mobile devices. The integration into the Sony Ericsson GC89 card is a very useful advance, and opens many opportunities not only for the consumer but for Sony Ericsson. As Sony Ericsson continues to expand their product range, the inevitable integration of mobile PCs and mobile phones is one step closer.