[njguy]

Will the 8300...when it arrives at Cingular...allow you to surf the web with your laptop by using the phones Wi-Fi?
And if so, can this be done anywhere, or at some select locations

I'm a bit confused about the whole thing and am thinking about buying a data card instead.

whats the difference?

thanks

[Dubdub]

Who knows how WiFi will be implemented since the 8300 hasn't even been officially announced. I doubt that you will be able to use it as a wireless connection for a PC however. You should be able to tether it and use it as a modem though. A Cingular or T-Mobile datacard on EDGE will run only a bit faster than dial-up, 50-90 kbps, max of 236 kbps. I do not know if they have a 3G datacard or not. Tethered speeds will be about the same, but my guess is the datacard will be a bit faster as it is a dedicated device.

I carry a Verizon datacard and connect at EV-DO speeds, typically 400-700 kbps, max 1.2 mbps.

[takeshi]

Are you asking about tethering via WiFi (and connecting to the carrier's wireless network) or connecting to a WiFi access point via the 8300? Why not just use a WiFi adapter in the laptop if you mean the latter??

I guess either way, no one knows for sure at this point.

[greggebhardt]

I doubt the CIngular 8300 will even have WiFi.

If your laptop does not have WiFi, but a WiFi card for your PCMCIA slot.

Your laptop does not have WiFi?

[njguy]

laptop does have wifi.
but will the speed with the wifi be equivalent to the speed with the data card?
also-any recs on pcmcia cards?
thanks

[Dubdub]

I am now not sure what you are asking about.

Your laptop has WiFi? If you can hit the free hotspots that should be the better connection. The speed will depend on how the hotspot is implemented, available bandwidth and sometimes the number of users can also affect it. Your laptop's processor and available RAM is also a factor. In most cases a hotspot should be faster than a wireless datacard. But then speed is relative to the eye of the beholder as well.

If you want to use a wireless data card, then the speeds I gave you above are what you can expect.

[Pizzle]

Here's the answer to your question...

Apples and Oranges.

Assuming, for a second, that the 8300 does have WiFi, it would operate on a different network than a data card. A data card operates on a wireless data network. A WiFi card/device will only operate on a WiFi hotspot or Wireless LAN.

[PhillyGuy]

Originally Posted by njguy

laptop does have wifi.
but will the speed with the wifi be equivalent to the speed with the data card?
also-any recs on pcmcia cards?
thanks

I'm no expert but if you are asking what speeds an internal wifi card can get - it all depends on the netwrok it's connected to. At home, my wireless broadband usually gives me 1.5 to 2.0 mps. Wireless data card connection speeds are dependent on a lot of other things. Best speed I ever got with a VZW card was about 400 to 500 kps.

In other words, usually wifi is faster than a data card.

[takeshi]

1.5 - 2.0 Mbps is also on the low end for WiFi...

Originally Posted by greggebhardt

I doubt the CIngular 8300 will even have WiFi.

I hope we at least get GPS. I'd go through purchasing and unlocking for certain features but WiFi's not one of them.

[Galvatron]

the data card is faster i have an son ercson gsm edge wifi card for my lap

you can wifi on 54.mbps
the speeds 120-200 mbps an has mor data channel blackberrys only have 4 data channels/sockets max I also have shark modem as well

[TheCricket]

Originally Posted by greggebhardt

I doubt the CIngular 8300 will even have WiFi.

If your laptop does not have WiFi, but a WiFi card for your PCMCIA slot.

Your laptop does not have WiFi?

ZDNET has posted the specs and some new pics of the unit.

» More BlackBerry 8300 pics, specs here | The BlackBerry Beat | ZDNet.com

WIFI is included (802.11bg). They listed:

- Quadband EDGE + 802.11bg
- WiFi - Extends data and voice coverage at home, work & hotspots.

Can anyone translate what this means as far as functionality?

[winste]

Originally Posted by TheCricket

ZDNET has posted the specs and some new pics of the unit.

» More BlackBerry 8300 pics, specs here | The BlackBerry Beat | ZDNet.com

WIFI is included (802.11bg). They listed:

- Quadband EDGE + 802.11bg
- WiFi - Extends data and voice coverage at home, work & hotspots.

Can anyone translate what this means as far as functionality?

I would suspect the following...

First, EDGE is basically internet over cell phone towers. We have that already. 802.11b & 802.11g are two different "speeds" of wi-fi. Combimed with the next statement basically means that you can surf the net over the existing cell phone towers and in a wi-fi hotspot IF you have a subscription to the particular hotspot provider.

These statements themselves do not indicate if you can tether your phone to your laptop to utilize faster wi-fi. That is more of question for your individual provider.

I have a Pearl that I can tether over EDGE with T-mobile for no additional charge. I believe Cingular does charge for tethering. I would assume that I could use a wi-fi enabled 8300 to tether my laptop to the wi-fi network if I had access to the wi-fi network. T-mobile pushes wi-fi service through their Starbucks and FedEx/Kinkos contract so I would suspect that IF the 8300 has wi-fi and T-mobile has it, if you subscribe to the T-mobile wi-fi hotspot service, you could either use your 8300 standalone or tether it to your non wi-fi laptop.

[AlexKidd]

Originally Posted by TheCricket

ZDNET has posted the specs and some new pics of the unit.

» More BlackBerry 8300 pics, specs here | The BlackBerry Beat | ZDNet.com

WIFI is included (802.11bg). They listed:

- Quadband EDGE + 802.11bg
- WiFi - Extends data and voice coverage at home, work & hotspots.

Can anyone translate what this means as far as functionality?

Yes!!! This confirms that the new 8320 has the new T-Mobile @ Home service!

T-Mobile - Hot Spot @ Home

And the pic of the keyboard looks like it's going to be very comfortable. This also says that the media player will support stereo bluetooth. I HAVE A SEMI FOR THIS CELL PHONE!

--Kidd

[mymitsu3kgt]

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