Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 1

No Ethernet? What's Handspring position on this?

Simply, I want to support PalmOS and all it's efforts but components like Ethernet are critical to my needs. I put down the possibility of going CE because Handspring solved the biggest problem with PalmOS, expandability.

But, although more expensive, WinCE is delivering on sophisticated communications options.

Handspring, where are you in all of this. Xircom isn't the only company that can build these options. What's Handspring's position on this?

Scott R. Myers
Mobile Technology Advocate

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: USA
Posts: 3

aaaggh.

It's probably b/c Intel recently bought Xircom. Don't know why it would precipitate this tho. I was REALLY looking forward to being able to telnet, etc. from my Visor. Hopefully someone will release a module to replace Xircoms.

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 8

Money talks!

I think yucca has the right idea � If enough of us contact the folks about this, they may eventually wake up and smell the $$$. I sure could use the ability to attach and test a net drop without having to lug a laptop around all day.

Has anyone pointed Xircom to this forum?

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It's electric.

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 15

I'm with you guys...

What we need is someone with some "clout" to organize and contact the appropriate individuals (whether it be Handspring or Xircom/Intel or whoever). I'm not sure our small voices will be heard.

James?

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 62

Go to http://www.egroups.com/group/flashadapter-forum and find the Flashadapter forum. This is threads about the Kopsis Engineering product in development. It is a compact flash springboard module that holds compact flash cards for memory expansion.

From the guys who figured it out, there is a single wire change between the CF card and PCMCIA card. It appears to be a simple thing to develop all kinds of PCMCIA adaptations of other cards for the springboard.

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Jeff Schaffer
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Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 62

Also, for those who have done any research on the 802.11 market, it is completely controlled by Lucent. All products presently out for this market are made by them and marketed by others. The Apple Aircard system is simply two Lucent wireless cards linked together. So THEY are the only one who is holding this technology down till they can maintain their monopoly. This may turn out to be their downfall as bluetooth comes on. It is a public domain product I think, and like Apple, if they do not release their product as public domain, it will be a Mac of Sony Betamax before you know it.

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Jeff Schaffer
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Registered: Jan 2000
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Posts: 391

What does 802.11 have to do with it? We're talking about the *wired* springboard module.

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Rev. Peter da Silva, ULC<br>
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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: California
Posts: 1

Just so I get my Wireless Ethernet module -- that's the module I've been waiting for. I know this won't be a popular comment on this string, but hey, if killing the wired-Ethernet speeds up production of my wireless-Ethernet, then so be it.

Life w/o wires =)

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

I doubt it will help. If, as is rumored, there are problems with networking that slowed down the wired ethernet link, well, the wireless one will be having the same problems... it's got to do everything that the wired link does plus handle the radio kit.

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Rev. Peter da Silva, ULC<br>
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Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 434

Re: Money talks!

quote:

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Originally posted by thisisside5
Has anyone pointed Xircom to this forum?

---

Yep. Not that it is likely to matter much. The product manager was very polite, but also very emphatic that the 802.3 SBM is a dead issue. It is a pity really. We already know that Bluetooth degrades 802.11 (but can it possibly be as high as the 20% that some have claimed?!?). Which begs the question: just how many discrete 802.11 nets can you really support in a compact area without everyone's bandwidth getting shot to hell? Also consider that the better wireless phones/headsets are sharing the same frequency band. I know that 802.11 is supposed to be designed to deal with all of this, but I don't know . . .

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

You actually got to speak to someone?

I'm impressed.

And the really annoying thing is... there really isn't an alternative to Xircom or Intel for ethernet (for laptops and NICs respectively), not since 3COM's NICs started sucking so badly, so I can't even boycott them.

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Rev. Peter da Silva, ULC<br>
<a href=http://www.taronga.com/~peter/>Ar rug t� barr�g ar do mhact�re inniu?</a>

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 434

re: NIC vendors

If we're not talking servers, I've had success with NetGear. Is there some feature(s) on the Intel NICs that make them a must buy for you?

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 714

For home use I'm Linksys all the way, been happy with their laptop card too.

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Matt Nichols
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Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

There are two chipsets that have remained reasonably stable over the past few years, the DEC Tulip and the Intel Etherexpress. Other chipsets have suffered badly from Windows disease... the vendors make changes in the cards and change the driver to match to cover for them, so non-windows systems (UNIX, primarily) has trouble if you don't get exactly the right rev level of the card.

Now Intel has bought and killed the Tulip.

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Rev. Peter da Silva, ULC<br>
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Registered: Jul 2000
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Posts: 3034

quote:

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Originally posted by argent
There are two chipsets that have remained reasonably stable over the past few years, the DEC Tulip and the Intel Etherexpress.

---

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

OK, if Netgear uses the Tulip chipset then they're Tulip cards. That's cool, but it means Netgear is going to have to come up with a new chipset pretty soon...

Before Compaq bought DEC, DEC spun off a bunch of business including the Tulip chip set. Intel bought it. It's doomed. Compaq's not even shipping the DE500 any more, they're selling the DE600 which is EtherExpress-based.

Within the Springboard space Xircom has been a big disappointment. Their modem is flakey and the "cellular" interface on it isn't a real modem interface, like the 3COM 3CXM756, it's just a serial port with a custom cable. Now they've killed the wired ethernet card.

In the laptop space Xircom's no-dongle ethernet cards are the only way to go. Except for Intel's, and now they own Xircom. Damnit.

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Rev. Peter da Silva, ULC<br>
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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 232

quote:

---

Originally posted by argent
...Before Compaq bought DEC, DEC spun off a bunch of business including the Tulip chip set. Intel bought it. It's doomed.

...In the laptop space Xircom's no-dongle ethernet cards are the only way to go. Except for Intel's, and now they own Xircom. Damnit.

---

__________________
There is nothing yet made by man that cannot be improved upon.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

---

Originally posted by argent
OK, if Netgear uses the Tulip chipset then they're Tulip cards. That's cool, but it means Netgear is going to have to come up with a new chipset pretty soon...

---

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

---

Originally posted by DBrown

quote:

---

Originally posted by argent
...Before Compaq bought DEC, DEC spun off a bunch of business including the Tulip chip set. Intel bought it. It's doomed.

...In the laptop space Xircom's no-dongle ethernet cards are the only way to go. Except for Intel's, and now they own Xircom. Damnit.

---

Anyone notice a pattern here? Maybe the justice department should have eyes for Intel, too.

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Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Birmingham, AL, USA
Posts: 32

Just sent in my email plea to Xircom. I really, really, really wanted that SBM. As a part-time sysadmin planning to become a full-time sysadmin within the next year, that was one little doohickey that would have made my life a lot easier.

In addition to using it at work, I could have used it at home, with a home network and a shared broadband connection. As I told Xircom in my email, they've missed the boat on this one...I suggested it might be prudent to find a new PR firm to do their market research.

Eric