ExpressCard/34 Adapters for MacBook Pro & EVDO

slewis · EVDO Newbie Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Miami

Are there any broadband adapter cards in the new ExpressCard/34 format?

fgphoto · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 6:08 pm Post subject: Ugh... what was Apple thinking

I have the same question and can't for the life of me figure out why Apple would jump to an unsupported type of card. I was ready on the Apple site to place my order when I saw that. I need the evdo card for work. No data capabilities, the laptop, as incredibly cool as it looks, won't do me any good. I guess I keep using the 1.25 ghz powerbook for a while Sad

Feefer · EVDO User Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 71

Ha! I've been looking at the same thing...

It seems the Expresscard34 / 54 format has been deemed to replace the older PCMCIA standard, and has been popping up in PC laptops for awhile. It's only news to us Mac guys, who tend to not pay attention to the PC world... Smile

http://www.expresscard.org/web/site/qa.jsp

www.siig.com has an announcement, saying they'll be offering ExpressCard 34 to FW800 adapters, and that's good news. I was a bit disappointed to see the new Macbook Pro dropped FW800, but I suppose an adapter in the Expresscard/34 slot would suffice.

Obviously, we're all looking for either a PCMCIA to ExpressCard34 adapter, or for Kyocera or the like to offer an Expresscard modem.

As for me, I think I'll be holding out for the 17" MacBook, and let others iron out the bugs in the meantime. Wink

Chris

DrJ

I'm with FGPhoto, I was ready to order the new Mac but this is a deal-breaker. The main reason I'm ready to trade in my 12" PB is that it has no slot for either Sprint or Verizon EVDO cards.

There's no point in buying a new PB (er, MB) if isn't going to solve my problem. At the same time, Amazon etc. are asking full price for the obsolete model. I ain't gonna do that either.

What were they thinking?? Let's hope Sprint is interested in offering EVDO to Sony, Toshiba and HP owners with ExpressCard slots. Verizon has decided to thumb their nose at Mac and Linux owners (http://news.com.com/2100-1039_3-6024852.html), so let's forget about them.

xenophon · EVDO Addict Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 1969

There's another recent thread on this but this one's better titled. Anywho, I posted...

USB tethering a phone to the new Macs may be the only option for a while. There is a USB/PC Card adapter coming but it is unknown if current EVDO laptop cards will work.

All of Sprint PowerVision EVDO phones officially support USB and Bluetooth tethering. Verizon's BlackBerry EVDO phone offically supports tethering, apparently the only model. We'll have to wait to see which will work on the new Intel Macs but I'd think there will be workarounds.

Michael · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:33 pm Post subject:

Here is a company working on a few adapters that:

mootcycle · EVDO Newbie Joined: 10 Jan 2006 Posts: 3

I agree. There needs to be an EVDO solution for the MacTop before it is an option for me to use. I suppose a stompbox would work, but I want a solution that doesn't require me to carry around a router and battery for the router. I've found a couple of people who make USB-to-PCCard adapters, but there is no mention as to if it will work on a Mac, so I suspect they do not.

http://www.elandigitalsystems.com/usb/u132.php

and

http://www.arstech.com/usb2pcmcia.htm

Has anyone tried either of these products?

-Mootcycle

rmbracalente · EVDO Newbie Joined: 22 Dec 2005 Posts: 2

There is also this company making a USB dongle for EVDO cards:

http://www.elandigitalsystems.com/usb/u132.php

I have the Verizon KPC650, so it's supported by the dongle. Again, no stated OSX drivers. Perhaps if a lot of us write to Elan Digital & scream for OSX drivers, they'll get the message (I already did...)

Michael · Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:17 am Post subject:

I already spoke with that company and it seems unlikely it will happen. They read some statement to me, and I asked for more info, and the company that they co-develop the products with had "mac compatibility" reported by "some users". When I went to the page, it talked about some users reporting cards working with OS 9. So, it was something from years ago, No OS X compatibility.

http://www.elandigitalsystems.com/support/pfaq/apple.php
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mootcycle · EVDO Newbie Joined: 10 Jan 2006 Posts: 3

In an email I got back from Elan Digital Systems:

HillCountryHero · EVDO User Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 66

Posted on Gizmodo.com:

" A Verizon representative at Macworld says EVDO cards for the MacBook’s ExpressCard slot should hit the market by the time the MacBook does."
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mcastaldi · EVDO Newbie Joined: 28 Dec 2005 Posts: 5

After the announcement of the MacBook Pro, is anyone else put off by the fact that if you want a current OSX-running laptop that supports EVDO, you have to pony up $2k or better?

Mike

rcw3 · EVDO User Joined: 29 Apr 2005 Posts: 47

Feefer · EVDO User Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 71

Hmm, interesting info in the thread. Thanks to everyone for sharing.

I've decided to hold off updating to a MacBook Pro until we get a version with a 17" screen and a FW800 port. The current MacBook Pro seems more targeted towards small business users, and not audio/video pros.

All in all, the Kyocera KPC650 works just fine with my 17" 1.5Ghz Aluminum Powerbook in the PC slot, so we'll let others work out the bugs on the cutting-edge before I take the plunge... ExpressCard 34 looks interesting, though. Wink

Chris

HillCountryHero · EVDO User Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 66

Did anybody read my post above? Everybody is saying, oh, I'm not buying the new MacBook Pro, because there are no ExpressCard EVDO cards. You can't even get a MacBook Pro yet! You won't be able to get one for another 30 to 45 days! Don't you think ExpressCard EVDO cards might be available by then, and work on a Mac, especially if a Verizon rep at MacWorld says THEY WILL BE.
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