The why of tech
The why of tech
A FRIEND of mine recently asked me, "When are they coming out with those 3G things so I won't have to work anymore," with a stupid smile on his face. While not quite that impressive, 3G's potential to change the way we live promises to be staggering. 3G will open new lanes
on information highway3G is short for the third generation of mobile phone networks. It promises to deliver information at about 40 times the rate of a 56k modem (or twice fast as Roadrunner and DSL) to any wireless, handheld device.
With a 3G device you can place video calls to friends and business partners; download a movie in the airport to watch on the plane; pay your bills in the doctor's office waiting room; and beam electronic money to vending machines or cash registers.
As in "The Perfect Storm," the power of 3G is being fueled by the impending convergence of three mammoth systems in their own rights:, cell phones, the personal computer and the Internet.
When that happens, 3G will be born, much larger than the sum of its parts.
A 3G device will be as powerful as a desktop computer but the size of a cell phone, and it will allow the owner to speak and send and receive data instantly from virtually anywhere.
By bringing these three revolutionary technologies together in one handy package, 3G represents the epitome of our technological prowess.
Systems are already being deployed in Asia, and it's no coincidence that big Mainland companies have bought up the local cell phone companies; it will be up to them to bring 3G to Hawaii.
Fast, wireless, digital networks are the key to 3G and the first step, now under way, is to convert the analog (voiced-based) networks to digital (binary-based) networks.
The second task will be to bring those networks up to the promised 3Mpbs transfer rate; and the third will be to create handheld devices that combine the power of a PC, the graphics of a GameBoy, and the portability of a cell phone.
Sprint just announced a five- phase plan to implement 3G, the first of which is going to cost nearly $1 billion. That's why Verizon, AT&T and Sprint are trying to get us all to buy digital services with our cell phones. By securing contracts now, they can be sure there will be cash on hand for building the high-speed networks that define 3G.
The good news is, the current digital services are worth the additional $7 to $15 the carriers are asking.
With a modest phone, you can get plenty of talk-time, plus the ability to receive and send email, get detailed driving directions, read the latest news and even buy stuff online, for example.
While just a taste, it's a good start toward wooing customers into funding 3G.
Steve Jefferson is a Honolulu-based freelance writer
and section editor for InfoWorld. He can be
reached at: stevej@lava.net