There was a lot of talk about WiMax at CTIA this week. Sprint said it wouldn't quite make its Xohm (Zome) rollout date, and Vodafone chief executive Arun Sarin (ah-ROON sah-REEN) said it ought to be merged with rival technology LTE. But in the convention center parking lot, the rubber hit the road.
WiMax backer Intel joined up with Sprint, Clearwire and some other partners to demonstrate the technology in motion. Apparently, when it comes to WiMax, one size does fit all. The Chevy Suburban SUV holds more toys than the Smart Car, though.
Intel put a notebook with a WiMax card in the back and set up a Wi-Fi network inside the truck. Then they connected a laptop, a VOIP phone, an iPod Touch and an Azentek prototype in-car computer to the Internet. That's a Bluetooth mini-keyboard controlling the on-board PC, which also displays through the big backseat screen.
The WiMax connection was fast enough to play full-motion video from the Fox On-Demand Web site. It also delivered server-based maps. They're up to date, whereas ones on a DVD or a dedicated navigation system might not be.
Using a Webcam in the front of the vehicle, Intel also grabbed a real-time view of where the truck was going, which they sent back to a screen at the convention center. That could be a fleet management tool. They also put a WiMax-linked Webcam on the front of a Segway scooter.
Intel said the network delivers 3 to 5 megabits per second downstream and 1 to 2 megabits upstream, and you can have all this fun at highway speeds. So even if tablet PCs and Segways missed out on becoming the next big thing, there's still hope for WiMax.
For the IDG News Service I'm Nick Barber in Boston with reporting by Stephen Lawson in Las Vegas.
