Trucking Technology Alert - Dec. 7
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Both the online report and e-mail are sponsored by @Track Communications, a supplier of wireless communications and dispatch services.
Today's Technology Headlines:
Cell Phone Sales Will Hit Target
Motorola recently announced that it believes between 380 million and 400 million cell phones will have been sold in 2001.Nokia, the largest cell phone manufacturer in the world, also estimates that 380 million mobile phones will be sold in 2001. According to Mike Zafirovski, president of Motorola's personal communications sector, the manufactures the cell phones, the wireless industry will probably experience growth next year. Los Angeles Times (12/07/01)
Cingular Roams Across Carrier Barrier
Cingular Wireless, the second-largest wireless carrier in the United States, recently announced the launch of inter-carrier roaming for general packet radio services (GPRS) high-speed data services.The service, which is delivered through Cingular's global system for mobile communications network, enables the company's customers to gain access to their data and voice services where GPRS is available. GPRS customers are now able, thanks to roaming agreements, to gain access to external networks to use Cingular's Wireless Internet Express service. Customers in Seattle, Las Vegas, and Spokane, Wash., will be the first to roam across other Cingular networks.
In addition, these GPRS customers will also be the first to roam on other carriers' networks should they provide GPRS. Cingular says that its customers in Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina will also be able to use the roaming service within the next few weeks. Wireless Newsfactor (12/06/01); Wrolstad, Jay
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Fuel Cells to Power Phones
Micro fuel cells could soon replace batteries in mobile phones and elsewhere.Micro fuel cells promise an enormous power boost for portable electronic devices ranging from laptop computers to mobile phones. Such fuel cells could provide up to 20 hours of talk time on a mobile phone, compared to the best lithium-ion cell-phone batteries that can only provide about four hours of talk time. In addition, fuel cells use sources of energy that are readily available, such as methanol and hydrogen. Perhaps more importantly, fuel cells produce only heat, carbon dioxide, and water as waste products. The race to commercialize the technology is going at full tilt right now, and it includes everyone from startup companies, to the Korean electronics behemoth Samsung, to Motorola.
The different companies are pinning their hopes on different designs, as well as somewhat different chemistries, but they share a common objective, namely to obtain some part of the $6 billion worldwide market for rechargeable batteries. Methanol fuel cells are likely to be the first to market. Technology Review (11/01) Vol. 104, No. 9, P. 68; Voss, David
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