Posted by
michael
on from the pocket-sized-they-aren't dept.
carnun writes: "Over at CommVerge there is an interesting article updating what's happening on the Satellite phone market... Is this just another blow in the Iridium cluster or are we finally going to be able to sit with our laptops and connect from the middle of the Sahara?"
GlobalStar's Data Service
by
CJB2
·
· Score: 2, Informative
I have the GlobalStar service. I purchased it primarily for data service in areas where wireless PCS data service is not available. Though it connects at 9600 bps, the latency is about half that of connecting through my Sprint PCS phone at 14.4 -- about 350ms versus Sprint's 700ms. Since most of my work is done through SSH, the lower latency at 9600 works better for me anyway. It also requires line-of-sight, so unless you're outside, it likely won't be able to reach the satellite. Overall, though it's expensive to use in comparison with normal cell phones, it serves its purpose. If the prices continue to drop to a level where the average consumer can use them, and they include backward-compatibility for the traditional cellular networks, I think these phones could easily become more widespread in the future.
Solar power is not solar power
by
Doom+Ihl'+Varia
·
· Score: 2, Informative
Not quite true. Solar panels don't gather true solar power. They exploit the reaction between light and a compound. That's why those little solar panels in electronic kits will work with a flash light. Thus "solar power" wouldn't be much more abundant in the Sahara then anywhere else.
Re:Laptop in Sahara
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 2, Informative
I was recently in the middle of the sahara (Timbuktu, Mali). I joined part of a caravan going from Zagora in Morocco to Timbuktu. I had no problems connecting to the internet from my tri-band Motorola TimePort phone. All you need is a Gemplus smartcard from Mali Telecom. Of course I had to switch to OS 9 on my Titanium PowerBook G4 (which performed marvellously in the 110-115 degree heat -- except for softened rubber pads) since OS X still does not have support for the built in infrared ports....
Now Timbuktu and Mali is really as remote as it can get. And you can still transmit electrons from there.
Slashdot Mirror
I have the GlobalStar service. I purchased it primarily for data service in areas where wireless PCS data service is not available. Though it connects at 9600 bps, the latency is about half that of connecting through my Sprint PCS phone at 14.4 -- about 350ms versus Sprint's 700ms. Since most of my work is done through SSH, the lower latency at 9600 works better for me anyway. It also requires line-of-sight, so unless you're outside, it likely won't be able to reach the satellite. Overall, though it's expensive to use in comparison with normal cell phones, it serves its purpose. If the prices continue to drop to a level where the average consumer can use them, and they include backward-compatibility for the traditional cellular networks, I think these phones could easily become more widespread in the future.
Not quite true. Solar panels don't gather true solar power. They exploit the reaction between light and a compound. That's why those little solar panels in electronic kits will work with a flash light. Thus "solar power" wouldn't be much more abundant in the Sahara then anywhere else.
I was recently in the middle of the sahara (Timbuktu, Mali). I joined part of a caravan going from Zagora in Morocco to Timbuktu. I had no problems connecting to the internet from my tri-band Motorola TimePort phone. All you need is a Gemplus smartcard from Mali Telecom. Of course I had to switch to OS 9 on my Titanium PowerBook G4 (which performed marvellously in the 110-115 degree heat -- except for softened rubber pads) since OS X still does not have support for the built in infrared ports....
Now Timbuktu and Mali is really as remote as it can get. And you can still transmit electrons from there.