WiMAX coming later to Centrino 2

Intel plans to ship its highly anticipated Centrino 2 mobile laptop platform this week, but one key feature that will be missing is the dual-mode WiFi (802.11n)/WiMAX module. That feature, said an Intel spokeswoman, won't ship until sometime later this year--likely in time for commercial WiMAX launches from Clearwire and Sprint.

The platform that will be introduced today will include what Intel calls enhanced WiFi capabilities, and it's assumed that means the Draft 2.0 802.11n standard.

Centrino 2.0 is the fifth generation of Centrino technology. PC makers such as Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo and Toshiba are reportedly planning to launch new notebooks concurrently with the release of Centrino 2.

Intel, as you remember, invested $1 billion in the new Clearwire WiMAX business, which includes Sprint, cable companies and Google. Intel is hoping WiMAX incorporated in the new platform will do the same thing incorporating WiFi did, spur adoption. However, Clearwire's rollout will be on a market-by-market basis with 2010 or even 2011 delivering a reasonable footprint in the majority of the top 200 markets.

For more:
- read Network World [1]

Related stories:
Intel: July launch for next-gen WiFi/ WiMAX platform. Intel story [2]
Intel to re-enter mobile-phone market. Intel mobile-phone story [3]