In my first tests around the city, my Sierra Wireless Air Card 595, slotted into my notebook, clocked up to 2444Kbit/s (2.5Mbit/s) on Telecom's new EVDO 'rev' a cellular Mobile Broadband network, launching today. Upload speed - they key bit of the 'revision a' network - zoomed at up to 718Kbit/s.

Telecom massages expectations with a modest promise of 800Kbit/s for downloads (same as Vodafone with its 3G Broadband wireless network and its Vodem, though both networks have a theoretical maximum just over 3000Kbit/s (3Mbit/s). At the launch event a Telecom inhouse tech said he'd managed to clock up to 2900Kbit/s.

For upload speed, and average around 444Kbit/s is promised. For lag, claims get more ambitious, with as little as 50ms promised (lower is better on that count). To some degree, latency is always going to be a problem for wireless, and one reason why even though Telecom's rev a and Vodafone's 3G Broadband are now hitting DSL-like speed, you wouldn't use them for heavy duty activities like games (another reason is price: both Vodafone and Telecom charge $49 for 1GB/month, then $10 for your second GB ... a fantastic deal by cellular standards, but pretty so-so if you've got a rev a or 3G Broadband modem attached to your PC).

For now the EVDO rev a network is tightly wrapped around Auckland's CBD in a swathe stretching from the waterfront to spaghetti junction. Telecom says most major metro areas will be covered by June next year, and 70% of the population by Christmas 07.
Anyhow, here's how I went:

ST PAUL STREET
Download: 2444Kbit/s
Upload: 346Kbit/s
Ping: 117ms

MAYORAL DRIVE
Download: 1748Kbit/s
Upload: 683Kbit/s
Ping: ms

LORNE STREET
Download: 2225Kbit/s
Upload: 718bit/s
Ping: ms

Posted by Chris Keall at 9:56 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

Telecom's EVDO 'rev a' network launch is at 2pm this afternoon, and I'm due to get one of the new Rev a data cards to take away and test, so stand by for some scrawl about it late today/early evening (official availability is Dec 12). Juha will be running tests as well, so make sure you check into his Techsploder blog too.

elecom's EVDO 'rev a' network launch is at 2pm this afternoon, and I'm due to get one of the new Rev a data cards to take away and test, so stand by for some scrawl about it late today/early evening (official availability is Dec 12). Juha will be running tests as well, so make sure you check into his Techsploder blog too.

The new wireless broadband spec will gradually replace the current EVDO Rev 0 spec, starting in Auckland this month and spreading around the country through June next year. Rev a promises to boost nudge max download speed a little to 3.6Mbit/s (average speed is rated 800Kbit/s), but dramatically boost upload speed from 144Kbit/s to a theoretical maximum of 1.8Mbit/s. Only Rev a data cards will be available at first, but Rev a compatible cellphones are expected shortly.

Posted by Chris Keall at 9:36 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 )

Forbes.com has just posted the following (subscription required):

Apple Computer's long rumored iPod cellphone is on the horizon, Wall Street analysts said Tuesday.

In a note to investors, Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster said it's "almost certain" Apple's "iPhone" will be in production phases within two to six months.

He says it's very likely Apple will announce an iPod-like phone with a candy-bar form factor within the next year, possibly at the Macworld conference in San Francisco next January. Munster says it's also somewhat likely that Apple will sell a second phone with a full keyboard, taking on smartphone competitors like Palm and [BlackBerry maker] Research in Motion.

Posted by Chris Keall at 2:01 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

Rejoice! We're no longer stuck in the inauspicious company of iTunes hold-outs like Iraq and the Maldives. New Zealand finally has an Apple iTunes online music store.

Here's the PR guff that just came through from Apple Australia:

AUCKLAND, New Zealand—6 December, 2006—Apple® today launched the iTunes® Store (www.apple.com/nz/itunes) in New Zealand, giving New Zealanders access to outstanding local music and the same innovative features, breakthrough pricing and seamless integration with iPod® that have made iTunes the most popular music jukebox and online music store in the world. Apple today also opened the online Apple Store® New Zealand (www.apple.co.nz/store), where customers can quickly and conveniently purchase Apple’s complete lineup of innovative products, including the wildly popular iPod digital music player, the critically acclaimed Intel based Mac® desktop and notebook computers, the iLife® ‘06 suite of digital lifestyle applications, a vast assortment of iPod and Mac accessories from Apple and third parties and Mac OS® X, the world’s most advanced operating system.

”We’re thrilled to bring the iTunes Store and the online Apple Store to our customers in New Zealand just in time for the holidays,„ said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. ”With over two million songs, the iTunes Store features the largest catalogue of local and international music in New Zealand, and with the new online Apple Store, it’s easier than ever to shop for everything from a personally engraved iPod to a customized Mac.„

With a catalogue of over two million songs, the iTunes Store features the most music of any digital music store in New Zealand with songs priced at just NZ$1.79, music videos at NZ$3.59 and most albums at NZ $17.99. Exclusive music featured on iTunes includes tracks from New Zealand artists Fat Freddy’s Drop, Brooke Fraser, Tim Finn, The Datsuns and Bic Runga as well as extensive catalogues from New Zealand greats including Shihad, Crowded House, The Black Seeds, Breaks Co-Op, Elemeno P and Dei Hamo. International exclusives on iTunes include albums from The Doors, Faithless, Incubus, Foo Fighters, George Michael and more. The iTunes Store features iTunes Originals from international stars Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ben Harper, Black Eyed Peas and Jack Johnson. The iTunes podcast directory currently features over 65,000 podcasts, including featured New Zealand podcasts from TVNZ, The Voice Booth and Radio NZ.

At the online Apple Store New Zealand, customers can browse and purchase Apple hardware, software, accessories and a large selection of third party products with just a few clicks of a mouse. Customers can custom engrave any iPod through the online Apple Store, and can easily custom configure their Mac to suit their individual needs.
With iPod engraving, a new holiday gift guide and the convenience of shopping from home or the office, the online Apple Store is the ideal shopping destination this holiday season. The online Apple Store offers special education pricing to teachers and university and college students.

Additionally, Apple announced that the iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition is now available in New Zealand, only at the new online Apple Store. The iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED, available in 4GB and 8GB models, comes in a beautiful red aluminum enclosure and features up to 24 hours of battery life, Apple’s innovative Click Wheel and an incredibly thin and light design. Apple will contribute a portion of proceeds from the sale of each iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED to the Global Fund to help fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Pricing & Availability
iTunes 7 for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Store and is available as a free download immediately from www.itunes.com.
Purchase and download of content from the iTunes Store for Mac or Windows requires a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase. Games are available for download and play on the fifth generation iPod.

Posted by Chris Keall at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 )