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GSM and GPRS in CompactFlash format
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By Jørgen Sundgot, Wednesday 7 August 2002  
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Audiovox' new RTM8000 CompactFlash Type I extended has the power to turn a slew of Pocket PCs into tri-band GSM mobile phones with GPRS support. Phone Edition Schmone Edition?
Microsoft's new Pocket PC Phone Edition is all the rage these days, with the O2 XDA, T-Mobile MDA and HP Jornada 928 WDA now being available in several countries. The platform provides an integrated approach to PDA and mobile phone capabilities, but apart from competition from Symbian and Palm OS devices taking a similar approach, there's now also competition from its own Pocket PC platform courtesy of Audiovox' new RTM8000 expansion card.
 | And you wonder why mobile phones have grown so small lately...
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The Audiovox RTM8000 is a CompactFlash Type I extended expansion card that will allow any Pocket PC 2000 or 2002 device to add tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz capabilities as well as GPRS packet data transfer capabilities to their device - provided they have an expansion slot that supports the card. Among other recent handhelds, that includes the Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket LOOX, Toshiba e310, e570 and e740, Casio Cassiopeia E-200, NEC MobilePro 300, Packard-Bell PocketGear 2060 and more.
More specifically, the card supports half rate, full rate and enhanced full rate GSM voice communications, circuit-switched data transfers up to 14.4 Kbps, SMS support, FAX services Group 3 Class 2, GPRS Class B, Multi-slot Class 8 (4 down/1 up/5 per frame), simultaneous network registration of GSM & GPRS and the generic AT command set.
All of the functions mentioned have been packed into a card with a 360 degree turnable helix antenna that measures an incredibly small 42.8 x 63.8 x 3.3 (main portion)/9.35 (extended portion) mm. Bundled with the card is also a handsfree set with a remote control for volume.
Unfortunately, Audiovox did not provide a list of retail outlets carrying the RTM8000, and also listed the product as not currently being sold in North America. Sources however indicate that the price of the product at the time of widespread availability will be close to $300 USD.
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| Hands-on impressions, news, reviews, prices and release dates; now all-in-one-page: |
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