September 1, 2006

Be Careful: No More PC Card (soon) - it's "Express Card" Time.

PC Cards have been with us for years and are the way notebook computer users add devices to their notebooks - wireless/cellular broadband and other things.

Rarely does someone have to add a network card via this method any more as all notebooks come with a modem and network jack built in.

According to the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) Express Card is ExpressCard technology is the name of a new standard introduced by PCMCIA in spring 2003. The ExpressCard standard delivers thinner, faster and lighter modular expansion to desktop and notebook computer users. Consumers can add hardware capabilities such as memory, wired and wireless communications cards and security devices by simply inserting these modules into their systems. All ExpressCard slots accommodate modules designed to use either Universal Serial Bus (USB*) 2.0, or the emerging PCI*Express standards.

It's been a slow process but soon notebooks will start to have these slots built in.

Read all about Express Cards here.

WSJ's Walt Mossberg reviewed an Express Card devices and writes Now, Novatel, a leading maker of these cards, has come out with a couple of new ExpressCard versions for cellular broadband networks. One, which works on Verizon Wireless's network, is already on the market, sold by Verizon and by Dell. The second, which works on Cingular's BroadbandConnect high-speed network, will go on sale from Dell and possibly Cingular later this year, likely late November.

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