[Arm-netbook] Looking for an ARM Netbook !

[lkcl luke]

On Tue, Jul 3, 2012 at 8:08 PM, Alexey Eromenko <al4321 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Built-in 3G modem. (preferably)
>>  add about $80 for a PCIe-based modem.  they're _expensive_.
>
> Really that much ? ouch !

 yes.  they're unlocked, unrestricted, and often come with voice capabilities.

> How about built-in USB 3G modem ?

 they're all USB modems.

 you must mean "a USB modem in a standard USB stick format" as opposed
to "a USB modem in a standard PCIe form-factor (such as the EM770 or
EM775)"

 the USB stick 3G modems are mass-volume retail items; they come in
plastic packaging format only, and, whilst typically cheaper, are also
typically only available to the mass-volume retail chain stores.
unless of course you're prepared to buy in quantity 1 million.  or on
ebay.

 reason? they're "locked" and they're *massively* heavily subsidised.
whilst the cost of the 3G USB modem itself including patent license
fees (usually to qualcomm at around $25 per device) come to about $60,
they're sold *retail* for typically... half that figure, and in some
cases are given away quotes free quotes as long as you sign a 2-year
contract.

 to give you some idea of how successful this is: i was forced to
purchase a £20 three.co.uk 3G modem on a PAYG basis.  i was also
forced to pay between £50 and £75 *per month* on the data charges -
this was the best possible rate available under PAYG conditions.

 this PAYG 3G modem was also the best possible option amongst all of
the 3G modem vendors.

 in other words it's a complicated situation that i've spent about 4-6
months researching, including looking at motorola and telit's M2M
product offerings.

 l.