The concept is several years old, with traditional WiFi routers’ manufacturers implementing a GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/CDMA modules in some of their products. These routers are very convenient for setting up mobile sites like mobile teams, outdoor events, etc. where only the presence of electricity is needed. Like traditional routers, they usually offer combined wired and wireless access.

MiFi is an enhancement of this concept – it’s a self-sufficient device, designed by Novatel, that has its own battery. You can carry it in your pocket or bag, and use wireless internet about 10 meters (30 feet) around. The battery has enough capacity to provide about 5 hours of active internet access and 40 hours of standby. It automatically switches into standby when it detects it is not in use, thus saving power. It can be accessed by 5 devices simultaneously (wireless only, no wired ports), sharing the same internet connection. And when the battery is down, you can plug it in an electricity outlet with the provided adapter, or charge it from your laptop via USB, to continue surfing.

It’s been around for over a year now, and not only in the US anymore (you can buy a standalone device or check with a mobile carrier in your country):

It requires a compatible laptop (some of the new Intel Core i7 / i5 / i3 processors, an Intel (Advanced) N wireless adapter, 64-bit Windows 7, and some specialized Intel software), a wireless TV adapter and a TV with a HDMI or composite A/V input. Look for the WiDi icon to find compatible devices.

So far, the announced compatible devices are:

Laptops:

• Dell Studio 15z
• Sony VAIO S Series
• Toshiba Satellite E205

Wireless receiver:

• NETGEAR Push2TV Adapter for Intel Wireless Display

Here’s how it works:

Sun + Oracle merger: At 9:00 AM PST (17:00 GMT) There will be an Oracle + Sun Strategy Update Webcast. It is entitled “Transforming the Way You Buy, Run, and Manage Your Business Systems”. The Sun acquisition by Oracle is by far one of the most significant transformations in the Enterprise segment, making Oracle an even bigger giant.

And then comes the most awaited event by the general public:

Apple: The long awaited announcement of a “major new product”, as dubbed by Steve Jobs, is going to happen at 10:00 AM PST (18:00 GMT). All rumors in the tech circles point it’s going to be the public presentation of the mystical Apple tablet, called iTablet, iSlate or iPod Tablet Edition. There is no live feed from the event, but rumor has it there is going to be a video on Apple’s website as soon as it’s finished.

To all people interested in technology – enjoy!

Technical specifications include:

• Quad-band EGSM 850/900/1800/1900, WCDMA 900/1700/2100
• 800 x 480 pixels (WVGA) Touch screen
• 5 megapixel Carl Zeiss autofocus camera with dual LED flash (4:3 and 16:9 ratio) with CMOS sensor
• Side-slide full QWERTY keyboard
• Up to 32 GB internal storage with up to 16 GB microSD memory card extension
• Total available application memory up to 1 GB (256 MB RAM, 768 MB virtual memory)
• GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSPA, WLAN WiFi IEEE 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth
• Desktop with up to 4 personalizable views
• Email, Mozilla-powered browser with Flash 9.4 and AJAX support
• Integrated A-GPS receiver with Ovi Maps application
• MP3 (.mp3, .wma, .aac, .m4a, .wav) and Video (.mp4, .avi, .wmv, .3gp) player
• Micro-USB 2.0, 3.5 mm audio jack, TV out (PAL & NTSC)
• Tons of applications from the Ovi store and maemo.org

Nokia N900 – Product showcase

Maemo 5 user interface

N900 interaction documentary

The Nokia N900 Tablet is available for preorder for 499 £ (UK) or 599 € (most of Europe, 649 € in France).

Highlights include:

• 10.1″ display
• a palette of broadband connectivity – 3G, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth
• A-GPS navigation
• HDMI
• a stunning 12-hour battery life
• weight: 1,25 kg.
• the new Windows 7

Here is the preview:

And here is the answer to the challenge. Enjoy!