Viking Components meldt in een press release dat het erin is geslaagd om een 56K modem in een piepklein CompactFlash kaartje samen te prakken. De CompactFlash modem is compatible met de Pocket PC PDA's van onder andere Hewlett-Packard, Casio, Compaq en Sharp en laat zich aansturen via de ingebakken softwrae van de Pocket PC PDA. De modem zal later deze maand verkrijgbaar zijn voor een adviesprijs van 179,99 dollar. Voor laptop gebruikers heeft Viking een adapter in de maak waarmee de CompactFlash modem zich in een PC Card slot laat gebruiken:
Viking Components Inc., one of the world's largest and fastest-growing manufacturers of OEM and upgrade component technology, Thursday announced its new 56K CompactFlash(TM) Modem, extending Internet, e-mail and fax communications to the growing CompactFlash compatible handheld Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) market.Manufactured in the industry-standard CompactFlash form factor, the new Viking CompactFlash Modem is compatible with many Pocket PC-based PDAs, including top-selling offerings from Hewlett Packard, Casio, Compaq and Sharp. The CompactFlash Modem is easy to use, featuring true Plug-and-Play installation and hot-swappable capabilities.
And the modem is engineered to use the PDA's built-in software for easy access to the Internet for those who want to shop the Web, synchronize with popular office communications programs, or download MP3 files to turn the PDA into a portable music player.
Viking ensures compatibility with virtually any ISP and e-mail account by using the most current communications technologies. The Viking 56K CompactFlash Modem supports the ITU V.90 and K56Flex communications standards, and is upgradeable to the V.92 standard when available. The new modem is fully compatible with Windows CE 2.11 and above and Pocket PC PDAs, as well as with laptops running DOS, Microsoft® Windows 3.x, Windows 95 and Windows 98.
The CompactFlash Modem will be available later this month through resellers and retailers nationwide at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $179.99. An adapter, with drivers and communication software included, is sold separately from Viking Components, allowing the CompactFlash Modem to be used in the PC Card slot of most Windows-based laptop computers.