C-Guys Developing Wi-Fi SD Card for Palm Models

Users of Palm OS models have waiting impatiently for SanDisk to release Palm OS drivers for its Wi-Fi SDIO card for over a year. It's now possible that a different company will beat SanDisk to market.

C-Guys currently offers a Wi-Fi SDIO card for Pocket PC models, and it is now working on a software driver that will allow handhelds running the Palm OS to use it. The company told Palm Infocenter that it will have drivers for both Palm OS 4 and Palm OS Garnet (previously called Palm OS 5), but told Brighthand there would only be a driver for Garnet. Whichever drivers end up being released, the company says they will be available in May.

The model is described as being "ultra-low power," using 260 mAh while in active use, 10 mAh in Power Save mode, and 1.5 mAh or less in Ultra Low Power mode.

It is approximately the same size as SanDisk's Wi-Fi SDIO card. Neither will fit completely inside an SD card slot because of a need for an external antenna.

The Pocket PC version is available now from the online retailer Brando, where it sells for $105. It seems reasonable to assume the Palm OS version will be available from this same store for the same price.

More information is available on the C-Guys web site.

What is Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi, or Wireless Fidelity, is a medium-range wireless networking protocol. It offers data transfer speeds of up to 11 MB per second over a range of 300 feet. It's typically used to allow mobile devices, like laptops and handhelds, to connect to networks and therefore the Internet. Networks can be set up at home or in offices, and an increasing number of coffee shops and other businesses offer Wi-Fi access.

Related Links

• SanDisk Moves Back Release Date of Wi-Fi SD Card for Palm OS Yet Again
• Wi-Fi SD Card with 256 MB of Storage Available Soon