Intel's recently launched wireless network card based on draft 802.11n wireless specifications is expected to become the mainstream built-in WLAN technology for notebooks, as well as push sales of draft-n devices in 2007, according to market sources.

Napa platform-based notebooks launched by the end of January and new notebooks launched with the upcoming Santa Rosa platform all are expected to come with Intel's Wireless-N technology, said the sources.

Although market sources in Taiwan indicated that the price for Intel's new wireless card (Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN) is likely to be higher than the current 802.11a/b/g solutions (such as the PRO/Wireless 3945ABG), Michael Chen, director of embedded solution business group for Asia Pacific at Intel, stated that the price difference would be limited. Chen presided over the launch of Intel's Wireless-N solution in Taiwan on January 30.

While noting that the Wireless-N technology was based on the 802.11n Draft 2.0 specification, Chen claimed that Intel will continue to follow up the development of the 802.11n standard to ensure its Wireless-N solutions are fully compatible with final version of the industry specifications.

Additionally, the implementation of the "Connect with Centrino" program will help consumers to select networking devices bearing the "Connect with Centrino" identifier to better ensure compatibility and performance, Chen noted.

Buoyed by the "Connect with Centrino" program and other market factors which are becoming mature, the market for the draft-n products may pick up in the second half of this year, Chen said.

By: DocMemory
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