Expresscard

The answer to all of the questions (asked over and over and over again on these forums) is "Soon" 

 

There is a solution to use your existing PC-Card based broadband devices on your new laptop. Go to Elan Systems's web site and search for either the U116 or U132. It's an external, USB connected PC-Card slot that will support most broadband devices. Take a look at your existing modem first however, and determine whether it's 16 or 32-bit (yes, it matters, and a 32-bit card is easily identifyable by the gold or silver color cladding down near the contact end of the card) U116 is for 16-bit and U132 is for 32-bit)

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Message Edited by wopster9 on 03-17-2006 10:12 PM

There is a solution to use your existing PC-Card based broadband devices on your new laptop. Go to Elan Systems's web site and search for either the U116 or U132. It's an external, USB connected PC-Card slot that will support most broadband devices. Take a look at your existing modem first however, and determine whether it's 16 or 32-bit (yes, it matters, and a 32-bit card is easily identifyable by the gold or silver color cladding down near the contact end of the card) U116 is for 16-bit and U132 is for 32-bit)

Elan speeded up manufacturing due to the large number of laptop manufacturers shipping laptops with expresscard slots. Demand for the device is heavy, because it's currently your only option if all you have is an expresscard slot.

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web site for elan:
ht-tp://www.elandig-italsystems.com/
web site describing differences in cards:
ht-tp://www.teampct-echnology.com/product_detail.php?id=293
web site elan gave me to purchase U116 (16-bit cards)
ht-tp://www.teampct-echnology.com/product_detail.php?id=511
web site elan gave me to purchase U132 (32-bit cards)
ht-tp://www.teampct-echnology.com/product_detail.php?id=508

Here is what they said about delivery: Due to the huge shortage caused by Dell's removal of the PCMCIA slot from their Inspiron XPS laptops, the factory has pushed out delivery to their distys. We will not be receiving the first batch until the last week of March. We are shipping out the U132 in the strict order in which pre-orders have been received on our website. Your credit card will not be charged until it ships. You may monitor the latest known shipping status at the same link/location.

Found this on the B130 model configurator. The official statement from DELL website
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When will ExpressCard Mobile Broadband cards be available from Dell?
We do not anticipate seeing mobile broadband ExpressCards available in market until later in 2006.Dell plans to launch the Dell Wireless 5700 EVDO ExpressCard for use on the Verizon Wireless network around May/June.
Dell plans to launch the Dell Wireless 5510 3G HSDPA ExpressCard for use on the Cingular network in November/December

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Here is the link:
http://www.dell.com/content/learnmore/learnmore.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~id=inspn_expresscard_info&~line=notebooks&~mode=popup