Mini-Card?

Question

I just received my 'new' (from the Outlet store) 6400 yesterday and was very excited to set it all up. I have a top of the line Dell desktop but my laptop was 5 years old and slowing down daily so . . . Anyway, here I was setting up, installing, updating (all the wonderful things new PC owners get to spend their first day or so doing) and so on. I have a PCMCIA card from my cell phone company (Altell) and imagine my surprise when I got to the point of installing it and the install software called for me to insert the card. What? Something's wrong here. It wouldn't go all the way in! That was the way I learned there is such a thing as a mini express PC card! I am all for new technology but I feel Dell deceived me my not making this new technology plainly clear. I have only had the $100 card from Altell for about 4 months. This is so new they don't even make a mini-express card version for the evdo wireless connection. I would have never bought this PC knowing this. I depend on this mobile wireless connection with my job so this new PC is virtually worthless to me. I called Dell support yesterday and the nice, non-English speaking gentleman (reminds me that my dream one day is to move to India, or any other country where I don't speak the language, and go into the telephone customer service industry) very casually told me it was no big deal. I could just get a USB to PCMCIA adapter from Sears or someplace like that. Well, not so fast there. I've found only one site where they have this in stock and costs over $200 to add this to my $900 laptop, thus causing my mobility to become much more cumbersome and expensive. Dell, does this make any sense at all? I wasted this money o this laptop as far as I'm concerned. Anybody have any ideas? Any workarounds? Any place there's an adapter that works for less money? ANYTHING? Anything at all??????????

B_Coppins · Answer

You're correct in assuming I didnt read your post, I have read most of the post but not all of it.

Here's a helpful tip, before you buy a new laptop, make sure it has what you need.

Not tryin to be mean but, it's your own fault for not making sure your Alltel card would work with the new laptop.

Bigdave720 · Answer

Thanks for your reply but it makes me wonder if you even read my post?

"I am all for new technology but I feel Dell deceived me my not making this new technology plainly clear. I have only had the $100 card from Altell for about 4 months. This is so new they don't even make a mini-express card version for the evdo wireless connection."

I realize the PCMCIA card doesn't fit. I realize the express card is new. I checked and Altell (nor any other carrier I can find) has this evdo card in an express card format yet. The adapter cost over $200 (as I mentioned)

It may seem like a small detail to some but my PCMCIA card cost me $100 and I have a 2 year contract with Altell for their $59 per month unlimited data plan. A considerable investment all things considered for a "new" laptop that is virtually worthless to me.

I'm not trying to be a jerk here but this has really messed up an otherwise great weekend!!!! (It's football season after all . . . shouldn't have to be dealing with this kind of stuff!)

Again, I appreciate your response but . . . . .

B_Coppins · Answer

You dont have an PCMCIA slot in your laptop, it is an ExpressCard Slot which is new and quite different.

You'll need to:

a) find out if alltel sells them
b) buy one if you can find one

The Express Card Slot will not hold an PCMCIA card.

B_Coppins · Answer

Will do. Made you look.

Bigdave720 · Answer

I'm going to be nice too. You are wasting my time causing me to have to return here thinking someone may actually be trying to help me with some kind of a solution.

Instead, I keep seeing your incredibly thoughtless statements of the obvious without having even bothered to read my post! You apparently have nothing else to do except make offhand, flippant remarks.

Please keep this stuff to yourself. You make these kinds of message boards intolerable for people who aren't the perfect expert that you must be.

So, again thanks for your reply . . . and have a great day, but PLEASE kindly just excuse yourself from this thread!

Thanks!

iureport · Answer

Same problem....same response from Dell.  Tough luck.   Sprint does not support the card.   For those who say read the documentation, that is a bit condenscending.  Why would Dell switch to a 'technology' that is not even available in the marketplace?

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Mini-Card?

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