HP, Cingular Unveil Global Mobile Broadband Laptop

Hewlett-Packard and Cingular Wireless have teamed to integrate Cingular's 3G UMTS/HSDPA network capabilities into the new HP Compaq nc6400 Notebook PC. The laptop, according to the companies,is the first to feature built-in support for global high-speed connections. The HP Compaq nc6400 features a tri-band UMTS modem, which enables it to support data rates up to 3.6 Mbps in the United States and in many countries around the world, according to the companies. The plan is to have the HP Compaq nc6400 Notebook PC with integrated Cingular Wireless BroadbandConnect on store shelves by late December. The notebook comes with a suggested retail starting price of $1,599. In October, Cingular and HP announced another first. The companies announced Cingular will be the first carrier in the United States to offer a new HP iPAQ handheld device with five wireless communications technologies. The hw6920 series Mobile Messenger with built-in GPS device features TeleNav GPS Navigator from TeleNav and uses GSM/GPRS/EDGE, Wi-Fi, GPS, infrared and Bluetooth. In other Cingular news, the wireless carrier announced the opening of five new company-owned retail stores in the Florida cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, St. Petersburg, Winter Haven, and Mount Dora. With the opening of these new stores, Cingular now has 129 company-owned stores in Florida. The stores follow Cingular's recent launch of its 3G network in various cities throughout the state. Specifically, the carrier now offers its mobile broadband network throughout the metro areas of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Melbourne, Cape Canaveral, Lakeland, Tallahassee and Gainesville. By Susan Rush