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It was all going so well for Gigabyte’s M528 MID. After the preorder pricing news broke late last week – suggesting $685 in the US or £429 in the UK – a surprisingly large number of people started to imagine an immediate future with a MID in it. Now some slight clarification on the part of Expansys has scuppered those hopes: the M528, in its standard configuration, won’t include 3G.
HSDPA was one of the headline features of the M528, in fact nearly-ubiquitous connectivity was a major bullet-point in Intel’s original MID (Mobile Internet Device) concept. Without it, the M528 is limited to either WiFi connections or using your cellphone as a tethered modem (either physically, by cable, or wirelessly via Bluetooth).
Expansys are now stating “LAN/Wireless LAN – 802.11b/g via SDIO I/F, HSDPA available through mini card module (available separately)” for the M528’s connectivity options, however there is no mention of how much the 3G “mini card module” will cost, or when it will be available. A version of the MID with 3G preinstalled is also not listed, either on Expansys or on Gigabyte’s own site.
![T-Mobile Dash 3G by HTC gets unboxed, first-impressions [Video]](http://www.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/thumbnails_150x100/thumb_t-mobile_dash_3g_htc_1-480x457.jpg){kind=small}
Presumably the device would be more expensive if it were preconfigured with the 3G module, so I prefer it to be optional. And your headline is misleading; it suggests that there’s no 3G available, which isn’t the case.
Sharon, I hear what you’re saying but I do disagree. A “Mobile Internet Device” by its very nature needs to have some sort of persistent connection, that’s the whole idea of the concept. Yes, a MID without 3G would be cheaper (just as it would be cheaper without WiFi, or Bluetooth, or a touchscreen) but then it wouldn’t be a MID. This is one of the first devices that the public will have contact with, and for better or for worse they’ll base their future MID opinions on their experience with the M528.
As for the headline, if you can find the Gigabyte 3G module anywhere then please let us know!
At the end of the day, though, it’s all academic: Expansys have confirmed that they made a mistake, and that the M528 they have listed does in fact have HSDPA. See here for more details: http://www.slashgear.com/gigab.....114431.php