Nuts & Volts - June 2006

asymmetrical, the electronic response is also asymmetrical when voltage is applied. The asymmetry contributes to a phenomenon called “molecular rectification” in which the channels conduct electrons in one direction but limit flow in the opposite direction when the voltage polarity reverses.

That property makes the molecular diode a potential gatekeeper for circuits and a candidate to one day replace silicon in computer chips. Because diodes are critical components within computers, audio equipment, and countless other electronic devices, using these tiny devices in place of existing ones, many products could be shrunk to incredibly small sizes.

works. BroadbandConnect service is expected to be available in most major US markets by the end of this year. According to the announcement, UMTS/HSDPA is the global standard and natural 3G evolutionary path for GSM providers, with 45 countries currently offering UMTS service. It provides average download speeds between 400 to 700 kbps, with bursts to more than 1 Mbps.

Cingular’s UMTS/HSDPA-based BroadbandConnect service is available in 16 markets covering 52 cities and is expected to be available in most major markets by the end of this year. The company’s EDGE network, with coverage in 13,000 cities and towns, provides average download speeds of up to 135 kbps.

x86-compatible OS, including Windows 3.1-XP/2003, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, OS/2, eComStation, and MS-DOS.

As of this writing, the product is still in beta stage and can be downloaded on a trial basis. However, the final release, which should be available by the time you read this, will go for $49.95.

BYE-BYE TO WINDOWS 98

COMPUTERS AND NETWORKING CINGULAR AND HP TEAM UP

MORE VERSATILITY FOR INTEL MACS ■ Parallels Workstation 2.1 software for Intel-based Macs goes Boot Camp one better.

It has been noted on the Microsoft website ( www.microsoft.com) that the company will no longer support Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition as of July 11, including security updates and paid incident support. However, online self-help support may be extended beyond that deadline. The products are said to be outdated and security risks to users,

and it is recommended that users upgrade to a newer OS, such as XP, as soon as possible.

PHOTO COUR TES Y OF HE WLE T T-PACHARD.

■ HP business notebooks will soon be available with built-in global 3G capabilities.

In a joint statement, Hewlett-Packard ( www.hp.com) and Cingular Wireless ( www.cingular.com) announced a marketing agreement that will integrate Cingular’s BroadbandConnect technology into HP business notebook computers later this year. Customers will be afforded wireless access to email, the Internet, and business data both in the United States (either with BroadbandConnect or high-speed EDGE services) and in more than 100 other countries worldwide in which there are UMTS or GPRS/EDGE net-

By now, everyone in the world is probably aware that Apple

Computer (www. apple.com) is now offering a program called Boot Camp that allows owners of the new Intel-based Macintoshes to run

Windows XP. However, one complaint has been that you can’t run both systems at the same time and must reboot to switch from one to the other.

PHOTO BY PERMISSION OF PARALLELS, INC.

However, Parallels, Inc. (www. parallels.com), has introduced Workstation 2.1, which not only eliminates that annoyance but also allows users to run Windows of any variety, Linux, or practically any other operating system simultaneously. The product takes advantage of Apple’s inclusion of Intel Core Duo architected chips into the new Mac models.

Because the Intel Core Duo chipset is x86-compatible, the Parallels “ virtual-ization engine” can virtualize the hardware, thus enabling Mac users to build virtual machines running nearly any

CIRCUITS AND
DEVICES
SAT PHONES GETTING
(a Little) CHEAPER

If you are planning to do some traveling to remote places, or if you simply live in such a place, you might find that a standard cell phone doesn’t do you a lot of good. If you have some extra bucks to spend, however, you can consider a satellite phone instead.

Rather than depending on an Earth-bound cell network, sat phones receive signals directly from orbiting satellites. The Iridium system ( www.iridium.com), for example, uses a system of 66 low-Earth orbiting, cross-linked satellites and is said to cover the entire globe, including oceans, airways, and polar regions. Another provider is Globalstar ( www.globalstar.com), which is better suited to US and Caribbean usage. Note, however, that sat phones do not work inside a building or underground — you must be able to see the sky to make a connection. But you can use them to get email and surf the web.