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outdated and security risks to users,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.
A Qualcomm GSP-1600 sat
June 2006 9