Air delivers cellular phone, fax/modem

The peripherals market for mobile communication devices is becoming one of the hottest product categories in the new technology marketplace. Following on the heels of Wireless Access’s successful launch of its one-way pager card for mobile computer users (see Vol. 3, No. 5, p. 22), Air Communications of Sunnyvale, CA, announced an all-in-one wireless voice and data peripheral that attaches to portable ‘386 or ‘486 PCs and Macintosh PowerBook or Duo systems.

‘ANYTIME, ANYWHERE’ CAPABILITIES

Called the AirCommunicator, the device resembles a cellular phone but allows mobile computer users to send and receive faxes and electronic mail (with megabyte-size file attachments) and to access online services. In addition to providing fax modem service over traditional phone lines, the AirCommunicator provides data communication services from an individual’s notebook or portable computer wherever a cellular signal is available. When not hooked up to a computer, the AirCommunicator becomes a handheld cellular phone. An RJ-11 jack is built into the device if you want to make a connection over standard phone lines.

The charter of the Air Communications, according to CEO, president and cofounder Kevin Surace, is to enable mobile computer users to have the same communication capabilities on the road as they would in their offices. Through proprietary technology — Surace says the company plans to apply for 14 patents — Air has found a way to transmit data over existing cellular circuits with incredible accuracy.

Surace says Air might support the proposed CDPD protocols for sending and receiving short messages if there is demand among AirCommunicator users; however, he says, he does not expect support of CDPD to be widespread for at least two years.

Snap, crackle, pop. As many of us have experienced first hand, every volume and power shift, static pop or bit of “noise” that occurs between the cell site and the transceiver in a device can create interference during a cellular phone conversation that makes communication difficult. And while human ears typically compensate for the “unreliability” of the connection in a voice call, all of this interference is unacceptable during data transmission, where every character is critical to reliability.

The AirCommunicator, through its AirSpeed audio technology, has improved the quality of signal-to-noise and channel bandwidth to prevent errors before they occur, says Surace. In a beta demonstration of the device, the AirCommunicator transmitted in less than 10 seconds a one-page fax with a graphic over cellular without a hitch. The product is expected to be in beta testing for another month.

The mobile executive. At a pricey $1,495, the wireless peripheral is targeted toward data-intensive mobile computer users: corporate executives and high-level sales and field service teams, who frequently need to access and send information to their home offices or remote business sites.

STARTUP TEAM HAS HISTORY IN CELLULAR

The technology behind the AirCommunicator is the brainchild of Surace and Arthur Gutch, who together cofounded the company in the fall of 1992. Gutch has eight years in the cellular industry and brought to market one of the first integrated cellular data peripherals as the president and founder of Vital Communications. Surace, who has worked at Seiko-Epson, National Semiconductor and IBM, is considered an expert in advanced device miniaturization. (The AirCommunicator uses more than 500 components, according to Surace.)

A weighty subject. One obvious drawback of the AirCommunicator is its weight. At 16 ounces, it is certainly not a lightweight addition to the briefcase. However, the device does eliminate the need for a pager and/or a cellular phone when traveling. The unit’s weight is almost entirely attributable to its battery. According to Surace, the battery can last up to two-and-a-half hours at full transmission; eight hours in voice-only mode; and 15 hours in standby. A battery charger and power adapter will ship with the device.

Coming to stores near you. Initially, the AirCommunicator, which is expected to hit the retail channel in mid-to-late December, will work with Apple Computer’s PowerBook and Duo systems and with any standard ‘386 or ‘486 computer, such as the HP Omnibook 300, IBM ThinkPad, Compaq Contura and Lite, AST PowerExec, and the Toshiba T4600 and T3300. It can also work with Mac or Windows-based desktop computers. According to Surace, the company is interested in working with additional hardware manufacturers developing personal digital assistants and personal communicators.

Janice Maloney