14 DAY TRIAL // Yesterday, Samsung announced that it will begin as soon as possible the manufacture of the first mobile systems equipped with support for WLAN multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) technology. These first models will be endowed with a pre-standard 802.11n technology, which increases the transfer rates in Wi-Fi networks. The 802.11n wireless standard, though still under development, supports higher transfer rates, of over 100 Mbps.
MIMO will be included in the 802.11n technology standards, but the process for ratifying this solution's specifications will not be over until 2007. However, there are already available routers and add-on cards for the MIMO pre-standard. The Samsung X20 and X25 laptop models will be using the MIMO technology created by Airgo Networks, that is also used by other manufacturers, as for example Linksys.
The main improvements specific for the MIMO technology in its current development stage are related to the improved data transfer speed and the wider range of a device fitted with MIMO connectivity solutions.
Airgo CEO, Greg Raleigh, announced that Samsung carried out several tests, resulting in the conclusion that MIMO supplies a laptop with far superior WLAN performances than a standard hot spot or router. It has been noticed that the connectivity solutions designed by Airgo are more effective even than Intel's or Broadcom's, and the difference in quality is quite noticeable. Thus, as reported by Tolly Group, by using the Airgo solutions the data transfer rate increases ten fold, and the range is also 5 times wider.
Airgo developed a miniPC card which will be included in Samsung's X20 and X25 laptops, but it also allow be available for the other OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer) interested in taking over and integrating this technology.