Toshiba on Wednesday announced it would combine Intel's mobile quad-core processors and WiMAX broadband support into one product, launching notebooks equipped with both before the end of 2008. Together, Toshiba believes, the new-generation notebooks will have the processing power to take full advantage of the WiMAX long-range wireless broadband technology, enabling media streaming, live video conferencing and mobile TV at speeds higher than those offered by Wi-Fi connections.

Wi-Fi tops out at 11Mbps, while the mobile version of WiMAX, 802.16e, is rated at maximum theoretical speeds of 70Mbps over short distances and with a clear line of sight, with decreases from there based on distance and obstructions such as buildings and trees. Sprint is planning to deploy WiMAX through its Xohm network, which launches in September.

Intel's Core 2 Extreme mobile quad-core processor tops out with the QX9300 offering speeds as high as 2.53GHz, with a Q9100 Core 2 Quad rated at 2.26GHz.