Qualcomm intros PC alternative for Internet access

Qualcomm on Wednesday announced the Kayak PC alternative, designed to give users in emerging markets widespread and affordable access to high-speed wireless Internet. The Kayak PC alternative uses 3G wireless broadband to supply Internet access to markets in which wired Internet access is unaffordable or otherwise not available. Comprised of a reference design and a set of software specifications that can be made available to hardware builders, the Kayak PC alternative can be categorized in-between a desktop PC and portable, Internet-capable wireless devices.

The Kayak reference design uses Qualcomm's dual-core Mobile Station Modem MSM7xxx-series chipsets for processing and wireless data network access. The Kayak devices will include Web 2.0 browsers from Opera that will be capable of producing desktop resolutions. Via the browser, users will be able to access a range of Web 2.0 applications, which will keep the costs of computing down by not requiring users in emerging markets to purchase software. For entertainment, Kayak will be able to play music and act as a 3D gaming console. Interface device support will include television and monitor inputs as well a standard keyboard and mouse. Another user cost-saving measure is the expected use of cloud computing on the platform.

The first Kayak-based hardware will be built by Taiwan's Inventec, which will then be used in trials in the first quarter of 2009 on CDMA and WCDMA networks in Southeast Asia. Qualcomm says future versions of the devices may use its Snapdragon platform.

Filed under: computers, industry
Other story tags: Qualcomm, Inventec, Kayak