Sony and Cingular release first PC with built-in mobile data access

Sony's new wireless notebooks come with something more than just a wireless connection. The ultra-portable VAIO T-Series is the first widely available notebook PC with integrated high-speed wireless wide area network (WWAN) technology, giving you the ability to access high-speed wireless data services through cellular networks, instead of the more common wireless LAN networks.

The new notebook is ideal for mobile professionals who need access to e-mail, data and information when on the road. Sony VAIO T-Series notebooks can connect to the Internet just about anywhere there is cellular coverage. An exclusive combination of hardware and software automatically links the notebook to the Cingular Wireless nationwide EDGE Network, with typical speeds of 70 to 135 kilobits per second (Kbps).

The notebook is equipped with new Sony's SmartWi technology. It allows you to quickly and easily toggle between various connectivity options by just using the PC's function keys. The software interface is integrated to ensure that users can use it right out of the box. Users can choose WLAN for Wi-Fi connections at home, office or hotspots, Bluetooth technology for peripherals, or WWAN for access to Cingular's nationwide EDGE network when traveling outside the reach of wired networks or hotspots.