CAIRO: Logging onto the Internet "anytime, anywhere will no longer be a problem with the launch of the new built-in Vodafone Broad Band notebook, in collaboration with Fujitsu-Siemens and Intel. The three companies announced Wednesday the launch of the new line of Fujitsu-Siemens notebooks - the first of their kind in Egypt and the Middle East. The notebooks will have an embedded slot that will allow users to enter a Vodafone SIM card, enabling them to connect to the Internet securely at anytime. Four years ago, mobile connect cards and USB Modems were the easiest way to log onto the Internet through your notebook. With the introduction of the 3G BroadBand, other services naturally were created to compliment the network. "Now you don't need a card or a modem, the technology is built in the notebook, providing you with high speed Internet from any place, Maged El-Menoufy, Vodafone product manager said during the launch. With people's increasing need to be connected, "within the next two years, this product will be favorable due to its easy, fast connection, especially for those who move around a lot, he said. Vodafone, however, is yet to announce how much it will charge its subscribers for using this service. The Fujitsu-Siemens notebook offers a built-in 3G concept, connectivity, and service follow-up for an affordable price. Fujitsu-Siemens introduced three notebooks that have the built-in service, which will cost LE 5,333, LE 7,999 and LE 9,555 depending on their specifications and configurations. "Those who buy this notebook will be treated as premium customers by Vodafone, as they are pioneers in using the service, El-Menoufy said. Fujitsu-Siemens invests one of the highest figures on research and development, a total of five billion euros, in comparison to other IT companies. Hence, they are able to provide services that guarantee, "control, ease, freedom, durability and security. "Now businessmen who check their email every minute do not need to search for Internet hotspots and can beat dead time using a secure connection, Hussein Shehab, regional manager of Fujitsu-Siemens said. This introduces the concept of "wireless email over 3G. The embedded SIM card will also prevent losing battery power that is used up by "external devices to connect. When the market was monitored, it was proven that users need to connect to the Internet for mobility reasons related to work and social networking, such as Facebook and MySpace websites. Taher Khalifa of Intel said the Fujitsu-Siemens line of products is only the beginning of "a series of desktops and notebooks that will create a full Internet experience. "This technology will enable the IT sector to help the education, healthcare and safety sectors by providing them with the new generation of computers that will allow areas that are unreachable by ADSL connections to connect to the Internet, Khalifa added.
