[memphisguy]

I have a 12" powerbook which obviously lacks the PC card slot. As I am trying to use Verizon's broadband wireless (which now supports Mac), I would like to have a PC card slot.

I have been told that there are USB "readers" which you can put a PCMCIA card into and allows this to be done. I have found USB readers for memory cards, but none which can "read" a PCMCIA card.

Does this exist and if so, where do I get it?

[seanc]

What do you need it a pcmcia card for?

Do you want it for a wireless card? Just install an airport card if your mac doesn't already have one, which assuming it's recent, it will.

Most modems will connect via usb or ethernet, and most modems connected via ethernet will work on any computer.

[memphisguy]

Unfortunately, verizon's broadband service is a PCMCIA card. Essentially, it is a wireless phone in itself...so the airport card does not help me (I already have one installed).

The only solution is if there is a USB device that can read a PCMCIA card. I just don't know if such a beast exists.

[seanc]

Well I don't have a clue how thats supposed to work.

Could you replace it with an adsl/dsl etc wireless router? The router would be connected to the phone line, and then the airport card would connect to the router.

Is this some type of new technology that doesn't exist in the UK or am I just missing something?

[ism]

Amazingly enough it seems like it may be possible:

http://www.everythingusb.com/elan_u1...rd_reader.html
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ean/ean110.html

elans website seems to be down at the moment.

Could you not just get a 3G phone and connect to it via Bluetooth?

[memphisguy]

Verizon's Wireless Broadband is a great new option. We got it a few weeks ago and installed it in a PC with a PC card. Via computer to computer wireless networking, I can use it...as long as the other computer is on.

The advantage of this system is that you can get it just about anywhere. We are a singing group and we use it going down the road on our bus. It is not like using a phone for a modem. It is highspeed internet and it operates comparable to DSL in most locations.

The problem is that someone else's computer must have the card and be on for me to use it...since my 12" does not have a PCMCIA slot.

There is no phone line...no separate phone. It is all contained in this PCMCIA card.

I could not imagine why I would ever need a PCMCIA card slot since Airport was built in....but I was wrong!!! Now I just need to find a way around it.

Originally Posted by seanc

Well I don't have a clue how thats supposed to work.

Could you replace it with an adsl/dsl etc wireless router? The router would be connected to the phone line, and then the airport card would connect to the router.

Is this some type of new technology that doesn't exist in the UK or am I just missing something?

[seanc]

Oh I see.

Sounds good, but wouldn't be any use to me either since the Ibook doesn't contain a pcmcia slot either.

If they could make it airport card sized then it could fit in the place of the airport card.
You could probably put in now assuming the card is under the keyboard, but it would mean the keyboard wouldn't go down as the length of the card would be pushing it up and sticking out.

Haven't heard of this in the UK, but then I could be wrong.

[ibook_steve]

Originally Posted by seanc

Oh I see.

Sounds good, but wouldn't be any use to me either since the Ibook doesn't contain a pcmcia slot either.

If they could make it airport card sized then it could fit in the place of the airport card.
You could probably put in now assuming the card is under the keyboard, but it would mean the keyboard wouldn't go down as the length of the card would be pushing it up and sticking out.

Haven't heard of this in the UK, but then I could be wrong.

The Airport slot is not standard. No other cards will fit or work in it, either the old PC Card sized Airport or the 54g Airport Extreme.

Steve

[seanc]

Isn't it? Someone else on the forum said it was a while ago. Think it was in fact one of the mods.

[nuggetman]

Originally Posted by seanc

Well I don't have a clue how thats supposed to work.

Could you replace it with an adsl/dsl etc wireless router? The router would be connected to the phone line, and then the airport card would connect to the router.

Is this some type of new technology that doesn't exist in the UK or am I just missing something?

yes
you are missing something

this is wireless internet via his cell phone service. there is no physical line in his house. he gets a PCMCIA card which acts as a "cell phone" so to speak, connects to the cell tower, and lets the computer go online