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You can never really have enough USB ports, and this is especially true if you own a laptop, most of which are decked out with just three or four of them. By the time you plug in an external mouse, keyboard, and laptop cooler, you're either out of USB ports or down to one. Be that as it may, USB modems continue to outsell embedded modules by a wide margin, a research company says.
According to ABI Research, the disparity between USB modems and embedded wireless modules in laptops is 3:1. We would have expected that ratio to be in reverse, but as far as ABI's crystal ball is concerned, embedded module shipments won't exceed USB modem shipments for another five years.
"Media tablets had a significant positive impact on embedded module shipments last year, with Apple coming out as the new leader for 3G modules," notes ABI Research senior practice director Jeff Orr. "But embedded modules will likely falter this year as the tablet vendors look to drive prices down by foregoing add-ons including 3G/4G modems."
By 2016, ABI Research says there will nearly as many embedded Wi-Fi modules as there will be USB Wi-Fi dongles, with the ratio to be reduced to 1.2:1. What's the hold up?
ABI didn't say, though we suspect it has to do with rapidly evolving technology. Because embedded modules can't be swapped out, notebook users are stuck with whatever technology comes baked in, but newer, faster, and more secure standards continue to come out through a laptop's lifetime. This could be a reason why USB modems continue to fly off store shelves.
Image Credit: O2 UK
Comments are closed on this article
aarcane
May 03, 2011 at 2:57pm
most people don't realize that their laptop PROBABLY has a little compartment sealed with only 1-3 screws into which an "embedded" modem can be inserted with no hassle. just open up, screw in, clip on appropriately coloured wires, as per instructions in the compartment, close and you're done. they're afraid that they'll have to open their laptop completely up to swap the card. in a few rare cases, you DO have to open the case completely; usually with ultra-budget laptops or ultra-portable. Even in those cases, I'd choose the convenience of being able to turn in and be online over the cost of having to open my laptop once, which only would take a few hours one evening.
Bullwinkle J Moose
May 03, 2011 at 1:29pm
Quote:
By 2016, ABI Research says there will nearly as many embedded Wi-Fi modules as there will be USB Wi-Fi dongles, with the ratio to be reduced to 1.2:1. What's the hold up?
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Security should be the main reason for both desktops as well as laptops
Whenever your laptop or desktop locks up due to a targeted attack on your system and the only way to get back to your desktop is with a hard reboot (Pull the Plug), security professionals have known for a long time that it is a lot safer and quicker to get back to a functional desktop by pulling the USB adapter out of the machine than to try dealing with internal hardware
I have also had hardware attacks that affected "ALL" the internal wi-fi cards in my home and required pulling "ALL" of the cards out of the computers for a few days just to get them to work again (D-Link wireless-N) but the USB versions have never suffered such problems
The attacks temporarily killed the internal cards and "NONE" of the computers could access the Internet even after restoring working "Valid" backups and resetting the router yet the Internet worked just fine from a hard wired ethernet line to the router
After unplugging the cards and letting them sit for a few days, they all worked fine again untill they all failed "PERMANENTLY" at exactly the same time
Conspiracy theories aside...these problems never occured with external USB adapters and computer lockups are easily defeated by simply pulling the USB adapter out of the box
Have you ever had your computer lock up with a non-functional keyboard and mouse yet the wi-fi card was still transferring data at full speed without giving you any indication as to what that data was?
No?
Lucky you, but some of us has and it gives us great piece of mind to simply unplug the dongle
Eoraptor
May 03, 2011 at 12:28pm
What Dragon Said, especially here in the states where there is more than one standard for each 3/g and 4/g, you don't want to buy a laptop and then find yourself with a configuration not supported by the carrier of your choice. most internal Cellular solutions aren't even on the wifi card, but soldered to the board usually. and especially considering that there's still to this day laptops shipping with PCMCIA bus or with express34 or express 34/54, USB is just the easiest way to go.
Hg Dragon
May 03, 2011 at 11:18am
I'll take a USB modem over an embedded one any day. Much easier to change carriers should I choose to. I won't have to tear open my laptop to swap out the modem.
