'Kayak' Crosses the Digital Divide

For millions of people worldwide, the Internet has ushered in a remarkable new era of virtually unlimited information, communications and entertainment at their fingertips. Yet at the same time, many millions of others living in remote or underdeveloped areas are still waiting to experience the adventure, opportunity and truly life-changing benefits of the Internet. Cost, geographic and infrastructure challenges make it extremely difficult for them to obtain even basic dial-up Internet access.

In recent years, wireless phone networks have begun to help the residents of these locales leapfrog into the modern world, bypassing the laborious, costly process of digging holes-for-poles and stringing miles of cable. Now, thanks to Qualcomm, wireless technology is poised to help bridge the rest of this lingering digital divide by using widely available cellular broadband networks to bring affordable Internet access to markets where wired connections have been slow in coming, difficult to install or simply unaffordable.

Wireless Initiative
Qualcomm has just announced a new initiative that leverages the increasing availability of 3G networks to bring Internet access and low-cost computing to remote and developing markets. The Kayak™ PC alternative includes a reference design and recommended software specifications that will be made available for device manufacturers to use in a variety of new products.

Kayak’s reference design relies on Qualcomm’s dual-core Mobile Station Modem™ (MSM™) MSM7xxx-series chipsets to provide both computing and connectivity. It uses a full-featured Web 2.0-capable browser from Opera Software capable of running at desktop resolutions, with a standard keyboard and mouse for input. Both television sets and computer monitors can be used as displays. Commercial devices may also use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon™ solutions, and some versions may be designed with built-in displays. Kayak devices will be able to use Web 2.0 productivity applications accessible through the browser, and can also function as music players and 3D gaming consoles.

Affordable Internet
Although other low-cost PC projects have been announced, the global demand for low-cost computing and Internet connectivity has only begun to be addressed, and there is still room for innovation in this emerging market. One limitation of current low-cost PCs is the lack of affordable Internet-access options. In many areas, however, the availability of 3G wireless networks makes wireless Internet access an attractive option.

Also, packaged software is too expensive for many people in emerging markets. Kayak reduces that cost burden by allowing users to run free or low-cost applications offered via browser and by wireless service providers.

“The broad, worldwide footprint of 3G wireless networks makes wireless an obvious answer to Internet access in much of the world,” says Luis Pineda, senior vice president of marketing and product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. “Kayak is a great example of how Qualcomm and its customers are leveraging 3G networks to help bring developing markets into the global online community for the first time.”

Market Trials Beginning
Prototype units manufactured by Taiwan-based Inventec Corp. will be used to support trials anticipated to begin during the first quarter of 2009 on both CDMA2000® and UMTS networks. Initial trials will be conducted in Southeast Asia by select mobile operators, who are expected to evaluate various pricing and service models.

For now, the product details and business plans are still being fine-tuned to address local market conditions and preferences. As commercial Kayak products reach the market, however, the benefits for the world’s “next billion” Internet users could be huge.