Intel has announced that it built its first WiMAX baseband chip for laptops. The WiMAX Connect 2300 chip, combined with a radio antenna, could be a long-range replacement for 802.11 Wi-Fi and cellular networks by providing multi-megabit speeds over several kilometers. Intel has also incorporated multiple antennas to increase speed and signal strength.
The chip was demonstrated in a prototype Intel Centrino Duo laptop with mobile WiMAX, Wi-Fi and HSDPA. Intel says the chip uses the same software for current WiMAX and Wi-Fi devices which certainly will ease headaches for laptop makers. The company also claims the chip has low power requirements.