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    HomeGadgetsCar GadgetAudi A8 Gets Factory Integrated Mobile Hotspot

    Audi A8 Gets Factory Integrated Mobile Hotspot

    Audi’s new luxury sedan, the A8, will be the first vehicle to sport a factory integrated mobile hotspot.  Shipping this fall, it will have an SIM adapter capable of connecting up to eight devices via WiFi or Bluetooth. Audi integrates a WLAN module and antenna on the roof, using technology from chip-maker Marvell and Harman Automotive.

    Marvell has said the technology is optimized for extremely low power consumption on battery-powered consumer electronics, enabling passengers to connect to the vehicle’s network without affecting the battery life of their connected devices. Pricing for the 2011 model has not yet been announced, but the 2010 A8 has a base MSRP of $78,400.

    The Audi system, called the Marvell Mobile Hotspot, will support any combination of smartphones, tablets, laptops, digital cameras, and gaming devices.

    “Harman’s solution for the Audi A8 sedan is a perfect example of using Marvell’s live, always-on technology to bring the car fully into the broader connected ecosystem,” said Weili Dai, Marvell’s Co-founder and Vice President and General Manager of the Consumer and Computing Business Unit. “Marvell’s connectivity technologies transform the car into a mobile office and entertainment center, making accessible everything from productivity tools to passenger gaming and live media experiences.  Finally, the car is connected to the rest of our lives.”

    According to Audi, the connection to the cellular network can be accomplished by installing a data-capable SIM card into the carphone or by using any mobile phone with a SIM Access Profile.

    For Audi, the mobile hotspot is an important piece of luxury sedan technology offerings. Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz already provide a wider array of technology and entertainment options with iPod and USB music adapters, HD radio, satellite radio, Bluetooth, and DVD- or hard-disk navigation.

    David Novak
    David Novakhttps://www.gadgetgram.com
    For the last 20 years, David Novak has appeared in newspapers, magazines, radio, and TV around the world, reviewing the latest in consumer technology. His byline has appeared in Popular Science, PC Magazine, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Electronic House Magazine, GQ, Men’s Journal, National Geographic, Newsweek, Popular Mechanics, Forbes Technology, Readers Digest, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Glamour Magazine, T3 Technology Magazine, Stuff Magazine, Maxim Magazine, Wired Magazine, Laptop Magazine, Indianapolis Monthly, Indiana Business Journal, Better Homes and Garden, CNET, Engadget, InfoWorld, Information Week, Yahoo Technology and Mobile Magazine. He has also made radio appearances on the The Mark Levin Radio Show, The Laura Ingraham Talk Show, Bob & Tom Show, and the Paul Harvey RadioShow. He’s also made TV appearances on The Today Show and The CBS Morning Show. His nationally syndicated newspaper column called the GadgetGUY, appears in over 100 newspapers around the world each week, where Novak enjoys over 3 million in readership. David is also a contributing writer fro Men’s Journal, GQ, Popular Mechanics, T3 Magazine and Electronic House here in the U.S.

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