~Toughbooktalk~

Assuming my CF-52 mk IV actually shows up in the mail (a little trouble with eBay seller but I actually have a tracking number now), I would like to add the built in smartcard reader. I would consider one with the fingerprint reader if the price is right, but I really do not need that part. I am willing to trade the plastic cover from mine if someone has a reader in their machine that they don't use and are willing to part with.

Also, if I understand correctly, this is a simple plug and play with no additional internal wiring? If not, I guess I would need any associated wiring to convert one over as well.

I can retrofit this for a reasonable price!

I'll Letcha know tomorrow!

Well the laptop finally showed up a week late. Unfortunately it's at my house and I'm not, so I can't play with it yet. My wife did check for me and it was a zero hour mkIV as advertised.

I will be on the road for the next couple days heading home, so I will likely not be able to answer until at least Sunday night. If I could bug you for one more thing, what are the Verizon 4G cards going for? I'm pretty sure I will not find one of those used on eBay for quite a while. Thanks Rob.

4G Verizon cards are $400/each... It's crazy money. Also, WE have to do the install. I cannot sell you just the card or I can get in trouble!

The cost to retrofit the Smart Card reader is $145 + shipping. We need to set it out to Panasonic for that to be done.

Thanks!

Yeah, it seems that I overlooked one major fact buying such a new model. I was all excited because it was such a great price and I never even thought about the fact that it would still be under warranty. That puts a BIG kink in the DIY thing.

The card reader is not too far out of the price range I expected to pay for just parts. However, if I am going to send it off I would want to get it all done at once. Currently, that is pretty far outside of my budget with the extra $400. I will probably have to wait a bit on this to save up the extra $$$ and get back in touch at that point.

according to this post by Rob, on the other side (http://forum.notebookreview.com/panason ... cf-c1.html) Panasonic said the Verizon compatible (Gobi4000) card from Sierra Wireless, for CF-C1, is the MC7750 (~ $200 on fleabay).

that is correct, as even tough both the MC7700 & MC7750 support LTE 700Mhz (Verizon & AT&T frequency) only the 7750 supports fallback for EV-DO, when there is no LTE coverage.
The MC7700 has HSPA+ 3G fallback (AT&T)

Here is the Sierra Wireless PDF on their broadband modules: http://www.sierrawireless.com/en/produc ... dules.ashx

The 7700 can be had for as low as $70 (saw one on Amz).

Now, how will the drivers work on a CF-52mk4, and most importantly whether the BIOS would see it & enable it, that's another story.
Wh


P.S.
I for one, am looking for the EU LTE version, MC7710, since last autumn.
I have an alert set on fleabay, and the price dropped from $250, to $160 in the last weeks. Still think it's a bit too much.

I'm pretty sure that GOBI 4000 and MC 7750 are two completely different things man.

Reason: Gobi's can do all 3 of the major carriers (Verizon, AT&T & Sprint). MC7750 is SPECIFIC to Verizon.

On a side note: I do know that the GOBI 5000 chips will be all 4G LTE where capable (VZW and AT&T at least... Sprint, well, they got their heads up their arse's!)

Thanks!

Sierra says they support Gobi API, and I saw some reference somewhere about Gobi4000 (i.e. when you configure a new Lenovo with Gobi4000, you have to choose the operator (Verizon, ATT, etc).
Gobi2000 was indeed universal (US, EU, 2G, 3G), not sure about 3000 or 4000 for that matter.

I hope too gobi5000 will be universal

Rob wrote:On a side note: I do know that the GOBI 5000 chips will be all 4G LTE where capable (VZW and AT&T at least... Sprint, well, they got their heads up their arse's!)

Last I knew, Sprint was working on a full system migration to LTE, at least that's what they were trying to sell my employer to keep us as a customer.