Product Central
Dispatches from the Reviews Editor's desk
Wednesday 8 August 2007, 3:05 PM
The Vista future isn't Orange
I'm off on holiday tomorrow (hurrah!), and like a sad geek (sorry, technology journalist), I thought I'd take an ultraportable notebook and a 3G datacard along with me — just to keep in touch with news and current affairs, you understand. Now, as Reviews Editor, I get to see quite a few nice ultraportables, and a suitable one presents itself in the shape of Sony's G-series VAIO.
Trouble is, the VAIO runs that new-fangled Windows Vista OS — which has only been widely available for, oh, about seven months. That, and the fact that my 3G datacard is Orange's Option GlobeTrotter Fusion, for which there are currently no Vista drivers. Now it's true that Orange has discontinued the Fusion card, and it's also true that the newer Sierra Wireless Aircard 850 does work under Vista. But that's no comfort to the many early adopters who purchased the Option card and have subsequently got themselves a Vista notebook (something an early adopter is quite likely to have done). Orange also clearly states that existing Fusion customers 'will continue to be supported'. Shame that doesn't include Vista support.
Orange's customer services confirmed that Vista drivers had been expected from Option in July, but had no information on a likely delivery date, and no constructive advice for Fusion customers with Vista notebooks.
So, sadly, it looks like my old GlobeTrotter isn't going to get to go on holiday and experience a new(ish) Vista. Let me know if you've had a similar experience.
Trouble is, the VAIO runs that new-fangled Windows Vista OS — which has only been widely available for, oh, about seven months. That, and the fact that my 3G datacard is Orange's Option GlobeTrotter Fusion, for which there are currently no Vista drivers. Now it's true that Orange has discontinued the Fusion card, and it's also true that the newer Sierra Wireless Aircard 850 does work under Vista. But that's no comfort to the many early adopters who purchased the Option card and have subsequently got themselves a Vista notebook (something an early adopter is quite likely to have done). Orange also clearly states that existing Fusion customers 'will continue to be supported'. Shame that doesn't include Vista support.
Orange's customer services confirmed that Vista drivers had been expected from Option in July, but had no information on a likely delivery date, and no constructive advice for Fusion customers with Vista notebooks.
So, sadly, it looks like my old GlobeTrotter isn't going to get to go on holiday and experience a new(ish) Vista. Let me know if you've had a similar experience.
PreviousComments on this post
Ouch! - that is a really poor show from Orange not to support Vista. To make matters worse - the 3 products you are trying to intergrate are all relatively recent launches from the respective vendors. This example only serves to add fuel to the image of vendors trying to exploit the goodwill of early adopters.
I am also slightly surprised that Sony have not incorporated an in-built SIM within the design of the ultra-portable you are using. That was a striking feature of the Samsung ultra portable that you video-reviewed a while back - are more manufacturers set to follow Samsung's example or are they relying on wireless to be sufficient?
