3G

Beyond being one attractive netbook, the ECS G10IL packs built-in mobile broadband support, a feature that sets it apart from the other netbooks on the playground.

The built-in Ericsson F3507g WMC 1.0 Data Modem coupled with a slot for a SIM card under the battery allow the 10-inch netbook to connect to a GSM network, like AT&T or T-Mobile. Our review unit came with a working modem so I popped in a colleague’s AT&T SIM card.

What do I think? Only that every mini-notebook should come with this feature.  When you have got your netbook but no Wi-Fi, it is like having cereal without milk. There is no reason that you shouldn’t be able to share your phone’s data connect with your netbook while on the move.

Setting up the connection was fairly simple. I removed the battery and slid in an AT&T 3G SIM card.

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At the AT&T media luncheon today, AT&T claimed that its popular smart phones, including the likes of the BlackBerry Curve and Palm Centro, would be replaced by 3G versions of the same handsets in the “coming months.” We learned this after someone in the crowd asked why other carriers, Verizon for example, have a high-speed Curve and AT&T doesn’t. The defensive response above followed, that all of AT&T’s smart phones would soon be 3G capable—including the long awaited 3G iPhone.

Verizon Wireless and Sprint customers have had mobile TV access for some time now. Yesterday AT&T caught up by announcing its Mobile TV platform, which will be available in May for the LG Vu and the Samsung Access handsets. This morning, the dual-band 3G and quad-band GSM Samsung Access was officially announced.

The Access has many features we’ve grown accustomed to, like a 1.3-MP camera with 8X digital zoom, as well as Java, Video Share, and Bluetooth 2.0 support. The most notable physical feature of this candy-bar style phone is its 2.3-inch 240 x 320 landscape display which Samsung claims will offer DVD quality while playing back TV shows from networks including CBS Mobile, Comedy Central, ESPN Mobile TV, Fox Mobile, MTX, NBC 2Go, NBC News2Go and Nickelodeon.

The pictures show a microSD slot for expanding picture and music storage, and while we don’t yet know what size microSD Card it supports, I’m guessing it’s around 8GB. A corded stereo headset is provided in the box, but please, Samsung, just once, could you include a 3.5mm headphone jack instead?

The Samsung Access will be available in May at the launch of AT&T’s Mobile TV platform, and pricing has yet to be determined.