BARCELONA, Spain – February 11 2008 – Option (Euronext: OPTI; OTC: OPNVY), the wireless technology company, today unveiled the iCON401, an HSPA USB wireless modem incorporating a micro SD memory card expansion slot. The stylish and innovative design combined with the device’s superior performance have already been recognised by Germany’s prestigious iF Product Design Awards 2008.
Designed to meet the increasingly sophisticated connectivity needs for consumer and business customers alike, the iCON 401 delivers high performance in a sleek, attractive design. This winning combination of speed and performance delivers reliable anytime, anywhere connectivity.
Patent pending design innovations in the compact and lightweight (only 40g) iCON 401 include the incorporation of the antenna in the rotating cover that protects the USB interface, and a micro SD expansion slot.
By incorporating the antenna in the protective cover, Option has been able to increase the separation between the antenna and the PC to enhance performance and make the most of the Receive Diversity capability that optimises reception in fringe coverage areas.
The ability to add up to 8 GB of micro SD memory to the iCON 401 will facilitate the sharing of downloaded content with multimedia players and other consumer electronic devices, simplify the exchange of files between different PCs or the transfer of images between digital cameras and PC.
Incorporating triple-band HSPA and quad-band EDGE/GPRS, the iCON 401 is a flexible and easy-to-use data roaming solution that will allow travellers to access e-mail and the internet virtually anywhere in the world. On HSPA networks, the device offers data rates of up to 7.2 Mbps on the downlink, sufficient to download a typical MP3 music file in just five seconds, and 2 Mbps on the uplink.
The combination of superior performance, global connectivity, patented ZeroCD™ true plug-and-play installation and the flexibility offered by the micro SD expansion slot will appeal to small and medium enterprises, mobile professionals, corporate customers, consumers and vertical markets.
Germany’s iF Product Design awards have recognised outstanding achievements in design for more than fifty years. Entries are rigorously assessed against all facets of design best practice, including design quality, workmanship, material selection, innovation, environmental sustainability, functionality, ergonomics, safety, branding and brand value. The 2008 iF awards attracted 2771 entries in 13 categories: the iCON 401 was recognised in the computing category. As an iF Product Design award winner, the iCON 401 is a nominee for a 2008 iF Gold Award that will be presented on the opening day of CeBIT in Hannover on 4 March 2008.
The iCON 401 is expected to ship in commercial volumes in the third quarter of 2008.