Why are there no tablets with Windows AND 4G?

TABLETSEEKER

I have searched far and wide for a tablet with Windows AND built in 4G.  It doesn't exist.  I would think if a manufacturer started making that they would make a killing.  I know a lot of people that wished that existed, but for some reason it doesn't.

padgett

A WAG would be that the increased speed of 4G requires more power than 3G and it is just not there if they want to keep a long battery life with the existing chipsets.

 

Bay Trail (expect for the Christmas season) has enough power for 3.0 USB so maybe there will be enough for 4G (and a GPS receiver).

billsey

In the US at least you have to have a 4G provider to distribute the tablet, and they have to create a custom BIOS to load the firmware into the 4G card. That's a lot of work to go through in order to get it working, and most providers don't see the need for it when they can provide an Android tablet with larger margins and lower end user cost.

 

If it weren't for the need for a custom BIOS, 4G cards run about $200.

Philman

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padgett wrote:

A WAG would be that the increased speed of 4G requires more power than 3G and it is just not there if they want to keep a long battery life with the existing chipsets.

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Are you sure? Because phones with 4G/LTE are less powerfull than a tablet and they use this network. With 4 or 8 cores.

 

Samsung with Note 10.1 and Tab 8.9 has 2 models in 4G/LTE. This network is at the begenning in many countries: in six months we will have new models. It's not technical, it's just a matter of economics.

padgett

Increased speed requires increased power (e.g. http://lp-hp.com/absolute-power/2012/05/10/4g-lte-vs-3g/ )

 

Not talking phones or even smart phones but tablets and the mantra seems to be "10 hours on battery". Unlike a phone, you cannot just swap batteries when it gets low and for some reason there are no mobile (cigarette lighter) power supplies. Yet.

 

For that matter there may be other constraints (cooling, size of module or vendors may just not feel a need for relatively short-lived devices and are saving 4G for Bay Trail.)

 

All of that said I use an external MiFi device/hotspot and those are available in 4G. Personally, I have enough service plans to deal with & to me a 4G smart phone with tethering just makes more sense.