IBM Integrates Intersil Into New ThinkPad Series

Intersil announced today that its new PRISM 2.5 Mini-PCI WLAN card will be integrated into IBM's new ThinkPad T23 Series laptops. The card will provide embedded 802.11b wireless connectivity and is Wi-Fi certified.

IBM described the T23 Series as being designed with business travelers in mind. It features a Pentium III processor, and a built-in antenna with embedded Mini-PCI wireless networking card which provides the wireless broadband connectivity based on the IEEE 802.11b standard. The T23 communications bay can accommodate dial-up modems, 10/100 Ethernet, and Wi-Fi WLAN, including the new WLAN combo Mini-PCI card.

Intersil's PRISM 2.5 Mini-PCI card features a single-chip Baseband Processor (BBP) and Medium Access Controller (MAC). It includes a PCMCIA and USB interface, enabling OEMs to add either interface into their Wi-Fi products. Intersil stated that a BBP/MAC with Mini-PCI interface for manufacturing electronic devices requiring embedded applications is also available.

The integration of the card into the ThinkPads effectively eliminates the need to carry external add-in cards for WLAN/dial-up capability.