Use P2 (i.e. PC cards) on your ExpressCard-based laptop.

Addonics has released their ExpressCard Cardbus Adapter

This ExpressCard CardBus adapter is one of the few ways to add back the CardBus slot that is missing in new laptop computers. It is designed to allow the use of PC cards through the use of an adaptor that plugs into the ExpressCard slot and has a small PC Card “slot” that hangs on the outside of the user’s laptop. Addonics specifically states that it “can now accept CardBus Wireless broadband card, LAN card, Panasonic P2™ Card, CardBus eSATA adapter, video capture card and many other types of CardBus adapters.“

“The ExpressCard CardBus adapter is simple to use. Insert any CardBus device into the CardBus slot of ExpressCard CardBus adapter, then insert the ExpressCard end into the ExpressCard slot, the computer will instantly detect the new CardBus device. All there is needed is to follow the onscreen instructions to instal the drivers of the newly installed CardBus device.”

Product Features

Connect any Cardbus card onto ExpressCard 34/54 card slot
Great for connecting Cardbus devices onto Notebook computers that are only equipped with ExpressCard slot
Supports Type I and Type II CardBus Cards
Great for CardBus wireless broadband card, LAN card, P2™ card, video capture card or any 32-bit CardBus adapter
Hot-plug capability supported through ExpressCard connector
RoHS compliant
Compatible with Windows 98/ME, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista with no drivers necessary

*does not support 16-bit PCMCIA card such as ATA Flash, 4-in-1 DigiAdapter or CF DigiAdapter

Specifications

Supports ExpressCard 34 and ExpressCard 54 form factor
Supports 1-lane 2.5Gbps PCI Express
Compliant with PCI Express Specification, revision 1.0a
Supports Type I and Type II PC Cards
Compliant with PC Card Standard 7.1
PC 98/99 compliant
Compatible with Windows 98/ME, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista with no drivers necessary
PC Card 32-bit Cardbus fully compliant
Hot-plug capability supported through ExpressCard connector
Dimension (W x D x H) – 65 x 125 x 10 mm.
Weight – 40 grams
1 year warranty

$69.95

Not a bad price if it works as advertised.

It is interesting to note that it doesn’t work with Compact Flash adapters.
Thankfully, there are already ExpressCard to CF adapters on the market.

We can look forward to a time when, like USB, this new standard is ubiquitous.
Unfortunately, like the first iMac with USB only, ExpressCard is currently going though some serious professional growing pains.

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