The Mobile Advisory Council is a unique organization.  The MAC does not own or develop technical specifications, but rather serves as one unified and qualified voice of concerned manufacturers of portable PC products to the standards bodies whose activity affects the mobile industry.  The MAC organizes timely review of proposed standards - acting as an advisor to the related standard associations and SIGs.  Because the MAC has key members from all areas in the portable PC market including PCs, communication products, silicon and chipsets, CPU, proposals to standards associations and SIGs represent a strong cross-section of the entire industry.

Ultimately, the MAC influences computer and peripheral designs so that these products are highly portable, easy to use, and maximize all key computer technologies for the mobile environment.

Please check out our on-line List of MAC Members.

Currently there are eight active groups:

• ACPI and Power Management
• Communications
• Docking Station Architecture
• Legacy Free PC
• Marketing
• PC2001 Windows Hardware Design Guide
• Software
• Subsystem Interconnect

PC2001 Working Group The PC2001 Working Group is concentrating on mobile-focused technical review of the PC2001 Windows Hardware Design Guide.  The MAC has completed a review of and submitted its recommendations to the co-authors of the PC2001 Windows Hardware Design Guide for input to the version 0.9 of PC2001.  The MAC has also recently been established as an official industry reviewer of the WHQL document to provide recommendations specific to mobile needs.  This effort will be underway before the end of the 2000.

Communications Working Group The Communications Working Group is defining system requirements and interoperability to enable high-speed, low-cost, reliable mobile communications using 802.11 & Bluetooth.  Through the Communications Working Group, the MAC will prepare recommendations for OEMs and IHVs for effective wireless platforms, concentrating on 802.11 and Bluetooth.  These recommendations will be taken to Bluetooth & 802.11 through MAC members.

Subsystem Interconnect Working Group This Working Group is exploring options for recommending a new PC bus architecture for mobile platforms.  Following the same path as desktops, from PCI to PCI-X, is infeasible for laptops, due to EMI, real estate, power management and other challenges.  The MAC is considering a number of existing and new architectures as solutions to this problem.

Please check out our on-line list of Mobile Advisory Council Events.

Formed in 1998 by 3Com and Compaq, MAC's initial efforts focused on coordinating mobile industry input on PC99.  MAC has matured into an open consortium that operates as a non-profit corporation.

They are available on-line via this link: MAC Bylaws.

The MAC presents an unparalleled opportunity for industry vendors to:

• Review and influence standards being proposed by the industry before they become mandatory for your system designs.
• Get a heads up on new technologies - consider how/when your company might want to implement these technologies.
• Propose changes or additions to industry standards and present them with the support of several key industry players.
• Make contacts with other key players in the portable computer industry - in same or complementary product areas.
• Position your company as a leader in the mobile computer industry.

There is only one level of membership to the MAC:

Executive Member - $3,500 annually

• Eligibility to Run for Board of Directors
• Full Voting privileges
• Ability to participate in MAC working groups
• Ability to attend membership meeting
• Company logo represented on MAC web site
• Ability to submit commentary on proposals
• Ability to add endorsement to proposals
• Access to members only web site
• Receive copy of quarterly summary
• Complimentary PCMCIA membership

To join the Mobile Advisory Council:

1. Review the MAC Bylaws.
2. Contact the MAC office for an application packet:
   Mobile Advisory Council
   2635 North First Street, Suite 209
   San Jose, CA 95134 U.S.A.
   Tel: (408) 432-6224 Fax: (408) 433-9558
   Email: administration@mobileadvisory.org

Contact the MAC administrative office by phone at (408) 432-6224 or by e-mail at administration@mobileadvisory.org.