Dell's winning model was its Inspiron 1525, while ECS was honored for its pre-production G10IL. Both are priced at $800 or less. Winners were announced at a news conference at the Mobile World Congress here Monday.

Sponsored by Microsoft and the GSM Association--the wireless telecommunications trade group that sponsors MWC (formerly known as 3GSM)--the contest was announced at the GSMA Mobile Asia conference in Macau last November. It was designed to encourage notebook vendors to create more affordably priced systems with HSPA (high-speed packet access) in order to attract mass-market users to wireless broadband. Judges considered not only the hardware, features and price of the competing designs, but how the vendors intend to work with carriers to simplify account activation and use of the embedded mobile broadband adapter.

Many Entries

Competition organizers say so many vendors sent entries that they decided to choose winners in two categories. The Dell, a mid-range conventionally configured, was named the best commercially available broadband notebook, while the smaller ultraportable ECS won as best pre-commercial design.

The GSMA hopes you'll eventually buy one of the winning notebooks, or a similar product, directly from your mobile operator, who will create your account and preconfigure the connection software so that you can log on immediately.

HSPA is the more robust sibling of HSDPA (the D stands for downlink), which is the high-speed wireless technology AT&T Wireless has deployed in parts of the US. HSDPA only speeds up downloads; on AT&T, uploads would be limited to slower UMTS speeds until the carrier upgrades its network. HSPA speeds up both uploads and downloads.

While most notebooks today ship with embedded Wi-Fi adapters, relatively few come with embedded mobile broadband adapters, which tend to be an extra-cost item on pricier models. David O'Bryne of the GSMA says the group's research shows many consumers would buy a notebook with mobile broadband if it were affordable and easy to operate.

Where mobile broadband is available, it generally offers better coverage than Wi-Fi hot spots, which are limited in range. With a mobile broadband account, there's no need to seek out hotspots, figure out if you need to buy access or are already a subscriber, and configure each connection.

However, all-you-can-eat mobile broadband services tend to be fairly pricey in the U.S.--about $80 a month--which is a lot for people who aren't frequent business travelers. But O'Byrne said carriers realize service prices are also an issue with consumers and are starting to adjust accordingly.