Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland
Posts: 205

I was browsing Amazon's web site and I found this module! I had heard people mentioning something like this module, but I didn't know that it was available. Details are as follows:
Technical data



Product type: Wireless data module for Handspring handhelds
Compatibility: Nokia mobile phones
Software: AvantGo Web browser, Palm's MultiMail, and funSMS
Interface: Springboard expansion slot, mobile phone connection cable
Phone cable included: Yes
Networks supported: GSM 900 and 1800 (European and Asia Pacific countries); GSM 1900 (U.S.A.); PCS 1800, PCS 1900, PDC (Japan)
Warranty, parts: 1 year
Warranty, labor: 1 year
Cost: $129.99
Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours

Now I know you need to take the availability with a grain of salt, but this wasn't on Amazon's site a few days ago. Here is the URL if you are interested:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...3419536-1400136

PS. I just noticed that there are also links to versions of this Springport for Seimens and Ericson phones as well.

__________________
Sven

If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 31

Is there any particular reason why all we seem to be seeing are modems that connect to GSM phones? Does anyone know if there are any TDMA- or CDMA-compatible Springboard modems on the way?

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Hermosa Beach, CA
Posts: 222

apparently, you can buy it at xircom's website. it looks like it's for the nokia 5190 and 6190 phones. i was hoping they had one for the 8200 series phones.

http://www.xircom.com/cda/shop/1,18...1_152-1,00.html

Last edited by Nhatman on 03-13-2001 at 11:37 PM

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 714

quote:

---

Originally posted by tulrich
Is there any particular reason why all we seem to be seeing are modems that connect to GSM phones? Does anyone know if there are any TDMA- or CDMA-compatible Springboard modems on the way?

---

__________________
Matt Nichols
[email protected]

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NJ
Posts: 517

I think this product if for GSM phones that don't have modems in them, that's why its compatible with the 5100 and 6100 series. I also think that GSM is able to handle data calls better than the other networks, which is why all of these products are being made for GSM.

__________________
<A HREF="http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/stats/team/team_69783.html"TARGET=_BLANK><IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/lenn0nhead/hvcslogo181x75.jpg"BORDER=1></A>

Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 1

I just got one of these the other day. I'm quite impressed. I'm using it with my Prism, and the color really helps, especially in the browser apps.

First of all, I got it for $106 w/ free shipping (free shipping offer now expired) from http://www.buy.com.

Now, to the good stuff:

It's pre-loaded with MultiMail SE 1.0, AvantGo 3.3.350, funSMS 2.0.1.33, FileMover 1.2 (more on that later), plus a SpringPort test utility. A 18" cable attaches between the module (which itself is very light and adds only about 1/8" thickness to the Visor) and the phone.

The first three apps are pretty neat, with this version of AvantGo supporting full online web browsing (albeit limited by the usefulness of 160x160 resolution).

The biggest benefit to me is that the unit appears to have about 1MB of flash. Unfortunately, only 28K is free when you get the unit. However, you can easily move one of the big apps into memory (I already had AvantGo, so I just deleted it from flash). Now, you can use the extra space as backup. (While the unit appears to have 1MB of flash, only 655KB is available to the user. I suspect the rest is firmware/drivers for the device itself.) [Late update: Actually, there is about 950K available. There were some hidden files I didn't spot before.]

I also have the Matchbookdrive, which has the one weakness of not being a true Springboard. That means if you fully back up your Visor onto it, and have to hard reset, you have no way of recovering until you can reload FAFileMover. But with my new setup, I've moved FAFileMover and its drivers onto the Xircom, so I now have the ability to recover from a hard reset by first popping in the Xircom, then the Matchbookdrive. Probably not for everyone, but it works for me.

As to the speed, I believe it's 9600bps, which isn't blazing by any means, but is adequate to pick up short email & for limited web browsing. I've started using Bluelark's Blazer browser (whew!) which has a WAP mode optimized for handhelds with low bandwidth.

The device is really simple to use. I was up and running within 10 minutes of taking it out of the box, and the biggest problem was that I had to call Powertel to enable data service. At least in Powertel's case, you need to have your own dial-up ISP.

All in all, it's a fairly inexpensive solution for those who already have a GSM phone and who don't want to shell out the bucks for a VisorPhone.

-rick

Last edited by rduggan on 03-22-2001 at 02:44 AM