Registered: Dec 2001
Location:
Posts: 1

trying to pick a modem

I'm relatively new to PDA's, but I want to get a modem for my VPL, but I'm kind of ignorant when it comes to technology. I could really use some help from all the nice people here with suggestions. I think of I've narrowed it down to the xircom 56k (the bulky one) or the card access thinmodem (the thin one). Are either of these good. Does anybody have these? Will they work if I want to check my AOL email? Help please

Registered: May 2000
Location: Central Java, Indonesia.
Posts: 8

My personal opinion...

Depending on your preference....

For me I prefer Xircom 56K modem with a couple of Motorola StarTac CellPhone lithium (thin) batteries (with its desktop charger for the battery)

My Unit: VisorPlat. with Xircom 56K
(blazer, MultiMail, ICQ)

With the lithium battery for the Xircom modem, I do not have to worry that my modem is sucking power from my VisorPlat. (ps, I also own thinmodem)

There is email program that works with AOL email account. sorry I cannot help you regarding AOL. Do a search in this forum on "AOL email" and I am sure you can find the answer.

chandra

Last edited by Chandra on 03-02-2002 at 03:27 AM

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: SoCal
Posts: 115

I have Xicom56 and it works well with my Visor Deluxe. Just be aware that it is a battery hog. It works well as long as the batteries are fairly high sometimes even a slight drop in voltage and it will start doing strange things. Pop in new batteries and everything will be fine.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 216

I have a ThinModem Plus that I use with my Platinum. I have been very happy with it. I use it to check my email when I am on the road. When on vacation, my wife has used it to run her eBay auctions, send winning bidder notifications through her email account, responding to bidder questions, etc. I really like the form factor and the memory (8 megs) in the Plus is great.

It does use a lot of battery power when on-line but the batteries do recover relatively quickly after you disconnect. (Obviously not all the way back to where you started). If you are planning upon staying on-line for brief periods of time (e.g. to check email, look up directions, etc) it is great. If you are planning upon surffing the web (why you would do that with a handheld, I don't know) then you better have a lot of batteries or invest in rechargables. The ThinModem does not support faxing (the Xircom does, I think).

The ThinModem comes with One-Touch email and Browse-It 2. The latter no longer functions as the server to support it has been shut down. I would recommend eudora as a free alternative. Both the ThinModem and the ThinModem Plus have a nifty program that allows you to monitor your connection rate in real time and disconnect quickly. The ThinModem Plus also has a program called USB FileMover that lets you move programs directly from your desktop to the module without hotsynching. If you leave the ThinModem Plus in all of the time (like I do) and use the 8 megs, you will see some battery usage but nothing greater than any other memory module (I get 9 to 10 hours of run time per charge on my NiMH batteries).

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