Customer Reviews

PalmOne Modem Connectivity Kit (m125, m130, i705, Tungsten T & m500 series)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This modem is ideal for short trips away from home or work for a few days where you will have access to land-based phone lines. But it is not a replacement for a desktop or laptop's Internet connection, nor is it as convenient as I imagine wireless access must be. It is meant for short connections, not long surfing sessions, where you can check critical sites, take care of your e-mail, or sync remotely.

Both the modem and the included software are very easy to install and set up, as I discovered on a recent vacation. Dialing my ISP the first time was simple and uneventful. Everything worked as it should. It was not difficult to retrieve e-mail or do some limited surfing with the included software.

The connection seemed slow: e-mail was downloaded at a crawl, and updating my AvantGo channels took around five minutes. Somehow I had expected a 56K modem to be a bit faster, based on my memory of dialup computer access, but I suppose the speed of the Palm and the quality of the phone line must be considered. There is no way for you to tell whether the modem is connected, nor, short of opening up the back of the modem, can you tell how much battery charge remains. Considering that you can expect only two and a half hours of continuous usage from a pair of AAA batteries, battery status is probably worth knowing about.

Because this modem connects through the Universal Connector, you cannot use a portable keyboard and modem at the same time. Cope with this by composing your e-mail while offline.

This modem allows you basic connectivity, and about as much as you should expect using a Palm without wireless. If you require more Internet access on the go, consider a wireless modem or handheld for access to e-mail, or a laptop computer for surfing.

To use the Palm Modem you have to belong or sign up for unlimited service to: AT&T, Compuserve, Earthlink, PSINet or if networked at work, Unix Verio Windows NT RAS server.

When connecting to the Avantgo.com, the modem will sync to the site for just download enough informtion for the e-mails or web site. It appears in order to go to another web clipping, the modem has to re-connect, which seems like a hassle.

However, for limited internet usage, and could also be used for stock market symbols, the modem will connect to the web clipping and then shut off.

The modem has limited uses and is only a land line with no wireless use. The modem also uses 2 tripple A batteries, without recharable option.

Ever since Palm began releasing modem products for their PDAs, having one as a backup connectivity device has been a priority for me.

Sure you can do a litle web surfing but that is not its' true calling or intention. Checking your eMail is what this modem is all about and where it shines like the true star it is. Setup is easy and the supplied software is not the best but will get you where you want to go.

Battery life is great and that makes it always a good device to carry along on any business trip.