Psion 56k Travel Modem

by Psion

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004RKHF
• Item model number: 56kTravelModemUS
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1999

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Psion's 56k travel modem connects your Psion Revo or Series 5 to the Internet and is a must-have for sending and receiving e-mail and Web browsing. Its compact, lightweight design and AA battery power make it an ideal traveling companion.

Before using your travel modem, you need to check your Psion PDA to ensure that you've installed all of the software that came it. We tested the travel modem with the Psion Revo; to operate the modem, we needed to have Email Synchronization 1.0 and Web Browser 2.01 loaded onto the Revo from its accompanying PsiWin 2.3 CD-ROM. If you plan to use your travel modem internationally, you need to install the modem's included EasySwitch software onto your PDA.

To set up the Psion travel modem, we started the Modem application and entered the settings specified in the travel-modem user's manual. We then ran the eSetup wizard to enter our ISP account information. We turned on the modem, started the Web application, and connected to our ISP.

Surfing the Web on any handheld PC, such as the Psion Revo, can be tedious--the small screen makes it difficult to see Web pages in their entirety, and the tiny keyboard makes navigation challenging. However, it does help to visit Web sites designed for PDA visitors (such as Amazon.com Anywhere at www.amazon.com/anywhere). It's more practical to use the travel modem for sending and receiving e-mail, which is an intuitive process using the Revo's e-mail application.

The travel modem requires an unobstructed line of sight with your Psion PDA and works well within its rated distance of 2 to 12 inches. One green LED indicates the modem is on, and another flashes as data is transmitting. During our tests, the travel modem (or the Revo) disconnected unexpectedly a few times. We saw no pattern to the disconnections, but it occurred less often when the Revo was in its docking cradle. In general, the travel modem works best for specific Internet tasks, such as getting e-mail or news that you can read offline.

This modem lacks its own power supply but can use the one that comes with your Psion PDA. The travel modem lasts about four hours on two AA batteries.

Overall, we found the travel modem to be very compact and convenient--a helpful, handy companion for your Psion Revo or Series 5 organizer. --Mike Brown

Pros:

• Compact and convenient design
• Self-contained battery operation
• Works with popular cellular phones

Cons:

• AC adapter not included
• Occasionally disconnects during long online sessions

Amazon.com Product Description

The Psion 56K travel modem is the perfect peripheral for your Psion PDA. It's pocket-sized and runs for up to an incredible four hours of continuous use on two AA batteries. Just plug the modem into a standard telephone socket and point it at your Revo's infrared port.

You can send and receive e-mail or connect to Psion.net at a blistering 56 KBps. Psion.net provides access to over 2 million pages of information optimized for your Revo, including all the latest news, views, and information.

Whether you're at an all-day meeting or traveling to your next appointment, you need never be out of touch again. The Psion 56K travel modem links seamlessly with the Psion Revo, Series 7, Series 5mx, and Series 5 mobile devices for sending and receiving e-mails and accessing the Internet.

Compact and light, the 56K travel modem is easy to slip into your pocket or briefcase for traveling, and it has the option of battery power to ensure communication doesn't stop when you're on the move.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not compatible with Handspring Visor, August 26, 2000

By 

Mike Hennessy (Manchester, NH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Psion 56k Travel Modem (Office Product)

I was very disappointed with this product. I purchased it for my Handspring Visor because it was the fastest modem on the market. I could never get it to work. First of all, it was not made for the Visor, it was made for the Revo, so none of the instructions in the box helped me set it up. I followed the instructions on Psion's web site, but after many more attempts, I was still unsucessful in connecting to my ISP. I even called Psion's technical support hotline, but got nowhere. After trying to get this product to work for about a month, I sent it back and purchased a Thincom 33.6 modem (about the same price) and was able to connect immediately. I am not saying that this is a bad product, it most likely works fine with Psion's PDAs, but, it is not a product that should be purchased for use with a Handspring Visor.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Robust - lousy documentation - pretty good support, November 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Psion 56k Travel Modem (Office Product)

I got this to use with my Hanspring Visor Deluxe. The enclosed instructions made no reference to Palm OS. The box had a sticker on it saying something like: "Now supports Palm/Handspring! For more info, go to http://www.psionusa.com./..." but the specific page did not exist. After I searched the web site to no avail, I emailed tech support and in 2-3 days I did receive correct instructions. In the mean time, I had found another user at VisorCentral who helped me figure it out. The poor documentation is the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars.

I haven't owned it long enough to comment on battery life.

Mine doesn't seem to randomly disconnect the way the editorial review suggests. Maybe it's a Revo issue?

As an IR solution, it's well done. During a long page download, I aimed modem away from the Visor, cutting off communication between the 2. The modem did not hang up, and the download gracefully resumed when I aimed the modem back.

I really like that there's no cable between the modem and the Visor and that I don't have to take another module out of the SpringBoard slot to use it.

I expect users of Palm PDAs should have the same successes I have had with my Handspring.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good, but not quite perfect, September 28, 2000

By 

Brian D. Sarka (Midland, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Psion 56k Travel Modem (Office Product)

I purchased the Psion 56k Travel Modem as an experiment and in the end I couldn't be (much) happier. I use a Windows CE-based Casio, a Palm IIIe, and a Compaq IPAQ Pocket PC an a regular basis and I hoped to find a modem that would work with all three. Setup of the modem connection with the Casio and the Compaq was effortless, and with a little web-time to download system updates for the Palm (and a little help from PSION to get the proper software)I now have a modem that I can use with my hand-held devices, as well as my laptop. Overall, an excellent product at a price that gets better every month. The biggest plus? it works *well* beyond the one foot distance advertised. I can put it high on a bookshelf and sit comfortably anywhere within about 6 feet. The largest drawback, and the reason for only four stars? It is not Fax capable.