What are my best options for wireless internet (excluding a laptop)

[krunchykrome]

I have a cell phone but I want something else to carry around with wireless internet access. I dont want to carry around a laptop wherever I go. My friend has the new sidekick III and I was very impressed. Unlimited data plans are $30 per month. I was thinking about picking one of these up and just paying for the data plan, then when my cingular contract is up, I'll get a talk plan to go with the data plan.

Are there any other good options/products for wireless internet out there? I want something small enough to fit into a pocket.

 

[krunchykrome]

Is everyone on vacation today? Seems kinda slow in here.

 

[SouthPaW1227]

Get a PDA phone w/ tethering capability (meaning you can pass the internet from the PDA phone onto a laptop screen).

I just got a Starcom PPC-6700 through Alltel and am thrilled with it. Unlimited data plan is $39/month on top of my voice plan. It's got an IE browser, unlimited POP management (Gmail on your PDA!), and the best part is I can plug it into my laptop/PC and make it act as a modem to my laptop. This kept me online during a 3 hour power outage the other week.

 

[krunchykrome]

Anyone got any suggestions today? Mainly, I want a small device with web browsing capabilities, something I can check email, ATOT, ebay, bank accounts, etc

 

[QED]

I have the Audiovox XV6700 from Verizon... it will do all you want and then some.

An unlimited data plan on Verizon is $40 on top of your cell phone bill, which is somewhat expensive in my mind. However, the XV6700 has wi-fi capabilities, so I only use it when there is a wifi signal around. You can check your mail, bank accounts, surf ATOT, stream music and video, and play MP3s and apps off a storage card. I found a thread the other day on PDAForums enabling access to Google's mobile map application on the XV6700-- with it, you can get full-screen maps, satellite images, and driving directions of just about anywhere in the US.

Overall, a neat little phone, but a little pricey...

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: MathMan
I have the Audiovox XV6700 from Verizon... it will do all you want and then some.

An unlimited data plan on Verizon is $40 on top of your cell phone bill, which is somewhat expensive in my mind. However, the XV6700 has wi-fi capabilities, so I only use it when there is a wifi signal around. You can check your mail, bank accounts, surf ATOT, stream music and video, and play MP3s and apps off a storage card. I found a thread the other day on PDAForums enabling access to Google's mobile map application on the XV6700-- with it, you can get full-screen maps, satellite images, and driving directions of just about anywhere in the US.

Overall, a neat little phone, but a little pricey...

So you don't pay for the data plan? You only use the web browsing in areas of free wi-fi?

 

[Injury]

Go for a PDA. Most cell phones and Sidekicks aren't very flashable... which means they get outdated faster.

 

[bigrash]

I just ordered the Cingular 8125 (there's different versions of it for Verizon and Tmobile also). nice phone with a big screen so that I can use it for gps too. i was looking into the sidekick3 also, but decided to go with a similiar device which used microsoft mobile. there's so many programs out there for it.

I signed up for the unlimited data plan for $40/mth, but might end up cancelling it. It comes with wifi so i'm really only planning on using the internet where there's wifi service.

 

[thirdeye]

Originally posted by: bigrash
I just ordered the Cingular 8125 (there's different versions of it for Verizon and Tmobile also). nice phone with a big screen so that I can use it for gps too. i was looking into the sidekick3 also, but decided to go with a similiar device which used microsoft mobile. there's so many programs out there for it.

I signed up for the unlimited data plan for $40/mth, but might end up cancelling it. It comes with wifi so i'm really only planning on using the internet where there's wifi service.

You should be able to get an unlimited data for $20/month. It doesn't include text messaging, but I have it for my 2125.

 

[bigrash]

Originally posted by: thirdeye

Originally posted by: bigrash
I just ordered the Cingular 8125 (there's different versions of it for Verizon and Tmobile also). nice phone with a big screen so that I can use it for gps too. i was looking into the sidekick3 also, but decided to go with a similiar device which used microsoft mobile. there's so many programs out there for it.

I signed up for the unlimited data plan for $40/mth, but might end up cancelling it. It comes with wifi so i'm really only planning on using the internet where there's wifi service.

You should be able to get an unlimited data for $20/month. It doesn't include text messaging, but I have it for my 2125.

really? i gotta look into that. thanks

 

[QED]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: MathMan
I have the Audiovox XV6700 from Verizon... it will do all you want and then some.

An unlimited data plan on Verizon is $40 on top of your cell phone bill, which is somewhat expensive in my mind. However, the XV6700 has wi-fi capabilities, so I only use it when there is a wifi signal around. You can check your mail, bank accounts, surf ATOT, stream music and video, and play MP3s and apps off a storage card. I found a thread the other day on PDAForums enabling access to Google's mobile map application on the XV6700-- with it, you can get full-screen maps, satellite images, and driving directions of just about anywhere in the US.

Overall, a neat little phone, but a little pricey...

So you don't pay for the data plan? You only use the web browsing in areas of free wi-fi?

Well, I haven't paid for the data plan yet cause I'm a cheap bastard. So I just use it in areas with free wi-fi for now. I also have it set to use my in-laws dial-up account whenever I'm not in a wifi area. It's not as fast as Verizon's EVDO wireless network, but it only uses minutes off of my plan so in essence it is free.

If you don't have a plan with anyone yet, I would look at getting the same phone (they call it the PPC-6700) with Sprint. They have an unlimited EVDO data plan for just $15.00 on top of your cell phone bill, and unlike Verizon's it truly is unlimited (Verizon's TOS states you can't use their network for streaming music of videos).

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: Injury
Go for a PDA. Most cell phones and Sidekicks aren't very flashable... which means they get outdated faster.

Please, excuse my ignorance, and I am a bit embarressed to ask this. But how exactly do you get internet service on your PDA? Do you purchase a plan through an ISP or through a wireless cell phone company? Seriously, I am a noob with this. Thanks.

 

[QED]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: Injury
Go for a PDA. Most cell phones and Sidekicks aren't very flashable... which means they get outdated faster.

Please, excuse my ignorance, and I am a bit embarressed to ask this. But how exactly do you get internet service on your PDA? Do you purchase a plan through an ISP or through a wireless cell phone company? Seriously, I am a noob with this. Thanks.

I'm guessing Injury means a PDA with built-in wifi, or a PDA which you can hook up to a cell phone and use that as a modem. That just sounds like more work than necessary.

I'd say forget that and just get a PDA/cellphone combo like the 2215 or XV6700, or Treo700.

The 2215 and XV6700 have wifi and wireless cell network access out of the box, so you can connect to a wifi network if available, or sign up for a data plan on your cell carrier, or get a dial-up account from any ISP and use that for your Internet connectivity.

The Treo700 is also a nice PDA, but doesn't have built-in wifi so you are restricted to using your cell carrier's data network or a dial-up account.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: Injury
Go for a PDA. Most cell phones and Sidekicks aren't very flashable... which means they get outdated faster.

Please, excuse my ignorance, and I am a bit embarressed to ask this. But how exactly do you get internet service on your PDA? Do you purchase a plan through an ISP or through a wireless cell phone company? Seriously, I am a noob with this. Thanks.

There are PDAs which can be used as cell phones, and cell phones that can be used as PDAs. The PDAs as cell phones usually have the capabilities for a wireless provider to offer data transfer.

Alternatively, just about any PDA can use a wireless card, and you might need to be in a hotspot to use it, but it will be free.

ADDITIONALLY, you can get a PDA+ Bluetooth adapter + Bluetooth capable cell phone, link the two together, and get the data transfer through your phone... you'd basically set up the PDA to use the phone as a modem. That will also expand the options of PDAs you can get to fit the need.

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: MathMan

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: Injury
Go for a PDA. Most cell phones and Sidekicks aren't very flashable... which means they get outdated faster.

Please, excuse my ignorance, and I am a bit embarressed to ask this. But how exactly do you get internet service on your PDA? Do you purchase a plan through an ISP or through a wireless cell phone company? Seriously, I am a noob with this. Thanks.

I'm guessing Injury means a PDA with built-in wifi, or a PDA which you can hook up to a cell phone and use that as a modem. That just sounds like more work than necessary.

I'd say forget that and just get a PDA/cellphone combo like the 2215 or XV6700, or Treo700.

The 2215 and XV6700 have wifi and wireless cell network access out of the box, so you can connect to a wifi network if available, or sign up for a data plan on your cell carrier, or get a dial-up account from any ISP and use that for your Internet connectivity.

The Treo700 is also a nice PDA, but doesn't have built-in wifi so you are restricted to using your cell carrier's data network or a dial-up account.

What about non cell phone/PDAs like the Axim. Some models of the Axim come with wifi. But what if I wanted to browse the web in areas without wifi. What would that require me do/sign up for? Thanks.

 

[QED]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome



What about non cell phone/PDAs like the Axim. Some models of the Axim come with wifi. But what if I wanted to browse the web in areas without wifi. What would that require me do/sign up for? Thanks.

You would also need cell phone then with bluetooth built-in, or with a bluethooth adadpter, like Injury said.

You would then configure the Axim to use the cell phone as a modem, which would dial out to your dial-up ISP provider. On some cell carriers, like Verizon, you can just dial into their high-speed network and therefore not need a seperate dial-up account.


Bottom line-- if you just want to surf the web where there is free wi-fi, you can get a standalone PDA like the Axim.

If you want to surf the web at dialup speeds in places without wi-fi, you can use a standalone PDA paired with a cell phone paired with a dial-up account. Or, get a "Smartphone" (PDA/cell-phone combo) paired with a dial-up account.

If you want to surf the web at broadband speeds in places without wi-fi, you can use a standalone PDA paired with an EVDO capabale cell phone and provider (such as Sprint or Verizon). Or, get a "SmartPhone" (PDA/cell-phone combo) from an EVDO capable provider.