  
|
 |
|
|
| Landel LT-301 MailBug |
| BellSouth |
|
Price:
$100 for device, $8 to $10 per month
depending on service. |
| Coolness
score: 7 |
| Ease
of use: 9 |
|
| An e-mail only device (although it does include some Web information like news, stock quotes, weather and sports scores), this is a perfect device for someone who wants to get e-mail but doesn’t want the hassle of a computer. You can’t send or read attachments, but for basic e-mail, this is a great device. |
| Talkabout T900 |
| Motorola |
|
Price:
$99 (after
$50 rebate, good through 12/31/01) |
| Coolness
score: 6 |
| Ease
of use: 7 |
|
| A very small two-way pager that can send and receive pages and e-mail. Our test model used the SkyTel system. It was surprisingly easy to use the ultrasmall keyboard. Good for those on the road who need messages but not necessarily voice service. |
| Timeport P935 |
| Motorola |
|
Price:
$400, with $9.95 per month for 10,000
characters. Unlimited service is $60 per month. |
| Coolness
score: 7 |
| Ease
of use: 8 |
|
| A two-way pager with built-in PDA functions that can synchronize with desktop software on a PC. Uses a combination serial port cradle/battery charger to connect the device to the PC. Infrared beaming is available to sync between applications. The keyboard was relatively easy to use, despite its small size. For those using wireless messaging for e-mail, this may be a better option than trying to type on a cell phone keypad. We tested it with the Arch Wireless network. Another cool feature private time puts the pager into a silent mode during set periods, so you can sleep uninterrupted at night. The 4.5M bytes of memory are standard. |
| BlackBerry 957 |
| Research in Motion |
|
Price:
Varies, but expect between $400
and $500, plus monthly services. |
| Coolness
score: 9 |
| Ease
of use: 9 |
|
|
Like
no other wireless device on the market, RIM Blackberry isn’t
just fun and easy to use, it delivers the killer application
for mobile IT professionals -- secure access to corporate
e-mail. Want to create the illusion you’re always at your
desk? Or make better use of dead time when you’re away? BlackBerry
lets you keep up with your e-mail throughout the day from
anywhere, so you can spend your valuable office time on work
rather than sloughing through hundreds of messages.
The PDA sized BlackBerry 957 is thinner and lighter than a
Palm or WinCE device. No need for a stylus or fluency in Grafiti.
The 957’s thumbable keyboard is easy to master, and unique
scroll wheel makes one handed navigation a snap. Basic PDA
applications include a calendar, address book, calculator,
and to-do list. You can search messages, save specific messages,
and delete messages dating back to a certain point, a handy
way to quickly clean out the inbox. Pager features include
silent and toned message notification.
The BlackBerry comes in the personal/home edition called BlackBerry
Internet, and the Enterprise edition. The latter includes
BlackBerry server, which integrates with corporate e-mail
systems. While RIM also offers a home/personal edition called
BlackBerry Internet, the relative high cost and lack of third
party applications (compared to Palm and WinCE) make it best
suited to businesses. All I found lacking out of the box was
access to Web news headlines, which I now get via GoAmerica’s
Web clipping service. RIM has partnered with IBM, Computer
Associates, Oracle and others to offer a variety of enterprise
applications for the device.
Even out of the box, network execs are using the BlackBerry
to receive e-mail notification of system and network problems,
respond to support calls, and pick up forwarded voice mail
messages as part of a universal messaging application.
|
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