Wireless handhelds ...

[scottb]

Anyone out there have experience with wireless handhelds, specifically, doing stuff like telnet via wireless? I'm just beginning to explore things like the Blackberry RIM 957 model, and something like wireless net access from Cingular.

A bit of an obscure topic for this site, but figured I'd try anyway. I know that there are some fellow tech-heads out there. :)

Cheers.
Scott

[Neillydun]

Hi Scott,

Not sure if you were looking for information on the handhelds themselves or the performance in a wireless environment. I dont know much about the handhelds but the type of access network will seriously effect your views on performance. In a GSM/TDMA network, because they are 'circuit-switched', i.e. you have a permenant one-to-one connection, continuity can be quite a problem, especially if you are mobile in anyway. Future networks should (will) see a vast improvement as will use packet access, just like the internet. In Europe these access methods are GPRS and shortly, UMTS. I'm not sure what they are in the USA. cdma2000 is the amrican equivalent of UMTS I think, and I know there is a GPRS-like network for cdma-95.

In summary, I would wait if thats possible, until these 3rd generation networks become more available.


/Neilly

[perry31415]

It depends on what you want. I can attach my cell phone to my laptop and run most applications that work in an IP environment. Web surfing is not a happy making thing because the access speed is somewhere under 14,400 bps. This crawls with any graphic type stuff. But by using a WAP client and going to WAP sites I get pretty decent performance. WAP is Wireless Access Protocol and is used to allow browsing on the tiny little phone screens. Or I can use the microbrowser on my cell phone. I just don't like the keyboard.

If you are looking viewing or managing graphics, I agree with ScottB. The next generation is called 3G and my guess is tht the roll-out will start in a few select markets ( like broadband internet access....I'm still waiting).

The RIM is a very cool product line and the newer versions will work as a cell phone and PDA. If a cellular provider in you area is not going 3G for a while, I consider it.

3G will also cost more -- newer phones and a higher speed service.