GNOMEREPORT: Is That A Computer In Your Pocket, Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?

My, oh my, the Lockergnome family just keeps getting bigger and better. We want to welcome you to the inaugural issue of Mobile Lifestyle. As a writer specializing in mobile computing, I see the need every day for information pertinent to the Mobile Lifestyle and how to use mobile technology effectively. So what is mobile computing? A good definition by MacSoundUK.com is "Mobile computing is computing done by intermittently-connected users who access network resources." Obviously that definition can encompass a broad range of hardware like PDAs, Laptops, Tablet PCs, Smartphones, and even the new Smart Personal Object Technology (SPOT) watches using the MSN Direct technology from Microsoft. Beyond hardware, there's a ton of software to make mobile computing easier and more effective.

While mobile computing has long been an important ritual of the business traveler, the average Joe is starting to realize the amazing advantages of computing on the go. The thing to remember is that mobile computing isn't something strictly for the road. Mobile Computing can be as simple as utilizing a wireless home network. You can't imagine the freedom of using your laptop or PDA on the couch without any wires to hold you back.

Also an important part of Mobile computing is remote Internet access and email from Wi-Fi connected hotspots. Obviously one of the biggest reasons mobile computing is catching on so fast is the advancement of wireless technology. It wasn't very long ago that the only way to connect to the Information SuperHighway was through a dial-up modem. Now it seems like there are wireless hotspots on every corner. Heck, if you can surf the Web at McDonald's, you know the world is a-changin'.

So in future issues, we'll tackle the hardware, software, and peripherals needed to be an effective Road Warrior (or Wi-Fi enabled couch potato, whichever you prefer).

We're honored you've decided to check out the Mobile Lifestyle Channel and hope to see you here every Tuesday.

Happy Geeking,
William Hungerford

WI-FI: So Simple, So Effective

By Furo

http://go.lockergnome.com/201

Snipping those LAN cables is a great thing. I can lounge out on the back deck with my notebook or PDA, never losing connectivity to the outside world. Of course, wireless networks aren't exactly new, and neither are frustrations with signal strength and weak spots. For the do-it-yourself types, or even the less artistic sort (i.e. you can operate a pair of scissors without maiming yourself or others), kicking your wireless signal in the behind shouldn't require the spending of more money. For commercial environments, it's still probably a good idea to opt for equipment specifically suited to signal boosting and direction. I'm sufficiently adept with a ruler and cutting implements that I believe I can fashion a viable directional antenna, but without having to consume a can of Pringles. Confused? Just click.

REVIEW: Treo 600 PDA/Mobile Phone Hybrid

By Adam Boettiger

I recently dusted off a couple of my unused gadgets and put them up for sale on eBay and was able to purchase the new Treo 600.

This is a PDA/Phone hybrid "communicator" that runs Palm OS5, being offered with mobile service through AT&T Wireless, Sprint, Cingular and T-Mobile. It retails for between $250 (Amazon.com/Sprint with 2 year contract) and $499 depending on which service you go through. I'll keep this review limited to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

The Good:

• Love it. It was very easy to migrate my existing AT&T Wireless Service to this phone. I kept my existing voice plan and selected a data plan of 10MB/mo. for $29.95. ATTWS has an mMode section of their Web site that allows users to check on data usage with a 1-day recency. This is really useful for those of us who are power e-mail users and aren't really sure how much data transfer we'll use or which plan which will be most cost- effective. Thus far for what I do, which is primarily e-mail, this data plan seems to be working for me but I may bump it up.
• Backlit keypad. The Blackberry units and the Palm Tungsten C never had this feature but it just seemed like common sense to have the keyboard backlit. This phone has a backlit keypad and a crisp, bright PDA screen. While not as high a resolution as the Palm Tungsten 3, I think the tradeoff is that with this phone you get more talk time and standby time than you probably would were it high-res. The same people who complain about a lack of high res on this phone would probably bitch about the diminished talk time if the screen were high-res. For what I use it for, the resolution is just fine. Not as good as the T3 but it is good and clean.
• 32 MB RAM with SD RAM card slot on top to pop in a 512 MB card if you need it. More specs on the links following this article.
• Mobile phone sound is excellent on both ends. Unlike previous hybrids, this unit feels solid in your hands and is small enough that you don't really feel like you're holding a PDA to your face. It comes with an earbud headset that has good sound quality as well. Rather than some of the hybrid flip phones that are phones that just happen to have a PDA built into them, the Treo 600 is the first hybrid that I've seen that doesn't sacrifice either.
• The included e-mail program works flawlessly and can be set to auto check multiple POP accounts every 15 minutes if you wish. IMAP is available with add-on e-mail programs like SnapperMail.
• Add "ACT for Palm" program and you can sync your ACT database directly with the phone on hotsync, notes and all. The Contacts section of the PDA offers the ability to dial directly from a contact with one click, and when you receive an e-mail it hyperlinks the phone numbers within the e-mail (very cool) and all you do is click on the number in the e-mail and it dials it.
• Finally a hybrid phone that you don't need a stylus to use! Like most PDAs, a stylus is housed in the Treo 600, but you don't really need it to use the phone or check e-mail. The tip of your index finger works quite well for both dialing outbound calls via a virtual touch-tone pad, from the contacts list or by clicking on a linked phone number in an e-mail message you receive.
• Many more cool features. See links below for full specs and details.

The Bad:

• Web browsing on a cell PDA is still slow. But how cool is it to order a book via Amazon.com, check the weather, or access an office computer via VPN? Sprint, I'm told, has a high-speed data plan and ATTWS is rolling their own "Edge" technology soon. TIP: If you buy the Treo 600 and plan on using wireless Web access, get a program called "Palm Web Pro browser" for $34. It's better than the Blazer browser that ships standard with the unit.
• The keys are closer together than the standard Blackberry configuration and take some getting used to. They're fine for short e-mails and completely functional, but I wouldn't want to write a book on it.
• The digital camera in the unit snaps pictures well outdoors in good lighting, but don't count on taking photo quality pictures with this camera. It does, however, allow for quick shots that can be sent wirelessly as jpegs with a couple of thumb clicks.

The Ugly:

• You'd think that if you pay a PDA price for this product that they'd include a PDA cradle, but NO, it comes with only a USB charger cord and hotsync cable. The cradle charger ($29) is listed as an accessory.
• The case it ships with is quite useless. It's identical to an iPod vinyl case, but doesn't even have a belt clip and is difficult to get the unit out of quickly when answering a call. Plan on buying a third party case when they become available to protect your investment.

Tips On Buying / Usage:

• I went to Palmone.com and they said it would be a 2-3 week wait due to backorders. Went to ATTWS.com and called the 800 number there for their online store. They had them in stock and I ordered it on a Friday and it arrived via FedEx on Monday. Very cool. All I did was pop my sim card in from my other phone and after a 3 hour initial charge it was ready to use.
• Even if you go with a mobile carrier other than ATTWS, I suggest that you visit the ATTWS Support Forums. They have a section specific to PalmOne and the Treo where you can read other users' reviews and learn more about it. TIP: If you are an ATTWS customer, there's a high demand for both this unit and for switching customers, so I had trouble getting through to customer care to activate it. The URL for the board above has live tech chat with ATT reps during the day. It was easy to get through and ask questions, etc. - much faster than the phone support. It's also great to interact with other users who often know more than those reps you speak with on the phone.
• Plan on eventually buying a better case, car charger cord and cradle charger.
• Buy a Palm program called Verichat. This is identical to Trillian in that it allows you to log into and monitor multiple IM accounts from MSN, ICQ, AIM, and Yahoo IM simultaneously and send and receive IM messages on the phone. Very cool.
• The PalmOne site recommends a program called MailXpress by Visto.com for e-mail. This service is $49/year but is TOTALLY UNNECESSARY! The only difference between MailXpress and the Mail program that comes standard with the Treo 600 is that MailXpress offers SSL e-mail and connects to enterprise servers. The existing mail program works just fine. If you want a better one, I recommend SnapperMail.
• Does not come with a useful program called "Documents To Go". This is a program you'll want that syncs MS Office documents Word and Excel with the phone/pda.
• Because the battery is lithium ion, they recommend that you charge it fully the first time and then NOT run it all the way down but rather plug it in often to top it off. They claim that doing so will increase the life of the Li battery.

The Bottom Line:

• Buy it. You'll absolutely love it.
• Definitely droolworthy.
• The first hybrid phone I've seen that has common sense.

My favorite features are many, but I'm an e-mail person and it has been great to get e-mail pushed to it and just be able to use one finger on the center control to click on a phone number in the e-mail and have it dial the person right from their signature. Nothing shocks a prospect or customer more than when you call them on the phone 10 minutes after they fill out the form on your Web site or e-mail you.

Happy New Year!

Links in this article:

• Treo 600 photos and specs
• PalmOne
• Add-on Software
• AT&T Wireless
• Sprint PCS

NOTEBOOKS: Top 15 Notebook PCs

Just in time for the new year, PCWorld has released their list of the Top 15 Notebook PCs. Topping the list is the Gateway 450X with built-in Wi-Fi followed by the Dell Latitude D600. Overall, a pretty impressive list.

Read More.

DOWNLOAD: BugMe

• [119K/579K/132K]
• Palm/Pocket PC/P800
• Screenshot
• $19.95

electricpocket.com/bugme

There's a lot of software for jotting notes on your PDA but none as powerful as Bugme. One of the greatest features is the ability to view your handwritten notes as thumbnails. You also have the ability to send a note as an e-mail, Bluetooth, or IR. One of the unique features is the ability to create templates for your notes from scratch or even create a template from a screenshot with the built-in screenshot tool. Bugme comes with a trial version for all the platforms listed.

TIP: Hey, That's Not My Laptop!

If you've done any flying lately, you know the drill with your laptop through the screening process. Part of the screening process requires you to remove your laptop from the bag to go through the X-ray machine. Before you go the airport, stick a piece of colored tape on your laptop. It'll make it easier to identify yours in the sea of computers.

DEFINITION: Wi-Fi

Here is an excerpt from searchMobileComputing.com explaining what Wi-Fi is:

"Wi-Fi (short for "wireless fidelity") is the popular term for a high-frequency wireless local area network (WLAN). The Wi-Fi technology is rapidly gaining acceptance in many companies as an alternative to a wired LAN. It can also be installed for a home network. Wi-Fi is specified in the 802.11b specification from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and is part of a series of wireless specifications together with 802.11, 802.11a, and 802.11g. All four standards use the Ethernet protocol and CSMA/CA (carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance) for path sharing. The 802.11b (Wi-Fi) technology operates in the 2.4 GHz range offering data speeds up to 11 megabits per second. The modulation used in 802.11 has historically been phase-shift keying (PSK). The modulation method selected for 802.11b is known as complementary code keying (CCK), which allows higher data speeds and is less susceptible to multipath-propagation interference."

TUTORIAL: Streaming Internet Radio On Your Pocket PC

By William Hungerford

palmtops.about.com/library/weekly/aa031103at1.htm

Yours truly wrote this tutorial for you music lovers out there. This tutorial shows you how to set up GSplayer on your Pocket PC to stream Shoutcast Internet radio stations. If you have a wireless enabled Pocket PC and a wireless connection you'll be boogying to your favorite disco tunes in no time. (Everybody likes disco, right? [ed. note: *cough, cough!*])

HOTSPOT NEWS: Detroit Airport Gets Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi has finally made it to the McNamara Terminal / Northwest WorldGateway at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW). If you are traveling during the holiday season, DTW will let you take advantage of the new Wi-Fi for free. After the holidays you'll pay $6.95 per 24 hour period.

FAVORITE: jiwire

jiwire.com

{Wi-Fi} Resource for wireless and Wi-Fi information and answers. Find hot spots anywhere in the world in its directory. Jiwire attempts to explain the complex world of wireless technology with its tips and tricks, and how-to information on setting up a home wireless network to setting up Wi-Fi. Currently, there are only five how-tos, but I expect that will grow with time. I've been interested in getting a Palm Tungsten with wi-fi built in so I can stay connected away from home, but I wondered if there were enough Wi-Fi spots to warrant it. Looking at the directory has convinced me Wi-Fi hotspots are widespread. It's holiday time and goodness, there are so many tempting toys me. Must resist! Must resist! Must resist! I've no willpower when it comes to gadgets. [Meryl]

CONTRIBUTE: Let's Hear What You Have To Say

As the newest channel on the block, we need your input. Give us your input and ideas for topics for the Mobile Lifestyle Channel. Got a great story, tip or trick? Send it here. We can't guarantee we'll use everything, but we're sure looking forward to hearing from you!