Comments on: Detailed OmniSky wireless modem Review
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RE: Best wireless solution available
to pricing. Several US wireless carriers, notably Sprint, do sell handsets from Nokia and
others which have IR ports. However, all non-CDPD US carriers that I know about are
pricing either by-the-bit (like Palm.Net) or by-the-minute (like Sprint).
Most of these services are prohibitively expensive; Sprint charges about $0.20 per minute --
http://www.sprintpcs.com/wireless/pricing.html" CLASS=NEWS>http://www.sprintpcs.com/wireless/pricing.html -- for most users. Bell-Atlantic Mobile,
which covers the northeastern US, offers wireless Internet access via CDMA handsets,
and they have an unlimited off-peak option for about $10 per month which allows free
use except Monday through Friday from 7:00 to either 20:00 or 21:00, but none of
their handsets have an IR port at this time. I have used CDMA data access with a
Palm PDA, but it required two cables and a null modem connector, and this is not really
a practical solution for regular use.
CDPD is available, but it is usually sold into the corporate market rather than to the
individual user market, and as a result it is hard to find well informed sales staff within
organizations which are really set up to sell voice cellular telephones. Although some
areas of the US do offer unmetered CDPD for a flat monthly fee, including all of the
Bell-Atlantic Mobile territory, much of the US does not have that option and all other
national providers (like ATT) are, as far as I know, selling CDPD priced by-the-bit --
http://www.attws.com/business/data/index.html" CLASS=NEWS>http://www.attws.com/business/data/index.html -- and pricing is generally so
outrageous as to make the service worthless, such as $0.05 per kilobyte.
Even if you are lucky enough to be in an area where you can get unmetered CDPD
service, you cannot roam outside your home service area or you will be hit with very
high metered charges of about $0.08 per kilobyte. Where flat monthly pricing is
available, as from Bell-Atlantic Mobile -- http://www.bam.com/wireless/internet.htm" CLASS=NEWS>http://www.bam.com/wireless/internet.htm --
it will be about $40 per month plus equipment cost.
Overall, the problems with wireless data have come down to pricing. If the Omnisky
people can deliver a substantial, value-added, PalmOS-oriented service over and above
raw CDPD connectivity, including unmetered use and free nationwide roaming in major
metropolitan areas, then they really would be offerring something currently unavailable
elsewhere in the US at any price.
RE: Best wireless solution available
RE: Best wireless solution available
RE: Best wireless solution available
RE: Best wireless solution available
RE: Best wireless solution available
d.
RE: Best wireless solution available
RE: Best wireless solution available
OmniSky vs. Original Minstrel Modem
About a year and a half ago, I purchased a Minstrel Modem for my Palm iii as well as the wireless service re-sold through Go America. The concept was incredible! Wireless access to just about everything through my Palm iii! Work was paying the monthly fee, and I could easily justify the fee by being able to access and manage all our main computers remotely. This was WAY COOL!
Some Comments:
1. Coverage
Coverage was great except for where I worked. I could not get a signal to save my life at my office. Venture a couple blocks from my office, and connections were quick and reliable.
2. Speed
Some would say "19.2k? That's lame!" but remember that you are not trying to fill up a full-sized monitor. Programs like ProxiWeb really made web surfing a dream. There were actually times that I could load in a page on my Palm iii faster using ProxiWeb than on my desktop system at 28.8k!
2. Size
The Original Minstrel Modem was a huge beast. The OmniSky version looks just amazing! Way to go! I predict that within 3 years, we'll have an OmniSky/Palm V combination in the size of a current Palm V!
3. Price
The Go America price was just under $60.00 per month for unlimited access. For business, this may be nothing, but for personal use, I simply could not justify it. Maybe OmniSky's price will be more palletable.
Conclusion:
It appears that OmniSky is basically duplicating what Go America offered, but with a Palm V-compatible modem. Go America's service was always top notch, and I could just never get over the fact that I could connect to the Internet from my palm. Way Cool!
OmniSky vs. Minstrel III Modem
RE: OmniSky vs. Original Minstrel Modem
ProxiWeb
2. Is it possible to delete AvantGo or is it needed for Omnisky to function?
Omnisky Satified Customer
Yeah! No coverage in Atlanta!
There's no coverage for OmniSky in Atlanta, fastest growing city in the US and the computing hub of the east coast. (Yeah, I know what you New Yorkers are going to say, and I've got news for you: Your airport ain't the most trafficed any more either. Get used to it.)
Stragely, there seems to be coverage over Denver, Alberquerqy, and a few odd stretches of interstate, according to the map on the sales site. Just who's planning this network?
No Coverage in Atlanta
Re: Detailed OmniSky wireless modem Review
that would revolutionize the business culture, I tend to be
skeptical on the limited usage of a mere modem for the Palm.
I currently own a Palm V, and have the Qualcomm QCP-860
connected to it with digital wireless internet service
from Bell Atlantic, and the main advantage is the use of voice, which turns the setup
more into a mobile office than a handy web screen, similar to
another users response from Sweden. I understand that
Handspring will provide a cellphone add-on in a recent press release.
That provides a substantial leap as you gain all the features of omnisky,
plus audio usage as well, in one small package.
Although the Omnisky looks like a very attractive on the outside,
they would need to lower the pricing substantially under cellphone rates
to appeal to user like myself, who are searching for a viable solution
to mobile computing. I might be sacrificing size (about the size of
a small Franklin planner), but I feel a subtantial gain in air time usage
and savings.
Re: Detaimed OmniSky wireles modem Review
big deal as the reviewer has noted. But the lack of %DEVICEID
is a big deal. PQAs that need to switch to secure mode (SSL)
for secure transactions (IE. Amazson Anywhere, any on-line
stock broker, etc.), do not work on the Palm V / OmniSky
configuration. ProxyWeb does handle SSL with 40 bits
encryption but I found the fonts too small to read as
compared to Avantgo or the custom Palm VII Web clipping
apps.
Review is right on!
Just wondering what registry entry you added to get Palm Desktop 3.0.1 to recognize PQA's?
I got around it by upgrading my Palm Desktop to 3.0.3 which comes with the new Palm Vx. OmniSky's tech support claimed that the reason it wouldn't recognize PQA's was because I am running NT4.0 (as many corporate users are) and that it would be fixed by doing the initial load on a '95 or '98 machine.
They were dead wrong, all I needed was the newer version of Palm Desktop and everything worked smooth, even though they claim Windows NT is not supported at this time!
Re: Omnisky for Europe??
Does anyone know if Omnisky intends to move over here as well?
Come to mention it, does anyone know when we are going to get the Palm Vx in Europe?
RE: Re: Omnisky for Europe??
for sale. I moaned that I had bought the PALM VIIx and couldn't get a wireless hookup. He told
me that it was a different system. I was in a hurry to get my plane but I wish I'd had more time
to talk. If anyone knows what I can do to use my Palm VIIx on a wireless hookup. I'm leaving
for France again in February. arnhobeck@home.com
RE: Omnisky for Europe??
palm pilot 3x wireless modem??
RE: palm pilot 3x wireless modem??
RE: palm pilot 3x wireless modem??
Thinair 1.4 setup on Omnisky?
How long?
As of now, still inferior to the VII series.
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Best wireless solution available
solutions popping up. Where I live (in Denmark) we
usually prefer to combine out Pilots with a GSM mobile
phone with IR interface and built-in GSM modem (Like
some Ericssonss and Nokia's) and simply dial up to
our favourite internet provider, like with any
other computer.
Can't you do that in the states?