Email and Internet when travelling

Submitted: Thursday, Nov 08, 2007 at 05:04

ThreadID: 124186 Views:4551 Replies:6 FollowUps:2

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Flipp'n Lorry

There has been a fair bit of discussion on this previously, and most people I think are leaning towards the laptop cards, but technology keeps moving.

I have just purchased a Next G Palm Treo (having reluctantly given up my CDMA Blackberry).

Disadvantage: Does not support push email, unless you belong to a Corporate Exchange service (which really only applies to people still working for sophisticated companies). You cannot buy an extension aerial.

Email Advantages:
Uses iMap protocol to access email. If you are using GMail, for example, then send/receive synchs the remote GMail and the Palm view. In plain English, if I send an email from the Palm, then a copy will be automatically stored in the Sent folder of GMail. I can view anything in the GMail inbox, without having to "forward" it. And if I delete something from the inbox on the Palm, it deletes also from the GMail inbox and stores a copy in the GMail trash. Very neat. It also imports any GMail folder structures into the Palm automatically.

Internet Advantages:
You can use the Palm as a modem - in other words, connect the phone and the laptop via a USB cable (or Bluetooth) and the laptop can then access the internet over NextG similar to using a laptop card.

General Comment: Pricing plans for a mobile Data Pack appear to be the same as for a GFast card plan (eg $54.95 for 200Mb per month). The advantage of the using the Data Pack approach is that you can do casual internet browsing and most email functions from the Palm Treo without having to hookup the PC. But you have the option to hookup the PC when you need to (eg for banking), without having to subscribe to yet another data cost.

Setting up the email is a piece of cake, but setting up the "modem" function is a bit more difficult and not well documented. But once done, it works really well.

There are a couple of phones from Motorola and Nokia with similar features.

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Reply By: Silver Fox - Thursday, Nov 08, 2007 at 05:33

Thursday, Nov 08, 2007 at 05:33

Very interested in your thread. I have been travelling with a CDMA phone and lap top set up. It has been very good. However as all know soon no more CDMA. Dropped in to Telstra recently for a chat re my idea of gear for next years trips. They have no next G phone hand piece which acts as a modem. Have to buy a USB mobile card $299 or the faster $354. Then data pacs. Also need a next G phone for the bush. Not happy Jan. I had decided to wait a while until nearer the next trip. [Surely someone will market a next G hand piece which can act as a modem I thought]. So very interested in your thread. Costs would be appreciated. Also should I try your idea "the tricks" to set-up as a modem. I had been doing banking and sending pics + short mesages via e-mail to friends and family. The quote from Telstra is too expensive for the benefits. thanks, Neil.

AnswerID: 573345

Follow Up By: Kingy - Thursday, Nov 08, 2007 at 20:45

Thursday, Nov 08, 2007 at 20:45

I think you may have to go to a different Telstra shop as you have been told a whole heap of bull.
All the NextG handsets come complete with a data cable and can be used as a modem for your laptop. I have the ZTE850 and the LG phone and I have used both as modems.
The connection software for both phones also comes in the box.
The ZTE phone has an advantage in that it is on charge through the usb cable whilst you are connected. Good for long sessions.
I have recently bought one of the Telstra 7 series usb modems and it is very quick and also has an external antenna port.

FollowupID: 848847

Follow Up By: dazmit - Friday, Nov 09, 2007 at 21:16

Friday, Nov 09, 2007 at 21:16

Hi Neil

I agree with Kingy - 12 months ago I ended up with a ZTE850 (Telstra branded) phone which acts as a modem. I just take out a data pack (up to 1 gig a month)when we go away and cancel it on return.
I got the phone for free on a 2 year $20/month plan which includes $15 /month free calls and also on the My Hour.
I picked up a Car kit for $100 at the same time.

Interestingly at the time the Telstra shops didn't know about them but when I was ringing Telstra to find out info 1 person suggested it to me - doesn't seem to be widely known.

It works well for me.

Regards

Darryl
Brisbane

FollowupID: 848848

Reply By: Flipp'n Lorry - Thursday, Nov 08, 2007 at 06:29

Thursday, Nov 08, 2007 at 06:29

These phones are not cheap, generally around the $1,200.

In my case, I can justify it because I have a number of business commitments back in Sydney and need constant email services (and I don't usually take a laptop on business trips). It also has calendar/contacts/tasks (which most phones have) but with more of an Outlook view and synchronsiation to my PC database.

The modem setup is part of the standard offering on these phones (provided you subscribe to a Data Pack as discussed above), but you need to download an additional driver from the USA Palm website to get it to work. The CD which comes with the phone provides drivers and software for the Outlook synch, but not for the modem service.

The other Palm feature that I like is that the PC "sees" the phone as if it were an external hard-drive. If you want to copy files between each (including camera pictures), then you can just use standard copy-and-paste. The phone incorporates stripped down versions of Excel, Word and Powerpoint.

You can "unbundle" the phone and data plans - in other words, select a phone plan that meets your phone needs, and separately decide on the data plan for browsing, email and modem use. The advantage of, say, the $54.95 plan is that it is not time limited, only constrained by download data use. So, theoretically, you could leave the browser connected and only pay for data.

Where you could get caught though (when connecting a PC) is if the PC starts to automatically download things like Windows or Virus updates. It would be wise to change the settings so these to "ask before commencing an update".

AnswerID: 573346

Reply By: Spirit Gypsys - Thursday, Nov 08, 2007 at 08:38

Thursday, Nov 08, 2007 at 08:38

I've been (and still am) using a Sierra wireless Aircard that slots into the side of my laptop.
It operates on CDMA and I'm told I can get the same thing in the Next G.
It has as good reception as our cdma/next g mobile phone and has an external arial plug-in to improve reception.
I'll put a 7db lay down antenna on the roof over the door when we head far bush.
I'm only on a 20 hour per month plan for $48- as I don't use it that much
But so far it seems to work well.

AnswerID: 573347

Reply By: Jaunty Jordans - Friday, Nov 09, 2007 at 01:46

Friday, Nov 09, 2007 at 01:46

Hi Spirit Gypsys,
We are on the same plan but with the Next G card. We take the laptop with us when travelling at all times and have had no probs so far. We reside in a remote community in the NT and find the card works well for us with very little drop out. The other thing to consider is whether to go for hours per month or MBs.If you surf or google and are being charged by MBs it can be expensive, with 20 hours we can google or surf to our heart's content so long as we stay within the 20 hour limit (although I believe you can increase the no. of hours per month). This has not been a problem and we have had the service for nearly 12 months now, and yes we both work and use the internet for more than downloading email.
Prue

AnswerID: 573348

Reply By: Wilmo7 - Friday, Nov 09, 2007 at 04:54

Friday, Nov 09, 2007 at 04:54

Hi people!
We are on a Next G LG TU550 which works as a modem through our tower computer (or laptopif you prefer) We are on a $49 mobile phone CAP plan which enables us to have $250 of calls per month for $49, combined with a datapack $29 CAP plan which enables us to have 80mb download per month before we pay extra. If you are only doing e-mails and looking at the BOG site that is more than enough.

AnswerID: 573349