.KEYWORD goamerica
.FLYINGHEAD PRODUCT REVIEW
.TITLE Go online, go mobile, GoAmerica
.FEATURE
.SUMMARY Mobile Internet service is all the rage these days. Palm III users can now join the crowd, thanks to GoAmerica and the Novatel wireless Minstrel III modem. Greg McKinney reviews this powerful combination that allows you to get out from behind your desk and still enjoy the best of the Web.
.AUTHOR Greg McKinney
Is your addiction to the Internet keeping you chained to the office? Are you afraid to leave the house, lest you cut yourself off from the umbilical cord of Internet access? When someone asks you out to dinner, do you respond with, "But what if I get an email? What if I win a Web contest? Or worse, what if my stock-pick-of-the-day reaches my predefined sell point?"
.CALLOUT What you need is a way to surf the Internet without trapping yourself behind your desk.
Well, at the moment there’s no simple 12-step cure for Internet addiction. On the other hand, do you really want one? But it’s summertime! What you need is a way to surf the Internet without trapping yourself behind your desk. That way you can actually get out and live your life while still nurturing and supporting your addiction.
.H1 The solution
The solution, of course, is mobile Internet access. What you need is GoAmerica along with the Novatel wireless Minstrel III modem. You can find the GoAmerica Web site at http://www.goamerica.com.
GoAmerica has billed itself as America’s wireless ISP (Internet Service Provider), and it really comes through on that claim. In areas where CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Delivery) is available, you’re assured constant connection to the Internet. If you own a Palm III, you can now take the Internet with you wherever you go by simply attaching the Minstrel III modem.
.H1 The hardware
The initial setup is really very easy. I was up and running within minutes of receiving my package. The software, the modem, the documentation, and the number for technical support were all in the box. Almost immediately upon opening it, I was ready to surf!
If you have seen the Minstrel III, then you know how cool it looks. It really seems less bulky than the typical wired modem that clips to the bottom of the Palm device. The Minstrel III attaches to the Palm III so well that together they look like one device, as you can see in Figure A.
.FIGPAIR A The Minstrel III and Palm III combine so well, they look like one device.
The Minstrel III has its own software that must be loaded on the Palm device. It requires 47K of memory. Once it’s installed and the modem is attached, the modem makes a connection. Simple as that! No dialing, no waiting, just connected!
.H1 The software
The modem’s speed is 19.2 kbps. Sound slow? Not with GoAmerica’s service and start page. I was really impressed with the speed at which their start page loaded. All of the links to other sites on their start page are designed for handheld devices as well. That means every site you access from the start page seems to load very fast.
You can go anywhere you want on the Web with their browser, but, mind you, when you go to a graphic-laden site, the speed will suffer. When wirelessly connected, I try to contain my surfing to the handheld-friendly sites.
The GoAmerica software package consists of two files. They are GOAMERICA.PRC, which requires 106K, and GOMAIL.PRC, which requires 115K. Once installed, you have only one GoAmerica icon, but when you select it, you then have a choice between Go.Web and Go.Mail, as seen in Figure B.
.FIG B You have a choice between Go.Web and Go.Mail.
Once Go.Web is selected, you can surf. The browser supports bookmarks, something I find very handy. It’s a feature that many Palm browsers lack. Figure C shows the customizable MyGo.Web page.
.FIG C The MyGo.Web page is customizable.
You can select up to ten sites for your start page. Not only that, but you can customize your MyGo.Web page online with either the Palm device or your desktop computer.
The first time you select Go.Mail you are prompted to set up your mail account. You know, all that POP3, SMTP, and signature stuff, as seen in Figures D.
.FIG D You must first set up your Go.Mail account.
Once that’s done, you are ready to send and receive mail just like you were sitting behind your computer at the office. It really is as straightforward as that!
.H1 The service
As I said before, if you are located in a CDPD area anywhere in the United States, then you have connectivity. There are no roaming charges.
GoAmerica offers two service plans. The Go.Lite plan allows you to download 25K of data per month for $9.95 and $0.10 per kilobyte above the 25K limit. However, the plan for me is the Go.Unlimited plan. For $49.95 per month I have unlimited access to the wireless Web.
GoAmerica sells the Novatel wireless Minstrel III modem for $199, but currently, it’s being offered for half that. This is comparable to, if not better than, some of your other options. For example, you could get connected to the wireless Web through your digital cellular phone and spend at least $99 for the connection kit. Not only that, but you’ll also be tying up your cell phone. Bottom line, it’s hard to beat $99 for the modem!
.H1 The customer service
I decided to check out GoAmerica’s Customer Support Center and found the staff to be very knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. It’s nice to find an Internet Service Provider that understands what "Service" means. The phone call lasted less than five minutes, and that included dialing time!
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.H1 Summary
If you have a Palm III, IIIe, IIIx, or IIIxe, and you want to connect to the wireless Web, GoAmerica’s service, along with the Minstrel III wireless modem, is the option I recommend. It’s time for all you Internet addicts to own up to the fact that you can’t live without the Web. At least now, however, you can go outdoors, live a normal life, and still have the power of the Internet at your fingertips.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on GoAmerica, visit http://www.goamerica.com.
For more information on the Minstrel III, visit http://www.goamerica.net/html/showcase/products/minstrel_III.
.H1 Bulk reprints
Bulk reprints of this article (in quantities of 100 or more) are available for a fee from Reprint Services, a ZATZ business partner. Contact them at reprints@zatz.com or by calling 1-800-217-7874.
.END_SIDEBAR
.BIO Greg McKinney is a Palm OS enthusiast. You can read more of his reviews at his site, http://www.gregspalmnotes.com.
.DISCUSS http://powerboards.zatz.com/cgi-bin/webx?13@@.ee6e33c
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