.KEYWORD internet0701
.FLYINGHEAD THE INTERNET IN YOUR PALM HANDHELD
.TITLE Be enterprising in real-time, use AvantGo Wireless
.DEPT
.SUMMARY Last month, Michael Connick showed you how AvantGo’s off-line browser software can be a valuable enterprise tool. This month, he’ll introduce you to the new AvantGo Wireless application that allows you to access information in real-time right from your Palm handheld. It’s just the thing you need to keep up with the flow of information in this fast-paced business world.
.AUTHOR Michael Connick
In last month’s column at http://www.palmpowerenterprise.com/issues/issue200106/internet0601001.html, I covered the use of AvantGo as an off-line browser for AvantGo’s channels and the rest of the Web. I talked about what a valuable tool this is for anyone trying to keep up with the flow of information in this fast-paced business world.
Well, this month, we’re going to talk about how to use the new real-time wireless functions of AvantGo to increase your power to access information even more. What’s really cool is you can use AvantGo Wireless even if you don’t have a wireless connection from your Palm handheld to the Internet.
.H1 What is AvantGo Wireless?
AvantGo Wireless is a new feature that gives you real-time access to AvantGo’s channels. You don’t even need wireless connectivity to utilize it. It works fine with a PalmModem, which I discussed in detail in the article, "An unsung hero: using the PalmModem" at http://www.palmpowerenterprise.com/issues/issue200102/modem001.html.
Instead of accessing AvantGo channels in an off-line manner, AvantGo Wireless allows you to access its contents in real-time. There’s no waiting for synchronizing, and you can get the information you need right away. You can use it to access any pre-defined AvantGo channel. Unfortunately, it won’t work with any custom channels you may have created.
Wireless AvantGo is displayed on my Palm IIIc in Figure A.
.FIG A AvantGo Wireless allows you to access AvantGo content in real-time.
.H1 How do I get AvantGo Wireless for my Palm handheld?
You need to be running AvantGo version 4.0 on your Palm handheld to utilize this feature. You can determine what version of AvantGo you currently have on your Palm handheld by selecting the About AvantGo entry in the Options menu.
AvantGo 4.0 is available free of charge from http://www.avantgo.com. Their Web site will inform you of all the requirements for running AvantGo 4.0, as well as guide you through the installation process on your Palm computer, PC, and/or Mac.
If you’re currently an AvantGo user, you should probably still download AvantGo 4.0 to your Palm handheld even if you don’t use the new wireless functions. It’s the first version of AvantGo that allows you to copy data from the retrieved pages. If you select the Copy item from the Edit menu, your current page will be copied into the Palm handheld’s Memo application. If the data is too big to fit into a single Memo, it will automatically be split into multiple Memos.
.H1 How do I start using AvantGo Wireless?
Once the new software is installed on your Palm handheld, you next need to enable wireless functionality for your AvantGo account. You can do this by logging onto the AvantGo Web site and going to your "My Account" page. There you’ll find an "Go wireless with AvantGo" link. Clicking on this will take you to a page that will allow you to enable AvantGo Wireless service for your account.
The first time you synchronize with AvantGo after you’ve enabled AvantGo Wireless, you’ll see a new My Wireless link at the bottom of the AvantGo home page on your Palmhandheld. If you click on that link, you’ll be taken to an AvantGo Wireless home page. This page is your gateway to real-time access to any of the AvantGo channels.
.H1 How do I access wireless channels from my Palm handheld?
Before going any further in using AvantGo Wireless, you’ll need to make sure that your Palm handheld has access to the Internet. This means that you’ll need to have a PalmModem connected and attached to a phone line, have a cell phone connection hooked up to your handheld, or have a wireless modem connected and operational. If you click on any of the links on your new AvantGo Wireless home page, your Palm handheld will immediately try to establish an Internet connection to AvantGo. For example, if you’re using a PalmModem, tapping on any of the AvantGo Wireless home page links will cause your PalmModem to dial out and connect to your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and then access the AvantGo channel server. It will then immediately retrieve pages for display on your Palm handheld.
.H1 Can I access one of my custom channels using AvantGo Wireless?
Unfortunately, you can’t access custom channels using AvantGo Wireless. As I mentioned above, AvantGo Wireless only works with the standard AvantGo channels.
.H1 What information can I access using AvantGo Wireless?
There are over 1,000 AvantGo channels, so you’ll have no shortage of valuable information. I find the Wireless functionality to be very valuable to me when I’m traveling on business. It’s great to be able to hook my Palm IIIc up to a PalmModem or to my cell phone and get real-time news updates, stock market data, and up-to-the-minute weather reports for my current location. I also use it to get information on restaurants in the area. Finally, I even used it once to get driving directions from an airport to an office where I was to have a meeting.
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.H1 Conclusion
AvantGo Wireless is a great addition to the AvantGo service. It allows you to immediately view the tremendous variety of information contained in AvantGo’s channels. This functionality can provide a very rich source of information services for the business traveler or any busy enterprise user.
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.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on AvantGo Wireless, visit http://www.avantgo.com.
For the article, "Be enterprising, use AvantGo for offline browsing," by Michael Connick in the June 2001 issue of PalmPower’s Enterprise Edition, visit http://www.palmpowerenterprise.com/issues/issue200106/internet0601001.html.
For the article, " An unsung hero: using the PalmModem" by Michael Connick in the February 2001 issue of PalmPower’s Enterprise Edition, visit http://www.palmpowerenterprise.com/issues/issue200102/modem001.html.
For more information about Palm computers, visit http://www.palm.com.
.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.
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.BIO
.DISCUSS http://powerboards.zatz.com/cgi-bin/webx?50@@.ee6f61b
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