03-01-2005, 04:00 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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MobileTechReview Reviews Enfora's GSM/GPRS CF Card
"Looking for a way to turn your Pocket PC into a phone? Want to surf the web and get email anywhere GPRS cellular service is available? Check out Enfora's CF card which turns Pocket PCs with a CF slot into a phone and wireless data device. There are very few CF cellular cards on the market, and Enfora's card is sure to please. This quad band (850/900/1800/1900MHz) card will work anywhere where GSM service is available, and you'll supply your own SIM to use the card. Unlike many cell phones which are sold and subsidized by carriers, Enfora's card is sold by electronics retailers and is unlocked for use with any carrier. The card offers GPRS class 8 for data but doesn't support EDGE or 3G."
If you don't have a Pocket PC Phone but want to connect your Pocket PC to a wireless carrier, here's a choice worth considering. As usual, Lisa's got lots of good pictures and data to help you make a decision.
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03-01-2005, 04:04 PM
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Editorial Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,411
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Janak, is that link right? Can't get there or even to the base address. http://www.mobiletechreview.com/
Edit: works now
__________________
Sometimes you are the anteater, sometimes you are the ant.
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03-01-2005, 04:08 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 426
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Me either... 
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03-01-2005, 04:33 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 137
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I can get to it with no problems.
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03-01-2005, 04:37 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 147
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I give them points for making it quad-band, but they lose points for it not being EDGE. In 2005, any new device like this should be Class 10 EDGE and quad-band. Don't waste money developing anything else!
This thing IS a little big though - not like it will fit in any case or pocket with it attached. For me, nothing beats the flexiblity of having a bluetooth phone and BT iPAQ. Take the phone with me everywhere, the PDA when I need to.
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03-01-2005, 04:48 PM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,067
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Strange it's GPRS Multislot Class 8 only. Some other cards, also based on the same chipset (there is only one) are GPRS Multislot Class 10, which can be very handy in some situations, particularly when used with programs like MS Portrait ( http://www2.freeweb.hu/menneisyys/portrait/ ).
This one only has one advantage over its competitors: the battery add-on. if it's moderately priced, then, it can be a good buy. (The CF card itself isn't cheaper than the alternatives.)
I, myself, wouldn't buy it because of the very limited voice capabilities and the lack of Multislot Class 10, let alone EDGE.
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03-01-2005, 04:50 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 63
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Enfora sells good products, I had their PocketSpider CDPD CompactFlash modem for Verizon data network for my Jornada 540. It never had a signal problem. The only drawbacks were poor battery life (it had it's own battery) and bulkiness. I guarantee this unit will suck the battery dry from any Pocket PC. I would personally skip this one, because I've been using Pocket PC phones since 2002.
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03-01-2005, 05:13 PM
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Thoughts Media Review Team
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 74
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by nutzareus
I would personally skip this one, because I've been using Pocket PC phones since 2002.
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Exactly. My PDA runs on Windows Mobile, and I get connectivity through my carrier (Sprint). This is only useful for devices that have a CF slot but no phone capability (which is increasingly a smaller subset of products). Like the Motorola Mpx, this is a solution that would have been nice to have two years ago . . . :roll:
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Sprint PPC-67001 GB Mini-SD Card, Pocket Bible, GSPlayer, The Core Media Player, VITO Audio Notes, SlingPlayer Mobile
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03-01-2005, 05:14 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 545
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This is cool....if I still had a CF slot. I really like the slim device I get by leaving that out. Anyway, one thing I am wondering is why doesn't someone bring out a GPRS/EDGE device that hooks into a USB 2.0 port? That would be nice and would be guaranteed to work with any PC or laptop and even some PPC's (Oh where or where is the massive amoutns of ppc's with USB hosting...thats the ONE good thing my e740 had). I hate having to buy x device so my PDA can connect anyhwhere and Y device for my desktop or laptop and....Bluetooth should be the answer, but we all know what's going on with THAT! 
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03-01-2005, 05:31 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 359
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I may be dense but can't you use a CF to PCMCIA adapter and then use it in a laptop or a PC that has a PCMCIA adapter slot installed? I use my Linksys CF PDA card like that all the time in my laptop without problems.
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