Help - which device is right for me

[ThePanda]

Hi, I'm new to the mobile world; I've never had a PDA or cell phone or anything. I need a device that can receive email (and preferably could vibrate or something to notify me of the email, but that is not necessary if it would increase the cost.) I also need it to be able to click an http link and go to a webpage in some of those emails.

I will only need it to receive around 30 very short emails per month, and of those I will need to click an internet link on like 1 to 5 of them. That is all I need, and I would prefer not to have to pay for any additional services.

I frequently walk through wireless internet access areas at my university. So if there were a cheap way to connect with that, that would be alright, although it would be better if there were a cheap service like this that would also work in other areas.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Don't Panic!]

Maybe an 02 XDA would satisy your needs except for the WLAN part. Check it out at T-Mobile. You don't list where your posting from so I can't find a plan for you but here's the link (http://www.t-mobile.com/locator.asp?referer=/products/handhelds/default.asp) to do it yourself. With so few emails and webviews I would say go with the lower MB plan.

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[ThePanda]

Don't Panic, Thanks for the reply. I did some more research and I think the wireless internet anywhere may be out of my price range, because the cheapest I saw it was $20 a month for 5MB. I've read that WiFi is good (is that the same thing as WLAN?). Maybe I could get an old pocket pc off ebay and then add a WiFi card if it doesn't have one. I wonder if you can get some kind of antenna to amplify the signal so you can use it in more places?

[PetiteFlower]

Sprint has unlimited Wireless web for $10 a month....

[Janak Parekh]

Sprint has unlimited Wireless web for $10 a month....
...although, technically speaking, it's not supposed to be used with PDAs. :)

ThePanda, if you're on campus frequently, it sounds like WiFi is your best bet. It's fast, and there's no metered cost. All you need is a WiFi card and a PDA capable of handling that card. Unfortunately, you'll find coverage in other areas to be spotty - you'd either have to set up WiFi base stations yourself, or use a cell service much like Don't Panic or PetiteFlower do.

--janak

[PetiteFlower]

Well I didn't say whether you were "supposed" to use it with a PDA. I know that you CAN :)

[ThePanda]

Thanks for the ideas. Now I started reading about two-way pagers, which I did not even know existed. I guess web access isn't necessary, I would just like to be able to send and receive emails. I also would like to be notified of new email immediately and be able to send a reply immediately. I haven't found out yet how fast incoming and outgoing messages are actually delivered, but I assume that the coverage area would be larger than for the WiFi pocketpc so it would work in more places. But I am still wondering about the possibility of using some kind of antenna enhancement for the pocketpc so it would work everywhere on campus.

[PetiteFlower]

I read something on here about a pringles can ;)

[ThePanda]

Cool I wonder if the pringles can would work through my backpack :D

[ThePanda]

Does anyone know if there's a (cheap) pocket pc with a vibrate function?

[Pat Logsdon]

It looks like this (http://www.cellularaccessory.com/vibclearswiv.html) might work for the T-mobile...

[gdaswani]

check out the Sony Ericsson P800 - it's a Smart Phone that comes with a GREAT IMAP/POP3 client (which supports SMTP authentication) + a great browser (Opera)...

[Janak Parekh]

Does anyone know if there's a (cheap) pocket pc with a vibrate function?
No - only the Pocket PC Phones and the iPaq 5450 have vibrate. I wonder, though, if there's a CF card one could buy...

--janak

[ThePanda]

ok thanks for all the info, i guess i'll stick with the two-way beeper idea for now ($15 per month I think) unless I see something new within the next few months

[yodacai]

What about something like the RIM Blackberry or T-mobile Sidekick? I have not checked out the prices on these suckers (or the rate plans) but they may do what you want.

[ThePanda]

Yeah the Blackberry 950 looks really good to me, I'm just trying to find out how much the email service is or which provider is best.

[ThePanda]

I looked at cingular.com and it looks like their wireless email for the RIM 950 is $20 a month. Or skytel.com has the motorola T900 for $79 refurbished + $15 a month service.