MobileTechReview Reviews Enfora's GSM/GPRS CF Card

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.mobiletechreview.com/tips/Enfora_GSM_CF_card.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.mobiletechreview.com/tip...GSM_CF_card.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"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."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20050228-MobileTechReviewEnfora.jpg" /><br /><br />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.

[Sven Johannsen]

Janak, is that link right? Can't get there or even to the base address. http://www.mobiletechreview.com/


Edit: works now

[MPSmith]

Me either... :(

[iPaqDude]

I can get to it with no problems.

[racerx]

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.

[Menneisyys]

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.

[nutzareus]

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.

[Anjuan Simmons]

I would personally skip this one, because I've been using Pocket PC phones since 2002.

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:

[gorkon280]

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! :D

[PDANEWBIE]

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.

[gorkon280]

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.

You can....if your laptop has a PC Card slot. My 12 inch power book does not have one. :wink:

[muaddip]

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.

Nope you are not dense. :)

Actually, if you check the reivew the last part of it tells how you can use the card with your laptop and the CD even comes with software to install on your laptop.

All-in-all not a bad little card, but I like others will wait until we get an affordable EDGE card.

[johncruise]

What a coincidence.... I was looking for one just yesterday. I bought another prepaid sim card just for sending SMS. Carrying 2 phones doesn't work well for me.

Now... if only they can have this around $100 :-) Audiovox's RTM-8000 is around $150 at eBay so this won't sell if they don't lower their price also.

[Janak Parekh]

Janak, is that link right? Can't get there or even to the base address. http://www.mobiletechreview.com/
It is correct. Maybe they had DNS issues.

--janak

[Fred44]

...Bluetooth should be the answer, but we all know what's going on with THAT! :D

What is going on with Bluetooth? Why go back to cables with USB on a device what was built to be wireless. No more power cables, No more Ethernet wires, No more wires for peripherals.

Bluetooth is amazing. I use to surf the Web with my PDA and Laptop over GSM/GPRS EDGE with the Nokia 6820 phone. I also use a Logitech Bluetooth headset with the phone all the time. It’s great to be with out the wires.

[ricksfiona]

The thought of having GSM/GPRS on a Dell X50v started to make me drool! But the size of the attachment is just too big and too clunky looking. You have to use a wired earpiece to use the phone service? No Bluetooth? That will not do no way.

Bummer. I guess I'll just keep waiting for Dell to integrate GSM/GPRS into their device or just get the iMate PDA2k.

BTW, I'm absolutely loving my Bluetooth mouse with my iPAQ 5555! Makes all the difference.

[wshwe]

Bluetooth tethering can be difficult to configure. Took me over an hour to connect my iBook to my N-Gage QD with a Belkin USB adapter. Spent a few hours unsuccessfully trying to get my Toshiba e800 connected to my N-Gage with both SD and CF Bluetooth cards. I have the T-Mobile USA $20/month Internet plan. :cry:

[Fred44]

Bluetooth tethering can be difficult to configure. Took me over an hour to connect my iBook to my N-Gage QD with a Belkin USB adapter. Spent a few hours unsuccessfully trying to get my Toshiba e800 connected to my N-Gage with both SD and CF Bluetooth cards. I have the T-Mobile USA $20/month Internet plan.
That is very common with any technology when it is in its infancy. For many years people joked about Windows Plug and Play never working. For many years people hated USB. WiFi is the worse. Most people buy a new access point and leave it configured as a router with WEP open and a default password to configure it. Then they have two levels of NAT, open access to the network and full access to reconfig the router.

A lot of times it takes over an hour to config because its hard to figure out what dial number, login, and password it takes to get on the GSM’s providers network. What is nice is that after all that is configured it connects in two seconds every time after that.

[wshwe]

That is very common with any technology when it is in its infancy. For many years people joked about Windows Plug and Play never working. For many years people hated USB. WiFi is the worse. Most people buy a new access point and leave it configured as a router with WEP open and a default password to configure it. Then they have two levels of NAT, open access to the network and full access to reconfig the router.

A lot of times it takes over an hour to config because its hard to figure out what dial number, login, and password it takes to get on the GSM’s providers network. What is nice is that after all that is configured it connects in two seconds every time after that.
The fact remains I simply can't get it to work. Windows PnP, USB and Wifi are easier to configure than Bluetooth tethering.

[jimski]

[quote=Fred44]That is very common with any technology when it is in its infancy.

I know were getting off topic, but....Bluetooth is NOT in its infancy. Nobody likes Bluetooth more than I do, but frankly I am disappointed. You might as well call it, Light Bluetooth, and Medium BlueBluetooth, and Navy Bluetooth, etc., because every OEM has taken liberties with the way they implement the technology making for a lot of incompatibility, and that's not a good thing.

Just think if 5 years ago every printer manufacturer had a different pinout for their parallel cable. Some cables might work with different printers, but it would be hit and miss. That's how I feel Bluetooth is being implemented. The technology is great, the implementation by the manufacturers stinks. I don't know if the Bluetooth SIC is to blame, but I am sure if Microsoft (and I am no fan of MS) had wrapped their arms around Bluetooth five years ago this problem would exist today, because everyone would have no coice but to follow Microsoft's lead. I picked up a new phone at the local Cingular store last week and aside from Smartphones or PPCPE's, only two of the twelve phones on display offered Bluetooth and NONE were Sony-Ericsson. I do recall that Ericsson had something to do with Bluetooth. They should be ashamed.

Bottom line is when it works it works great, but when it does not work it is downright painful.

[Cybrid]

Hey,
Is it just me or this thing look like a reworked GPRS version of the growell/YISO 1xRTT card?
www.growellusa.com

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