Re: [NTLK] wireless newton internet services

From: John Goggan (jgoggan_at_dcg.com)
Date: Mon Feb 17 2003 - 06:58:28 PST


Roman Pixell wrote:
> > what are the various methods of connecting a newton (2100) to the
> > internet while not on a landline or a lan?

> well, there are no cheap solutions, really, since youll have to pay
> for the variable cost anyway.

I think that there are low-speed solutions in many areas, at least. I started
looking into this last year when I was going on a train trip and wanted to be
geeky enough to email a friend from my Newt on the train. :) After a lot of
research -- and finding that most solutions only worked outside of the US at
this point, I finally went with a very cheap solution: a 14.4k PCMCIA Cellular
modem (the Motorola CELLect) coupled to a MicroTAC phone that I bought on Ebay
for $10. There is a special cable that connects the CELLect directly to the
MicroTAC -- it dials and everything for you. I then just used regular phone
service to a regular dialup ISP. Although it worked right away, I found out
later that my ISP even has a special number that is better at the low-speed
cellular calls that they had me use whenever I was making a cellular call.

So, in the end, I paid well under $100 for everything (including phone, modem,
spare batteries, connection cable, charger) -- and, monthly, I only pay my
normal cellular/wireless bill (about $20 a month for the cheap plan since I
don't make many calls) and a normal dialup bill (about $15 a month -- which I
use for home also (where I have one-way satellite)).

So, in the US, low-speed Newton-to-Net-via-cellular can be done on the cheap.
Just stick with cellular instead of wireless. Old technology comes back to
kick the new one's rear yet again. :-) Seems oddly appropriate for getting a
Newton on the Net. :-)

 - John...

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