There were two different types of "wireless"
communication options for the Newton.
1) Pager
2) Packet data.
In the pager arena, you had the Socket Pagecard and
Mobilecom's Messaging card. Both of these were one
directional messaging. The cool part is that the pager
card could still collect pages without being connected
to the Newton. Then when you plugged it in the Newton,
it would "download" the pages into your inbox.
The Packet data consisted of services from two
different companies. These were RAM and Ardis. Ardis
was purchased by Americal Mobile Satellite, and RAM
was purchased by Bell South Wireless. These services
were resold by two predominent companies, Wynd and
what is now called Go America. They used the Megahertz
AllPoints card and charged you by the kilobyte! Wynd
was a little more proactive on the Newton stuff, but
they have both long since discontinued service to the
Newton...Now that's not to say that if you go and get
a Megahertz AllPoints card, plug it into your Newton,
load up the software (which I happen to have) enter in
the server information that this woudn't work! Of
course it works, and works well! But you are limited
to email and text only! Both services have fax, email,
voicemail, and even rudimentary web stuff. A web page
can be captured by sending an email to the service,
they go and get the page and send the text to your
Newton. The links are then listed at the end of the
text with cooresponding numbers to where they would
normally be. You rend the HTTP page that cooresponds
to the link number and you get THAT page. You do this
till you get the information you need. I did this on
the way to a meeting with a company that I had
neglected to view their website. Every traffic light,
I downloaded more of their site and while I was
waiting in their waiting room, I read their
site...impressed them with my up to date knowledge of
their company!
A third and not really supported option was using
CDPD. This is Cellular Digital Packet Data. This card
originally was a type III card by IBM. Now it is a
card created by Sierra Wireless. You might be able to
get an older Bell Atlantic card but don't hold your
breath...The CDPD required some pretty fancy tweaking
of TCI/IP settings and scripting...You basically set
it up as a seperate internet account...a real pain in
the butt and I only got it to work once or twice...A
police force in California used the Newton and a CDPD
modem on their bicycle cops and they showed it at the
'98 Wireless World in Atlanta...real cool stuff. They
got it working and even gave me their notes to look
at. After extensive talking with one of the engineers
who set it up, he was going to send me the notes, but
their lawyers stepped in and wouldn't let me have a
copy...something about intellectual property...Oh,
well...But, Sierra Wireless is pretty open to
"hackers" trying to get stuff to work on their modem.
I met with several of their engineers at Wireless
World in Las Vegas in '99 and they were very open to
helping me develop drivers and scripts for the
Newton...but alas, I left the job that gave me access
to these toys and lost contact with all these fine
people. I still have phone numbers for anyone that may
want to pursue this...but, be forwarned...most people
approach the Newton sollution as not even worth
considering! Especially when they see the market
saturation of the palm! (kinda like the Mac/Wintel
thing you know...why spend money developing for only
2-3% of the target market when the same amount of
money could be spent to the other 97%!
Ed
Web/Cellphone/Wireless data Guru
--- Michael Stephens <mike1964@flash.net> wrote:
> I dug up my old Newton Solutions Guide booklet that
> came -new- with my
> MP2000 back in '97. In it are a couple of wireless
> card & service options:
>
> 1. Socket Communications Pagecard Wireless
> Messaging System
> This looks like a pager attached to a Socket PCMCIA
> card.
>
> 2. RadioMail - similar service to Socket - E-mail,
> WWW, paging, etc.
> The card looks like it has a bigger attachment,
> with antenna
>
> 3. WyndMail - Looks like a similar card to
> RadioMail (Megahertz??). Same
> type of service, again. This is wireless "radio"
> modem service. They
> actually offered free use for 30 dyas - then either
> purchase or renting
> for $39.95/mo....
>
> 4. Personal Media - from Gaia - wireless e-mail,
> company web info. The
> same
> Megahertz card here.
>
> Man, if it were only '97 again.
> My question is, are any of these services still
> available? I suspect not.
> What is the difference between these cards and the
> Merlin or Sierra Wireless
> AirCard
> that are in the latest MobilePlanet catalog that I
> received yesterday? I
> would
> think that power requirements of the older Megahertz
> wireless card wouldn't
> be
> significantly different from the Merlin card (which,
> by the way, is listed
> for
> $129.95 with 1 yr. service commitment...).
>
> I'm game, as others seemed to be, to try this, if it
> doesn't destroy my
> MessagePad.
>
> Mike
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: DrNewton [mailto:DrNewton@kc.net]
> Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2000 9:16 AM
> To: mike1964@flash.net
> Cc: newtontalk@planetnewton.com
> Subject: Wireless Connectivity for MP2x00?
>
> Mike,
>
> I read your posting on NewtonTalk Digest # 237.
>
> Regarding your question, see :
>
> http://talk.smaller.com/Forum1/HTML/002302.html
>
> As I mention in the link, the "Merlin" card in the
> MP2x00 would be great
> CDPD solution. The only concern ( and a big one ) is
> possible strain /
> damage to the MP2x00's internal 5 volt supply.
>
> The higher power consumption is only during transmit
> ( very brief time ).
>
> As far as I know it hasn't been tried.
>
> Any brave souls out there willing to try it ?
>
> I would but CDPD isn't available here in Kansas City
> !
>
>
> Regards,
> David Watson
> a.k.a. "Dr.Newton"
> drnewton@kc.net
> http://www.kc.net/~drnewton
> Provider of the MP2000 Upgrade
>
>
>
>
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