January 24, 2005

Speed, speed, speed in a cell phone

Over the past several months Verizon has been advertising its wireless broadband offering speeds from 300 - 500KBps, but able to reach up to 2Mbps in some cases.

Until now this mobile speed has only been available to notebook computer users, via a PC Card.

The Washington Posts Leslie Walker reports that Verizon is now selling the Audiovox XV6600 which can access Verizon's Broadband Wireless network. It runs on Microsoft Pocket PC and includes a slide out keyboard.

She writes But the Pocket PC I've been testing is one of two new devices -- the other being a line of flip-phones -- that Verizon is finally rolling out to let people subscribe to its BroadbandAccess data network at significantly lower monthly fees.

The Audiovox XV6600, which went on sale this week, is the pricier of the two options and is aimed at busy professionals. It runs Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system, sports a slide-out keyboard letting users type with their thumbs, and provides Web POP e-mail access along with a new way to retrieve corporate e-mail called VZEmail.

I found surfing the Web on this device addictive, even on its relatively small screen. Partly that was because it runs a version of Internet Explorer customized for tiny phones, and partly because it delivers data at speeds of 300 to 500 kilobits per second when connected to Verizon's BroadbandAccess network (which also goes by the name of its geeky technology, EV-DO). When the EV-DO signal wasn't present, the Pocket PC switched automatically to Verizon's slower network, which blankets most of the country.

There are so many options for mobile professionals. Most of us want to check our email, and in an upcoming issue of New York Enterprise Report I'll be writing about that. But there's increasing mobile options beyond just email all available on a cell phone.

I still vote for function over form and would always carry with me a 2 - 3lb notebook computer for real work. Checking email on a phone is ok, but when it comes to do power work, including dozens and dozens of email, I prefer to work on a notebook computer.

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