| Ange1o DePa1ma 2006-10-19, 7:33 am |
| I left out a very important word in the first sentence, "Bluetooth".
I finally mustered up the courage to try to activesync my IPAQ 2490 PDA to
my computer over Bluetooth. Two hours later I finally got a connection, but
couldn't
duplicate the settings the second time around. The HP directions were
indecipherable, and the instructions on the MicroSoft pages were even worse.
Anyway, while searching the net for a solution I came across Skype for
Windows Mobile, so I downloaded and installed it. There were no hitches in
the download or installation, and amazingly it worked great the very first
time I used it through my home wireless network. Fortuitously, HP designed
the IPAQ with the speaker at the very top, and the microphone at the very
bottom, in the front of the device. So I could hold the gizmo up to my lead
as if it was a smartphone, and chat with my daughter who was on her
cellphone downstairs. Imagine if the speaker was at the lower left, on the
side, and the mic on the upper right, on the opposite side?
What this means is I have another "telephone line" to use throughout the
house on days when my family is home (we share my Lingo business line for
family long distance calls because it's unlimited for $20/month).
As Wi-Fi and Wi-Wi-Wi-Fi catch on it will be interesting to see how the
wireless companies cope. Several major cities are already considering
providing wireless to every home, every street, every square inch. It should
not take long for individuals to figure out that they can call other Skypers
for free, and any US phone for 2.1 cents per minute. To put this into
perspective, VZW now charges $69 for 700 minutes, whether that time is used
or not. Through Skype those same 700 minutes cost $15.40.
There are obviously bugs to work out, and the PDA manufacturers will need to
do something about their devices' horrible battery life and power
management -- here I think they can learn something from the mobile phone
manufacturers. As universal WiFi catches on Skype on a PDA will be a huge
winner in the global telecom marketplace. I can't wait for studies funded by
VZW, Sprint, etc. to "prove" that 802.11g transmissions cause cancer.
Skype over PDA is a technology that makes tech junkies like me smile. Easy
to get, free, easy to deploy, idiot proof. What a stark contrast with my
bluetooth nightmare.
Who the hell needs a slow Bluetooth connection anyway? It only works over
about 30 feet and it's extremely slow. Tonight was the last time I will hit
the Bluetooth button on my PDA. Bluetooth is so-o-o-o-o '90s.
Angelo DePalma
|