Mobile Computing Tips: Broadband To Go, Safe Notebooks

Wired and wireless Net access, plus new high-security notebooks.

James A. Martin

Welcome Travelers!

Business travel has changed a lot since September 11, but one rule of the road remains the same: Always avoid the omelet served in coach class.

But seriously, being productive while out of the office was never easy. It's even more difficult now with so much going on. And that's where this mobile computing newsletter comes in. In each issue I offer tools, tips, and product recommendations to help you get work done on the go. In this and future issues I'll tell you how to get a broadband connection in your hotel room, work out of your car, deal with new security procedures in airports and planes, and snag the perfect holiday gift for the gadget-head in your life.

A friend recently asked me, "What the X@# do you know about mobile computing? You work out of your home." True. But perpetual cabin fever and constant deadlines keep me searching for ways to get out of the house, yet still be productive. Mobile computing has become a passion and a salvation, and as a PC World contributing editor since 1995, I've written extensively on wireless and mobile technologies. I've also been a travel writer since 1984, contributing to The New York Times, Travel & Leisure, Expedia Travelers, Conde Nast Traveler, and other publications--anything, it seems, to get me out of the house.

--James A. Martin

Feature: Avoid Dial-Up Despair in Your Hotel Room

Staying focused on work these days is challenging enough for business travelers. Do you really want to tangle with gnarled phone cords and slow, unreliable modem connections in your hotel room?

I've got good news: You may not have to. High-speed Internet service provider Wayport is offering what it claims is easy-to-use broadband Net access aimed at business travelers with notebook PCs. The service is available at hundreds of hotels nationwide and enables users to check e-mail, surf the Web, and connect to a corporate virtual private network--in some cases, without wires.

Wayport provides in-room Internet connectivity at near-T1 speeds in more than 440 U.S. hotels, including Four Seasons and Wyndham properties. Simply connect your notebook to a Wayport data port in your room, launch your browser, log in at Wayport's site with a user ID, and start surfing, according to a company spokesperson. The cost is about $10 for a 24-hour period. Wayport's Web site has an interactive map of participating hotels.

Wireless Options

Wayport delivers broadband wireless Internet connectivity to hotel guests as well, but only in hotel conference rooms and lobbies. Last year we tested Wayport's wireless hotel service and experienced very satisfactory transfer speeds of about 740 kilobits per second.

As wireless notebooks and personal digital assistants proliferate and demand for wireless connectivity increases, Wayport partner hotels will offer in-room broadband wireless access, probably sometime next year, a spokesperson said.

In the meantime, Wayport could become one of the few wireless broadband options left for business travelers. Metricom's Ricochet wireless network shut down in August. And the fate of MobileStar, which supplies wireless networking to 686 hotels, airports, and Starbucks cafes, is uncertain at best. MobileStar recently laid off its entire staff and was said to be looking for a buyer to continue its service. The company's PR agency would not comment, and calls to MobileStar were not returned.

It would be a shame if MobileStar disappears. I recently tested the service at a Hilton in Charlotte, North Carolina. Though it took a few minutes to set up, the service provided lightning-fast, reliable Internet access--a welcome alternative to the frustrations of hotel room dial-up connectivity.

Notebooks

Secure Your Data

Acer's recently unveiled TravelMate 740 notebook takes security features to the next level. Built into the notebook's palm rest is a fingerprint sensor designed to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. The TravelMate 740 is available now, and pricing begins at $2200.

Dell Includes Wireless Networking

Dell now integrates wireless networking in its Inspiron 4000, Inspiron 8000, and Latitude C-series notebooks. The Dell Latitude C600, equipped with a Dell TrueMobile wireless LAN mini-PCI card, recently earned a PC World Best Buy among value notebooks. This flexible device offers nearly everything you'd want in a notebook, including the ability to rotate lots of add-in devices. Pricing on Latitude C600 notebooks begins at $1779 new and about $1200 refurbished.

Rx for Typing Aches and Pains

Using a notebook for long periods of time can cause repetitive strain injuries. To reduce hand, head, and neck movement, get a notebook with a high-resolution display. High resolution displays present more information (such as Excel spreadsheet cells) at a time. The more you can see on screen, the less you'll have to scroll the cursor or turn your head. IBM's ThinkPad A22P, PC World's Best Buy among Power Notebooks, supports 1600 by 1200 resolution, the best available for notebooks.

Handhelds

Connect to the Corporate LAN

Microsoft's upgraded Pocket PC 2002 operating system for handheld PCs supports virtual private networks, enabling business travelers to securely access corporate e-mail and files.

A Word Processor That's Not So Swift

Iambic Software's new $29.95 FastWriter word processor for Palm OS devices has some cool features: HTML document support, auto scrolling, and multiple font choices. But it couldn't open our 330KB Word document created on the desktop and synced to a Palm. Worse, FastWriter stripped away some formatting in the original file, which had to be reentered.

When Your Palm OS Freezes

Just like PCs, Palm OS devices can freeze now and then. Usually you can get going again with a soft reset, which turns off internal Palm processes but doesn't erase applications or data. Gently poke the end of a paper clip into the pinhole on the device's back to reset. For more details, check out "A Clean Slate."

Get Wireless Flight Updates

Traveling on United Airlines? Now you can be notified of flight delays or cancellations via the airline's flight paging service. Flight updates are sent as messages to alphanumeric pagers, mobile phones that can receive text messages, and any e-mail addressable device, such as a Palm VIIx.

Mobile Services

The September 11 terrorist attacks could delay plans to install broadband Net access on airplanes. Facing steep declines in passenger traffic and revenues, Delta Air Lines said it was reevaluating its high-speed access plans. Airlines are "cutting back to the bare necessities and are engaged in a survival strategy," says GartnerGroup analyst Ken Dulaney. Given today's realities, he says, broadband access from an airplane is "a luxury."

IN THE NEXT ISSUE: Tips and tools for working out of your car

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