🚀 go-pugleaf

lsk@inscot.demon.co.uk (Lisa) wrote:

>I have a 3400  powerbook and am thinking of getting a mobile phone and
>would like to be able to use the two together.
<snip>
>I have also been reading about the com-1 mc220 56k data/modem card
>which can then be used with a variety of phones. Would this be the
>best option? I thought perhaps if I had to buy a data card a data
>card/modem card would be the best but this is �270

Any GSM card modem that supports your model of mobile will do the job.

But I have the Com-1 33k predecessor, and unless they've radically improved
the connector, don't buy one - it comes undone, the pins get bent, it's a
real pain. I've had to wrap mine in electrical tape and it still gets
disconnected sometimes.

Ben

-- 
Ben Lovejoy                    | For sale: GPZ400R
ben@lovejoy.demon.co.uk        | Wanted: Late model CBR600
http://www.lovejoy.demon.co.uk | See website for details

Lisa <lsk@inscot.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> Hi all,
> 
> I have a 3400  powerbook and am thinking of getting a mobile phone and
> would like to be able to use the two together. At the moment I just
> pack up my desktop modem when I travel, and as I would rarely have to
> connect the phone to the powerbook I thought a data phone (such as the
> mondial reviewed in July's Macuser) might be the ideal solution.
> However, finding out which mobile data phones work with macs, and even
> getting further information on the mondial is proving difficult. Has
> anyone any experience of using a data phone with a mac? If not can
> anyone recommend a data/modem card for use with a powerbook? 
> I have also been reading about the com-1 mc220 56k data/modem card
> which can then be used with a variety of phones. Would this be the
> best option? I thought perhaps if I had to buy a data card a data
> card/modem card would be the best but this is �270... any
> suggestions...
> 
> thanks
> 
> Lisa
> http://www.inscot.demon.co.uk (get your free animations here!)

Hi Lisa,

I had a good look around when I bought a mobile phone earlier this year
and asked the same types of questions. In the end I could not get any
satisfactory answers from the various phone manufacturers and retails.
Eventually I gave up on my search for data and got connected for normal
voice calls.

You may find the folowing of interest:

- All phones that support data connections are normally clearly marked
as 'Data compatible'

- An adaptor cable is required from the phone to your laptop. This is
usually in the form of a PC (PCMCIA) card that presents itself as a
modem to your machine. Costs around 70-80 pounds upwards.

- Software for Mac's is available for phones supplied by Nokia and a few
other vendors (check first). The cheap connection option from 'Grey
Cell' that you see in Dixons etc. does not have offical Mac support.
Normally all that is required are some modem definition files and then
you can use any software you like with the card.

- Do not expext to get the kind of transfer rates that you would from a
land based line. Mobile phone cariers use compression on the data stream
that makes a mess of the faster modem standards. I have been lead to
believe that rates of 14.4 to 19.2 are the best you can expect.

All that said I did come accross a very nice product from Psion that I
would buy were I out on the road more. The Datacom Gold and Gold Card
GSM series of PC cards can operate on both land-lines and mobile phones.
They can also be upgraded to pickup new standards (v90/56k and ISDN).

Try http://www.psiondacom.com for more info.

Prices (as of February this year):
Datacom Gold V34                199+vat
        or
Datacom Gold 56kFLEX            209+vat
        plus
GSM Upgrade & Cable 8110        110+vat
Mac GSM upgrade kit             15+vat

Distributors :
Data Connectivity       01256 361 361
Gultronix               0171 436 3131
RS-Componemts           01536 201 234


Good luck with your search.

-- Kate


Catherine Ferris                kate@tycho.demon.co.uk
Director                        Tycho Consultants Limited

'This above all: to thine own self be true,
 And it must follow as the night the day
 Thou canst not then be false to any man.'   -- Hamlet

kate@tycho.demon.co.uk (Catherine Ferris) wrote:

>- Do not expext to get the kind of transfer rates that you would from a
>land based line. Mobile phone cariers use compression on the data stream
>that makes a mess of the faster modem standards. I have been lead to
>believe that rates of 14.4 to 19.2 are the best you can expect.

Last time I checked, you couldn't get more than 9.6k. Fine for email, but
don't try any web-browsing!

Ben

-- 
Ben Lovejoy                    | 'To see tomorrow's PC,
ben@lovejoy.demon.co.uk        |  look at today's Macintosh'
http://www.lovejoy.demon.co.uk |  -- BYTE, Oct 1995