This H/PC user connects to his mobile phone via infrared interface, to send and receive e-mail, and surf the Web.
One of the benefits of the Handheld and Palm-sized PCs is that you can take them with you wherever you go and still access vital information. But what happens when you need to read your e-mail, or refer to a Web site in a hurry? Normally it's a mad rush to the nearest telephone wall socket to connect up your modem. That is, assuming your PC Companion actually has a modem. Some have a software modem built in, but many require the addition of a PC Card fax/modem and these are renowned for gobbling up battery power. Fortunately, there's an alternative.
Picture yourself sitting on a beach, reading your e-mail, surfing the Web, or taking part in an online chat. You've left all your cables and adapters at home, and you're not straining your PC Companion's batteries. Wishful thinking? No! It's a combination of wireless and infrared communications that is not only available now, but cheaper than you might think.
The infrared/mobile phone combo!
Every H/PC and Palm-size PC has an IrDA-compatible infrared port located somewhere on the edge of the case. The infrared (IR) port can be used to transfer data to another PC Companion. It can even be used to synchronize the PC Companion with a desktop or laptop PC (assuming the host machine has an IR port).
Recently I discovered an additional use for the IR port of my Velo1: connecting the H/PC to a mobile telephone and using the two to go online. The latest batch of high-end GSM mobile phones from companies such as Ericsson and Nokia all feature IR ports. These phones are surprisingly affordable when bought as part of a service contract, at least in the UK where the cost is between £100 and £150 (about US $160 to $240).
The Ericsson SH888 mobile phone is exceptional in that it has a built-in modem. This greatly simplifies the task of connecting a computer to the phone. No special PC Card modems, wires or cables are required. All you need to do is set the computer and phone side by side. You then activate the IR port on the telephone, configure your H/PC and start your communications. To the H/PC, the telephone appears as a standard modem.
A word of caution: not all phones featuring IR ports can be used in this way. The Ericsson SH888 is the first to have all the capabilities of a modem included as standard. Other series 600 and 700 Ericsson phones can be used with a small snap-on adapter called the DI27, which provides similar capabilities. Unfortunately, current Nokia models seem to use different IR standards, and cannot operate with Windows CE PC Companions. The exception appears to be the Nokia 9000 Communicator series; a mobile phone with handheld capabilities built in. The Communicator offers similar IR connection opportunities.
Connecting Windows CE to the world
The H/PC and Palm-size PC are designed to easily connect to a desktop or laptop PC computer to synchronize and share data. In addition, both are fully conversant in the TCP/IP networking protocol and come with a full e-mail client called "Inbox." The H/PC also has a Web browser (Pocket Internet Explorer), and the Palm-size PC has Mobile Channels for reading downloaded Web content.
You can use the Windows CE "Remote Networking" application to dial directly into an Internet Service Provider, provided your PC Companion has a modem. Once connected, you can run Inbox to send and receive e-mail, or use the H/PC's Pocket Internet Explorer to browse the Internet. To configure your PC Companion for such a "dial-up connection" to your Internet Service Provider (ISP), activate the Start menu and select Programs, Communications, and Remote Networking (on a Palm-size PC select Programs, Communications, and Connections). Tap on the "Make New Connection" icon and select "Dial-Up Connection." You'll then select the modem your PC Companion is using and supply your ISP's telephone number, your own IP settings, username and password in the appropriate dialog boxes.
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