Dialing...CRASH! Not again!
Written: Jan 06 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Separate power supply (does not use up the Visor's power), lightweight, 185 KB free for storage, makes the Visor stand up nicely, only 3 ounces, syncing is still possible with the modem attached, slick black color, connectivity to landline or cell phones (
Cons: Bulky - it sticks out of the back like a sore thumb, uses AAA batteries - not rechargable, little actual documentation, register site is very slow and didn't accept my registration, some registration data was a pain to find, though light it throws the unit
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| hoborocks's Full Review: Xircom Springport Modem 56 GlobalACCESS |
Ahh, Christmas. A time for family, cookies, music, and, more importantly, material possessions. After receiving the Xircom Springport modem for my Visor, my life has...changed! My complexion is cleaner, women find me attractive, and I'm rich! Well, not really. Actually, cancel all of that. It just has enabled me to
A. HotSync remotely,
B. Get Internet access ANYWHERE with a land line,
C. Use AOL Instant Messenger (in bed), and most importantly
D. Show off my Visor.
These four things have really changed the way I use my Visor. Whereas I used to just play games, this device has enabled me to get my e-mail at school, without having to use the school's 64 kbps ISDN line or another computer tied into a SENSIBLE network.
Size, weight, and tech specs
This is one of the things that originally steered me away from buying this device. It is about twice the thickness of the Visor itself, adding much size to it. Taking out the battery pack makes them about the same thickness, but the pack is needed to use the device. The modem itself weighs a mere 3 ounces. One would think this is light (and it is...) but it really throws the entire Visor out of balance. Your ability to use the Visor with one hand for writing is severely impeded, unless you use a table or other flat surface. In fact, the best way to avoid this is to buy a keyboard.
It uses 3 AAA batteries for power which is nice. It doesn't detract from the Visor's already small power and lasts a very long time. However, I wouldn't complain if they made a NiMH rechargeable version. It only takes up 180mA when active and 10mA when sleeping (inactive).
The device really pleases me because it comes from Xircom, whose slogan for a while was "Lose the Dongle". There is no dongle to connect the line to (unless the mobile kit comes out!), hence nothing to lose. The part that angers me is that my Visor has been crashing almost twice a day now. I think it is a result of this modem being installed, it only seems to happen when the modem is inserted...hmm.
Software
The Springport mode comes with 6 pieces of software - AvantGo, File Mover, MM Wizard, Mobile Link, MultiMail, and a configuration/help program called "Springport". If you have any of these programs, don't worry. Though they are on the device, they will not overwrite the data on the Visor.
AvantGo is a very useful program for news and any other sort of information one needs from the Internet. Don't pass this one up. Mobile Link is required to make this work.
MM wizard is the easy configurator for MultiMail, an easy-to-use mail program.
While not owning any other modules, I think the File Mover is included on every Springport module. There is very little space free on the module, but it really doesn't matter, because you do have the 2-8 mb on the Visor itself. The memory on the module is purely for any applications you want to use on any Visor.
The Springport program contains only four options: Country selection, Digital Line detection, Terminal mode, and tips. The terminal mode is sort of irritating, don't try to erase any mistakes. The "Tips" is just a file that tells you what you should and shouldn't do with the modem. It also includes tech support lines for various countries.
Configuration screens
When you insert the modem into the Visor, it turns the Visor on instantly and gives a little screen that reads "Testing Springport modem..." for about two seconds, then it goes to whatever screen you had up originally, as if you had turned on the device normally.
The first time that you insert the modem (and each time you reset, soft or hard), a screen comes up before this that asks you to select your country and verify your modem settings, like tone or pulse. The majority of the other settings were pre-set by the modem.
Speed
I use AvantGo as my web browser, MultiMail for email, and AIM for instant communication. They all are very fast on the Visor, sometimes I think faster than my computer. This may be because it doesn't have a whole lot of other things running in the background.
In AvantGo, you will see graphics but they are kind of bad since they are on the Deluxe and not on the Prism (anyone who owns a Prism, please comment). The quality isn't great but they are still readable.
AIM is very fast. It is the newest version, so my buddy list is global, no matter where I go. This is helpful - most of my friends wait for others to talk to them...
MultiMail is a very easy-to-use email program that includes a wizard to start you up. However, on sending a message through my ISP's outgoing mail server, most received the message from username@worldnet.att.net rather than my actual address, hobo@beenz.zzn.com. I made that address purely for mail at school and on the road. It is also very fast.
Documentation
There is very little documentation included. There is a Quick Reference Guide and a Registration card (not documentation, though). No CD, no user manual, no real help unless you call their help lines. I haven't had to use the lines yet, and haven't heard much about them either. But what I have heard was pretty clear - they were helpful.
Just don't try their website.
It took me literally half an hour to find the page about the device, then another 10 minutes to find that the mobile connection device was not available, but slated for release sometime in early 2000. Another Hmm. Then, it finally took me another 20 minutes to find the registration page, only after filling out the form did I find out that the registration did not go through.
I still haven't sent in the card, I'll do that right now. (2 minutes, one removal and replacement of the modem, and one mail drop later) That was easy.
Overall, if you are looking for a good mobile solution and have a Visor, buy this product. It may throw off the balance of the Visor and it may have one of the worst sites on the Internet, but it's great so long as you don't need cell phone access...you may have to wait until next 2000.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
hoborocks
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Reviews written: 60
Trusted by: 24 members
About Me:
I am un-addicted.
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