Pagers Buyer's Guide--Two-way paging saves beepers from an untimely death
Written: Jul 02 '01 (Updated Jul 02 '01)
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Pros: Two way pagers will change how you live.
Cons: Can be irritating to others
The Bottom Line: Get a two-way pager if you want to change your life
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| rhino's Full Review: Motorola Timeport P935 |
Pagers were once the province of brain surgeons and when you heard the beep-tone you could be certain that, somewhere, something dire was happening, and that the guy carrying it was so important that he needed to be available 24/7...but as paging has become far cheaper and reached ubiquity in the masses that beeping you hear in the theater is more likely to mean that Mom wants you home for dinner right now.
If technology sat still the pager would have gone the way of the passenger pigeon and slowly disappeared. However with the advent of two-way e-mail alphanumeric paging the pager is now the coolest gadget clipped to any CEO's belt. With our Buyer's Guide we hope to give you the information you need to make a wise pager purchase, and out-hip the guy next to you at the conference table.
There are two manufacturers that currently own the lion's share of the two-way paging world. Motorola with its Pagewriter and Timeport pagers and Research In Motion with their 850, 950 and 957 handheld pagers.
Your Needs
Knowing your instant communication needs will help you make this purchase decision. A few questions you might ask yourself before proceeding:
Do I need I need to be able to respond to pages instantly?
Do I need access to information services like, news, weather, sports, stocks, etc.?
Is a "vanity" paging e-mail address important or will an address like 12345@skytel.com work?
Do I need this to be synchronized with my work e-mail inbox?
Is my personal e-mail address a "POP" account, i.e. a standard Internet e-mail account, or do I have corporate e-mail that is served using Microsoft Exchange Server?
Do I value large screen size or small pager size more?
Is a large keyboard necessary?
Must my pager be rechargeable or is it okay to have replaceable batteries?
Batteries
RIM pagers use three charging solutions with their pagers. On the 850, you have the option of a rechargeable NiMH battery or a single alkaline AA battery. The 950s are only available with alkaline AA batteries. The average user will go one to two weeks of moderate use with the AA option. The 957 Handheld uses an internal Lithium Ion battery that is recharged in the synching cradle.
By comparison, all Motorola two-way pagers use a NiMH rechargeable battery that is charged while in the data transfer stand that comes standard with Motorola pagers. The average charge can last up to two weeks of regular use.
Screen
RIM pagers, except for the 957, use an LCD screen with six to eight lines of readable text. The text is dot matrix style and fairly crisp, but clearly low-tech. Backlighting is available, but it takes awhile to figure out (click the orange "alt" button three times, Dorothy style, for the backlight option to turn on.)
Motorola pagers have a large LCD with much better graphics. The UI is icon driven and has a PC feel to it. There is a simple backlight button on the keyboard. The Motorola screen is large enough to easily read medium length e-mails without endless scrolling.
Size RIM has small all over Motorola. The RIM pagers are only slightly larger than a box of Sucrets. They ride lightly and unobtrusively in their belt clip holsters. The Motorola Pagewriter 2000X is big, slightly larger than a Microsoft mouse, and fairly thick. When clipped to your belt, it's a noticeable presence.
User Interface
Motorola's interface is complex by comparison with the RIM pagers. The Pagewriter and Timeport pagers use a graphical user interface that requires clicking through different icons to reach different areas like, "read," and "write." It's relatively easy to master, and simple for organizing your inbox and contacts. In this instance, Motorola and RIM have taken a "right tool for the job" approach. Motorola's more intensive data application, like browsing news and movie times are better facilitated through a more advanced UI.
However, the RIM pagers use almost entirely text-based functions like reading and writing e-mail, so the simple text only UI is appropriate and quick to use. Simple commands like: address, compose, open, and save are all that are required to navigate quickly through the e-mail hierarchy. Thoughtful text input strategies like instantly correcting commonly misspelled words is a nice touch as well.
Keyboards and Controls
On the matter of keyboards and controls the two paging companies are at a draw. The RIM's scrolling knob is effective for whipping through much e-mail quickly. It's a simple tool that works remarkably well. The small keyboard is basic yet effective and works well for thumb typing.
Motorola's keyboard is plush by comparison, with additional keys for shift, space, enter, spell check, tab, etc. Yet curiously all these extra keys slow the process down. The RIM's slimmed down keyboard is actually more intuitive. The Pagewriter's keys are easy to use as they stand up significantly from the surface of the pager, and that makes thumb typing a breeze. The Pagewriter is perhaps more versatile with all of the different keyboard entry options.
Services
RIM pagers primarily work with BellSouth and Blackberry services. The principal difference is that the Bellsouth service is aimed at the individual user whose sole purpose is e-mail, while the Blackberry service is aimed at corporate users who need more robust integration with their corporate e-mail service and contact manager. Blackberry pagers can be integrated with Microsoft Exchange server so as to become an extension of your desktop e-mail client. All of your e-mail is conveniently server based so it does not matter if you are working with a wireless client or your desktop computer.
Motorola Pagewriters and Timeports work with the very popular SkyTel paging service. The disadvantage is that in most instances your e-mail address will be something like 12345@skytel.com. Motorola's paging service includes robust information services that are lacking in BellSouth's offering. Whether for entertainment or business, stock quotes, news and movie listings can make the difference in determining pager value.
Synchronization Software
Motorola wisely uses the TrueSync software package. This allows you to synch your pager with Microsoft Outlook contact manager, Yahoo! Mail, Palm Organizers, and many other devices. Effective users of the TrueSync software no longer need to carry a Personal Information Manager like the Palm as the Pagewriter does these tasks admirably.
The RIM pagers use Intellisynch software, yet it's not included with the BellSouth package. With the BellSouth service the RIM pager does not mimic the functionality of a PIM closely enough to allow you to do without.
Making the Purchase
Both paging systems work remarkably well and two-way paging is bound to grow significantly in the near future. These pagers represent the cusp of a revolution in business communication. They are so unobtrusive that you can handle e-mail while in a meeting, or even at the movies. In many instances a two-way pager is more effective than a cell phone.
--John Bresee
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 350
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Epinions.com ID:
rhino
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Location: Park City, UT
Reviews written: 25
Trusted by: 17 members
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