Hi all,


I've had this product since December 1999, and I actually got it through my company, so it was free to me, so is the service ($24.95 + 10c over a certain size of a single message).

I am not sure what the prices are now, but back around the beginning of the year this product cost $399 I remember. Probably like $350 now right?

Anyway, the coverage it gets is very good, and is quick in the response time. Easy to use/navigate, and not heavy. Definitely an improvement over the model it replaces.

I love how you can get on-line to Skytel's (my provider) webpage and select daily news briefs to download to your PDA. That's great (although I can do this by default on my cell phone, this screen is better to read on). Also I love that you can send typed messages that are turned into SPEECH to a phone number. Sometimes it turns out funny like if you send a friend a message like "uhmmm, I don't know" it will sound like this when your friend picks up the phone and listens to the message "uh-emm, emm, emm emm, emm!". Heheh. Works pretty good though.

Nonetheless, I can see some people that can truly use this, but I can see many that just won't be able to justify for themselves the cost. Not saying its overpriced, but just that for the average electronics-wary consumer out there it's not that useful as a cellular phone.

However, it's great for doctors and remote-site engineers etc. since they can return the message ASAP w/o looking for a phone to use or a fax machine, or a PC for email.

It's got excellent battery life, and the blue-lit display is great and eye-pleasing. I kinda don't like the feedback of the buttons though. Sure, it's not designed to be a speed-typing "keyboard" but the software obviously cannot handle more than one key being depressed at a time. So that really means that unless the previous key that you pressed is back at the top of its travel, the next key you press won't register. I hate that.

So I will say, I give it a medium rating. It's nice to know though, that products like this are available. I would recommend it, just not to everyone.



Recommended: Yes