Hardware Upgrade Tip of the Day #50


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TipWorld - http://www.tipworld.com
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Proudly presents:
Hardware Upgrade Tip of the Day

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*1. WIRELESS POCKET PCS--GET THE PLUG

by Dean Andrews

The cost involved in a wireless solution for the Pocket PC 
doesn't stop after you've purchased the wireless modem and CDPD
service plan (mentioned in previous tips). You'll need to 
purchase a separate expansion pack that lets you plug the 
wireless modem into your Pocket PC device. For the iPAQ 
(Compaq's version of the Pocket PC), the expansion pack 
costs about $150.


*2. DUAL DISPLAYS FOR THE ROAD

by Dean Andrews

Applian Graphics now delivers to notebook users the dual-display
capability formerly found only on desktops. Its Appian Traveler 
PC Card lets you hook a second monitor to your notebook that can
display programs and data completely independent of your 
notebook's screen. Mobile presenters will probably get the most 
use out of this product, as they can show a presentation on the 
monitor while demonstrating software on their notebook screen.

http://www.appian.com


*3. PALM DEVICE VIRUSES

by Dean Andrews

It's time to starting thinking outside the box--the PC box, that
is--when it comes to viruses. At least two Palm OS viruses have 
been officially identified: Phage causes the Palm device screen 
to go blank. Vapor removes the icons for your 
third-party applications.

You can learn more about these viruses, how to detect them, and
how to heal your Palm if they attack. Just browse the McAfee 
Virus Information Library online at

http://vil.mcafee.com


*4. MULTIFUNCTION VERSUS INDIVIDUAL MOBILE DEVICES

by Dean Andrews

A year ago, each mobile device you owned performed just one 
function: Your cell phone made calls, your PDA maintained your
schedule, and your MP3 player played music. Now manufacturers 
are merging many different functions into one device. Pine 
Technology's Palmp-3, for example, plays music, acts as a voice
recorder, and stores your phone list. Fujifilm's FinePix 40I is
both a digital camera and an MP3 player.

How do these multifunction devices compare with their 
single-function counterparts? It depends on which products 
you're comparing--but you should keep a few tips in mind as 
you shop for multifunction devices.

First, check the price of your multifunction device against 
the cost of separate devices that perform the same features. 
You shouldn't have to pay a premium for a multifunction device.
In fact, because of shared functionality of buttons and the 
reduced cost of materials, you should pay less for a 
multifunction device than you would for separate devices.

Pine Technology 
http://www.pinegroup.com

Fujifilm 
http://www.fujifilm.com


*5. MULTIFUNCTION MOBILE DEVICES: ALL FUNCTIONS GO

by Dean Andrews

"Try before you buy" should be your mantra when it comes to 
multifunction mobile devices. In the world of multifunction 
office equipment (it's a copier, printer, and fax machine all 
in one!), many products perform poorly in some aspect of their 
duties (for example, printing worked well, but faxing was 
awful). You might encounter similar behavior in multifunction 
mobile devices, but you won't know for sure until you have the 
device in your hands. Reading product reviews in magazines or 
on the Web might help, but your own opinion matters most.


*6. MULTIFUNCTION MOBILE DEVICES: SHORTER BATTERY LIFE

by Dean Andrews

Thoroughly investigate the battery life on any multifunction 
mobile device you are considering. You'll likely find the 
battery life of a multifunction mobile device shorter than that 
of a single-function mobile device under normal usage. It's 
obvious, but easy to forget; If you're playing MP3 music for a 
half hour and then make a cell phone call using the same device 
with the same battery, you're draining that battery at a very 
rapid rate. Prepare yourself for shortened battery life by 
buying a spare battery pack for your multifunction mobile device.


*7. MULTIFUNCTION MOBILE DEVICES: PRIORITIZE YOUR FEATURES

by Dean Andrews

With multifunction mobile devices, you should prioritize the 
features you most want and need, then measure your list 
against the device under consideration. Typically, with 
multifunction mobile devices, you'll only get the basic 
features in each category (for example, as a cell phone the 
device will only make and receive calls and perhaps store a 
small phone list). If you want the advanced features sometimes 
found in a single-function device (for example, voice dialing 
in cell phones), you may need the single-function device.

If your wish list doesn't match the features of the 
multifunction mobile device you're considering, think about 
buying separate, single-function devices that better 
suit your needs.


*8. SATELLITE TRACKING

by Dean Andrews

Advanced Tracking Technologies now sells TravelEyes, a unique 
satellite tracking device that lets you track things like cars 
or other vehicles on the move. The palm-size unit stores 
location data while it is on the move (say, attached to the 
underside of a car). Then, when it's in your hands again, you 
can upload all the location data to a PC to track where (and 
when) the device has been traveling.

The Web site discusses how the product can help you monitor a 
fleet of corporate vehicles, but you can also imagine the 
amateur spy missions in which you might use the product.

http://www.traveleyes.com


*9. LONGER BATTERY LIFE MEANS SLOWER PERFORMANCE

by Dean Andrews

You've heard the saying, "The more things change, the more they 
remain the same." Transmeta's Crusoe processor proves this adage
once again. The underlying theory of Transmeta's chip was to 
offer longer battery life than traditional mobile processors 
while maintaining a high level of performance. This theory went 
against the computing performance maxim that longer battery life 
means slower performance.

From initial performance test reports, it appears that the 
Crusoe falls more in line with the old maxim. Yes, mobile 
devices like the Sony VAIO PictureBook PCG-C1VN that are based 
on the Crusoe run much longer on a single charge than similarly 
configured notebooks, but unfortunately they perform more slowly.

http://www.transmeta.com


*10. MASS STORAGE MP3 PLAYERS: MORE GIGS

by Dean Andrews

New MP3 players like Creative Labs' Nomad Jukebox and SSI America's 
Neo 25 store gigabytes of music data. These devices use hard drive 
technology to store the music, not the RAM style memory of the 
smaller, lighter, and cheaper MP3 players.

If you find yourself shopping for this type of player, first check the 
price. While smaller and lighter MP3 players can be had for as little 
as $150, these mass storage players currently cost about $500.

Creative Labs 
http://www.transmeta.com

SSI America 
http://www.ssiamerica.com
