• PC World
• » Computers

By many accounts, we're on the verge of a data revolution, and soon we'll access the Net from almost anywhere. In what was previously the exclusive domain of pay-by-the-minute mobile phone plans, new wireless-data competitors are challenging the dominance of the cell networks for fast, inexpensive, on-the-go service.

New third-generation wireless phone networks (called 3G services) promise to bring brisk Web access through mobile phones, for the first time. Though the prior wave of data-enabled (so-called 2G) phones were sluggish and costly, the world has changed. And mobile phones have a new rival, a networking standard designed for stationary wireless Internet access: 802.11b, known as Wi-Fi, delivers much faster Web access and downloads than 3G services do (as long as you stay in one place), though it suffers from low range. The best part is, Wi-Fi service can be free, in some places.

My goal was simple: I wanted to know how easy it is to get to the real Internet, anywhere. I want to be able to send a text message the minute I think of something important, to find directions as I walk down the street, and even to make or confirm travel reservations while I'm in a cab on the way to the airport. (My test results are summarized on the next page.)

My testing took me outdoors into the streets of Philadelphia, wandering through neighborhoods while squinting at tiny LCD screens. I browsed Web sites like MSNBC.com and PCWorld.com; I got directions from MapQuest, and took Orbitz for a spin booking travel reservations. I sent e-mail and instant messages from coffee shops. I also tried my hand at shopping, from Amazon.com and EBay.

I tested a representative sample of the devices and wireless networks you can use today. Handspring's Treo 300 (which uses the Sprint network) and Kyocera's 7135 (which uses Verizon's service) are Palm OS--based 3G wireless PDA/phones. Samsung's A500 phone permits limited Web browsing on the device itself and can function as a USB modem for any laptop. Toshiba's E740 Pocket PC PDA offers built-in 802.11b wireless networking. T-Mobile's Sidekick is a kind of mutant PDA that brings a phone and 3G Internet service along for the ride. I also tested a laptop that could connect using both 802.11b and the Samsung phone.

Of all the handhelds I tested, I really enjoyed using the Sidekick. Combining compact size, high-speed Web browsing, and intuitive ease of use with a reasonably good pricing plan for 3G wireless data, the Sidekick offers the best all-around package for mobile communications. Check with T-Mobile before you buy a Sidekick to make sure there's coverage in your area.

• See more like this:
• wireless,
• web,
• internet,
• mobile,
• Wi-Fi,
• 802.11b,
• 3G,
• phone,
• cell phone,
• Handspring,
• Treo,
• Kyocera,
• 7135,
• Samsung,
• A500,
• T-Mobile,
• Sidekick,
• Toshiba,
• E740,
• Portege