Gadgets & Services
Tip: A Portal for Your PDA
Have you ever used a PDA to surf the Web? Then you know the pain of trying to view a Web page on a 3-inch screen. To the rescue comes PDA Portal, a directory of 600-some Web sites formatted for small handheld screens and the sluggish connection speeds that are inevitable with PDAs. The site includes easy access to weather, stocks, entertainment, POP e-mail sites, and more, in 13 languages and 20 categories.
Consumer Advice: How to Hold on to Your Handheld
PDAs, smart phones, notebooks, and other gadgets have a tendency to go AWOL if you're not careful. More than 600,000 notebooks, PDAs, and mobile phones were lost or stolen in the U.S. in 2001, according to researchers. That number could double yearly, as portable gadgets grow in popularity.
But there are measures you can take:
- Register your devices with their manufacturers, to establish a record of your ownership.
- Keep your receipts, warranty info, and other documents pertaining to your devices.
- Never leave your notebook, PDA, or digital camera in your hotel room unattended. Store them in the room's safe or, if one isn't available, check your devices with the hotel manager for secure storage.
PC World's Anne Kandra has more tips on safeguarding portables in "Keep Your Hands on Your Handhelds."
News: Nokia's Clamshell Phone
Known for its candy-bar style phones, Nokia recently added a clamshell handset, the 6260. The triband GSM phone features a MultiMediaCard slot and a built-in VGA (640 by 480 pixels) camera that can capture still and moving images. It includes standard smart phone applications, such as a contact manager, e-mail, and a Web browser; and it supports push-to-talk connections, the company says. The 6260 will be available worldwide in the third quarter for about $480.
For more details on this and other new Nokia phones, read "Nokia Opens New Clamshell Phones."
Suggestion Box
Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've missed? Got a spare story idea in your back pocket? Tell me about it.
Sign up to have the Mobile Computing Newsletter e-mailed to you each week.
Ad Choices