Message in Your Pocket

E-Mail Anytime, Anywhere

The ELink Agent service takes advantage of American Mobile's wireless network, and serves major metropolitan areas across North America. Elink Agent establishes a gateway between the RIM 850 and your existing POP3 Internet mail account. You configure the RIM 850's connection properties via American Mobile's Web site, telling it which POP3 account to access, how often it should access the account, and what filters it should apply. The mail filters are an important feature; with them in place, only the mail you want to see on the RIM 850 will be forwarded to you.

Setting the mail fetching and filtering options at American Mobile's Web site could be easier, however. First you must enter a 10-digit account number and password. You'll have to remember it well, since it can't be changed, and you'll need it each time you access your setup page. Also, the configuration screen has a rather foreboding appearance; it looks more suited to a system technician than to a consumer. Consequently, though the site allows you the flexibility to define filters by sender name, subject line, or keyword, setting those filters is not easy.

Given American Mobile's extensive coverage of metropolitan areas, you should be able to use the ELink Agent service in just about any North American city, but we suggest consulting the company's Web site to be sure you'll have access in the areas you need it. As with all of today's wireless data services, American Mobile's coverage tends to get sparse as you move away from urban centers--it isn't a tool for mountaintops.

But as long as your expectations don't stretch beyond what you get with a standard PCS phone, the ELink Agent service will satisfy. In tandem with the smartly designed RIM 850, it's an enticing wireless e-mail solution--as long as you're willing to pay the premium that comes with being the first on the block with a new gadget.