As
for battery life, Handspring says that the HSM's batteries should last
for 3 hours of continuous use. When looking at the HSM, one has to
weigh which is more important: battery life or size. Because the
HSM uses its own batteries, it doesn't drain the Visor like other modems
would. If you plan on using a modem often, the HSM is probably better
for you since you won't be needing to replace the Visor's batteries.
On the other hand, if you will be using a modem infrequently and size is
more important, the HSM may not be the right modem for you. This
modem does weigh a lot and is clunky -- you will not be leaving this Springboard
module in your Visor during day-to-day usage unless you really are online
that often.
So what case do you use to carry
the HSM? The RhinoPak
3000 has a zippered front and back pouch that has more than enough
room to carry the HSM and its cable comfortably. If you will be in
the elements, the OtterBox
3000 can carry the module fine, but you will need to carry the phone
cable in your backpack as there isn't enough room for it. If you
need something smaller than the RP3000, the module and phone cable fit
nicely inside the pouch on the front of the RhinoSkin
RhinoPak 2000.
If there is one thing I like about
modems for the Visor, it is that it is plug-and-play. No more configuring
COMM ports and IRQs -- just drop it in and connect. When you are
connected, the PalmOS displays a blinking vertical bar (|) at the top right
corner of the screen. Most of the applications that can go online
have a Connect/Disconnect option. Otherwise, go into Network
Preferences to connect/disconnect from your ISP.
Conclusion >>
