A Look at a Few Wi-Fi Devices

Wi-Fi is nothing new to us. When wireless internet first arrived to us, I thought how nice it would be for a massive Wi-Fi signal to allow anyone and everyone to access the internet for free. Although  such ubiquitous Wi-Fi is still so far away, we have managed to come quite close. I use a few devices that use 802.11 signals to communicate with the internet, such as my iPhone and I am constantly seeing wireless signals. If you bring a laptop along with you to IHOP or McDonalds, you will be amazed to find that they broadcast a signal. Who would have thought a few years back that they would provide internet access??

I am going to tell you about devices that not only make calls, but also save a few service fees in the process using your neighbor’s router or a hotspot.  The Sony Mylo COM-2, the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet and the Zipit Wireless Messenger 2 all let you save on cellular data service fees while leaving your laptop computer in its case. 

Like the first-generation Mylo, the COM-2 ($299) lets users surf the Web, send instant messages, and play MP3 music files. With an 800-by-480-pixel touch screen, it looks and feels a lot like Sony’s PSP handheld gaming system, and is significantly better than the original model I played with a little back in 2006. The COM-2 doubles as a 1.3 megapixel camera, and the slide-out QWERTY keyboard is now backlit, allowing users to chat or surf in the dark. It supports the 802.11b and 802.11g wireless protocols and uses 1 gigabyte of internal memory, upgradeable to 8 gigabytes through a Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo expansion slot. Check it out here.

Nokia’s N810 Internet Tablet is pricier at $479, but it is the first Wi-Fi handheld that I have seen that would make me think replacing my laptop. The N810 has a 400-megahertz processor with 128 megabytes of RAM and runs on a version of the Linux operating system. It includes 2 gigabytes of internal storage, which is expandable to 8 gigabytes or more through a miniSD port. With a 4.13-inch widescreen LCD and 800-by-480-pixel resolution, the N810 beautifully displays pictures and videos and improves on its predecessor, the Nokia N800, with a slide-out backlit QWERTY keyboard that is a bit cramped. The device also includes a built-in VGA camera for video conferencing, a miniSD slot to hold an MP3 music collection and customizable widgets for access to Google searches and streaming Internet radio. It also has a built-in global positioning receiver, but turn-by-turn directions through WayFinder cost $120 for a three-year contract. A former writer here at The Tech Brief did a hands-on review for us and really enjoyed it.

Those solely interested in texting their friends might want to look at the Zipit Wireless Messenger 2 ($149), which provides a great way to get text-message-addicted kids using Yahoo’s, AOL’s or Microsoft’s services off the main home computer. My parents would have loved to get this for me when I first discovered texting. The flip-up device, about the size of a thick wallet with a small screen and backlit QWERTY keyboard, allows users to connect to a Wi-Fi router or hot spot. Once users enter information about their accounts, they can message buddies who appear on the MyFriendz list and switch between chat windows if they’re overly popular. What really sets the device apart is that after users update their Zipit’s software through a download, they can sign up for a text-messaging plan to also send messages to cell-phone users. The plan was free until the program formally launched in February, and will now cost $4.99 a month for up to 1,500 incoming and 1,500 outgoing messages. The Zipit has miniSD card which lets it double as an MP3 player, and users can also go to Zipit’s Web site to set up a list of up to eight streaming Internet radio stations. You can see more details here.

The U.S. might not yet be one giant Wi-Fi hot spot, but enough wireless-friendly locations are popping up to at least make us think about owning a handheld Wi-Fi device. If you have a wireless router at home, these gadgets can further release you from the grip of your desk. I still think a colossal Wi-Fi broadcast is in the future. What do you think?