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Limited Wi-Fi range Tungsten c, $499. Palm, (408) 503-7000; (888) 223-4817. www.palm.com |
There are some significant limitations to the Wi-Fi setup utility: You can do simple monitoring of signal level, but you can't force a DHCP renew; no site-survey tools are included; and 802.1x authentication is not supported (see "Mobile Diagnostics" below). I could, however, set up a wireless network HotSync over PPTP VPN to sync the Tungsten C remotely from a Wi-Fi hotspot. But there were a few glitches--for example, you can't yet install anything to an SD card via network HotSync.
It struck me as an oversight that there's no microphone for voice recording or VoIP (voice over IP). You must purchase the Palm hands-free headset to plug into the audio accessory jack, and output is mono-only--an inexplicable design choice.
The ideal PDA would support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GSM/GPRS or have 1xRTT built-in; but it would be expensive and have a battery life measured in minutes. We've a ways to go until PDA nirvana is reached, but the Tungsten C's functionality has Palm on the right track.
Richard Hoffman is a Network Computing contributing editor. Write to him at [email protected].
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