Introducing information on 802.11 and Bluetooth solutions, Canadian coverage of Mobitex, more information on Motient/DataTAC and pending wireless devices form Palm and Handspring.

(unofficial) Wireless FAQ for PalmOS(R) copyright (C) 2001 by John E. Bartley, III, NSSAR ver. 1.V.8 2001-09-02
Numerous references to web pages are available at the website version.
http://www.users.qwest.net/~johnbartley/palm7faq.htm
A PalmDOC version is available from the website. Reviews of programs to read PalmDOCs are available at http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/docreaders-review.html

Herein I discuss both the Palm VII and the VIIx as well as other PalmOS devices.
When I am speaking about both "VII" models, I will refer to them collectively as the "Seven". "Five" models are the IBM Workpad C3 plus the Palm V and Vx.
No representation of fitness or guarantee of accuracy or completeness is made herein.
Trademarks belong to their respective companies.
Views expressed are my own.
Close cover before striking.

Do you have a pet? Make sure the vet's address & numbers are in your Palm. Here's why.

- Palm Sevens -

¿Can I use a Palm Seven with other ISPs other than Palm.Net with its internal transceiver?
No. Only Palm.Net has access to the data from Mobitex via its internal radio.

¿Will the Seven notify me when an email appears, like a pager does?
No. You must extend the antenna and deliberately check for messages.

¿What makes the Seven different from other Palms?
The Seven starts with the form factor of the Three series of Palm handhelds, and adds a data transceiver, plus firmware to display the data received from the transceiver. That hardware requires more space, so the Seven is longer and heavier than a Three.
The VIIx has a 20mHz Motorola Dragonball EZ CPU, 8MB of memory (essential to any ebook or AvantGo user) and uses PalmOS version 3.5; the (discontinued) VII has 2MB of memory, several different kinds of 16mHz CPU and uses PalmOS 3.2.5. Buy a VIIx, not a VII; it's faster and has 6MB more memory, which I personally covet for e-books, AvantGo feed and such.

¿What kind of a transceiver is it?
Palm included a Mobitex radio paging system transmitter-receiver (created by Ericsson, now coordinated by Bellsouth/Cingular in the states), which works in most major US metro areas and many suburban and rural areas (see coverage map) (alternate map), even indoors (YMMV). Mobitex is the same system used in 900 series RIM Blackberries (800 series Blackberries use Motient/DataTAC; more on that later).

¿Can I send and receive email with it?
Yes. Anyone can send email via the Internet to you; you can send to any Internet email address. However, you can only see plain text email with the included iMessenger application; third party applications are required to deal with attachments.

¿Can I access web sites?
Yes. DPWeb (freeware and commercial versions) allows web browsing from a Seven, as do the freeware IKnapsack Browser, JPS Surewave (esp. good for OS 3.1 & below), Browser, the Thinker's Group web browser, PalmComm and Pendragon Browser. Java, JavaScript, Shockwave and complex graphics in general will not work, but better web designers build web sites which only provide text or simple to users of handheld devices; e.g., the Orycon XXIII website renders well on a Seven, as will any ADA-compliant site.

¿Can I access WAP sites, like many new cell phones can? Yes. KBrowser can be loaded in a Seven for WAP browsing, as can Wapaka, the Thinker's Group WAP browser, j2wap and WAP Universe. Earthoid's WAP Search Engine may also be useful.

¿Can I do Instant Messaging and SMS?
Yes. ICQ has SMS support in their beta client; PICQ is an ICQ client, as is ICpQa, or take a look at JabberPalm or Chat. SimpleWire claims to be able to send SMS to any SMS-enabled device.

¿What else can I do with it on the web?
Web Clipping Applications (WCAs, formerly known as PQAs or Palm Query Applications) allow developers to extract exactly the data which will fit over the narrow bandwidth of a battery-powered handheld. Practical handheld wireless requires the filtering of all the gubbage which bulk up web pages and WCAs do that well. Palm maintains a list of WCAs available for download, as does FreewarePalm.
The CBAV.PQA I find absolutely essential and pretty neat besides. ToDoLater will send the recipient a reminder email on the date & time you specify, also pretty useful.
Palm maintains a separate technical website at PalmOS, for developer's information which is handy for inquiring minds. Oh, yes, PQA/WCAs work on other PalmOS machines with a wireless connection of any kind, so long as the Palm Mobile Internet Kit or its files have been acquired; see Web Clipping with a Palm V.

¿How do I build Web Clipping Applications?
Palm's own information is a good place to start. Here are links to their Web Clipping Builder, a white paper on WCA development, info on Web clipping security and tutorials on Web clipping development. Other sources include PQANY.PRC in Boxer, the Poplet Kit and FileMaker Pro'sWireless Connection to Databases, as well as IBM's free web clipping tutorial.

¿What are the Palm.Net proxy settings?
Palm keeps changing them. Visit Palm.Net proxy settings at the PalmOS site.

¿What about accessories? Stylii which fit the Three will fit the Seven. Other accessories for the Three are likely to work in the Seven, with the exception of cases, which must be custom-designed for the Seven. Accesories designed for the Five series of Palms will likely not fit the Seven, unless those items also fit the Three. Ask Before Buying.

¿Which kind of battery should I use?
The Seven uses removable AAA batteries, as does the Three. Please note the Seven consumes batteries faster than Threes because the transceiver's internal NiCd battery must be recharged from the AAA batteries. Even if you don't transmit or receive with the Seven, the NiCd will need recharging periodically, due to its characteristic 'self-discharge'.
Throwaway alkaline batteries are the most popular, and can be obtained in bulk at discount from Costco, Office Depot, Radio Shack and other vendors.
Rechargable batteries will work, but will require changing more often, as rechargables do not hold as much of a charge as single-use batteries.
Nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries are a bad fit for Palms, but nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) and rechargeable alkaline (from Rayovac or Lenmar) batteries seem to work well. Rechargable alkalines live longer if recharged frequently, whereas Ni-MH batteries can be completely drained or only partially drained at charge time with no appreciable difference.
If you use rechargables,
choose a 'smart' charger that watches voltage to end charging, instead of ending by a timer
carry charged spare batteries and
use the {Shortcut}.7 feature to reset the battery meter for the type of battery you use.

¿What does Palm.Net cost?
It depends on which plan you subscribe to.
$/mo. Free Name Step up at
10.38 50KB BASIC >125KB
25.96 150KB EXPANDED >225KB
46.75 all UNLIMITED n/a

Use exceeding the free amount is billed to you at 20 cents/KB.
* Please note the Gore tax on telecommunications is included in this pricing, but other taxes can be added to your bill, depending on where you live. Caveat Tyrannis.

¿Which plan should I choose?
I suggest you consider starting with the Basic plan and monitor your usage. If your use exceeds the 50KB allotted every month, then consider increasing to the next service plan at that time. In the seven months my wife and I have used ours, I only exceeded the 50KB in the Basic plan twice, and my wife only once.
If your use regularly exceeds 125KB/month, the Expanded plan will save you money.
If your use regularly exceeds 325KB/month, the Unlimited plan will save you money.

¿Is Palm.Net service available outside the US?
No. Even though there is Mobitex service in Canada (maps) and Europe, Palm.Net does not contract with other providers outside the US. Bad Palm.Net! Bad, Bad Palm.Net!!
If you need wireless outside the US service area, you need to add hardware suitable for other providers (such as a data-capable celfon), and reconfigure the Seven to use it instead of the internal transceiver. At this point, you can see why I recommend against the Seven if you live outside of the US.

¿Are other providers available?
Not through the integrated transceiver. However, you can add a cable to your existing cellphone (if it has an internal 'data modem', like all CDMA fons do) or use a (GSM only) IR-equipped data-modem cellphone, plus browser & email software, and use them for access, or use a landline-connected modem. This may be useful if you have to be in an area without Mobitex coverage for an extended time. The My Wireless Palm and Woggledog sites offer good advice in connecting a Three or a Five via wireless, and what works for a Three will work for a Seven when you're away from Mobitex.

¿Can I pick up email sent to my Palm.net address through web-based email?
No. If you need to go outside Palm.net service area for extended periods, I suggest you get free web-based email with a forwarding option (e.g., Yahoo, among others). Distribute that email address instead of your address at Palm.Net and use it in the Seven's iMessenger program (set it with Options | Preferences | Reply To).
These services will forward your emails to the Palm until you tell them otherwise.
When you are about to leave the Palm.Net coverage area, turn off email forwarding, then pick up your email from the web until you return to a coverage area. When you do, go back to the web-based email service and turn forwarding back on.
This method can also be useful for folks who may at some future date (i.e., everyone) change their ISP, so you are no longer a captive of your ISP if you don't want to change your email address.

¿Can I use the Seven to pick up email from my ISP? Yes. If your ISP has a POP3 email server, you may use these POP3 clients: Corsoft's Aileron, HoboMail, iPopper or ThinAirMail. Juno has a client, as does Yahoo!.
I've written a small PQA with Boxer for this purpose to connect to MAIL2PDA with SSL to securely pick up POP3 mail; download that PQA here.

¿How do I buy a Palm Seven for the best price possible?
New: See C|Net's Shopping | Handheld | Systems | Prices for a current list showing who's selling the VIIx, but also make sure that freight, shipping, insurance while in transit and all other charges are included in the price you agree to pay.
Used: The USENET newsgroups alt.comp.sys.palmtops.pilot and comp.sys.palmtops.pilot (best read with Forte's Agent or Free Agent news reader software if you have a PC) often have postings from folks trading up, or who wish to sell for other reasons, as does eBay.

¿How fast is Mobitex? What are the speeds of competing wireless data systems?
DSL, it ain't. It's limited to only 8 kbps, which is 41% of the throughput ceiling of the 19.2 kbps analog CDPD data system used for the US versions of OmniSky and Novatel modems for the Palm Five and Handspring Visors, as well as Windows-based handhelds and laptops with PC Card and Compact Flash modems. CDPD is operated in the US by both ATTWS & Verizon Wireless; other providers just resell their services.
Many reports have appeared on Palm-centric web pages and in the USENET newsgroups alt.comp.sys.palmtops.pilot and comp.sys.palmtops.pilot to indicate the Mobitex of the Palm Sevens is more stable and that coverage is better when compared to CDPD. A comparison confirms the latter, but, of course, YMMV.
There's another wireless data system called Motient (AKA DataTac), which, like Mobitex, also evolved from a paging service. Blackberries in the 800 series use Motient/DataTAC instead of Mobitex.There are no Motient products for PalmOS hardware yet announced for the US (see US coverage map), and one announcement with no ship date for Australia. It may offer 9.6kbps instead of the 8kbps speed of Mobitex, if it ever ships.

¿What are the special maintenance needs of a wireless Palm?
The cache of web pages will accumulate and consume memory. Deleting the web clipping cache file periodically or in periods of heavy web use will recover significant memory (especially with a VII). The file is named ClipperCache and its 'creator' is 'Clipper'. Freeware program which do this include dbCleaner and Filez but there are others you may prefer.

- Other PalmOS wireless devices -

¿Why should I buy the Seven instead of another Palm and the OmniSky modem?

Click here for one fair-minded comparison.
CDPD add-on modems (coverage map here) are available for Palms, IBM WorkPad Palm clones and Handsprings from Novatel, WISP and Omnisky (no Palm III/Workpad modems from the latter). Depending on when and how you buy, there may be a rebate available which would eventually arrive and reduce the modem cost; but you pay for it in the cost of the service. For a review of where CDPD works and where it does not, check above. Also, visit the YahooGroup for Omnisky, which documents numerous problems with the service.
Service providers offer different plans (shown here in price order); some plans only work in the carrier's service area:
• WISP ($50/mo., repackaging other carriers w/ compression, regional coverage only)
• Omnisky ($400/yr, no service for the Minstrel III)
• ATT Wireless ($30/mo. plus $45 activation)
• Verizon Wireless ($25/mo. - activation unknown)
• GoAmerica (repackaging Verizon and ATT Wireless, $45/mo. plus $30 setup)
(warning: One subscriber noted in USENET his heavy use resulted in being removed from the unlimited plan.)
• YadaYada ($237.90/six months, no Minstrel III service, repackaging other carriers ) and
• Snapscape (repackaging other carriers w/ compression, price varies by location)

Make sure you know if the CDPD service provider will also provide ISP services (email & web browsing). If not, know what adding the services important to you will cost before making your decision. If you need to add the ISP cost, then CDPD becomes more expensive still.
Some providers (Snapscape and WISP) add proprietary compression software which they claim improves throughput. Discussions by some in a.c.s.p.p. and c.s.p.p. reveal they found compression of little merit, and I have not found a disinterested review proving compression helps. YMMV.

¿How do I use cellphones for user device data service to my handheld?
See my Cellular Data FAQ at http://celdata.cjb.net

¿Can I use a Palm and a cellphone to connect to a free ISP?
Yes. See Connecting to 'free' ISPs via cellphone courtesy Dave's Info Page for information on using Palms with ad-sponsored ISPs. If you use Verizon, here are tips on using their free ISP and Verizon documentation in PDF format; Sprint users have a similar free ISP available, as does Voicestream.

¿What about 802.11, or Wi-Fi, for short-range connections to a LAN?
I'm not as well informed about 802.11, 802.11a, 802.11b and Wi-Fi as I would like, but I do know it's short range; you've got to have a LAN nearby which supports 802.11b (6 blocks or so unless there's some really good engineering involved) AND which will allow you to connect to the net. The Xircom Springboard module will provide 802.11b connection for a Handspring; here's pricing for it and a review of it. May I suggest you visit http://www.teleport.com/~samc/psuwireless for an introduction to short range wireless?

¿What about Bluetooth?
It's really short range; 20' or less is what I've seen work. However, if you have an Ericsson T39 GSM celfon, it could be useful; see my Cellular Data FAQ at http://celdata.cjb.net for more info on GSM (which is the T39's celfon system).
Xircom has a Springboard module and Widcomm has a development kit with Springboard modules.

¿What else competes with a Seven as an all-in-one PalmOS wireless handheld?
Kyocera's QCP-6035 has earned good reviews, and is available now from Verizon, Sprint and other carriers. It should be noted that you do not have data service if you are roaming, even if digital roaming, so pick your cellular carrier carefully. It does offer AMPS as well as dual-band CDMA for voice service only.
OfficeMax is offering the 6035 TFN in OfficeMax retail storefronts only, for $250 with a $50 rebate, requiring Sprint activation... sorry, Verizon fans.
The VisorPhone snaps into a Visor, Visor Deluxe, Prism or Platinum, and turns the Visor into both a PalmOS computer and a GSM cellphone (GSM, 900mHz & 1900mHz, for both North America and elsewhere). Data service is at 9.6kbps, marginally faster than the 8kpbs Mobitex network of the Palm Seven. Here's one review of the VisorPhone from Tech TV and also the Visor Phone FAQ. The VisorPhone is GSM-only; it does not support AMPS, so no analog roaming, the universal backup for U.S. celfons.
The VisorPhone is free in the states with the purchase of any Visor from Handspring, or $50 from the website, if Handspring has a deal with your GSM carrier. If your desired GSM carrier does not subsidise it, the price reverts to $300. Since the cost of cell phone service from a GSM provider may not include data service, please check with the carrier before making any decisions.
Voicestream allows you to use voice minutes for data; their $30/mo. data package just gives you 1,500 data-only minutes for Mobile Web Addicts.
The VisorPhone will not work unless you have a local GSM cell phone system provider who will support it, and who offers data connectivity, and will not be as inexpensive as a Seven to operate for email and light browsing. It's also been reported that earlier Visors will not work with the VisorPhone, and that Handspring will replace them on request if you find your Visor will not work with a VisorPhone. YMMV.
Sprint announced September delivery on the Airprime SB-3000, a CDMA, PCS-only-band (i.e., no digital roaming through Verizon, no AMPS analog for off-net roaming) equivalent to the VisorPhone, AKA Digital Link. It will deliver data at 14.4kbps today, 144kbps when Sprint goes 3G. Those rates are 50-500% faster than a VisorPhone, and CDMA has 7x the users in North America that GSM does.
Here is a review comparing the VisorPhone and the Kyocera 6035.

¿Are there wireless clip-on attachments for the m100 or m500 series Palms?
None shipping at this time. Vapourware abounds.

¿What's coming soon (AKA 'vapourware') which competes with the Seven?
Samsung's SPH-i300 color PalmPhone is coming in September. Maybe.
Palm has obtained FCC approval for the i705, which is a monochrome antennaless replacement for the Sevens.
Handspring also obtained approval for two wireless/PalmPhone GSM units, the 'Shea'/Treo g180 and the 'Manhattan'/Treo k180 (with a Blackberry-like microkeyboard).
But, then, when I called the FCC to ask for the specs (so I could determine if they were GSM, CDMA, GPRS, Mobitex or some other wireless system), the approvals were 'withdrawn' by the FCC. Go figure.
Moto's got a PDA fon soon for the US they've already sold abroad... but since it uses a proprietary OS, not PalmOS, look for it to gather dust soon in a store near you.

¿Are there wireless clip-on attachments for Five series Palms outside of North America?
Three GSM 'sled' modems also provide cel service outside of North America. I do not know their status and have seen no USENET reviews confirming availability, features or quality, so their vapour content may be assumed to be high:
• Ubinetics GSM Palm fon
• RealVision CarpeDiem V
• OhFish V51
Two other sleds are promised Real Soon Now for Australia to provide Seven-like data-only service:
• DotWAP's NE01 prototype
• Wavenet's Dualwave prototype

¿Where do I find other FAQs for Palms?
http://www.nicholson.com/rhn/palm is a good place to start; it lists other Palm FAQs.

¿What are good sites for wireless Internet links?
See MyMobileStuff, PlinkIt! and The Mobile Onion.

¿What about that WinCE thingy that Microsoft keeps pushing?
See a fair-minded comparison here.

¿What's a good book on Palms?
O'Reilly's PalmPilot: The Ultimate Guide, 2nd Edition (AKA the "flying squirrel" book).

¿Where do I get a current version of this FAQ?
This FAQ currently lives at www.palm7faq.cjb.net

¿Where do I contact you?
Drop me a note with problems at my All Experts Link or at johnbartley3@yahoo.com with suggestions, changes or really good rumours.

John E. Bartley, III
Telcom sysadmin, Portland OR
http://www.503bartley.com