Wireless access?

Book Guy - one of the franchises that I still own has to utilize it's cell phones to look up schedules via the internet and mapquest to get directions etc. What we do is pay the text / web access fee - I think it $22.95 month per phone extra and you can access the web unlimited and it doesn't hack into your minutes. These are just regular phones actually the cheaper variety, non pix phones even with the smaller type screens so if you have a pretty nice phone it would work much better. This service is via Alltel but everyone has it. I can get you the exactly figures and plan name if you want, just email me if you need the info and I'll look it up and tell you the pricing and plan name.

Not to talk you out of your jones for sexy gadgets, but there's a browser utitlty I've used that works great for browsing cached web pages while you're offline. It's called MM3 WebAssistant. I have the free Mac version, and there's a cheap PC version. I don't know, there may be other PC freeware that does the same thing. I used it last year visiting the Carolinas to stay where I had no net access. Before leaving, I just browsed to all the TUSCL pages for the area, to automacally save them in the cache. Then, while offline, I was able to view them and evern follow links, as long as the linked page had been cached before. You can't post, obviously, but it's better than printing everything.

I don't get how Web Assistant connects to my cell phone.

:)

No, seriously, I don't generally bring the laptop with me.

I've done that in Houston, at the Comfort Inn on Richmond near Centerfolds. That's a good place for lobby traffic, too, if you know what I mean. But I was interested in learning the ins and outs of all these new wireless things. I guess I'll get some kid in short-sleeves and a tie at Radio Shack or a Cingular hut at the mall to explain it all to me. Heh.

I'm not real up on web-browsing via cell phones... the screens are just too small, and I'm not using my minutes for internet access. I remember it used to be that cells could only access cell-enabled websites.. that is, like a stripped down version of CNN or ESPN that would be more optimized to the small screen. And if I remember right, RSS was just a web protocol. "Really Simple Syndication" or something like that. Just a way to move content around without any bells and whistles.. Like a newsportal on the web would probably subscribe to an RSS from the AP, UPI, BBC, etc..

Anyway, that's a regular cell phone.. You might want to look into a larger smartphone.. like a Treo or a Blackberry type. Much bigger screens.. I have no idea how it handles web browsing though..

Another option would be something like a Dell Axim pocket PC. That runs a mobile Windows OS and does have built-tin WiFi (802.11b).. so it browses the web much like your home PC or lap... but you do need to be in a hotspot, which nowadays is just about any hotel, starbucks, barnes & nobles, etc...