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Unleashing the Wonders of Wi-Fi on your Treo 700w


Mon Jun 12, 2006 - 11:27 AM EDT - By Tim Hillebrand

Security

Keep in mind that when you're transmitting data from a public access point or even over a subscription network, your data are out there for anyone to intercept. The best solution I have found for this problem is a subscription to the SpotLock service offered by JiWire that locks down your transmissions by encrypting them securely for $39.95 per year. SpotLock comes bundled with security software, a worldwide hotspot finder, and an intuitive connection manager.

You can set-up different levels of security with your home network router, and I advise that you do. Otherwise, it's like going away on vacation and leaving your front door wide-open.

You got Wi-Fi, so what?

All right, you're all plugged in, connected, and ready to blast off. Fire up your Web browser, and you will be astounded. EVDO may be fast, but I promise you will notice the difference between the two immediately. That's the first reason to have Wi-Fi: It will save you time.

The second reason is that it will save you money, especially if you don't have an unlimited plan. There's no use paying the telcos big bucks when you can be transmitting data free over the Internet. Don't forget that your time is worth money too; if you're saving time, you're saving money.

With a Wi-Fi connection, you can stream live video and radio over the Internet and even listen to satellite radio if you have a subscription. You can also watch live TV from your cable provider, if you have the right set-up, which could the subject of another article. Theoretically, you should be able to do these things with a cell phone network connection too, but I found that the whole experience is less than satisfying due to constant interruption with data buffering.

Of course, you can send and receive data files, download programs, and send pictures and tunes much faster too. Programs, such as weather programs that require updates will rapidly update in the background while connected.

I hope you will enjoy and benefit from your newfound connectivity, as you let Wi-Fi unleash the hidden power of your Treo 700W Pocket PC.

Keep connected.

Addendum is Verizon's "Unlimited" data plan really unlimited?

Since I wrote this article extolling the virtues of Wi-Fi, Verizon (currently the only carrier for the Treo 700w) has reared its ugly head with a crackdown on unlimited EVDO users advising them that they are in violation of their contracts if they engage in activities such as streaming videos or downloading movies or other media. Verizon will terminate a user who exceeds 10 GB per month. So, it seems "unlimited" usage is not really unlimited usage, and this is an even greater incentive to use Wi-Fi as a faster, cheaper alternative to EVDO.

Here's the quotation from a newsletter I received from JiWire:

Verizon Clamps Down on "Unlimited" Data Usage
"It looks like you won't want to ditch Wi-Fi for EV-DO anytime soon. Last week brought a flurry of reports that Verizon Wireless has started cracking down on broadband data subscribers with abnormally high usage rates. While the BroadbandAccess contract supposedly offers unlimited data, Verizon's termination letters state that if you are using more than 10GB a month, you must be streaming video or other media, and thus violating their service agreement, which only allows for Internet browsing, email, and intranet access. All other activities, such as streaming and/or downloading movies and video, are expressly prohibited.' That would seem to exclude standard mobile business applications like GoToMyPC-type remote-access services, Web-based backup and sync programs, and videoconferencing, which can all use large amounts of bandwidth. Not to mention VoIP."

Here's a quotation from a Verizon letter to a customer:

"As you know, the terms and conditions that govern your National Access and/or BroadbandAccess account, which were provided to you at the time of service activation and which are posted on VerizonWireless.com, only permit Internet browsing, email, and intranet access. All other activities, such as streaming and/or downloading movies and video, are expressly prohibited by the terms and conditions. A copy of the terms and conditions is enclosed. "We recently reviewed your Verizon Wireless National Access and/or Broadband Access account and found that your usage over the past 30 days exceeded 10 Gigabytes. Your usage was more than 40 times that of a typical user. This level of usage is so extraordinarily high that it could only have been attained by activities, such as streaming and/or downloading movies and video, prohibited by the terms and conditions. Based on these facts, your extraordinarily high levels of usage conclusively demonstrate a violation of the terms and conditions, and your account will be terminated on 5/30/2006."

For further discussion, go to one of the following areas:
Here
Here
Here
Here
Here

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