Monday, November 4, 2002
More Wireless Woes Using Bluetooth
Posted by Ed Hansberry in "ARTICLE" @ 08:00 AM
http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2895647,00.html
David Berlind from ZDNet is still trying to find an easy way to get online using his bluetooth PDA. "The most common approach to W2 (wireless squared - dumb name :roll:) is to use Bluetooth to facilitate the connection between the devices that need network access, and the device (such as a cell phone) that gives it to them. The cell phone would then connect to the Internet through one of the higher speed data networks."
He has virtually the same setup I have - a bluetooth enabled Pocket PC and a T-Mobile T68. While it was a snap for me to get the devices paired, I spent a total of 75 minutes on two phone calls with T-Mobile getting the device online and enabling VPN. 100% of the problems turned out to be on T-Mobile's end in my case, one being an improperly configured t-Mobile phone and the other on their server, and though it took some time, the T-Mobile tech support teams were eager to help and very considerate.
I think the bottom line is, this technology, be it on the Pocket PC, the add-on Bluetooth card, the cell phone or the carrier, is not ready for the average consumer. You and I will go through anything to get this to work but the average person will give up saving themselves grief now and in the future. If I had a nickel for each time I had to reset my iPAQ 3970 and T68 to get a connection to go, I'd have enough money to buy a Dell Pocket PC! :wink: Source: Jeff Curtin
David Berlind from ZDNet is still trying to find an easy way to get online using his bluetooth PDA. "The most common approach to W2 (wireless squared - dumb name :roll:) is to use Bluetooth to facilitate the connection between the devices that need network access, and the device (such as a cell phone) that gives it to them. The cell phone would then connect to the Internet through one of the higher speed data networks."
He has virtually the same setup I have - a bluetooth enabled Pocket PC and a T-Mobile T68. While it was a snap for me to get the devices paired, I spent a total of 75 minutes on two phone calls with T-Mobile getting the device online and enabling VPN. 100% of the problems turned out to be on T-Mobile's end in my case, one being an improperly configured t-Mobile phone and the other on their server, and though it took some time, the T-Mobile tech support teams were eager to help and very considerate.
I think the bottom line is, this technology, be it on the Pocket PC, the add-on Bluetooth card, the cell phone or the carrier, is not ready for the average consumer. You and I will go through anything to get this to work but the average person will give up saving themselves grief now and in the future. If I had a nickel for each time I had to reset my iPAQ 3970 and T68 to get a connection to go, I'd have enough money to buy a Dell Pocket PC! :wink: Source: Jeff Curtin
