Back in my May column (“From Wired to Wireless”), I talked about some emerging wireless technologies and how they were set up from a networking point of view. Well, now it’s time to talk about the gadgets themselves. In the engineering world, being in the field is imperative. The more you can do in the field, and the faster you can do it, the better off you’ll be. According to International Data Corp., by 2002, the number of people connecting to the Internet wirelessly will surpass the number hooking up through PCs. Pretty staggering isn’t it? Let’s look at some of the larger wireless players and their offerings.
Ericsson R380: Ericsson, whose stock soared more than 3,000% in less than a year, takes the cake with what will be the most advanced wireless product ever to hit the open market. The Ericsson R380 is a combination phone and PDA. It has wireless Web access, e-mail send and receive capability, and voice recognition. Due out this fall, the R380 is no bigger than your current cell phone and will retail for under $1,000. Pro: It has everything. Con: Find out what under $1,000 means. Visit www.ericsson.com.