Help with Wireless Internet at DVC

[InstImpres]

I was just at the sprint store to buy a new fangled phone so I could check email while away. They recommend I buy a palm instead if I am staying somewhere with wireless internet. Anyone have success or failure stories with palms, the web and dvc they can share?

TIA

 

[JimMIA]

I think you will find a Palm, Windows-based wireless PDA, or Blackberry a LOT easier to use for email than a phone. My phone is internet-capable and I have a Windows-based Dell Axim wireless PDA, but if I had it to do all over again, I would get a Blackberry.

When I travel, which is a lot, I always have my phone, wireless PDA, and wireless capable laptop with me. For all the joys of wireless, if I have a choice, I prefer Ethernet hard-wired high-speed internet over any of the above.

But in situations where you don't have immediate connectivity, a Blackberry is priceless. A Blackberry gives you a combination of phone, PDA, and it has a tiny keyboard which is actually surprisingly easy to use.

I'll give you an example. Two weeks ago, I took a trip with a good buddy out to Helena, Montana. He has a Blackberry. For a variety of reasons - baseball not the least among them - we flew into Seattle and did the beautiful 9-hour drive to Helena. Wireless access is spotty out there, but whenever we had access, he was returning phone calls and emails and otherwise being obnoxious. I could have accessed my email from my phone, but it's a hassle so I didn't.

A Blackberry (or like device - there are a number of choices depending on your cell carrier) will cost you a little extra going in, and your bill will probably be a little higher, but they work great.

 

[JimMIA]

One other comment about wireless Internet. Where you have it, you will find a huge variance in how good it is. Wireless can be local beyond belief.

I recently stayed in a nice Fishermans Wharf hotel in SFO that had "wireless internet throughout the hotel." Turns out, it actually only worked in one corner of the lobby. I've also tried to use wireless in AA Admirals Clubs, which are T-Mobile Hotspots and therefore should be good, and I've had REALLY mixed results. It's sad, but I've had much better luck with hotspots in Starbucks than in Admirals Clubs!

With a Blackberry or similar device, your reception is not determined by the strength of the wireless router, but by the strength of the cellphone signal. That's almost always going to be a lot more reliable than wireless.

 

[RobDoc]

I am at WDW right now and am responding using a Blackberry handheld on the Cingular wireless network.
I can access my email accounts, browse the web and even placed an Ebay bid last nite.

Reception is fine - but the tiny keyboard does take some getting used to. I also used this at HH last month without problem.
Blackberry is available thru a few wireless companies.

 

[InstImpres]

I am at WDW right now and am responding using a Blackberry handheld on the Cingular wireless network.
I can access my email accounts, browse the web and even placed an Ebay bid last nite.

Reception is fine - but the tiny keyboard does take some getting used to. I also used this at HH last month without problem.
Blackberry is available thru a few wireless companies.

See there is part of my confusion, I was told if the resort hand wireless web than the palm would automatically work, I don't need to sign up for any service (sounded to good to be true). It's a PalmOne Tungsten/E2 if that means anything to anyone.

Thanks again
Sandy

 

[MLK-RI]

Hi Sandy,
I do not know that much about the PALM Tungsten E2 but here's from the Palm web site
" CONNECT WITH BLUETOOTH® WIRELESS DEVICES
With built-in Bluetooth® wireless technology, you can synchronize with your desktop without wires getting in the way1. Use your handheld with a Bluetooth phone and the VersaMail® email client to send email and text messages or surf the Web2 with the Blazer® web browser."

To me that means that it is NOT WiFi equipped but needs to connect to the internet through your internet capable cell phone. So unless I am wrong, this is not what you want.

I used a Treo smartphone on the T-mobile network my last visit to WDW and it worked very well - when it worked. As others have said internet service by cell phone (or smartphones) is dependent on signal strength.

If you do not want to use your cell phone company's internet access capabilities either on your cell phone or using a laptop or PDA connected through your phone then you need some hardware that is WiFi capable. Check the differences on the Palm web site between the Tungsten E2 you are being told to look at and the Tungsten C

Another thing The wireless web in certain resorts may or may not cover large enough areas for you and I don't believe it is free, so you'll still need to sign up even if it is to pay by the day or certain number of hours.

Depending on your cellular company you may be better off going through their service using a Blackberry or other Smartphone (Treo 650 ?) type devices. OR connecting your Palm device through your cell phone with Bluetooth, etc.

I hope this may have helped and not just confused you more.
Good luck, Mary Lou

 

[RobDoc]

I'm not familiar with that palm, but it sounds like it should work with WI-FI . The problem there is that not all resorts have WI-FI and none have it in the rooms.
I think BC and BWV may have some hot spots near the lobby.

 

[rinkwide]

I used a Sprint PPC-6600 PDA phone last time we were at BCV. Worked great for email/web browsing as well as keeping track of Priority Seatings and sending pictures to the grandparents. I also take my laptop when we go and this trip I was able to link it to the PDA via Bluetooth and then use the PDA as a modem for the computer. That was really slick and download speeds were around 100kbps. Not bad, plus I saved the $10 a day.

Advanced users only:
I also hooked up to the hotel video feed in my room and video captured the Walt Disney World Top 7 Must Sees on to my laptop's hard drive. Next I converted it to Pocket PC video format, loaded it on to a memory card and then slid that back in the PDA. Now I get my Krissa fix anytime, anywhere.