PdaNet for Treos
By Denny Oh | January 22, 2008
As a Realtor, I like many of you, am on the run a lot and don’t always have the luxury of being at my office. And in a time where a 5 minute response time is 5 minutes too long, I depend on my phone and my laptop. And while we all have problems with technology, the fact is, we can’t live without it. What would you do if you had no cell phone? Forget the PDA functions, I mean just the capability of sending and receiving calls from virtually anywhere you want!
I own a Treo 700p and have had my fair share of ups and downs with it. I could go on and on about my problems, but this post is about an application called PdaNet. There are several sites you can download it from, but the only one I’ve tried and can vouch for is by June Fabrics.
PdaNet is an application that you can install on your Treo and connect your laptop to the Internet anywhere you get cell service. For a one time fee of $34, users can download the application and almost instantly be mobile. Once you Hot Sync and install the software, you can take your laptop on road. You can connect via Bluetooth, or with your Treo USB cable. I’ve tried both and can’t tell if the USB connection is that much faster – but the USB connection doesn’t seem to randomly disconnect.
I’ve checked with Verizon and they charge $60 a month to access the Internet and they also charge a $35 activation fee and you have to sign a contract – which means you’re subject to a $175 early termination fee. Why would you ever sign up with them? Well, the only reason I would give in, would be to get a faster connection. Keep in mind, this is only for the PC card and Internet access – you still have your separate data plan (probably what you have now).
With PdaNet, I can just push a button and use my laptop to do whatever it is I need. Typically I only use this when I’m tired of typing emails on my Treo, or if I have to access the ELS and perform a proper search – not just check on one or two listings. Be careful when you connect via Bluetooth though, as the connection will drain your battery. If you’re going to be online for several hours and have the luxury, use a USB cord and plug in your laptop – yes this will also charge your phone.
So…if you own a Treo and are thinking about signing up with your wireless provider to get Internet on your laptop, you might want to check out PdaNet first. For $34 dollars, it might be worth it. Just make sure you check the phone and OS requirements first.
Oh and by the way, I wrote and posted this blog with my PdaNet connection. If anyone reading this is associated with PdaNet, or June Fabrics, feel free to send me some free stuff.
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Author's Website: http://www.sandiegoh.com
Topics: Mobile Devices, Notebooks, Gadgets |
5 Responses to “PdaNet for Treos”
Comments
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January 23rd, 2008 at 9:38 am
I use PDA Net all the time, in fact the guys over at sprint said there were programs like that out there, although their official stance is that i should pay for the service that is already coming to my phone…
As a REALTOR, i need access to the internet all the time, and trying to hop from wifi to wifi is ridiculous… it’s a little like searching for pay phones that I saw my mom do back in the day….
PDAnet is a great alternative to having to pay outragous fees for service you already have.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:23 am
I’ve invested SO much time into “tethering” my Treo 700wx (windows mobile) to both Mac and Windows desktops. Currently my treo, w/o any extra software, is supposed to support bluetooth DUN but it doesn’t exactly work. The only way I’ve been able to connect reliably (if you can call it that) is with PDANet. However, I’m not sure why, but I can only get maybe 5 minutes of usage out of pdanet over usb or bt before it just dies. Very frustrating. I’m pretty sure it’s just my phone, I just don’t have the time to try to get verizon to help me fix a feature they don’t exactly support.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:44 am
Jon - check out the Help section for the Treo 700wx - http://www.junefabrics.com/pdanet/faq.php
And I’m pretty sure you’re right about Verizon not being much help - that’d be like calling your cable company to ask if they can come fix the signal on your bootlegged cable.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:50 am
Is it available for blackberry’s?
January 25th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Missy,
As fas as I know, there is not PdaNet software that is compatible with Blackberrys. Sorry - maybe someone else knows???