Manufacturer: Psion Model#: 56kTravelModem Weight: .45lbs Height: 1.90"     Width: 6.20" Length: 8.40" Average Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars	Retail Price: $149.99 Online Sale Price:
Features: V.90, 56 Kbps infrared modem For Psion Revo, Series 5, Series 5mx, Series 7, Palm connected organizers, and Handspring Visors EasySwitch modem software for international travel Works with ordinary telephone jack Runs 4 hours on 2 AA batteries

Before using your travel modem, you need to check your Psion PDA to ensure that you've installed all of the software that came it. We tested the travel modem with the Psion Revo; to operate the modem, we needed to have Email Synchronization 1.0 and Web Browser 2.01 loaded onto the Revo from its accompanying PsiWin 2.3 CD-ROM. If you plan to use your travel modem internationally, you need to install the modem's included EasySwitch software onto your PDA.

To set up the Psion travel modem, we started the Modem application and entered the settings specified in the travel-modem user's manual. We then ran the eSetup wizard to enter our ISP account information. We turned on the modem, started the Web application, and connected to our ISP.

Surfing the Web on any handheld PC, such as the Psion Revo, can be tedious--the small screen makes it difficult to see Web pages in their entirety, and the tiny keyboard makes navigation challenging. However, it does help to visit Web sites designed for PDA visitors (such as Amazon.com Anywhere at www.amazon.com/anywhere). It's more practical to use the travel modem for sending and receiving e-mail, which is an intuitive process using the Revo's e-mail application.

The travel modem requires an unobstructed line of sight with your Psion PDA and works well within its rated distance of 2 to 12 inches. One green LED indicates the modem is on, and another flashes as data is transmitting. During our tests, the travel modem (or the Revo) disconnected unexpectedly a few times. We saw no pattern to the disconnections, but it occurred less often when the Revo was in its docking cradle. In general, the travel modem works best for specific Internet tasks, such as getting e-mail or news that you can read offline.

This modem lacks its own power supply but can use the one that comes with your Psion PDA. The travel modem lasts about four hours on two AA batteries.

Overall, we found the travel modem to be very compact and convenient--a helpful, handy companion for your Psion Revo or Series 5 organizer. --Mike Brown

Pros:

• Compact and convenient design
• Self-contained battery operation
• Works with popular cellular phones

Cons:

• AC adapter not included
• Occasionally disconnects during long online sessions

User Submitted Psion 56k Travel Modem Reviews

I haven't owned it long enough to comment on battery life.

Mine doesn't seem to randomly disconnect the way the editorial review suggests. Maybe it's a Revo issue?

As an IR solution, it's well done. During a long page download, I aimed modem away from the Visor, cutting off communication between the 2. The modem did not hang up, and the download gracefully resumed when I aimed the modem back.

I really like that there's no cable between the modem and the Visor and that I don't have to take another module out of the SpringBoard slot to use it.

I expect users of Palm PDAs should have the same successes I have had with my Handspring.

Date: 2000-10-12
unstable connection
either the modem or my psion s5 is to blame: the connection is at its best when you are only using the email program on psion, but if you tried to use the webbrowser, the connection becomes very slow, and quite often the connection is dropped altogether before the completion of a single webpage.