Powerbook + Cell Phone = Internet Access?


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I haven't looked to hard into this but I was just thinking is there a way to use my cellphone to connect my Powerbook Online? Right now I have an A500 throough Sprint .. But I dont think they have a cable, anyone try this at all? Im in the United States and Am thinking of switching providers.. anyone I should goto? Thanks in advance.

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Well with sprint for like $5 you get internet via spint, otherwise I have enough min's that I can be online for a while and not have an issue, jsut wondering what cables and such that I need, or if anyone has tried this and if so what setupi they have used.

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My brother setup his system to access through his cell for when we were on vacation. It would only connect at 14.4 (and I doubt you could ever get much better), but it was great for checking email, and catching up with a few friends.

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I use my cellphone all the time to access the internet. I found a modem script for my Verizon v60 online somewhere and Verizon offers unlimited digital minutes for free. It is pretty slow but definitely nice when I am on a road-trip or whatever. I have heard that Sprint has really good packages at decent speeds.

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My dad he is a RF Engineer and right now he is installing the networks in boston for the 3g and he said after it is fully deployed in the USA the speeds for the wireless internet will dramatically increase because of better radios and etc.

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if you have bluetooth on both, you can connect to the internet... osx and the phone will negotiate automatically, and ta da, you are on the net. the speeds are usually comparable to the ol' 56k days, but it's not bad for e-mail checking or light web surfing. costs can get up there though... however, some service providers allow you to pay a few bucks extra for a certain amount of data on top of your minutes.

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Of course, there's always the people with sattelite internet....

My buddies own a van (very old...) with sattelite on the back, and with electronic rotation controller... and they get internet totally mobile

'cept of course when there's weather, or if the occasional tree or building blocks it....

I'm sure it would be absolutely bad reception in a city....

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I do it all the time, my cell provider has a GPRS network that lets me connect over Bluetooth at about 45kbps anywhere I can get a cell signal. It's pretty useful, but I'm not sure how many networks in America have GPRS though.

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I have sprint and I tried out Vision for two months before I cancelled. I was able to send data around 25k/s and I'm sure its "capable" of more. Anyways if you get a bluetooth phone some provider will offer it. I bet it won't be very cheap at all though.

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If you are looking to change providers and use the net you should consider T-Mobile.

I use their GPRS over bluetooth with my ibook. It's not cable but it's decent considering it doesn't cost me more. I tested the speed with several test and they came back as 58k modem.

The nice thing about using T-Mobile is that I signed up for the unlimited WAP for $5 a month. That included WAP, Picture messaging and Internet on your computer. They don't advertise it as such tho... So only the ports for email and http are open. Works for me.... unlimited bandwidth for $5

If you need to access secure sites or a VPN you can sign up for the Internet Pro but that's $19 a month unlimited.

Either way it beats ATT's $80 for unlimited WAP.

ATT also has "EDGE" network... it's faster but there is not much coverage, and it's also $80 plus you need a special PCMCIA card...

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Well So what I have gathered I can use any bluetooth phone and as long as I have internet through them I should be able to get right online? Just want to have this down befor eI make the jump and go out and get a new cell and prob change providers... seeing that no one here has really said too much about sprint, I am thinking about T-Mobile, and have been for sometime. How is their coverage? Also what phones have blutooth, i have yet to see any one the t-mobile site, or the sprint site either :(

Edited by sdenike
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If you are looking to change providers and use the net you should consider T-Mobile.

I use their GPRS over bluetooth with my ibook. It's not cable but it's decent considering it doesn't cost me more. I tested the speed with several test and they came back as 58k modem.

The nice thing about using T-Mobile is that I signed up for the unlimited WAP for $5 a month. That included WAP, Picture messaging and Internet on your computer. They don't advertise it as such tho... So only the ports for email and http are open. Works for me.... unlimited bandwidth for $5

If you need to access secure sites or a VPN you can sign up for the Internet Pro but that's $19 a month unlimited.

Either way it beats ATT's $80 for unlimited WAP.

ATT also has "EDGE" network... it's faster but there is not much coverage, and it's also $80 plus you need a special PCMCIA card...

Would those by any chance be called T-Zones? I need to know because I'll be buying a cell phone in a few weeks and I'll be using it for wireless net too.

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Yes it's T-Zone.

I don't know what's your maket so prices may vary...

t-Moble has a lot of bluetooth phones. Check out the Sony Ericsson...

People say SE and Macs were made for each other...

T-Mobile also supports data call (CSD) but ATT doesn't.

Coverage is good where I am and I've never been anywhere I did not have coverage.... but i don't travel a lot so...

A while back they had good deals on amazon.com for new subscribers... free T610 and discounted BT headset...

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