more mobile than most (Motorola Timeport L7089)

Member Name: jeyrb

Product:	Motorola Timeport L7089
Date:	24/12/00 (30 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: IRDA compliant, built-in modem, vibrating ring, voice dialling, size

Disadvantages: non-stylish looks, fixed ring tunes

This isn't a phone for everybody - not for people who want to change faceplates every month or play snakes on the tube.

However, if you do a bit of travelling, and if you have a Palm PC, the L7089 is ideal. If you're travelling to the US, the tri-band support is essential; dual-band is fine if you'll never leave Europe.

What makes this more mobile a phone than tri-band is the built-in infra-red modem which, unlike some Nokias, is IRDA compliant and needs no additional software modems or cables (which can easily add £100 to cost).

IRDA means that I can transfer my existing address book from my PC e-mail system, or from my Palm address book onto the phone.

It also means that I can point my Palm at the phone, switch on infrared, and get connected to the internet within 20secs. With Eudora on the Palm for e-mail, and AvantGo for web browsing (or downloading the Guardian and FT for later reading), this tiny pair of devices means easy e-mail/web anywhere, using quality software at the smallest usable screen size. No WAP, no crap.

Back in Feb 2000 when I bought this, it was the only tri-band phone around; now there's a choice, and more with IRDA modems. However, this phone cost me just 99 pence with free connection, and using a combination of Demon Internet and Orange means plenty of inclusive data mintues each month and fast connections.

This year I've been in Colorado, New York, Greek Islands, sailing round coast of Britain, and almost everywhere been able to keep in touch with friends and work via e-mail without going near a PC or internet cafe.

If you don't have a Palm and don't visit the States, you don't need this phone - but then again you're missing the freedom from PCs that Palms/Visors give combined with the L7089; not to mention the delights of the US.

Summary: