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SpringPort Modem 56 GlobalACCESS


Tue Nov 21, 2000 - 1:12 PM EST - By Mark Pierson

Product Info
Details

»	Name SpringPort Modem 56 GlobalACCESS
»	Company Xircom
»	Weight: 2.9 oz.
»	Speed Up to 56k
»	Size: 2 9/16" x 2 3/16" x 1 1/16"
»	Fact Sheet & User Opinions

Availability

»	Unknown

Pricing

»	$49.99

Software

True to the design philosophy of the Springboard slot, the SpringPort Modem is a "plug-and-play" module. It's ready to go as soon as it's inserted and the self-test is performed. Right out of the box, all you need to do is insert the batteries (included), connect it to a phone line, and you're ready to check email, surf the web, or send/receive faxes (with optional 3rd party software).

The first time you insert the SpringPort into the Visor, the included setup utility runs and asks you to select your country settings to initialize the modem. Then another screen pops up telling you that the module is being tested. This self-test is performed each and every time the module is inserted as well.

I successfully used the included apps without any trouble at all. MultiMail and AvantGo are quite capable applications. Specifics regarding use of these apps are outside the scope of this review; just suffice it to say they work very well with the SpringPort, as do many other online apps. I also tried the beta version of Fax for PalmOS v1.0 from Mark/Space. I was surprised at how well the SpringPort works as a fax machine! The module also works with the Stowaway keyboard, making email much easier to compose. The Visor/SpringPort combo is a bit top-heavy so be cautious while using it with the keyboard.

One negative about the SpringPort: low battery warnings seem to cause the Visor to lock up, requiring a soft reset. In testing, I used the SpringPort for a total of about 6 hours of online use using a fresh set of standard Duracell batteries without any trouble (I can generally only get about 3 hours from my Thinmodem and a fresh set of NiMH's in the Visor).

After that, the low battery warning appeared once and then subsequently resulted in lock ups until a fresh set was installed. Hopefully, this issue will be addressed in a future release or upgrade of the SpringPort driver. For the time being, if you're using the module and experience lock ups for no apparent reason, try changing the SpringPort's batteries before doing anything else.

Conclusion >>