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 >>