Ditch the Dreaded Data Plan

[Devilfish]

by Sascha Segan

I don't own a smartphone. Yes, I'm the lead cell phone analyst for PC Magazine, and I couldn't do my job without our company's high-speed cellular wireless cards. But why do I not have my own personal smartphone? I can't afford the data plan. My wireless carrier just makes it too expensive.

That's a problem for a lot of people and it's probably at least part of the reason we're not all walking around with the Web in our hands. But there are wireless gadgets that aren't smartphones that can satisfy your need to surf without getting wireless carriers involved at all. Sure, cellular wireless is more widespread than Wi-Fi, but it's also a heck of a lot more expensive. Some Wi-Fi hotspots are free, and you can get access to thousands more from Boingo Mobile for a mere $8 a month.

The Apple iPod touch, for instance, with its recent firmware upgrade has almost all of the features of the iPhone, including Web browsing and e-mail, without all the AT&T. Yes, I realize you can drop the data plan on your iPhone to use it as an iPod touch with only a voice plan. But why bother since it's a lousy voice phone anyway?

The Nokia N810 Internet Tablet takes the Web surfing experience a step further with a big 4.1-inch 800-by-480-pixel touch screen and the ability to connect to a cell phone via Bluetooth, if you do happen to have a data plan. You can also hop on the Web the easy way?with its integrated Wi-Fi. The Sony Mylo COM-2 can play Flash videos in its little Wi-Fi Web browser, plus it makes Skype calls. And the Archos 605 WiFi has a sweet screen for surfing, and specializes in recording and playing back TV and movies.
Then there's the Zipit Z2, a messaging device designed to be used at home. The Z2 won't get you on the Web, but it's an affordable way to get teenagers off the home PC. This $150 handheld lets you send and receive instant messages or listen to music on a Wi-Fi network, with no monthly fees. The company charges a reasonable $5 a month for the ability to send or receive up to 3,000 SMS text messages.

So if you can't stomach the monthly data fees that come with a smartphone, consider one of these gadgets as a companion for your basic voice phone and get online for a lot less.


In this roundup:

Apple iPod touch
The January 2008 update for the iPod touch makes it an even more capable handheld, adding an excellent e-mail client to its world-class Web browser. If only it had instant messaging.

Archos 605 WiFi
The Archos 605 does its best work as a video player, either capturing video from your TV or downloading it from a PC. But add on the right plug-ins, and it can surf the Web on the side.

Nokia N810 Internet Tablet
Linux geeks will thrill to the open-source nature of this well-designed Internet tablet. Web addicts will be happy with its high-quality browser, decent e-mail program, multi-platform IM client, and cool slide-out keyboard.

Sony Mylo COM-2
Okay, okay, I prefer the iPod touch and the Nokia N810. But the COM-2 has the ability to play Flash videos embedded in Web pages, which isn't easy to find on a handheld device.

ZipIt Z2
At $149, this device is a lot less expensive than getting your teen another PC for instant messaging. And?a big bonus for parents?it can't surf ~~~~.

[dmvictoria]

But why do I not have my own personal smartphone? I can't afford the data plan. My wireless carrier just makes it too expensive.

Hi Glen, I used to work for AT&T(former Cingular wireless) and would deal daily with people with high phone bills of $120.00 dollars a month for cell service and data. I once had to deal with someone who bought a data device and just used the pay per use feature, they had a bill of over $10,000. They eventually got the amount credited out, but they went through hell with supervisors and collections.

Yes, data is expensive, sometimes in horrible ways.