![]() ![]() The real difference shows when you start using things like VNC, Citrix or Remote Desktop - with the 384Kbps downlink it's pretty much like being on the LAN, and running Outlook inside Virtual PC works OK (depending on your version of Outlook and Exchange server - the 2003 builds work much better over any connection). Techies who jump straight in to an SSH session in a terminal window will find it feels very much like an ISDN connection - which is only natural, since you have a 64Kbps uplink. Latency is also far less than a GPRS connection, and non-tech users will find it virtually indistinguishable from a standard ADSL connection. Your mileage may vary, but whatever throughput you get, it's only bound to get better as the network builds out (nominal coverage targets as publicly disclosed in this BBC article are essentially urban areas). I get an average throughput of 320Kbps (just a tad below the max 384Kbps, which I can easily reach by simply sitting nearer my living room window). Like all mobile services, bandwidth is essentially dependent on coverage. In case you're curious about tariffs, at the time of this writing it's exactly the same for GPRS and 3G data. If you're in Portugal, type (the APN, or Access Point Name) into the phone number field, and use vodafone as both username and password (authentication and billing are done towards your phone number, of course). Just unpack the scripts (be sure to read the supplied README), drop them in /Library/Modem Scripts and set up a new connection using the GPRS CID 1 script. Fortunately, the Samsung makes it easy for anyone to set up a 3G/ GPRS connection (i.e., it is not at all picky about parameters), and Ross Barkman's Generic GPRS Scripts work fine. GPRS requires a few AT Commands to set up the modem, and all current 3G devices use pretty much the same command set. The GPRS Two-StepĪlso like pretty much any GPRS device, you need a modem script for it. Like pretty much everything else supported by Mac OS X, all you really have to do to get the phone installed is plug it in using the supplied USB cable (which, by the way, also provides a trickle charge to the phone's battery - it takes longer to charge than the AC adapter, but is a nice touch for people who like to travel light).Īfter a few seconds you'll get an onscreen prompt saying a "SAMSUNG CDMA Modem" was found, and you'll find it appears in both System Preferences and Internet Connect alongside your built-in modem. Any Mac-oriented shortcomings the phone might have in other fields (like not being supported by iSync out of the box) are more than likely to be offset in due time either by Apple or the burgeoning third-party community, since the phone supports SyncML and has no trouble syncing to Outlook. Since the above disclaimer is not likely to be enough, let's make one point absolutely clear, then: I won't go into the phone's specifics (I'll leave that to the press), the service bundle, or its Mac OS X integration other than as a USB broadband modem. Also, as usual, I'm not responsible for any damage you might cause to your phone, your Mac or your cat - but neither is Vodafone, since this is not an officially supported configuration. I also know good technology when I see it, and that doesn't mean I shouldn't highlight the product's advantages for Mac users. Mini- Disclaimer: I work for these people (and like it there). But best of all, it's a great device for Mac users - especially if you have a 12" PowerBook or an iBook, which lack the PCMCIA slot for a 3G card. And having used the Samsung/SGH-Z100 and Samsung/SGH-Z105 for over six months now, I can say it's a great way to use 3G - it's a normal-size phone with decent battery performance, a great screen and an easy-to-use interface (and mind you, I don't usually like clamshell phones). Of course, most of the media ignored the fact that the Vodafone Mobile Connect Card was out a couple of months ago (and has been actually on sale and working since that date).Ī phone is something everyone understands, though. ![]() By the time you read this, Vodafone's new 3G offering should be hitting the shops.
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