by Derrick Story
09/29/2000
Thinmodem by Card Access is a Springboard module that instantly converts your Visor from a PIM to a real computer. You can dial up any ISP and cruise the Web just like you can with your laptop or with your "getting bigger by the day" desktop computer. Forget about proprietary services and costly access fees just because you want to use your handheld to check e-mail. Use the services you already have.
Thanks to its clever design, the Thinmodem seats flush with your Visor, has a petite power appetite, and weighs not much more than the Springboard back cover protector that you remove to insert the modem. You couldn't even detect that your gizmo had a modem installed unless you turn it over, revealing the Card Access label.
Not only does the module provide steady 33.6k modem access (a 56k Flash upgrade is in the works), it also has 586k of onboard Flash memory. The unit ships with three applications that reside on the module. Up until recently, users had virtually no access to the Flash memory -- they could copy one or more of the bundled applications from the module to their Visor, but after doing so, could not delete them from the module or replace them with other programs.
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The Thinmodem fits snugly in your Visor's Springboard slot, provides 33.6k access and 509k of flash memory. |
That is, until now. Card Access has just posted a downloadable upgrade that includes a fourth application: File Mover, which allows you to move programs back and forth from your Visor to the module. Here's how it shakes out.
Of the 586k of Flash memory residing on the Thinmodem, 22k is required for the Thinmodem software, and another 55k is reserved for File Mover -- that means 509k of Flash is available for customization by the user. Essentially, that equates to an additional half meg memory for your Visor.
Upgrade options
CardAccess has created two upgrades for the modem. The first version, ThinmodemUpdater1_4full, includes the latest Thinmodem software (v 1.4), File Mover (v 1.2), the MultiMail Demo (v 3.1), Browse-it client (v 4.0), and an online terminal program.
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Backup Module Desire |
The full upgrade requires that you set aside (swallow hard) 1.1 MB of memory on your Visor for the installer. Once you've upgraded your Thinmodem, you can delete the installer from your Visor and reclaim the onboard memory.
Once you've installed the full update, you've filled your Flash memory with the new modem software and four applications. The beauty is that one of those applications is File Mover, which allows you to make adjustments to the Flash memory. More on that later.
The lite version of the upgrade, ThinmodemUpdater1_4solo, weighs in at a relatively svelte 560k. It upgrades the modem software and installs File Mover, but not the other three applications -- leaving you with 509k of Flash memory free on your modem! Once your modem has been updated, you can remove the installer application from your Visor, reclaiming the 560k of onboard memory it temporarily occupied.
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