Last week I was able to get my hands on the new
Pocket PC/cell phone combo developed by Audiovox and marketed by
Verizon Wireless. The "Audiovox CDM-9100 with Maestro" includes the
new Audiovox Maestro Pocket PC, manufactured for Audiovox by
Toshiba, and the Audiovox CDM-9100 Trimode CDMA Digital wireless
phone.
The Maestro is almost identical to the Toshiba
e570 reviewed in the Jan '02 issue of Pocket PC magazine (www.pocketpcmag.com/Jan02/toshiba.asp
). The main physical differences are that it has the Audiovox logo
and comes with 32 Mb of RAM (the Toshiba version has a 64 Mb
option). The Audiovox version comes with a USB synchronization
cradle, AC power adapter, instruction manuals, and Microsoft
ActiveSync CD. The Maestro is a little more boxy and a little less
comfortable to hold than my iPAQ (without its Expansion Pack). The
whole package, Pocket PC and cell phone, is only $599 when you sign
up with Verizon.
Audiovox CDM-9100 Trimode CDMA Digital cell
phone
The design of the Audiovox CDM-9100 is based on
their earlier CDM-9000 cell phone, but they've made the 9100 a
smaller, sleeker, more professional looking device. Additionally,
you can swap out faceplates on the 9100 to change the appearance of
the phone (see Screen 1). The 9100 comes with a complete instruction
manual describing all the features of the phone, a charger, and a
connection cable to connect the phone to the Maestro Pocket PC (see
photo above).
Screen 1: You can swap out faceplates on the
Audiovox CDM-9100 cell phone to change its appearance. Shown here is
the optional American Flag faceplate.
A well-integrated package, and a WAP browser,
too!
Verizon sells the package with or without
"activation" (i.e. wireless service), but it's not much good without
service. I opted for the activation option, which reduces the price
of the package from $699 to $599. The first thing I had to do was
charge the cell phone and Pocket PC. Then, the only other thing
necessary was to connect the phone physically to the Pocket PC using
the cable that comes with the package. I turned on the Pocket PC,
opened Internet Explorer, and the connection to the Verizon Wireless
network was made within three seconds! This integration is the
strongest feature of this bundle. Other systems can be quite
cumbersome, but not this "dynamic duo!"
The CDM 9100 cell phone has a small but readable
monochrome screen that displays the total amount of time on the
call, the connection speed, and the battery status. The cell phone
is also equipped with the standard Verizon WAP browser, enabling the
user to browse the Web without the Pocket PC (see Screen 2). The WAP
browser is a limited but useful tool, especially when you're
traveling or need to check some specific information, like the score
of a basketball game! This phone is great for getting into the world
of wireless Web surfing.
Screen 2: The Audiovox CDM 9100 cell phone comes
with a built-in WAP browser, which lets you do limited Web browsing
from the phone.
Testing the waters
You can probably tell by the name of my Web site
(Dave's Compaq iPAQ) that the Maestro isn't my Pocket PC of choice.
Additionally, I found the screen hard to read in outdoor light, and
the battery life short when using it with the cell phone. Still,
choosing the Toshiba Pocket PC was a reasonable choice for Audiovox,
and I agree totally with Audiovox and Verizon's apparent decision to
test the wireless Pocket PC waters before Smartphone technology hits
the market.
Audiovox picked a great phone to bundle
with this package, and Verizon delivers stable Internet connections
within its service area. If you already have a Pocket PC
manufactured by another company, this is probably not the solution
for you. But if you are looking into buying an integrated Pocket PC/
cell phone package, you should certainly take a closer look at this
one. Currently, it is only available through Verizon in the western
U.S., and The Wiz and P. C. Richard & Son in the Northeast. Sprint
will soon be nationwide and others are to be announced.
The Audiovox CDM-9100 with Maestro is available
through the Verizon Wireless Web site (www.verizonwireless.com)
for users in the Western U.S. If you are in another state, you may
not be able to find the package listed on the Verizon site. Mobile
Planet (www.mobileplanet.com)
and Audiovox (www.audiovox.com)
sell the Maestro Pocket PC and the CDM-9100 cell phone as separate
items. Further information on the Maestro and CDM 9100 is available
on the Audiovox Web site.
For an in-depth look at the Audiovox Maestro,
see the sidebar by Diane Dumas below. |
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