Enfora Wireless Portfolio Case Available Soon

Posted By: Ryan Thursday, August 14, 2003 11:44:58 AM

Enfora's case that not only provides protection, but wireless access, will be available soon. The Wireless Portfolio case features a built in WiFi (802.11b) receiver for mobile internet access.

The WP802b is portfolio style, leather case with an integrated WiFi receiver. It connects to any Palm handheld with the Palm universal connector. It is compatible with both Palm OS 5 and 4.1 devices.

Because of the significant power requirements of WiFi, the WP802b includes a 700mAh LiPolymer rechargeable battery. Enfora says with typical use, the battery will last up to 24 hours.

Enfora WP802b wifi caseThe case measures 3.8 x 1.4 x 6.2 inches (95 x 35 x 155 mm). It supports data rates of 1, 2, 5.5, and 11 Mbps, though the actual rate will be limited by the speed of the universal connector. It also supports the 40-bit/128-bit WEP wireless security standards. It has a maximum range of about 150 meters outdoors and 30m in an indoor office setting.

There will be two different versions, a leather model and a denim twill case. The leather case is $199, however Enfora will offer a $30 dollar instant rebate making it $169; the denim case will cost $159. The case is expected to be in retail locations and the Palm Store "soon". The online retailer Mobile Planet lists it as shipping on August 29th.

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Interesting

sonylover @ 8/14/2003 12:17:40 PM #
This has a lot of potential. I wonder if it will be availible for Sony as well because I'd love to get one of these.

Sony's product cycle is in dog years!
RE: Interesting
RAMdŽd @ 8/14/2003 12:19:52 PM #
Agreed, this looks interesting.

I don't need Wi-Fi now, but it would be nice to have upgrade options when the time comes. I like that this has its own power supply.

SD Wi-Fi could be an option, but I don't like the idea of the additional power drain. Can one sync their PDA over Wi-Fi, as in Bluetooth?

The T|T3 is smallish enough that its looks to be my next PDA. I don't want built-in Wi-Fi because of the size and battery drain for a feature that, at the moment, I have no use for.

It'll be interesting to see how these options shake out.

______________________________
An armed society is a polite society.

RE: Interesting
Lucky Bob @ 8/14/2003 12:22:13 PM #
This seems like a nice alternative to the Sandisk SD WiFi card.

(Why do some people say you can kill two birds with one stone when it's hard enough killing one bird with two stones?)
RE: Interesting
Fammy @ 8/14/2003 12:33:41 PM #
It does look interesting, just too big and too expensive. Make it a little smaller, please! (That's the beauty of the Palm V/m5XX).

-- Fammy
RE: Interesting
RAMdŽd @ 8/14/2003 12:39:35 PM #
(That's the beauty of the Palm V/m5XX).

But does the PalmV/Vx or m5XX have Wi-Fi, or even Bt? No.

That's the great thing about this add-on-- take it off when you don't need it. An SD card is a nice size, but I don't want to be tied to a daily recharging cycle. That's bad enough with my PPC. (I won't be doing *that* again.)

Certainly in a few years, technology will make all of that much smaller. Then we can just Bt the data directly to our cortecal implant. We won't even need a display.

Just a hi-res brain.


______________________________
An armed society is a polite society.

RE: Interesting
Fammy @ 8/14/2003 1:08:19 PM #
I was referring more to the size of the handheld. Yes, it does lack wireless connectivity (outside IR). My next PDA will have bluetooth (Tungsten T3 or Tapwave Helix-whatever I am called now). I'll buy an add-on card for Wi-Fi.

I don't care about recharging daily. My Palm sits in its cradle 5 days a week at work. It's always charged. I only go under 50% on long weekends.

But I see your point. The case is just too big to take with me everywhere I go. Mr. m515 just slides into my pocket.

-- Fammy

RE: Interesting
orol @ 8/14/2003 8:47:20 PM #
afaik Vx could have BT sled .. was made by TDK

Yet another WiFi accessory? Why?

Spanky @ 8/14/2003 1:10:54 PM #
Yet another WiFi accessory! Why? I have not found any compelling applications that I need WiFi on my pda for, especially with the huge battery suck of WiFi.

Go to PalmGear or Handango and search on WiFi, and you get 8 applications, yes a total of 8 for both Palm and PPC, all of which are utilities.

Someone sell us on why we need WiFi on our PDA.

RE: Yet another WiFi accessory? Why?
rokiteer @ 8/14/2003 1:24:45 PM #
I see it as a way to access email while in a boring meeting. It also could be able to make internet phone calls. For certain professionals, like
M.D.'s, it might make sense during rounds in the hospital. But the nerdy gadgetness factor is certainly high, I can't argue with you about that.

RE: Yet another WiFi accessory? Why?
Lucky Bob @ 8/14/2003 1:26:51 PM #
There are only 2 solutions for current Palm handhelds, and the Xircom doesn't even work on OS 5.x handhelds.

You may not need to access your e-mail and the internet away from a PC, but some people do or want to.

(Why do some people say you can kill two birds with one stone when it's hard enough killing one bird with two stones?)

RE: Yet another WiFi accessory? Why?
Admin @ 8/14/2003 2:10:15 PM #
applications don't need to be specifically designed for WiFi, it is just a means of connecting to the internet or a network and there are 1000s of apps for that

Very Interesting

rokiteer @ 8/14/2003 1:17:22 PM #
This case appears to be an elegant combo product. I almost always have my handheld in its case in the office or around the house, where we have wireless LAN's up and running. But once I go mobile, like in the car, I don't need the wi-fi feature, nor do I use the case. With cases running in the $40-$50 range, one can get wireless capability for their PDA for just bit more than $100. Now the questions is what to do with the old case!

i quick question
FRANKY_JOE_BOB @ 8/14/2003 1:54:44 PM #
just wondering, if u use a wifi SD, does it drain yur batt while u r not using wifi?

-ME
RE: Very Interesting
T.W.G @ 8/14/2003 3:51:27 PM #
Hey Bob,

interesting question. But I hope the engineers/developers will be smart enough to shut down the card completely or put it to sleep mode while WiFi is not in use.
But in my personal opinion this case seems to be a realy great option 'cause it has its own powersource!

And it's not even expensive:
If you calculate a good case and a SD-WiFI-Card you'll get the sam 199,-$ price.


Greetings from Germany


Thomas

how to charge it?

darkforceshogun @ 8/14/2003 9:30:44 PM #
Does anybody know how to charge the wifi case? by an AC adapter?

Just give me the damn SD WiFi card!!!

Analytical @ 8/15/2003 4:46:27 AM #
Grief, why is this so late in coming to market. Its a real waste because by the time it gets here i will probably want to upgrade my palm anyway.

Is there some technical problem that they are having or what? By the time it gets here i may have considerd buy a ppc (and let me tell you it will be a cold day in hell when that happens :-) )

Its a shame to see good technology go to pot even before it has been released.

Mike

RE: Just give me the damn SD WiFi card!!!
Lucky Bob @ 8/15/2003 12:50:19 PM #
I wonder why it took all this time too.

(Why do some people say you can kill two birds with one stone when it's hard enough killing one bird with two stones?)

I have one

EZ ZAP @ 8/16/2003 12:02:21 PM #
I was able to purchase one about two weeks ago. Long story! Very nice and works great. The only draw back is that it didn't come with recommended software which is ok, because I was able to install Eudora on my M515. Also, the case is small, but I purchased another case that works even better. I like it because it charges the battery of the palm as you have the WiFi plugged in to charge. Unfornately, I dropped my M515 today and broke the M515. So, I am going to either switch to the Tungsten C, or by another M515. But what do I do with this brand new Enfora WiFi unit? ;-) Any takers? :-)

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