Gizmo

By Andy Walker, Cyberwalker Media Syndicate

Simplicity is everything when you go wireless. It should be a plug and go experience.

That's what you can expect from the Sierra Wireless AirCard 510. It's a PC Card that plugs into the side of most notebook computers and some handheld computers that take PC Cards.

The gadget has a little matchstick antenna that pops up and can talk to a cellular phone network. So if you can make a call with a Bell Mobility phone in Canada or Sprint PCS phone in the U.S., then this device can also access the Internet using the same system.

Of course you won't get a high speed connection. The card works at a maximum connection speed of 19.2 Kbps. That's less than half of the speed of a 56K dial-up modem you might use at home. When configured with the included compression software you'll get closer to 56Kbps, but it takes a little bit of software fiddling.

I recently used it both in Toronto and New York. Test areas included a restaurant, hotel room and inside an aircraft (before the flight crew told us to turn our gadgets off). The card has a tendency to drop its connection at times and is susceptible to dead patches of coverage. It seems to be more sensitive to this than a cellular phone.

However, being connected to e-mail and the Web anywhere you go is a real liberating experience. Though don't let you colleagues know you're always reachable. They tend to get annoyed if they don't get an instant response to their wirelessly delivered questions.

Price: $599 Canadian / $399.99 US. Airtime in Canada, costs $25 Canadian for 250 minutes or $50 Canadian for 1000 minutes. In the U.S., air time packages vary between $59.99 US and 149.99 US.
More info: www.sierrawireless.com
Buy it: In Canada, through any Bell World store. In the U.S. through Sprint PCS outlets.