Cell Phones

Phones like the Sony Ericsson T68i, Motorola V600, and Nokia 3650 can all use Bluetooth to communicate with the Tablet PC to share data and provide mobile Internet access. You can synchronize contact information not just through a cable interface, but through a wireless Bluetooth connection.

I used a T68i for a week, and it worked well with Bluetooth and my Tablet PC. While my wife was driving, I was able to connect to the Internet at 60 MPH. I also used a Bluetooth headset, which let me talk with the phone in my pocket and the headset around my ear. Not everyone has the need for wireless data, but it may come in handy with a computer as portable as the Tablet PC.

Other phones enable cable and infrared connectivity options, still enabling access to the Internet through a GPRS connection. You must find a cell phone service provider that handles phones with GPRS, and most major carriers do. When I was testing the T68i, it came with service from Cingular Wireless. AT&T Wireless also supports GPRS and Bluetooth-enabled phones. At the time of this writing, Verizon did not offer any Bluetooth phones.

What to Look For

Features to look for in addition to connectivity are things such as contact management, email synchronization, and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), which enables you to send pictures and, in some cases, have a mini video conference.

There is no doubt that a cell phone that holds your contacts and that can read email will benefit you through even greater portability than the Tablet PC. Used together, the cell phone and Tablet PC can be a powerful duo for highly mobile professionals.

Another feature to look for is GPS. GPS capability lets you locate your position in the world if you're lost, but in the case of phones, enables all sorts of new options, such as finding the nearest restaurant when you're walking or driving around. It can also be used for emergency location tracking so people can find you if you're hurt or lost. Privacy issues abound, but the technology is worth looking into.

Nextel is just starting to test its T1 speed data service. I haven't tried it yet, but it should be here by the time you're reading this. I don't know the price tag for such service, but usually, the GPRS service is expensive, so only those who really need it should consider the mobile Internet.

Nokia 3650

This is the phone that has almost everything voice command; Java capability; Real Media player; video recorder; camera; Bluetooth; calculator; and more. It can handle email and talk to your Tablet PC through Bluetooth, keeping you up to date when you're on the road.

The Nokia 3650 is a phone with tons of features.

Special Features:	Bluetooth, GPRS, voice dialing, camera
Where to Buy:	AT&T Wireless, T-Mobile