I'm a big fan of my Palm PDA, I use a mobile phone, and I own a laptop. You'd be forgiven for thinking that I have the whole mobile computing thing together.
But until recently, I hadn't fully realised the benefits that could be reaped in the wireless world.
When we think of mobile computing we generally think only of the benefits associated with taking a laptop on the road. But there's much more to it than that.
Advances in mobile networks and wireless applications promise to revolutionise the way we live (no, really) by presenting us with new ways of doing day-to-day tasks (working, shopping, even travelling). And all you will need to take advantage of these new opportunities is a mobile phone or a connected PDA.
Take, for example, the cool new vending machines set up by Telstra at Sydney's Central railway station - they have been set up to accept payments via mobile phone (see the full story in the Trends section).
While at Central railway station, waiting to catch a train, I tried out one of the new vending machines. The way it works is simple - you dial a number on your mobile, and the price of the drink you select is billed to your mobile phone account.
Although a new way of purchasing soft drinks won't change the world, imagine the possibilities for the future. We'll be able to charge all sorts of purchases to mobile accounts, without the hassle of point-of-sale payments.
Making purchases through your mobile network is the latest and most exciting wireless development, but there are many other advantages of going wireless. We all know that WAP (wireless application protocol) has not taken off the way its proponents had hoped it would.
I must admit, until recently, I too had my misgivings ("why do I need an Internet connection on my mobile phone?"). Lately, though, I've had a change of heart. I use my WAP phone to access directory services such as White Pages and Yellow Pages, and I've come to depend on wireless access to my email.
One of the main problems for WAP, and what has kept it from reaching its full potential, has been the way our phones access the service. Under the current system, WAP phones dial into the network in order to access WAP services - a slow and relatively cumbersome way of working. It is not until users begin to take advantage of the GPRS packet system that we will see WAP reach its full potential.
GPRS allows your WAP mobile phone or WAP-enabled PDA to be always connected to the network, (picture GPRS as the ISDN of WAP). Users have access to a faster and more efficient wireless service. One of the real benefits of GPRS is that you don't have to actively seek information you are looking for. There's no need to keep logging into the network to check for new emails, for example. Since you are always connected, you are alerted when new email arrives and if you want access to the latest stock prices or news headlines, you have access to these instantly.
Another advantage for the new system is that some networks will allow you to make voice calls during a WAP session - no more logging in and out. To top things off, GPRS might also work out to be cheaper to use than the current system. Access to the GPRS network is billed differently - not according to the amount of time a user spends connected to the network, but rather, for the volume of data transmitted over the network.
Wireless enthusiasts have been waiting for GPRS for a long time, and it has finally arrived in Australia. As an introductory offer, Telstra is currently offering one month's free access through MobileNet for those who purchase a GPRS phone or sign up for the GPRS service.
Vodafone's GPRS service is currently being trialled with customers, and the commercial launch is slated for the second quarter of this year.
According to analysts, the GPRS system will make a world of difference to WAP adoption rates. Jupiter Research predicts that as carriers upgrade networks to support GPRS and other always-on packet data services, and as better handsets enter the market, more people will adopt wireless. In fact, the company's latest research estimates 95 million people in the US alone will be using WAP devices by 2004.
My WAP phone has become indispensable to me. I take it, and my PDA, with me when I go on the road. I can't be bothered lugging the laptop with me on short trips anymore. Who knows, soon my mobile could be my only piece of high-tech luggage.
