email on UX-50 (reposted)

[deepwoof]

I am reposting this after registering since I was just mildly informed that not registering is rude. My apologies!

I'm thinking of getting the UX-50, attracted by the size, the keyboard, the styling. It will be my first PDA. A major attraction for me is the built-in wireless. I have wireless at home, at my university, and I travel a lot -- I'm assuming that airports, cafes, even the odd street corner offer wi-fi hot spots that I can use to access the web.

My questions: can I check email on this thing, either through an email program like Eudora or through a web browser (my university has web-email)? To do so, I need to log in through a secure server, and I've heard that the UX-50 won't let me do that. If this true? This would negate one of the major attractions of this device.

I use a Mac, and I assume that through the Missing Link I can sync this thing with my computer -- correct?

I don't love the fact that the screen has what appears to be a black frame, when the rest of the device is metal. It looks like a cheap afterthought. Any notion of whether they'll be modifying this in future models?

Is there any point in waiting for an updated OS system -- any implications for Mac users, specifically?

Any thoughts much appreciated, as well as suggestions for other models. I do like the styling of the NX series, too, and if I can't check email on the UX then the wi-fi seems irrelevant, finally.

[jamesgood72]

Deepwoof:

What kind of security do they have on your wifi connection at school? If it is plain old WEP, or even plain open, you'll connect fine. If they support DHCP, even better, there'll be hardly any config to do.

The next question would have to be about the email system you need to connect to. If they use Outlook web access, I don't think you'll be able to access it through the web browser. That requires NTLM authentication, I believe, and NetFront doesn't handle that. It also can't spoof as IE. However, if they have IMAP or POP open, you can use those in ClieMail (POP) or SnapperMail (IMAP & POP).

If you are a true geek, and your school has a Unix based email system, you could use TuSSH and Pine to read your email...

Missing Sync will allow you to sync with a Mac...

Agreed about the black frame...

WiFi is brilliant for me... So useful to always have google in my pocket, and it's fast. If you try PocketTunes, you can even stream Internet radio over it.

-James.

[deepwoof]

James: Thanks for these answers: sounds like it'll work. They do use both POP and IMAP. What is WEP? DHCP I don't know about, although that is how I configure my computer at home...

Probably will buy at this point. Very nice looking.

[jamesgood72]

Deepwoof:

DHCP is the protocol on a network that tells your device what IP address and name servers, etc, to use. If the network you are joining doesn't have a DHCP server, you have to manually type all that information in.

WEP is the encryption protocol used on 802.11 wireless connections. If you don't use WEP, everything you do can be easily 'sniffed' by anyone else, and anyone can steal your bandwidth and get to your local computers. WEP is good! But a lot of people don't use it...

Hope that helps!

-James.

[cryptobeta]

what about these sites? will I be able to access hotmail or yahoomail with the UX50?

this is the primary reason I want to get the UX50, to be able to browse the web and access email.

I do have other accounts that support POP, but still want to access hotmail and yahoomail.

thanks.

[JustaNoob]

I get my Yahoo just fine, though the included browser (NetFront) isn't very quick and it displays annoying pop-up "Website not secure - continue?" type messages. I'm hoping that I can find a different browser soon that will work better.

People do have some problems with hotmail, though I couldn't tell you more than that and that people seem to have found a way to work around the problems.

Personally the POP access is much better for me. It's super-quick and easier to read and reply on the road (and just send/receive later). I'm in the process of switching over from the Yahoo to just POP cuz it's just easier.