See below for my replies (GH REPLY) On May 30, 2008, at 10:16 AM, Jeffrey Siegel wrote: ...free access off open wi-fi routers... I got some pretty heated on and off list flak about that. Part of the problem is that people got scared about others using their connection. I've heard stories about arrests and equipment confiscation because someone was connecting and doing bad things. To the best of my knowledge, none of those stories were ever really true. But fear spreads quickly. ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________ GH REPLY: The security issue in my opinion was secondary to the bandwidth issue. People still lock their front door in areas that have never had a break in. Video content in particular, which few cruisers thought much about back then, has exploded in popularity and puts tremendous pressure on network speed. See below for more on this in the mobile environment. ________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________ Firstly, to the best of my professional knowledge, one still cannot talk and "data tether" a CDMA based cell phone (Sprint and Verizon) at the same time. This all hinges on what the meaning of "at the same time" is. First, any CDMA 3G EVDO system can receive a call while in the middle of a data session. The user has the option of accepting or rejecting the call. If they accept it, the data session is ended and must be restarted. Files being downloaded at the exact time will have to be re-downloaded. Verizon Wireless is a special case because they implement something additional called CPOP (Circuit Precedence Over Packet Data). This is implemented on all 1X connections with Verizon which means almost every data connection today. With CPOP, the call can be accepted and the data connection is maintained until the voice communications is over. As soon as you hang up, full data flow can continue uninterrupted. The issue here is that you couldn't browse web sites while talking on the phone. It's also worth noting that all 3G WCDMA/HSDPA networks allow full simultaneous voice and data connections (exactly like GSM/AT&T/etc do today). I'd expect to see that start showing up on CDMA networks because of the significantly higher speed and capabilities. ________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________ GH REPLY: to me "at the same time" means just that. Personally, I participate in a lot of web casts and conference calls where simultaneous voice and data access is essential. HSDPA is an evolution of GSM technology. So don't expect it to show up on the CDMA guys (note that WCDMA is different in this context). This is going to be achieved, in the long run (you know, like the next year or two) by a different means.... So, let me now insert the view to the future element. All of the cellular carriers recognize the huge issues with bandwidth, again with video being a big driver, but also heavy corporate transitions to more and more wireless data networking. To address this they have bought up new spectrum specifically for data. Verizon and AT&T were the biggest acquirers in the recent FCC auction of soon to be abandoned 700mhz spectrum from analog TV. They will use this to deploy LTE (Long Term Evolution, or "4G", data) T-Mobile bought significant AWS spectrum a couple of years ago to facilitate their upcoming roll out of (pretty) high speed data. Sprint is trying to team with Intel, Clearwire (founded by Craig McCaw, a pioneer in cellular networks that made his first few billion selling out to ATT), Motorola and others to deploy "WIMax" over the big chunk of 2.5 ghz spectrum they have from their otherwise ill fated acquisition of Nextel, among other sources. Additionally, both ATT and Verizon have rolled out video broadcasting via Qualcomm's MediaFlo network. Then, what we will be using in the not so distant future is devices with multiple radios in them to access these various additional networks within a carrier's stable. Voice, SMS (text messaging) and MIM (Mobile Instant Messaging, such as AOL) will likely stay on the existing platform, and heavy bandwidth hogs will move to the new spectrum. Note that Google, with it's "Android" mobile operating platform, is aiming at this very eventuality. For instance, they showed an app the other day that will orient the street view feature on Google Maps to which way you point the phone. A navigation program could be built around this that will make NavNet 3D look like Winky Dink. And it's not going to be just about phones; these new networks will enable embedded devices for all sorts of applications. For instance, things like diesel engines can "phone home" and be diagnosed from afar. Chartplotters can auto update. Click on the icon for that marina on Block Island and dial them instantly or pull up their web page. And on infinitum. There is no "best" solution; what's good for me or Jeff or the Man in the Moon is irrelevant to many folks. And of course George is right. A lot of my information and experience comes not only from my own use, but from the hundreds (thousands?) of emails and discussions I've had over the years - some with many of the people offline on this list! If an extra $50-$80 per month doesn't matter, it is way better to have both a higher-end mobile phone AND an air-card. I just can't get away from the fact that you're never going be able to use your air-card/laptop while walking around offshore or on your dinghy. As George says himself from his own use, he finds that the phone performs 60% of the jobs that his laptop does (I find it's more like 85%). This means less booting the laptop, lower power requirements, etc. I also like the ability to grab emails and look up things when I'm away from a desk or table and in a "computer mode". GH REPLY: I have a lot of stuff I don't use all the time. I am not going to use my radar on my dinghy, or my oil change pump or my generator or my big spot light or our huge refrigerator. They are all purpose built for best use on the big boat. Many people may get by fine without any of them at all. But I like having them and I like having my Air-Card make my desktop and laptop sing. And I like being able to lend it to other cruisers in need and still be able to use my phone. I don't see how one precludes the other, unless money is specifically an object, and the dollar difference is not large, anchor out a couple of extra nights and you've covered your nut for the year and then some. (Oh, whoops, you're doing that to offset fuel costs already!) By the way when I was working full time, I seldom took a laptop on the road with me, unless I had one of those conference calls I mentioned or needed to process big documents. I do more of that now, so my needs are different. I honestly believe that we'll look back and laugh at the days when we had these large, AC-powered, 90 watt laptops that needed a table somewhere inside to use. The mobile phone is going to replace the laptop much as the laptop has replaced the desktop computer. It is 2010 already, after all. GH REPLY: I don't know about that, but Texas Instruments now has a video projector that will fit in a phone. Guy at TI showed me one they put into a modified Blackberry. Worked good. You can just shine it on a piece of paper. I say the phone is going away, to be replaced by a much different type of device. Cell phones are so 20th Century. More on that later. George Rudder stocks and logs now refurbished, hydraulic system flushed and with properly checking check valves.