There have been a number of recent new developments reported that could have an impact on email and net access for cruisers. For example: Motorola is building a new cell phone with Wi-Fi access. (Yes, we all know that BlueTooth and Blackberry were going to be adopted as standards but they are late in coming, albeit available.) Cellphone firms are promoting wireless internet calling (SBC, Bell South, Sprint and Cingular) The last two are especially pursuing phones that use both tradtional cellular technology and Wi-Fi to place calls. "Such phones would use Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet when in range of a high-speed connection, such as in an ...office, but then use cellular technology when out on the street. This combination is integrated with existing GSM technology, which is a world-wide standard.. Here's the best part. Calls within Wi-Fi hot spots would not count against a customer's allotment of wireless minutes. It is estimated that roughly one-third of all cellular calls are placed in either a home or office in easy range of a hot spot. Hot spots continue to grow exponentially. Again an example: all airports that have Avis and Hertz car rentals will also have free hot spots in the near future. Why is this happening, aside from the customer benefit noted above? Wi-Fi technology can improve calling quality inside of buildings for less money than traditional cellular network upgrades. You will be able to access your email and the net from your boat, without paying for cell minutes, as you encounter more ever-present hotspots. Cool! Martin Veiner ________________________________________________________________ Juno Platinum $9.95. Juno SpeedBand $14.95. Sign up for Juno Today at http://www.juno.com! Look for special offers at Best Buy stores.