|
I am not sure what exactly you mean by "connect to your PC." Either Bluetooth or WiFi would allow you to do that, but they are very different and you need to be careful that you don't confuse the two.
Bluetooth is for short-range, device-to-device communication (<10 feet). With a CF Bluetooth card your Axim could communicate over a short distance with another device that had a Bluetooth card. If that other device was connected to the Internet (perhaps it is a PC or a mobile phone) then your Axim would be able to access the Internet through that connection. You could also use Bluetooth to connect to a device like a printer (assuming you have a Bluetooth printer of course).
WiFi (also known as 802.11B) is an entirely different animal. With WiFi you have something called a wireless access point (or hotspot) that is connected to a network or directly to the Internet. These can be cheap $70 devices that you can install at home or more expensive devices that would cover a corporate headquarters, college campus, or Starbucks coffeeshop. These hotspots broadcast a network signal that anyone with a card (and the right security setup if the network is secure) can access. The range with WiFi depends on your surroundings, but it is far greater than Bluetooth (up to 100s of feet) With a CF WiFi card you would be able to tap into the Internet directly without any other computer being involved. Of course, if both your Axim and a PC were on the same network, then you would be able to access your PC from the Axim. There are lots of WiFi access points and routers out there that have both WiFi capability and standard CAT5 ethernet ports. At home I have three computers plugged into a WiFi enabled router via CAT5 cable as well as a laptop downstairs and my Axim (IF DELL EVER SHIPS IT!!!!) that will access the network via WiFi. All of these computers can access each other and they all share resource like printers and my cable modem.
Personally, I don't really see the appeal for Bluetooth with the Axim. The only situation that makes sense to me is if you have a Bluetooth enabled cell phone and you can use it to dial up to an ISP. Then, you could have the Axim with a true wireless connection anywhere you can get the cell signal without having to buy any special cables or anything to connect to the phone. I haven't heard of any other compelling need for Bluetooth with a PPC. The main goal of Bluetooth (at least as I understand it) is to get rid of the rats nest of cables behind PCs and Television sets. Short-range, device-to-device communication.
If your PC doesn't already have Bluetooth then I would think that WiFi would be a better way to go. Not only can you have the same short range communication as Bluetooth, with a CF WiFi card you can also have network access at the ever increasing places that provide WiFi access. Starbucks has lots of outlets with paid WiFi access while Schlotsky's is an example of a chain with free WiFi access.
|
Follow Us
RSS Feed
Follow on Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
DAP Freshman
