Can you use your PDA to monitor and control your network? Our reviewer says the time is near.
Network Management in the Palm of Your Hand
Can you use your PDA to monitor and control your network? Our reviewer says the time is near.
- By Barry Shilmover
- June 01, 2001
The E-125 ($550) is nearly identical to its older
relatives—it has that unattractive “brick” look and feel.
Of all the color PDAs I reviewed, however, the E-125’s
display is the best. Colors are crisp and vivid, making
the display a pleasure to use.
I found accessing information on the E-125
fairly easy, with its six buttons, touch pad and wheel.
But for us “fat-fingered” individuals, accessing the side
buttons (Power, Start and Record) takes some getting used
to. For network admins, the built-in Compact-Flash (CF)
slot is a bonus. It lets you add an Ethernet card or modem
to access resources on your network or the Internet, making
the E-125 usable for controlling your systems, though
you’ll need to connect to a network or phone line to do
so. A CF-to-PC card adapter is available, though many
of the PC card drivers needed currently don’t exist for
this unit. When drivers for some of these PC cards become
available, you’ll be able to access your network resources
wirelessly.
With its 150 MHz processor, the E-125 is
fast. The unit can easily run multiple applications simultaneously,
though learning to switch between running applications
took time. Go to the Memory Control Panel under Running
Programs.
Adding extra memory to the E-125 is a cinch
via the CF slot, though the built-in 32MB should be sufficient
for most people. I found one drawback with the CF slot:
The cover that protects it is flimsy and easily comes
off. I removed mine to ensure I wouldn’t lose or break
it. I also discovered one other negative with the E-125
in the design of its bottom-mounted synchronization port.
A small “door” covers this port. On more than one occasion,
I repeatedly tried to fit the E-125 on its sync-cradle
only to realize the little door was closed and covering
the port.
About the Author
Barry Shilmover, MCSE+I, MCT, owns Shilmover Consulting Services, a Microsoft
Solution Provider specializing in Windows NT/2000 and Exchange 5.5/2000 solutions.
He has co-authored books that include Windows 2000 System Administrator’s
Black Book and Exchange 5.5 Exam Cram, both from Coriolis Press.