bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporter

Psion's Dacom subsidiary has combined modem and network features into a single PC Card device that enables notebook-computer users to free a PC Card slot.

 The latest addition to the Psion Gold Card family is a multi-function card bus that sports both 56K modem and 10/100 Ethernet network features. It has two outlets: one for the phone and one for network.

 The modem plug works only with American-type phone jacks, which could be a problem for users of the narrower British-type phone jacks.

 The installation software is not user-friendly. The process is quite complicated, involving floppy disks and Windows 98 system drivers, and took me a total of 45 minutes.

 Psion should offer a CD-Rom version of the software in order to reduce the clumsy procedure.

 After installation, I tried to connect to Netvigator, one of the Internet service providers I use. Dialling into a 56 kbps connection, my computer got a 44.4 kbps connection speed - normal and not particularly fast. Most desktop PCs with a 56 kbps modem can connect at 45 kbps or faster.

 I tried to use a free software called 'MTU Speed' to increase my connection speed. It was successful in speeding it up a bit, but the Psion Dacom remained slower than an ordinary external modem.

 Although the speed is not really appealing, the stability is good. From my past experiences, some high-speed modems tend to lose connection often and are not stable at all.

 The Psion modem's connection was really stable. The data flowed constantly, according to the modem indicators, which was possibly due to the 4 MB flash memory on board.

 The modem draws only 3.3 volts, so it did not heat up too quickly.

 The Psion modem and its included software let you use it as a fax, too. The software also included a phone book and dialer system. The software even works in 10 different languages.

 The only bad thing is this Windows-based program does not support other operating systems, like Macintosh or Linux.

 The most attractive feature for me is the ability to plug the computer into the network. It is convenient for those who frequently bring their notebook computer to and from home and office.

 After configuring all the IP addresses and other settings, I re-booted the machine. The whole process was smooth and went without a glitch. The networking speed was high. I downloaded Netscape Netvigator 4.61 software, which was around 16 megabytes. It took about four minutes. The stability of the Gold Card really impressed me and the download process was smooth.

 Psion Dacom also supports ISDN and GSM, though you need to first buy their accessories kits. Up to now, more than 20 mobile phones support the modem, which can be plugged in. The connection is faster and more stable than an infrared port.

 The modem's price, however, is not really appealing. Psion's modem two-in-one networking card costs $2,550, compared with $1,500 for 3Com's.

PROS AND CONS Product: Psion Dacom Gold Card 56K+Fax 10/100 Ethernet modem Features: 56 kbps/v.90 modem, 10/100 Mbps Ethernet card Pros: Stable connection, can be used with ISDN or GSM mobile phones, data transfer burst rate up to 200 Mbps Cons: Difficult to install software driver, too expensive, cannot be used on Mac Price: $2,550 (suggested retail price) 



Psion card falls well short of winning gold