Wireless Handheld Recommendations?

JLyle asks: "I am trying to determine my options for a simple wireless internet device that my wife and I could use for instant messaging and/or e-mail. Due to some medical problems she's unable to speak right now and some of her upcoming treatments will require her to be in isolation, so it would be nice for us to have this way to communicate. I'm looking at things like Motorola's Talkabout T900 (around $99 with current rebate deals) or the Palm VIIx (ditto). We don't really need the added features of a full PDA like the Palm Pilot, but it's a nice bonus if that device works well. This is an area where I'm very unaware of the state of the art, etc. Are there any wireless gurus out there who can clue me in as to the most appropriate solution for this situation?"

Comments

T900 is a Great Buy

[fooguy]

We just replaced out Nextel phones at work with T900s and Skytel service. So far, we've been very happy.

The keyboard on the T900 is easy to use, takes about an hour to get used to (quicker and faster than grafitti). 1 AA battery will last you a month, where the Palm VII seems to eat AAA batteries (2 at a time).

The only issue with Skytel service is that you pay a per-page fee after 500 each month.

On the other hand, service for the Palm VII is still pretty high - $50 a month plus bandwidth. We have those at work too and I'm not real impressed with them. We're trying Blackberrys now - might want to look into those.

Considering that whatever you do, you need to get 2, I think the 2 way pager will be your best bet. More so if your wife isn't a geek - the T900 is not imposing like most tech devices.

Best of luck to your wife.