Reviews and Words
Pocketsurfer Comments
Common Comments
- great idea
- download speed
- mobile e-mail access and some web browsing for free and no contract
- add people I meet to facebook/myspace as I meet them and being able to take notes and store them using google apps anywhere
- lets me check my e-mail and keep my facebook up todate.
- It's cheap and very easy to use
- quickly looking up things on the web, phone numbers, traffic, weather ect
- can do 2 click operation
- it is great for what i want it for MSN & e-mails,
- was very impressed with the speed
- The internet on this product is FREE
- can check my email everywhere there is a mobile signal for nothing, no money
- Web pages do load in under 2 seconds
Common Questions:
- can this device be used abroad in europe or is it just uk
- Can I use it for free in Ireland?
- Can this device be used anywhere in the world. If so is there an extra cost for the monthly charges
- Does anyone know how I can find out how much it would cost for her to use it in Spain?
- i want to get a pocket surfer but can you check your hotmail to work on them?
- do you need a pc to charge up the pocket surfer.
- Hi i am a costomer and i;ve just wondering is it like a phone can i use a phone uses on it.
- 25 pence a minute roaming charges outside of the UK,not sure if i want to pay 15 pounds an hour
- Can you play online yahoo games with this device such as pool or Dominoes or Literati.When you go on yahoo home page a click on games.Will it work.No where does it say about this.
- i'm curious how roaming charges can be paid for, when as far as i'm aware you just buy the unit and don't have a contract with datawind or any form of direct debit where money can be taken fron you. Have i missed something?, could someone please let me know as i want to buy one, but can't find anywhere any proper explanation of what happens if you are trying to use it abroad
- Can you view Excel and Word files on the Pocket Surfer?
All Comments
Anonymous Wed 1 August, 2007 1:37pm
I've had a number of devices that claim to have mobile access like phones adn blackberries, never used them other than novelty, the PocketSurfer if its download speed is as fast as it claims looks like something I will be able to use, and hopefully access my webmail on the go, that in itself is worth the money...I'm going on holiday soon and my husband won't let me take my laptop...he he this will trick him!
PaulThu 18 October, 2007 1:57pm
Just ordered mine from Amazon, if it gives me mobile e-mail access and some web browsing for free and no contract, well Ill be very happy. Let you all know how I go on with it. Paul
mattFri 2 November, 2007 11:44pm
Hi I have been trying to buy a pocketsurfer 2 device for the last few weeks, I finally got one from a company called uk preview and I am really impressed!! I use it for both business and pleasure and find it really useful, I loaded the PC anywhere software on my PC and this allows me to view files including word / excel / PDF etc on the Pocketsurfer which is great when I am in front of customers and it's much easier to carry than my laptop!!! I travel alot with my job and my Pocketsurfer lets me check my e-mail and keep my facebook up todate. It's cheap and very easy to use I would recomend it to anybody
Anonymous Wed 7 November, 2007 12:45pm
The Pocket Surfer is a fantastic idea, its so frustrating been away from a PC and when I away most places are miles from an internet cafe. I feel the next development would be developing compression software for video and audio content on website pages.
Anonymous Thu 15 November, 2007 10:37am
hi i have just got my pocket surfer 2 and its fantastic yes its not a laptop so it is limited in comparison but i can surf the internet anywhere check and write emails 'it does exactly what it says on the side of the tin' whens the pocket surfer 3 comming because if thats a better inproved version im ready to buy ian Fri 23 November, 2007 3:45pm Mark, the product is marketed and even called a 'wireless web access device' not a PDA or laptop solution, not sure where you read otherwise? when was the last time you saw someone listening to music via laptop on the tube anyway? I think its good they're approaching it from a cost angle as thats something thats always put me off. Not too keen on the navigation elements, why no touchpad or trackball?
Theo.Wed 5 December, 2007 2:26pm
I saw a demo of this "toy" by I-browser in Lagos, Nigeria today. I think its an idea whose time has come. I've ordered one for me. Soon all my guys will have thiers. Its a marvel to behold. Anonymous Mon 24 December, 2007 7:03pm I have a pocketsuffer2 and I love it. It is great for just quickly looking up things on the web, phone numbers, traffic, weather ect. I have a laptop with a 3G\GPRS data card so anything heaver I use that.
Anonymous Fri 28 December, 2007 9:47pm
A further update. My first commentary was posted Thu 27 December, 2007 3:14pm. So far so good! The PocketSurfer is doing all the tasks I wanted it to. When you switch on the unit you are prompted to connect to the internet. This has worked flawlessly. Inside buildings, on buses (that are actually moving) and at home the unit connects in about 60 seconds. You can then use a shortcut key to check your email, surf the internet or get GPS'd. The device constuction reminds me of the PSION clamshell units but it is far slimmer and lighter. I remember the hinges failing on the Psion's so I hope those lessons have been learned. Bad points!!! I can't get the keyboard lights to operate. I have discovered the shift > escape combination but even when I set the keyboard lights to 'always on'.....still no keyboard lights . Also, I haven't yet figured out how to get the GPS to update to show my current location. It keeps showing my last location. And..when I try to turn the screen saver off, e.g. unlimited timeout, the unit starts to flash when the screensaver attempts to kickin. Mind you...I haven't yet read a single page of the manual which is supplied on the CD. I have only thumbed through the quick start. TomT.
Anonymous Fri 4 January, 2008 10:45pm
Had a go on one in Maplins today, quite impressed, straight on Ebay no probs, quite easy to use (had it all to myself colors a bit wishy washy, but does what it says on the tin, gonna buy one Pocket internet access, I'm old enough to see this technology develop over the last 20-25yr, some people don't know how lucky the are!
Anonymous Sat 5 January, 2008 4:23am
I am writing this in the dark in bed. works a treat. best investment for ages. I am old and not the cleverest but so easy to use. Very helpful support. Grrrrrrreat produćt. All works as described. And unlimited mobile surfing for 5.99 a month thanks Datawind. Andrew
Anonymous Wed 16 January, 2008 5:02am
Played with one for ages in PC World today. Very impressed. Finally found the controls to alter the contrast and brightness - made a huge difference. Great picture. Got straight onto eBay and could go through the listings just the same as at home on my PC. Does anyone know if it is safe to use with personal info such as eBay accounts - don't want my account to be hacked. Also, what about the issue of safety when banking through it? Any answers yet? Mind you, I can live without banking on it but I'd love to be able to bid on eBay - I've missed so many auctions as eBay access is blocked on our works computers. This would be ideal. Trawling the internet now for the best price. Can't wait to get one.
Anonymous Mon 28 January, 2008 2:41pm
Had mine for 3 days and cant put it down. Better than expected (after reading negative reviews). Needs a day or 2 to get used to controls, mouse pointer is the only thing that should be changed to a track ball or ?Its never going to be as quick and swish as my £700 lap top, but for £170 its excellent. I’m on the road most days so it is essential-I also go Rving/caravaning so will be used a lot then. Its a fantastic , essential, cool gadget.
Anonymous Mon 28 January, 2008 2:59pm
I just put my hotmail sign in page in the favorites list, so its a 2 click operation( click "fav" button +click " hotmail" in your list)Really good gadget that works so far every where ive tried( south London Surrey,Hampshire) even in the carwash.
Anonymous Sat 23 February, 2008 8:16pm
Bought one From Maplin WAKEFIELD , Very Happy , went straight onto MSN , the google search engine works very well , and myspace, facebook and ebay all work well ,, happy as a pig in sh**..
Cameron Mon 14 April, 2008 3:29pm
Is this the gadget currently selling on the Ideal World tv channel? I'm tempted to buy one just for internet use rather than paying for broadband for the little I use it. I have little interest in using it for games or music so I would appreciate any feed back on just the surfing aspect. Thanks!
AnonymousTue 22 April, 2008 3:11pm
I agree with some of the comments above BUT if like me you your looking for something that allows you to read emails, check your bank account without having to pay a monthly charge (ie broadband) this is ideal.
AnonymousSun 27 April, 2008 2:50pm
I have just bought my pocket surfer 2 and think it is great for what i want it for MSN & e-mails, I take it in the car and it lasts 5 hrs as my laptop only lasts 1 hour,it is also very quick, it takes a little time to get used to like everything else, but after that it is great.The only thing i didn't like was the light going out all the time but i suppose thats to save on the battery,but you get used to that the more you use it. I would recommend it to all my friends.
Anonymous Mon 30 June, 2008 11:13am
I own a Pocket Surfer 2 and i am impressed with the speed that it is able to process an internet page. My computer broke down last month and was not easy to repair. In this time i used my Pocet Surfer 2 to update my profiles and check other internet functions. The best part is, i saved money in this month on internet bills! The internet on this product is FREE!
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
It does exactly what is says it does!, 12 Nov 2007
By Mr. D. G. Powell "Dave Powell" (scotland) - See all my reviews |
I've had mine for about 3 weeks now. At first the GPS thought I was in London but not now as it all works fine in built up areas but not where I live which is a bit in the sticks. The device itself as a web browser works everywhere I have tried it and downloads the pages as quick as it says. Remote PC acces works well but I can't seem to work out a way to right click if you want to email something from the remote PC which would be handy. You do have to have a homepage designed by Datawind but I guess the inclusion of these links helps keep the cost down. Battery Life is very good, Keyboard does seem a little flimsy but I guess I'm not used to the RAZR style keyboard. Little niggle if the flap for the charger when it's plugged in makes the screen on the device stick up a bit.
Oh and don't expect to watch video on it as the refresh rate is not quick enough.
Overall a cost effective way to access the whole of the web and emails etc.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
Positives and Negatives, 5 Jan 2008
By H. Fields - See all my reviews |
When my desktop PC started having problems and became unreliable, not having the finances to fork out for a laptop, I started looking for a cheaper alternative for basic Internet and email and was thrilled to come across the Pocketsurfer2. I happen to live in a strong Orange signal area and I've not had any problems with connecting and staying connected and the online registration was easy and worked first time. However, if you don't live in a strong Orange signal area, I can see why many people have had connection problems and even pages not displaying properly.
Connection problems aside, the Pocketsurfer2 does what it says it does, but there is room for improvement. At first I thought I had a faulty device, as the screen dimmed after around ten seconds and the keyboard lights went out after less than five seconds. But thanks to another reviewer I was able to alter the settings - they don't tell you this in the user manual and I have no idea why! But if you hold down the SHIFT key and press ESC you are able to alter power and light settings and also stop the screen from flickering/shivering, from where it says *No keypad action for a certain time, let power be: and change from LOWER to FULL.
Of course, changing these settings will reduce the battery life, so the battery will need charging more often, but it makes for a better experience. My main disappointment, however, with the Pocketsurfer2 is in having to scroll most, if not all, web pages, not just up and down, which in itself can be infuriatingly slow, but also from side-to-side, and if you are trying to view a web page that you are not familiar with, it can be very difficult to navigate around the screen.
Dropdown menus are a pain as well, as there is no ability - not that I know of, anyway - to drag and drop the scrollbar, so forms can be a problem, and with "United Kingdom" usually being near the bottom of a dropdown menu of countries, it can take a very long time! Also, I was tempted to switch from the default T: Batch-Text-Entry-Mode to C: Direct-Text-Entry-Mode, thinking this would be quicker, but fast discovered that the more fiddly "T" mode was actually the only reliable and strangely quickest option.
All-in-all though, web pages do load in under seven seconds, pictures are grainy but not essential for my needs, and it is a handy little device to just pick up and take out and use anywhere around the house, and for emergency use if you have an unreliable main computer. Hotmail, unfortunately, is not supported. It's possible to send email to a Hotmail account but not to send email from one. The device build, however, is flimsy and needs to be treated with care, especially when opening and closing, as the hinges, as another reviewer said, "worry" me also.
So to cap this up; no subscription for a year when keeping to just twenty hours per month, which is ample for my own needs, I think makes this a good deal. A little overpriced in the first place maybe, and it would be nice to have a more detailed user manual and one that is not on a disc. Still, I'm one of Datawind/Linsar's "reasonably" happy customers - I just hope that my Pocketsurfer2 lasts the year and doesn't fall apart!
51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
Early Promise, 30 Sep 2007
By J. MILNE (UK) - See all my reviews |
I used a protoype of this product and have just received the production version. The product does what it says on the box. After an intial teach in of learning your way around the device it becomes a very handy device for just having in your pocket. I use it mainly for news and web surfing although it can handle transctions (banking stockbroking and betting). After the intial purchase price has been met the rest of it is free (or close to it). It is amazing the number of times you reach into your pocket/briefcase just to look something up, catch up with the news sports share portfolio etc. I dont really use the email service as I have a blackberry but for surfing the net on a train, or in a meeting it is second to none. Definitely worth the money. Power lasts about a day or so - need to have a charger in your brief case.
(comments taken from Amazon.co.uk , Amazon.com and CNET)
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
I've been using my Pocketsurfer for over a week now and its rapidly becoming indispensable. I was away on an overnight trip and it was great to be able to check email, read news, lookup maps and just surf while on the train. |
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
This year whilst on holiday, I had to access my bank account to transfer some money. I used my PDA but had to find a WiFi point, which was more bother than seeking out a bank, if only I had owned a Pocketsurfer 2 then. This device is brilliant ! , easy to use and one of the most usefull gadgets I have bought. Last week I had to wait in my car for an hour when collecting someone from the railway station. Whilst waiting I was able to read my emails, order the monthly grocery shopping and text chat with my brother via instant messenger. |
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
Surprisingly handy!, 2 Jan 2008
By C. Hodges "bigchodge" (Wales, UK) - See all my reviews |
I bought this as a late Christmas present to myself after seeing it featured on several web-sites. I run a small internet business but in my full-time job I have no internet access and I was finding that I would have wait until the evening when I got home to do things like answer urgent emails (which of course was often too late!). The web on my mobile was a pain as my email would not display properly on it. This handy little device lets me view and answer emails in my lunch hour, as well as catch up on the news, weather reports and general surfing when I'm bored. I've quite surprised how often I reached for the device to check something online. Most of the web-pages load in the 7 second time the specs say, although scrolling down can be painfully slow on some web-pages. Text input of web-pages can also suffer from lag as well. The pages look like they should, but viewing videos and photos is out. The screen's colours are a little washed-out, the front cover is that glossy black that attracts finger-print marks and the build-quality could be better. I like the keyboard - the keys are generally well placed and I've had no trouble using it despite my big fingers. I bought the leather case for £15 and it protects the pocket surfer very well.
I haven't come close to using up my 20 hours per month of alloted usuage, but it remains to be seen how much they will try to charge me when my first-year usage runs out and whether it will be the £40 they have quoted. Generally though, I'm very happy with it and it's the closest thing to having the full web in your pocket without having to find a wi-fi spot.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
Fantastic little gadget, 14 Dec 2007
By C. Clements (South East, UK) - See all my reviews |
I've had mine for about a week now, and it does exactly what it says on the tin. I commute to work every day by train, and in the mornings I'm able to check my emails, do my blog, chat on my favourite forums and do all the things I do from my regular computer. It is a little slower than my broadband machine, but it's a synch to use, and hugely convenient. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't like using a mobile phone for internet access, and anyone who wants their mobile web access for free.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
Great gadget - Shame about the Style., 1 Nov 2007
By Keith Looseley (Scotland) - See all my reviews |
This gadget is really useful for a particular kind of user. One who travels but doesn't want to lug a laptop around. One who needs the ability to check-in online, but doesn't require the other facilities of a computer. One whose destination doesn't have internet (in my case, aged parents) but who needs to keep tabs on emails.
**Edited to add: Overseas "roaming" doesn't work, yet, so don't pay for it!** (7 Jan 08)
For that user, it is perfect. It does indeed do what it claims to do. The GPS does follow you around, telling you where you are, not how to get somewhere, and that's actually the way I prefer it. It is just as fast as it claims downloading web pages. I don't find the mouse control as fiddly as some have claimed, and the battery life, though short, is better than a laptop.
What a shame about the style! My wife had a make-up case in the 1970s that looked rather similar. Glossy black plastic and chrome. And the chrome hinges are very poorly finished, with rough-cut edges crudely bent into place. It doesn't feel that robust, but time will tell...
We'll see how long it lasts. I've had mine for 2 weeks now. It's exactly what I wanted, maybe the Mark 3 will look better.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
Too good to be true but true nonetheless, 23 Oct 2007
By Steven P. Miller "stevemill" (UK) - See all my reviews |
Like the title suggests - the claims made for this gadget seemed too good to be true. Wrong! It seems to do everything it claims including downloading pages in 7 seconds. I've given it 4 stars rather than 5 purely for the five hours active use battery charge although that is double that of modern notebooks.
This is one great gadget.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Much Better Than Expected, 6 Jun 2008
By Rob (UK) - See all my reviews |
Re the pocketsurfer, its about 6 inches long and about 3 inches wide when closed and about 6 inches by six inches when open. There is a keyboard like the motorola Razr, like a brushed metal plate, sprung and cut out by laser for each letter so the backlight shines through every letter and no chance of the lettering wearing out. The keyboard is larger and much easier to use than my phone keypad and has a positive click so its easy to see you have pressed it OK. The screen is not as bright and clear as a laptop, but perfectly readable and at least as good as a PDA or phone screen. The unit connects via the Orange network and anywhere you can get an Orange signal, you can connect to the internet. There is a built in GPS unit which shows you your location on a map and can pinpoint you on Google maps and give you the usual map/overhead view. This works on the signals transmitted via the GPS satelite
network so does not register while indoors, but when you go outside, or in my case, I just put the unit on the windowsill if indoors, then the GPS positioning works fine. just as with any GPS device, keep the unit as still as possible for the few seconds it takes to pick up the sats locations so as not to confuse the unit and make sure you have line of sight with sky.
Webpages do indeed load in less than 10 seconds and some in just 3 or 4 seconds. I guess their claim of seven seconds would be a pretty good average. I have only used it for a short time so far but have not found any website it won't connect to yet. The battery is supposed to run the device for up to 5 hours which is a lot less tha a mobile phone, but substantially better than any laptop. As you will have seen, there are some very good reviews and some very bad reviews regarding this product. I would say that this depends on your expectations of the device. If you are looking for a device which gives you the screen of a laptop and capability for web surfing, you either need to hunt around for an open WiFi network, or pay at least £15 a month for a phone dongle and you have to carry your laptop everywhere you go which lets face it, is not exactly pocketsized is it? The alternative is the Pocketsurfer which is small, lightweight, pocketsized free to use and works almost anywhere. You don't
have to search for an open WiFi network. Where you are is where it will work. You can access your Emails, any website and also text chat via IM. It will not do video or audio but apart from that, it will do just about anything you would want from it.
The unit comes with a suede effect pouch to protect it, but this seems rather flimsy. You can purchase a better case for around £12 or a real leather case for around £25.
I would say the unit is very easy to use. I had the unit sussed out in less than 10 minutes without bothering to read the manual. Text appears clear on the screen and photographs are obviously not as clear as you would expect on your big laptop or desktop screen, but perfecty viewable nevertheless. I would say the unit is fairly robust but you would not want to drop it or throw it around, but then again, you would not like to drop your laptop either would you? Having the internet available while at work or play is very useful and also for holidays, I would think it would be perfect.
As I said, this review is based on only a relatively short time of use, but early impressions are very favourable. I have already recommended this unit to my friends and everyone I show it to wants one for themselves. Its not perfect, but it does the job exactly as it claims to do and I think the unit and the airtime package of 20 hours free use per month or unlimited for only £6 per month is a bargain. I have gone unlimited because lets face it, its less that the cost of a daily newspaper and who needs newspapers with 12 hours old news when you can get news websites anytime, anywhere with bang up to date news?
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Exceeded my expectation, 6 Jun 2008
By Mr. P. Creedy "Paul Creedy" (South Wales, UK) - See all my reviews |
After reading many negative views on here and elsewhere I was reluctant to buy it, but now I'm glad I did.
I wanted a way of reading my emails, browsing the web, previewing word documents emailed to me, and basic GPS - and it does all that within my budget.
Yes there are other devices/pds, portable pc's etc that are far better and may 'appear' to be within a similar price range. However what you need to consider is that all those other devices either need wifi or an expensive monthly plan of £35 plus...something that PocketSurfer give you for a fraction of the cost.
With the pocketsurfer you get 20 hours a month FREE for the first year, which is more than enough for my occasional use whilst out shopping, on holiday, up a mountain (it has satalite GPS mapping) etc. Upgrading to unlimited use is £5.95 a month which is still far better than the £35 plus monthly cost of a decent PDA/Smartphone.
Screen quality is OK for my use, image resolution and screen contrast/brightness can be adjusted if you spend time reading the manual to find the settings. One grip here is that it doesn't seem to retain your settings, so when you switch it back on you have to reset them, but it does appear to be optimised for battery life.
GPS didn't appear to work at first, but you have to be outside to use it. Then it's very accurate.
Considering the purchase price, running costs, and what I needed it for, I can certainly recommend PocketSurfer.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Internet for the older generation, 12 Jun 2008
By Susan Hall "Susan Hall" (Berkshire) - See all my reviews |
I have never had internet but recently have been under pressure from children and grandchildren to set up an email account. I didn't want to buy a laptop/computer (I couldn't afford to) so when I heard about the pocketSurfer it seemed like the perfect solution. Since buying it I have set up an email address and even use it to look up tv schedules. I must admit I found it a bit fiddly to begin with but now I'm used to it it's fine. It was a lot of money to begin with but nothing compared to what I would be paying if I was on a monthly contract with an Internet provider. I don't think i will ever use up my free hours! I would recommend this to anyone, especially the older generation who may not already have the internet...you don't know what you are missing.
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
The best gadget I ever bought, 9 Mar 2008
By Mr. Nigel Ashfield "nashfield" (Somerset) - See all my reviews |
If like me, you are a big gadget fan but also need internet on the go, don't think about it for one more moment, get one of these. Officially my favourite gadget. I can't show enough people this object of beauty and everyone who sees it and sees what it can do, wants one. Love it, and only £150!
Fantastic Mobile Internet Device! , 19 Jul 2008
By Nick "Nick" (London, UK) - See all my reviews |
I ordered my PocketSurfer2 not knowing what to expect. I was blown away when I opened it and started using it.
You get 20 hours of free surfing each month, which is sufficient for a mobile device. From this you can surf anything - but cant't watch online videos.
The keyboard is quite similar to the Motorola RAZR mobile phone, I wouldn't be surprised if it was made by the same people. You use your thumbs to use it. And it works perfectly!
The screen is adequete for the purpose, it is not the same as a laptop display. But you can change the settings and keep it on highest, And you'll need to do this for each session. But once you've done that the screen is fine.
The input is just a 4 arrow mouse, press the left arrow, the cursor moves left. Press the top arrow the cursor moves up - and so on.
The quality of the device is actually pretty good, I do though think it would be wise to invest in a case. You do get a suede carry bag included!
To conclude, I think the PocketSurfer2 is a excellent device for surfing the internet and sending/recieving emails, and it does this fast and free. If you want to be able to surf the internet anywhere, anytime, for no cost. Then this is the device for you.
I highly reccommend the PocketSurfer2 as a mobile internet device.
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
For what it is I think it's pretty good, 26 Nov 2007
By Michael J. Vincent (UK) - See all my reviews |
Had the gadget now for a 4/5 days. Sussed it out with ease and as of yet have not had it crash or fail to load. I have not found any websites that don't work. (it will not play "you tube type clips" which I expected)
In summery it's a good device. I see one or two slightly negative reviews but what did you expect it's not a PC or laptop so won't perform like one.
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