Cell phones have become an indispensable tool for meeting professionals. We use them to stay in contact with our clients and partners throughout the day. It's a 24 by 7 device. Most of us restrict our usage to phone call traffic. An increasing number have the "smart" cell phones that allow us to read and send emails, manage our contacts and review our calendar. We may even take photos or surf the web with it. In fact, cell phones are becoming more and more like computers with a plethora of additional software that we can load on it.

The Treo cell phone by Palm is one such device. It is a powerful merger of cell phone technology with the popular Palm handheld personal manager. One of the software products that you can add to it is called "PDANet". It is a remarkable product because it turns your cell phone into a modem. This means that no matter where you are, if you have cell phone access, you can get on the Internet. There is no special hardware required - you just install the software on the Treo (a very simple process) and then connect the Treo USB cord with your laptop. You just click on the PDANet on your Windows toolbar and you are on the Internet. That's all there is too it. I've used this tool everywhere from rest stops to even when I'm in the car. The speed of the Internet connections is surprisingly good. The tool has saved me on a couple of occasions.

One unusual use for this product is for onsite registration. Often we may have special events in locations that either do not have Internet access or an Internet connection is too expensive. It may be in an old building or even outside. By using PDANet you can access your e-commerce software or online registration product and run your credit cards and registrations in real-time. You get the credit card validated instantly so you don't have to run them when you get back to the office. It will save you time and extra phone calls. Of course, make sure to test the product at the location to make sure everything is in order before making your final plans. For old buildings, make sure to have a contingency plan in case the cell phone connections are erratic.

You can purchase this product from a small company at http://www.junefabrics.com/palmnet/. Since I'm a Treo user, I'm only aware of this product for cell phones. If you use other cell phones, it might be worth checking to see if similar software exists for your device.

K.C. Hopson
Communications Board of Directors
President, EventRebels
kchopson@eventrebels.com

First Published in PMPI Potomac Memo, November 2005