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Surf's u
Page 57
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The Surfer offers truck drivers access to the web, help to find your bearings, and delivers a selection of other useful functions... all without breaking the bank.
Words: Cotin Barnett
It seems like everything is based on or can be found on the World Wide Web these days. And, whisper it quietly, some of the content is actually quite useful. What could be easier than sitting at your desk with a world of information at your fingertips?
All well and good, but what if your 'desk' features a steering wheel and a windscreen, rather than a mouse and monitor, your access to this world is as easy as, say, getting into Libya with a US passport.
For the real road warrior, there's always the option of a laptop with some form of communications equipment, but you're talking large and expensive, and these set-ups often come with unpredictable running costs.
You could opt for one of the latest 'fruit-flavoured' pocket devices — expensive and rather small. Or how about a full-blown in-cab telematics system?
Well, there's an affordable compromise, and it comes in the shape of the Pocket Surfer.
The only real frustrating part of the Surfer is its speed. Not the speed of the data transfer, which is somewhere between a dial-up internet connection and a modest broadband link and is acceptably brisk. The delay is in typed input actually appearing on screen. Familiarity, though, gives you the patience to wait for it to appear, rather than you panicking and re-typing.
The colour display has a two-level zoom facility and is clear. The default settings allow images to he initially loaded at a low resolution, followed by a higher level pass once the page has loaded — a useful time-saving trick.
As its name suggests, it surfs the net, but can also handle multiple POP3 e-mail accounts. It also has a basic GPS facility which shows your current location on a street map, Google Earth image or a hybrid of both. It's not sat-nav, but will help you get your bearings. Other software is available, including Microsoft-compatible word processing and spreadsheet packages, as well as online storage.
Although it has its limitations, the Surfer functions as a viable tool, aided by its attractive running costs. The initial purchase cost of £169 (inc VAT) includes a 12/24V charger and a 12-month air-time subscription up to 20 hours a month, which can be upgraded to unlimited use for L6/month or renewed for £40 per year. •
Contact: www.capitalstores.co.uk