Tony Blews

So, what do you get for your 50 quid?

Apart from the device itself, the DVD style box contains a SIM card, a manual that I didn't bother even opening, two USB cables and some padding that I didn't bother to eat.

No installation CD? Nope. The clever little chappy installs all it needs from an built in memory stick type thingummy which pretend to be a CDROM. Take a not, USB device makers: This is the way forward.

One of the USB cables is a standard 6 inch one, which works ok but means that the modem is hanging about where I usually have my mouse (never having got used to the crappy touchpads that most laptops have). The other is a much longer affair with two Type A connectors at one end, just in case your computer can't push enough power out from one socket. This is fairly useless to me, as the added cable length means the device needs the two plugs to be connected, and the two USB sockets on my Dell are on opposite sides of the case. It works great if I have my "media slice" connected, as that gives me 2 extra USB sockets on the back, but it also triples the weight of the machine, so I usually leave it to gather dust.

I'm using the long cable to connect to my telephone instead.

What you probably can't tell from the photo, is that the sim card holder is held in place with sellotape. It won't fall out during normal use, but did pop out a few times while in my bag. Hence the classic British engineering fix.

So, how fast is it?

Firstly, here is what I got through my phone on a good day:

And here is what the new dongle gives me:

A bit faster, as you can see. I managed to get up to about 2900kbps by standing outside the house and getting a clear line of sight to the nearest transmitter, which is about 300 yards away.

With this "proper" internet modem connected, rather than the mobile phone, Three aren't restricting what I can access. So now I can waste my time on b3ta, and won't get an electronic telling off if I accidentally try and watch some young flibbertigibbet shaking her udders on YouTube.

So what does it cost to run?

Well, you have a choice: £10 for 1gb, £15 for 3gb or £25 for 7gb.

A nice range of prices for you there. Being a bit skint, I opted to only spash out a tenner, and my 1gb lasted a week.

Luckily, you can stick on as many addons as you have the money for, and don't need to wait until with end of the month. Next time, however, I will be getting the £25 top up (assuming that I get hold of some money).

I'm quite happy with it, currently. When I get the chance, I'm going to have a wander in to the countryside, and see how well the modem (and indeed the AMOI phone) function when quite far from a transmitter.

Update: Thanks to 3 Mobile Buzz for linking to this page!

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Skype:

MSN:

PC Connectivity:

MoDem:

Running costs:

So whats wrong with it?

Verdict?

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The cards from Vistaprint turned up. They were free apart from the postage. Not bad, considering.

Of course, the look a lot better in real life, when not being the target of the worst digital camera known to man.

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Not many days ago, I recieved a package containing a copy of my very own rubbish quality book "How many Goths does it take to change a light bulb?"

Now, once again, "I have in my hand a piece of paper". And, I'm in the toilet (as that, oddly is where the best lighting in the house is), and i've used my cameraphone to take the picture. _{Feckin' quality linking that was. Unless anyone noticed the tense-change...}

So here is physical proof of the book...

 

Hmm. Something is missing, but I can't think what... Oh yeah, the FRIGGING TITLE! Still, at least my name is on it. Anyway, let us look inside.

.

Actually, i'm quite happy about the whole thing, apart from the cover. Honestly, I spent minutes thinking of that title and might as well have used "Coppulam Eam Est Se Non Posit Acceptera Jocularum". There are a few printing errors that didn't appear in the original version (such as the footer line breakage that i'm pointing to up there), but I'm still happy with it. And I'll be even happier if you click here are buy a copy to feed my nicotine, alcohol and curry habits.

Also, I can now say I am a published author and you are not. And that, in a very small way, makes me better than you.

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So, what does it do?

Well. It does all your normal phone crap, plus it allegedly automatically uses Skype when you want it to. I say allegedly as I can't even get mine to log in using my Skype details. And 3's usually unhelpful customer support have no idea what to do.(But at least they can't beat the O2 monkey who asked me, twenty minutes into our conversation about why my GPRS had been cancelled, if I owned a mobile phone. No, Sherlock, I can process GSM signals in my head.)

Anyway, thats not important. What can it do?

For me the big win is that you can use it as a modem and get 'net access. True, its only about 116Kbps, but that better than I was getting from O2. The downside to this is that the software supplied completely screws up all your existing modem drivers. Not a big loss for most people, but bloody annoying nonetheless.

Sadly the internet service is somewhat restricted. Mail and Web services seem okay (with exceptions), but thats it. FTP is blocked, as are MSN Messenger (probably a good thing) and no gaming stuff will work.

For some reason, POP access to my gmail account won't work, but I can still access the gmail website. Odd.

Access to sites like B3ta are blocked, but thats probably a good thing for me.

A big problem is Facebook. I was never a big fan of it (see elsewhere) until I got the phone. Now I'm on it all the time, mainly because you can access straight from the phone. This is my biggest U-turn since I suddenly decided that VW campers were indeed a bit cool.

The FTP thing is annoying, as I have to update these pages via FTP. I means that I have to go to the pub and use the WIFI machine. Like I needed an excuse.

So... ultimate verdict, is it any good?

Yup. Best phone i've had in ages.

Update: Yay! FTP / IM / Flickr uploader.... it all works now!

Another update: How am I getting on with it? Amoi WP-S1 3/Skype Phone - 5 months later 

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So its time to do a review of something.

Imagine that you smoke, and that you're now exiled to standing in the street outside the pub whenever you want a fag. Great. And it gets better. You can't throw you dog end into the gutter anymore, as that is littering. What you need is some device that you can bung the smouldering dog-ends into, and save them until you can find a handy bin.

Sounds like you need a Butt Pouch.

This handy little pocket sized thingy is lined with foil to conduct heat away from the errant embers and cool them down. It also seals nearly airtight, thus depriving the nub of the needed oxygen.

Marvellous. Where can you get one? Well, either you friendly local boozer is giving them away, or try www.buttsandgum.com.

Oh, and if you're feeling particularly pikey, you can save the dogs and re-roll them later.

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Well, i've just spent a day watching the TV series Heroes. And when I say "a day", I mean "a day". As in nearly 24 hours. In one sitting. All 23 episodes.

I couldn't stop watching it.

It has been a long time since a TV series has captivated me so. I'm now very tired, as you would expect.

"Wow!" is all I can now say/type.

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