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Datawind PocketSurfer2 - Portable Internet Device | 
 enlarge | Brand: Datawind
Category: CE
Buy New: £144.89
New (12) from £144.89
Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 992
Media: Electronics
Shipping Weight (lbs): 5.5
Dimensions (in): 9.8 x 6.9 x 2.8
MPN: PS04UK
Model: PS04UK
UPC: 831392000015
EAN: 0831392000015
ASIN: B000UGXWZE
Release Date: September 24, 2007
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW & SEALED - LINSAR POCKET SURFER 2 - DISPATCHED NEXT WORKING DAY ROYAL MAIL SPECIAL DELIVERY
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Product Description
PocketSurfer 2 is an ultra-thin portable device that easily fits into a pocket or bag and delivers the real web, just like at home or at work. Weighing in at just 174 grams the PocketSurfer 2 allows you to browse the web in its original layout on a 640x240 full colour widescreen display using a mouse cursor and a full backlit QWERTY keyboard making it the most usable hand-held web device around. It doesn t hang about either, with page-load times of under seven seconds over GPRS thanks to Datawind s compression technology you ll be flying around the web just as you would at your desk. The PocketSurfer 2 has its own in-built GPRS antenna and SIM card which means it can connect itself straight to the mobile network to get you online immediately, you don t need any other bits and pieces at all, just get it out of the box and go! The PocketSurfer 2 doesn t need you to take out a contract, you can use it out-of-the-box for 12 months without paying a penny and to use it for the next year will cost as little as 40! Browse the web just as you would on your desktop PC. Like no other handheld web-browsing experience, the PocketSurfer 2 keeps all your pages displaying just as they were designed.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 25 more reviews...
 Internet for the older generation June 12, 2008
Susan Hall (Berkshire)
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.
 Much Better Than Expected June 6, 2008
Rob (UK)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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?
Exceeded my expectation June 6, 2008
Mr. P. Creedy (South Wales, UK)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
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.
 A lemon for your pocket May 9, 2008
S. PROBERT
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
I bought this because the company I work for develops mobile applications for financial services, as a result I have a pile of mobile devices littered on my desk - and yes, I have some experience with this type of stuff.
Let's face it the whole experience has been a bad one. Out-of-the-box the first thing you notice is that it looks not too bad - nice shiny plastic - but when you open the unit you soon realize the build quality is poor. The hinges feel cheap and don't allow you to set it at an angle very well - basically you have to use it flat. The screen is awful, really grainy and you see alot of pixel smearing. It's also not bright enough for daytime use but maybe that's a setting somewhere. The unit is basically flimsy and "feels" cheap. I usually use the Blackberry 8800 or iPhone and the build quality is massively superior - but I guess that's like comparing a ferrari with a fiesta. The keyboard on the PS2 is pretty naff really - it would be much improved if it was actually touch sensitive, but its not, you have to click the little keys. Scrolling around the screen is tedious, as is any type of data entry. For some reason instead of typing in a text field "in-situ" it opens a little field at the top of the screen... if you press the wrong button after you type something you have to start all over again. (Easy to do because the layout is counter-intuitive)
Ok i could go on about how naff it is for ages but I think you get the message. To put it bluntly I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it myself - it is a good idea but poorly executed.
I do however feel there is a place for devices like this in the marketspace but this clearly isn't the device to fill it.
Great Idea - Poor Product March 19, 2008
A. Maclachlan (UK)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Great idea and in a few years I may try it again. Even at home in a large town in Sussex I could only get it to connect to the web once out of about 20 times. The signal just needed to be to strong to connect to the web even at home.
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