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Datawind PocketSurfer2 - Portable Internet Device | 
 enlarge | Brand: Datawind
Category: CE
Buy New: £135.00
Rating:  37 reviews
Sales Rank: 1876
Media: Electronics
Shipping Weight (lbs): 5.5
Dimensions (in): 9.8 x 6.8 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
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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 doesnt hang about either, with page-load times of under seven seconds over GPRS thanks to Datawinds compression technology youll 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 dont need any other bits and pieces at all, just get it out of the box and go! The PocketSurfer 2 doesnt 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 32 more reviews...
 Flawed gem September 26, 2008
Datawind PocketSurfer2 - Portable Internet Device
Just a quick review of how I see the Pocketsurfer2, i've owned mine for 5 weeks now.
Positives.
1. Size, its small enough to fit in your jacket pocket, but large enough that you can type relatively quickly, and screen size is good.
2. Boot up time is good, expecially when in sleep mode, you'll be up and surfing in seconds.
3. Battery life is good, Pocketsurfer state 5hrs operating time, and this is right on the money. You might even get longer if you turn the brightness down.
4. Having easy to access maps via Google maps is very handy if your in a town you don't know so well.
5. The number of applications you have access to is great, all online based, which means you can even access them with your normal internet connected PC.
6. Price, nothing beats it on price, if your going to use it for less than an hour a day then you won't go over the 20mb free allowance. Initial outlay @140 and then just 40 a year there after.
7. Pocketsurfer support line is helpful, British, English speaking and polite.
8. No sound, yes its actually a benefit, the Pocketsurfer is just for surfing the web. So no embarassing tunes blurting out of the device when your just trying to check a new site on the bus.
9. Works on the move, i've used it on the bus and the train.
10. Pages do load in under 7 seconds, maybe not the whole page, but certainly enough to get started reading. Pages seems to be streamed to the device as you scroll, so lower data costs if you choose to click the back button before the whole page has loaded.
Negatives.
1. Build, yes its budget. It looks nice at first glance, but its not got IPOD levels of build quality. But its sturdy enough to the average careful user. I wouldn't recommend dropping one, i doubt it would last long with rough treatment.
2. Display, 640 width resolution means it can't fit a whole page on across the display, you need to zoom out to display the full width. Resolution when zoomed out is reduced.
3. Default resolution is mixed mode, loads pictures in 16 colours, then updates them to 256. However not very effectively, it is possible to change default resolution to 256, which makes a big difference.
4. "My settings" are not stored, these are device specific settings, such as resolution, so you have to reset to 256 colours every time you switch the device on.
5. Battery won't last 5 hours at highest brightness setting. Although at default brightness setting it lasts fine.
6. 20mb is plenty for low use users, i used my 20mb in 2 weeks.
7. Sometimes it fails to connect, usually connects after a rety or two. However i've not had service for 2 days now, Pocketsurfer are blaming T-Mobile, dissapointing situation especially as i chose to upgrade to 5.99 monthly package.
8. Protective case is nothing more than wee bag, i'd recommend buying a Stylz case at the same time of order. Both the Stylz cases are great quality though, i'd recommend either. I have both, i prefer the "fake" leather one.
9. Sometimes key press can be temperamental, so you need to pay attention to screen when typing as you may make a few typo's.
10. Max display is only 256 colours, so display can appear a bit washed out at times.
Conclusion.
If you can live with the build quality, i certainly can, then you'll be rewarded with a very handy device. You'll soon find the Pocketsurfer2 indespensible, i have, its just so handy checking your emails, forums, social site on the move. And if your employer has a web enabled email client you can even check your work email on the fly.
I opted to pay the 5.99 subscription for unlimited access, considering it would cost you 35 a month for an IPHONE and you pay slightly more to buy the IPHONE too. I've got a normal phone for phone duties, and my Pocketsurfer for surfing the web.
I only have 2 gripes at the end of the day.
1. All your email/chat/internet settings are stored on a remote server, and this is fine. But the Pocketsurfer seems to have no local memory to speak of, you can change your resolution settings and when you power down or sleep the device you'll loose those settings. I prefer to use 256 colour mode, I pay for the unlimited access and to store this setting would make life less hassle.
2. Connection, i've had 5 weeks of perfect access, so the last 2 days have been a nightmare. No access! Isn't it funny how you get to rely on something so quickly, and you really feel the pinch when you can't use it. I'm sure its just a T-Mobile glitch like the helpful Lady at Pocketsurfer said, but it doesn't make my lack of access feel any better.
So to buy? Yes or No?
I'd say YES! You'll get plenty of use out of it, you'll soon look beyond its low colour resolution, and just get on with some serious web surfing.
 Adequate September 20, 2008
Its occasionally useful to have an internet connection when away from your main PC etc - and this small, compact, relatively cheap device does provide full internet access. Its certainly much better than trying to use a mobile phone for any internet use.
Its easy to understand how to use the gadget and pages load relatively quickly - but the control and data entry is tedious when you're used to a normal mouse; and graphics aren't great - occassionally text can be tricky to read.
So its not a case of surfing the internet for fun - really more a good email device that can be used as a slightly frustrating back-up to keep a check on websites that are important to you when away from home or if your home computer/internet connection is playing up.
HANDY, BUT LIMITED September 12, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I've had mine for a week and used it every day, which must say something! Bought originally because I don't have internet access in my workshop, I opened the package and switched the machine on (it comes with battery charged) and was amazed to find that I could access the web from my office and complete all the registration procedures. Now that's amazing because my office is a cell phone 'dead' area, having originally been part of the brick and reinforced concrete corn store built within the confines of a medieval half-timbered barn. I shut the machine down and when I got home powered up again but found that I could only get a signal that varied from two to three bars, with the little cruciform symbol flashing. On a mobile phone that wouldn't be a problem, but on the Datawind = No web access.
That's the rub! As mentioned in another review this machine DOES NOT WORK ANYWHERE. In that respect the advertising is misleading. I had assumed that the GPRS link would, like sat nav, work ANYWHERE it could get a satellite signal from its geostationary orbiting eye-in-the-sky, which IS anywhere. However, and it's a big however, as the other review I've just mentioned cautions, you won't access the web if you're not in a strong Orange cell phone area - hmmm, which is why I went over to Vodafone when I moved here. Good job I don't need it at home!
I did try getting some help from Datawind's Help line, but I must have been talking to the office temp because she was as much help as a resuscitation team in a mortuary. Words of one syllable were the order of the day, and then between the silences that greeted any attempt at eliciting more information than was available on the 'Get Started' fold-out leaflet that comes with the machine.
The 'manual' on the accompanying CD is of more help, but still shares the characteristics of a council planning department in that the little nugget of information concerning web access is tucked away in its bowels. You are there told that you need a 'quality' connection to access the internet. It goes no further than that, so if there is a lesson to be learnt it is that these Amazon customer reviews should always be the first place you visit before buying ANYTHING!
That said, the Pocket Surfer is just that, and is extremely useful for accessing the kind of information you always wished you had when out and about. Think about the power of the web and you'll appreciate what you have in your pocket, literally in your pocket. I work in building conservation and to have the ability to access documents and articles which can then be shown immediately to the customer... it's mind-blowing and, despite the shortcomings, worth every penny. If it falls apart after twelve months, I'll buy another, it'll have paid for itself several times over in that time. My wife spends more than that on a pair of effing shoes!!
Not bad. August 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
No denying that this is a good 'gadget' but it does have severe limitations, don't beleive the page loading time for a start. The keyboard is fiddly to use but I guess I should have expected that, the graphics are not particularly high quality, but the main reason I bought it is to stay in contact with my email and there is no denying that it does that well, I am not impressed with the GPS facility, when it works it is good and will dispaly a street map but very often it will not update from my previous location. Definitely not recommended for indoor use either but brilliant when outside and good reception. Over all I am not sorry I bought it but my expectations were probably too high.
Getting there - Pocketsurfer 2 August 20, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Owned this for 1 week now - and been online for 6.5 hours so far (out of the allocated 20 hours per month)and I have to admit I like it.
Once I found the settings menu (shift & esc together) I disabled the keyboard lighting as I do not intend to use in the dark so hopefully the battery life will improve and also set up a password which appears at boot up.
There is also another icon on the keypad which allows access to "My Settings" where you can change the image quality from "Mix" which is the default to "High" or "Highest" but frustratingly even though you alter it the next time you boot up it reverts back to "Mix".
Occasionally I have to press refresh but I assume this is due to low signal strength being received as I move around.
E-mail set up was very easy.
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