PocketMail Composer... E-mail Solution for the Road By Jaimie Hall
PocketMail is one of the methods Workampers can use for e-rnaii contact with friends, family, and employers. Some Workamper friends are using PocketMail as their exclusive e-mail provider and find it works well.
PocketMail is a device ihat runs on two AA batteries and can send and receive e-mail from most any phone in the U.S. and Canada, including pay phones. After writing your e-mails, you dial a toll-free number, place the device up against the receiver, then press the Send button. It sends your e-mails, retrieves any new ones, and the session is over. With PocketMail service, you can check your e-mail unlimited times for one monthly fee.
PocketMail offers convenience. There are no cords to deal with. You can send e-mail anywhere you can find a pay phone and don't have to wait until you locate a jack or stop at a Kinkos or public library. The small size (8.5 x 3.25 x 0.75 inches) allows you to easily carry the device in a pocket or purse. You can read or write e-mails whenever or wherever you have a few minutes.
Bill and I first used a PocketMail Composer device recently while on a two-week trip to Alaska and Canada. We traveled in a rental RV without our own computer. Our schedule did not permit stopping at libraries or cyber cafes to check e-mail, so I was thrilled to be able to maintain e-mail contact as we traveled.
The PocketMail Composer
The PocketMail Composer device is an upgraded version of the original, allowing a 6,000 character maximum per message, a 2,000 character increase. This is plenty of space for a simple resume without fancy fonts or formatting. An address lookup function allows you to easily add an address to your e-mail.
The keyboard is small. It took a few sessions to learn to hold the device steady and compensate for its small size. However if you have a computer, you can use PC Link to synchronize desktop or laptop computer with the composer. That way you can write e-mails using a standard keyboard, then download them to the Composer for transmission. You can simply upload any received messages. This makes for faster, easier typing and works quite well.
You can consolidate your e-mail accounts with PocketMail, receving e-mails from AOL, POP3 and IMAP accounts. It can show the other account as your Reply To address. One Workamper friend generally has a landline while working, then forwards her AOL account to PocketMail while traveling.
The device can also be used as a personal organizer, a scheduler with alarm, memo, to-do, and address book. With the Provided Companion Link software, these can be synchronized with Microsoft Outlook and other personal information systems on your computer.
A surprising feature is the ability to send faxes. This is a nice option for Workampers, since some employers prefer a fax. The fax I sent arrived quickly. A small charge applies.
PocketMaii does not replace a computer. It is strictly an e-mail device. Due to size limitations, you cannot receive attachments like photos. E-mails with attachments or that exceed the character limit can be viewed at the PocketMail website for 30 days. If you periodically stop at public library Internet computers to look things up on the Web, you can then check your PocketMail account.
Read the Manual
While most of the Composer functions are intuitive if you have computer experience, I recommend taking the time to read the manual. There were several shortcuts that were timesaving and easier, had I known about them.
The first few days of our trip, I received e-mail from only a few family and friends. Then I forwarded my main e-mail account to PocketMail. Since I use the Internet for business and regularly receive 50-75 e-mails each day, transmission times were long, usually lasting 15 minutes each session. Had I known about the Preview Message function, I could have saved download time. When activated, this feature downloads only the title and first 80 words of each message, allowing you to delete it if desired before downloading the whole message. You can also set filters to weed out SPAM and unwanted e-mail.
Switching to PocketMail
If you are currently using a computer and begin using PocketMail, either as your e-mail provider or to consolidate your e-mail while traveling, three steps will shorten your download times.
Turn the Message Preview function on. It will activate when your download time will exceed a preset amount (1 -9 minutes).
Unsubscribe from most electronic newsletterss and discussion forums. You can usually go to the website when you have Internet access and read the issues or items of interest.
Educate Family and friends. Attachments are out. Forwarded e-mail that comes as an attachment can be copied and pasted into a new e-mail.
Request that people not send jokes, and if they do, delete the headers (lists of To/From and recipients) that are above the actual message. The jokes I received on PocketMaii from one friend were cut off by the time I scrolled through all the headers; the message size had been exceeded.
While i don't recommend PocketMaii for operating a business on the road if the volume of e-mails will be large, it is an excellent option for most Workampers. Besides sending resumes, questions or information that would take a long distance phone call can be e-mailed and employers can respond at their convenience.
I was impressed with how easiiy the Composer was to use. It took no time at all to get proficient. I loved the convenience of being able to check my e-mail daily at no extra charge, even in Canada. I plan to use it at least for personal correspondence when we are traveling and won't have a land line.
The device is reasonably priced at $99, with one-year's service plan at $149. Other plans are described at their website. Once you own your device, a years subscription is $149 Or a quarter's is $49.95.
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