Datawind PocketSurfer2R

We at Web User are obviously keen advocates of browsing the web but, when it comes to accessing the web on the go, our enthusiasm is somewhat subdued. Phones are less than ideal for viewing websites and, while larger-screened devices have made mobile browsing a more realistic proposition, monthly contracts and pay-as-you-go deals remain confusing and expensive.

Datawind’s PocketSurfer2, launched to little fanfare last year, had web users flocking to its promise of portable web surfing with a clear pricing structure: for a one-off fee, you get 20MB of data usage a month for the first year.

Features:
PocketSurfer2 was such a success that there’s now a second version. In terms of hardware, the only enhancement is the replacement of cursor keys with a touchpad. The real difference is the ‘R’ at the end of its name – it stands for ‘Roaming’. It means that you can buy a top-up to use your PocketSurfer abroad and not have to shell out for the extortionate roaming charges that mobile customers have become accustomed to. As well as web browsing, it has built-in GPS, so you can pinpoint your location. There’s also a POP3/IMAP email client, so you can check your emails and log into your instant messaging account.

Performance:
The PocketSurfer2R uses the GPRS network, often referred to as 2.5G because it was the first technology to allow second-generation digital mobiles to connect to data services. GPRS is now considered rather old-fashioned, yet the PocketSurfer manages to download pages very quickly. However, it achieves this by sacrificing graphical quality. Because websites are compressed by Datawind’s servers and then sent on to the PocketSurfer as low-resolution graphics, the resulting quality of the compressed website often leaves a lot to be desired, and it doesn’t work at all with video and other data-intensive sites.

Ease of use :
Browsing with a keyboard has never been much fun and, while this latest version has upgraded the cursor key scrolling with a touchpad, navigating pages is still quite awkward. Tapping the touchpad to select links is pretty hit and miss, and the lack of cursor buttons means you can’t scroll around text while, for example, you’re tapping out an email. The clicky keyboard can really take the fun out of typing – inputting short messages or URLs is really all it’s up to. On the positive side, getting up and running, whether starting to surf or synchronising your email, is an impressively speedy process.

Value for money:
Perhaps the biggest innovation with this product is the pricing structure. The unit itself is £199 and for that you get a year’s use of the device for up to 20 hours a month. Subsequent years require a further subscription payment of £39.99 for the same level of service, or at any point you can go beyond your 20 hours for a particular month for £5.99. A new unlimited lifetime option is now available – pay an extra £59.99 up front and you get unlimited use for the life of the product. That means £258.99 for a device that’ll access the net with no further charges, for as long as the unit survives. Roaming is purchased in pay-as-you-go packages of £29.99. This gives you 10 hours of roaming throughout Europe and the USA, and lasts for a year (working out to 5p per minute). If you travel a lot, you’ll appreciate that this is significantly cheaper than other data and Wi-Fi options.