... Internet Access Options

It's all a matter of what you consider is acceptable risk. The risk for the average user is small but present. The risk increases with the value of the material you'd rather keep confidential, and the number of people (or competitors) who know you have it.

There are also increasing risks of random damage to data on your computer through malicious or careless implementations of the new technologies (java, javascript, active-x (now nearly dead), shockwave etc) on Internet Web sites.

The only safe option is to keep your commercially or personally sensitive material on separate machines to those you use to connect to the Internet (Intranet or Extranet - are you "safe" behind your firewall? Only as safe as the next exploitable loophole or bug - refer to the Bugtraq security mailing list or sites like Survivable Network Technology from CERT).

But the Internet has so much to offer and is becoming almost a "necessary evil" in so many areas - so how do you access it without risking your data? A separate internet machine or "appliance" perhaps?

There is a growing market segment currently developing alternative and cheap internet access options. These range from cheap (if sometimes low performance) "conventional" computers - both PC and Mac based, to the new generation of "Internet aware appliances". This later category is predicted to nearly equal PC sales by 2002 and designed to appeal to the mass market rather than professional PC users - but they might be just the thing for surfing from home even for business professionals!

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Cheap PC's ($1000 and up)

You don't need expensive, fast computers to access the internet. Save your computing power and dollars for your productivity applications on your "work" machine, and invest in a "cheap computer" (around $1000-$1500) for your "fun" and Internet access.

Many computer vendors have basic, low end systems, both PC and Mac based, quite capable of handling most e-mail and web requirements. Adequate bandwidth does not yet exist for Australians to make Internet telephony or real-time video realistically viable, so you don't need those "extras" (If any salesman tries to sell you on these features - ask for a REAL demo - over the internet - NOT the standard shop floor demo off the manufacturers promotional material, or between machines on the shop floor. This does NOT test practically available real Internet bandwidth). Superseded models are also more realistically priced than the new releases and offer good value - Pentium 100/133s for under $1000 for example. "Speed" on the internet is largely determined by available bandwidth and your modem - not the speed of your computer.

There are plenty of hardware and software solutions available for the transfer of files from the Internet machine to your main work/play machine. Next time you look at replacing your computer, consider keeping the old one for internet access.

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Personal Digital Assistants ($369 and up)

Smart hand-held devices have been available in Australia for some time. The PalmPilot and the Apple Newton being two better known options. These little devices, not much bigger than a mobile phone, are capable of running a full operating system (eg WindowsCE or proprietary OS's); interface to your full blown computer to upload and download files; run programs; interface to a modem for faxing or connecting to the Internet; print out to a variety of printers; plus numerous built in functions.

Manufacturers information on the PalmPilot can be found at:

http://palmpilot.3com.com/home.html

Australian info at:

http://www.3com.com.au/main/news/releases/10a.10.97.html

A range of models are available in Australia.

Apple PDA's information can be found in .pdf and html (text) format on their Australian site at:

http://www.apple.com.au/documents/newton.html

Sadly, Apple, like many manufacturers, does not bring their full range of models into Australia. Ed.

The HP range including a beautiful (but expensive) full colour PalmtopPC:

http://www.hp.com/handheld/

A number of more affordable models are also available in Australia.

There is also a growing range of software available for these hand help devices.

Australian sites offering PDA's for sale include:

Strathfield Mobile Phone

Mobile Data Solutions (seems to have a number of non-functional pages)

The Palmtop Shop

Further reading:
According to a study from International Data Corporation, the PC's reign as an end-user access device will be over within six months:
http://www.idg.net/idg_frames/english/content.cgi?vc=docid_9-63324.html
An interesting insight into the main players in this new game can be found in the overview to Jupiter Communications Internet Appliance Report Web Access via TVs, PCs, Telephones, and Games Consoles at: http://www.jup.com/research/reports/appliance.shtml

Next issue:
Standalone Options Part 2: Internet gaming consoles and WebTV - coming to a store near you soon!