Hi,

I am starting a shoestring business in which I will go to shows ,fairs, etc... and I want to find a way to get on the net to charge credit cards from a website.? My first thought was a used? laptop with wireless internet capabilities, then thought maybe? a PDA would work. I am really starting from scratch and need to find the least expensive, effective way to do this. I am very new to wireless technology- can anyone explaing to me how a wireless connection works (without my own landline? nearby) and what euqipment would be needed incluidng what specs a laptop or PDA would need

Does it need a USB port?
Does it need an IR port?
other port or slot?
how big of a hard drive?
how much memory?
what OS would support it ?

I have looked on the web and found a few scattered answers, but I don't get all the tech jargon. Some say a PDA will work, other say it won't. Some say I can use WIFI others say I can use a PDA with NIC, but? I don't really understand what either of these are.

Any help form someone with experience or knowledge? in wireless would be very much appreciated.

Thank you!

Patti

Every PDA that supports Wifi you can get access to the internet via HotSpots.
Allthough not every website can be displayed on a PDA, some plugings are non existent for PDA's (Palm, Windows CE or linux based).

If you really want to work on it and you want to be sure you can access information today but also tomorrow when a site changes buy a laptop instead of a PDA.

I've been a business traveler myself, and a PDA was not sufficient for me.

Take a laptop with a mobile processor, no need for heavy graphic card.

These thing matter to me for my laptop:
-Battery capacity
-3 year on-site warranty worldwide (Check business laptop section of Toshiba, HP or Dell) they provide repairs at your hotel worldwide.
-Wireless build-in (speed doenst matter since this is never a bottleneck for browsing the internet)

I currently have a Dell Latitude D600, 1.4 Ghz. battery last 6 hours and I have worldwide Next Business Day warranty. This laptop suits my needs.

Hi rdstar- I apprecaite the reply! I will look into geting a laptop for the road. I almost bought a PDA, so I am glad to know they have limited access.

As far as a "mobile processer" goes- is this something built in or something additional to purchase?

Also - I have been doing some research and have heard that I need to be within range of a wireless netowrk. I am assuming this is like being in range of a cel phone network, so whatever wireless plan I go with ,will have a "map" of where I will find a signal. I may be totally off here as I tend to be technologically challenged when it coems to new things :-D

Thankyou!

The mobile processors (Intel Centrino) are built into the laptops.

Wayne,
:-) I am not exactly sure what value that is going to have to conversee, she is really a novice with this whole concept could you please expound on your answer and make sure that it's really newbie friendly so she can use it.

Also, she hasn't posted back on this topic since August 24, it's possible that she has already solved the problem.

TTFN

T

Hi Wayne and T,

Thank you for the responses! I am really kiind of novice and do get that some kind of processor is built in, just not what that processor does, and what else is needed. From the info I got here and on the web it looks like a PDA is not the way to go. I was hoping it would work to keep costs down. I am looking into a used laptop for when business gets really going (with all the best luck).

It looks to me as if I need an up to date laptop, some kind of infared device (maybe this is what is built in?), to purchase wireless ISP service ,to be within range of the wireless netwok I subscribe to in ordert to connect to the net ( much like a cell phone must be in range of it;s network), and to be going to a web page that translates to wireless service as not all of them do.

If I have things backwards, please feel free to let me know. I am doing this all on an incredibly nominal budget and need to make sure that I have it right before purchasing anything.

Thank you all so much for your help!

Patti