The first PDA accessories

Seidio Inno.Dock and Swivel Locking Clip Holster
When you get a new PDA you realize two things. One, you need to carry it.

And two, when you’re not carrying it a desktop cradle is nice to have.

Seidio makes accessories for many PDAs. For the Palm Treo check out Seidio’s holster: the PDA is held with the screen facing inwards and the Treo clips in and out easily. Back at the office, the Seidio cradle both charges and syncs a Treo, and it also boasts a plug for external speakers. The Inno.Dock cradle sells for approximately $65 and the holster case goes for about $45.

Otterbox Armor 1900
Otterbox cases may be more case than most people need, but if you want to ensure nothing can damage your PDA, laptop or iPod you can’t do better than an Otterbox. The Armor 1900 fits many models, including the Dell X50, Palm Treo 650 and a slew of HP iPaqs. It retails for US$99.95.

Type anywhere
New PDA or cellphone owners quickly discover that text entry can be a pain. The best solution is a keyboard that links to your device using Bluetooth short-range wireless networking. Before buying, make sure your specific Bluetooth-enabled device is supported by the keyboard. Pictured is Dell’s new flagship Axim X51V handheld, which sells for $599.

ElekSen ElekTex Wireless Fabric Keyboard
Easily the most interesting keyboard here, the ElekTex is actually made of cloth; when it’s not in use just roll it up. Check the company’s Web site for pricing.

Think Outside Stowaway Universal Bluetooth Keyboard ($125)
Following up on the best-selling infrared Stowaway keyboard is this Bluetooth version. The innovative folding, lock-open design has won awards and earned the keyboard a spot in New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

< Nokia Wireless Keyboard ($130)
A solidly built keyboard, the Nokia is compatible with many cellphones and PDAs.

The unit sports a well-designed device stand but does not lock open, making it awkward to use on your lap.

Go cordless
The best cellphone accessory is a Bluetooth headset. You can yak with both hands on the wheel or walk down the street chatting with your phone or smartphone in your briefcase. And heck — they just look cool. But try before you buy. These units actually clip onto your ear, so some will be more comfortable for you than others.

Sony-Ericsson HBH-662 ($100)
Comfortable and very stylish, this unit also sports a small LCD screen which displays the phone number of incoming calls and — more importantly — shows battery status.

Motorola H500 ($89)
While the suggested price for this headset is $89, we’ve seen it for sale at $62. At that price, this small and trendy headset is a good deal. The H500 has a slightly looser feel when worn but among the reviewed units it is also the easiest to put on.

Jabra BT 350 ($90)
Jabra’s take on a more traditional design, the BT 350 is light and comfortable and features a vibrate alert feature, so you know a call is coming in even if you’re not wearing the headset.

Jabra BT 500 ($130)
Jabra bills this as the world’s best-selling headset, and you certainly see a lot of them around. The unit is much larger than other headsets but many will find the behind-the-ear design very comfortable.

Logitech Mobile Traveller ($89.95)
Although it won’t win design awards, the Logitech’s WindStop microphone does reduce wind noise and it’s a solid headset at a good price.



Desktop speeds — no desktop

Kyocera Passport EV -DO card
Bell Canada recently launched EV-DO, the fastest mobile network in Canada. And from Kyocera comes the Passport, a PC card for notebooks that delivers up to 2.4Mbps — almost desktop broadband speeds — in EV-DO coverage areas. The Passport sells for $99 on a 36-month contract with Bell Canada.



Music from above
XM Canada’s Delphi XM Myfi
Satellite radio has finally come to Canada and the first unit available was the Myfi from XM Satellite. The company launched with 80 channels, including NHL games and an exclusive NHL talk channel. The receiver is a Walkman-style unit but it also ships with a car kit and an FM transmitter, so you can play the satellite signal through any FM radio.

The kit sells for $399 and monthly service costs $12.99. (And okay, it’s not really an accessory, but satellite is just too cool to ignore.)


Burn and print pictures
Lexmark P450
Photo printers have been around for a while, but this Lexmark operates as a small photo lab. The unit prints 4x6 photos, has a flip-up colour screen to view images, and has a built-in CD burner and USB port, meaning photos can be pulled from or saved to CDs or USB drives. And because the P450 can operate without a PC it can be carted off to wherever you want to print pics. It retails for about $320.

Web Gear
Eleksen http://www.eleksen.com
Jabra http://www.jabra.com
Kyocera http://www.kyocera-wireless.com
Lexmark http://www.lexmark.com
Logitech http://www.logitech.com
Motorola http://www.motorola.ca
Nokia http://www.nokia.ca
Otterbox http://www.otterbox.com
Seidio http://www.seidio.com
Sony-Ericsson http://www.sonyericsson.com
Think Outside http://www.thinkoutside.com
XM Canada http://www.xmradio.ca