Looking for a way to access the Internet on your notebook without having to find a wireless hotspot?

Then check out the Huawei E6000 Datacard.

Card access to the Internet

It is a PCMCIA datacard that supports both 3G and GPRS connections through a SIM card for Internet access. As the card is larger than usual PCMCIA card size, it sticks out the slot by about 2.5cm, which a flip-up antenna at the end for improved signal reception.

There was one little problem with the datacard’s software. It can only be installed and run when the notebook’s display is set to 96-DPI. Use any other DPI setting and the software will refuse to load. This problem will fixed in the next version of the software driver, according to the distributor.

Apart from the little glitch, the software worked pretty well. It lets you use your notebook to do all the things a phone can do, for example make, receive and manages call, send and receive SMS texts and manages contacts.

All the functions are straightforward and easily done with the software. Contacts are easily imported and exported between the SIM card and the notebook. In fact, SMS message can also be imported from the SIM card as well.

Getting on the Internet is also straightforward. Once your phone provider’s network settings have been configured, Internet access is just a mouse click away.

Watch Your Bill

Performance for either 3G or GPRS connection can also be configured via the software. Very handy is the running statistics provided on the amount of data that has been sent and received during an Internet session.

With the ease of connection and the near-broadband speed of 3G, it is very easy to rack up large amounts of data traffic before you know it. Those on a pay-as-you-use data scheme will quickly feel the pain when the phone bill arrives.

SMS Limitation

There are a couple of areas where things can be improved. In the SMS function, what is missing is a character counter to let you know how many characters you are typing in that SMS.

The way you are able to make and receive calls need improvement as well. You can have voice communications only with a handfree earpiece, which plugs into the datacard. It would be nice yo be able to make use of the notebook’s microphone and speakers for speaker-phone function.