The market research firm Cahners In-Stat Group of Newton, Mass., projects that there will be more than 700 million wireless Internet subscribers by 2004. And that's only part of the picture. At the heart of a wireless client is the modem that transmits and receives within a specific radio frequency range. Wireless modems are used in many devices, including palmtop computers, handhelds, notebook and desktop PCs, and some cellular phones.
Wireless connectivity promises anytime, anywhere computing.
Although it hasn't reached that goal yet, it greatly increases users' ability to connect, especially from the road. The technology and standards are developing so fast that it can be difficult to decide when to jump onto this moving train. Web phones and palmtop computers, for instance, are rapidly merging in hybrid Web clients that incorporate the best features of each, with faster connections and a new set of standards. Wireless devices also have limitations in memory, functionality and throughput speed. Cellular phones will give way to Web phones, with throughput speeds up to 1.5 Mbps.