Motorola's Accompli 009, Part 2

Motorola recently sent me a pre-production model of its Accompli 009 Personal Communicator, a device that combines a PDA, phone and 2-way messaging unit into one small package. Last time, we looked at its phone, PDA and messaging features. This time, we check out the rest of its features and finish off our review of the device.

In addition to its ability to perform PDA, phone and 2-way messaging functions, the Accompli 009 also has some other features worth noting. It has an automatic low-light detection feature, which aims to give you good display light in all conditions. It also has an infrared port to "beam" contact information to others.

The device lets you download different ring tones (there were a ton on it to begin with), and for the truly adventurous, it enables you to hold a three-way conference call.

The Accompli comes with a travel charger that connects to the synchronization cradle to charge while connected to your PC. The cradle connects via serial cable, which is a bit annoying if you've already got another device, such as a Palm or Research In Motion (RIM) device that also links via serial cable.

And it wouldn't be a "gizmo" without some games; the Accompli has a few for your enjoyment.

* Software installation

The Accompli 009 comes bundled with three PC programs: PC Partner (to transfer messages between the device and a PC, as well as for backup and installation of other programs); PocketPix (to manage the download of images to the device); and TrueSync (which synchronizes data between your personal information management software and the device).

My initial installation was a bit buggy, as the program kept telling me to make sure the device was facing toward an infrared receiver, despite its being connected to the PC via the serial port. I think the software started to synchronize my Outlook data with the Accompli, but it was hard to tell if the data transferred because this process locked up the device.

After figuring out that the device's battery was too low, I waited for a full charge and then tried again. While still getting the "infrared" message, I was eventually able to download my Outlook contacts and calendar into the device. The TrueSync software is really easy to use for synchronization, although a button on the cradle similar to Palm's HotSync would have been nice.

The only other downside was that the battery seemed to drain quickly with heavy use. Make sure you use the device's power-saving features or have an extra battery on hand if you're away from the charger.

* Overall thoughts

At $650 (although carriers will likely charge less), the Accompli 009 is on the high end of converged devices. Once the General Packet Radio Service networks come into play, the device will give you the "always on" e-mail that makes the RIM BlackBerry service so popular. I also like how the device can download all your personal information manager data, so you don't have to input new contacts or calendar information into the Accompli.

The device's keyboard makes this a better option than trying to do messaging on a regular cell phone, and if you're comfortable with using a hands-free headset, the phone features are pretty good.

If you don't mind using a proprietary operating system and can wait for third-party applications to be developed, this is a good buy. But it would be nicer if the price were a bit lower.

Next time, I'll begin the reports from the 2002 Consumer Electronics Show, which promises more goodies for the mobile computing user.

Keith Shaw is Reviews Editor at Network World. In addition, he writes the "Cool Tools" column, which looks at gizmos, gadgets and other mobile computing devices.

You can reach Keith at kshaw@nww.com.

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