Mailbug from Landel Telecom 

By Andy Walker, Cyberwalker Media Syndicate

Don't need the Web on the road, but want e-mail? 

Have a look at MailBug. This portable keyboard with a built-in monochrome screen allows you to check your e-mail anywhere there's a phone plug and a power outlet.

With the 1.75-pound MailBug e-mail appliance, you can send and receive e-mail anywhere in Canada and the United States without configuring difficult POP3 or IMAP server configurations. It's literally plug and play e-mail.
The MailBug has full-sized keys on its QWERTY keyboard and can access mail on any Internet account. Its eight-line screen is backlit. Folks with corporate e-mail accounts can also retrieve their e-mail if their tech department will allow it. MailBug stores about 100 messages and has a built-in address book. 

One of the nicest features is the auto-registration process. When you first plug the unit in, it prompts you with a sign-up questionnaire, auto-dials a 1-800 number, allows you to choose a payment plan and registers the e-mail address you choose - something like yourname@mailbug.com. 

Payment options include a monthly pay-as-you-go plan ($9.95 US a month) or an annual lump sum plan ($99.95 US a year). 

Once the unit is up and running, it sits quietly in a corner and auto-dials itself on the schedule you choose to retrieve e-mail waiting on the MailBug server. If it has retrieved new mail, a red light on the corner of the unit will blink. 
The connection can also be made manually, via one of six soft keys on the sides of the screen. The buttons change functions based on which mode the MailBug is in. On-screen help describes the keys' functions. 

The MailBug's e-mail address book can store up to 100 e-mail addresses. It also has a phone book that can store 100 phone numbers. This is useful, as it can dial a voice number for you.

Speaking of phone functionality, the MailBug also acts as a call-display unit. Its built-in software records the numbers of incoming calls. It will even let you dial them later at the touch of a button. 

One limitation is the MailBug's inability to hold large amounts of incoming mail. Its 100-message memory (or 120K of text) fills up quickly. If you don't stay on top of your inbox, it bugs you to delete messages. 

It also can't handle HTML files or attachments, so don't expect to be able to read that vital spreadsheet in your hotel room. 

The unit is 10.5 inches wide by 7 inches deep by 2.75 inches high, a suitcase-friendly size, but a little bulky for a briefcase. It's not the ideal travel mate, but it certainly beats lugging a laptop. 

More info about the MailBug can be found at http://www.mailbug.com/ or by calling Landel Telcom at 1-800-831-2169.

Reviewer's rating: Four out of five.
Comments: Can't beat the simplicity of the gadget, especially if all you want is e-mail.
Price: $150 US, plus connection charges