Last week I was able to get my hands on the new Pocket PC/cell phone combo developed by Audiovox and marketed by Verizon Wireless. The "Audiovox CDM-9100 with Maestro" includes the new Audiovox Maestro Pocket PC, manufactured for Audiovox by Toshiba, and the Audiovox CDM-9100 Trimode CDMA Digital wireless phone.

The Maestro is almost identical to the Toshiba e570 reviewed in the Jan '02 issue of Pocket PC magazine (www.pocketpcmag.com/Jan02/toshiba.asp ). The main physical differences are that it has the Audiovox logo and comes with 32 Mb of RAM (the Toshiba version has a 64 Mb option). The Audiovox version comes with a USB synchronization cradle, AC power adapter, instruction manuals, and Microsoft ActiveSync CD. The Maestro is a little more boxy and a little less comfortable to hold than my iPAQ (without its Expansion Pack). The whole package, Pocket PC and cell phone, is only $599 when you sign up with Verizon.

Audiovox CDM-9100 Trimode CDMA Digital cell phone

The design of the Audiovox CDM-9100 is based on their earlier CDM-9000 cell phone, but they've made the 9100 a smaller, sleeker, more professional looking device. Additionally, you can swap out faceplates on the 9100 to change the appearance of the phone (see Screen 1). The 9100 comes with a complete instruction manual describing all the features of the phone, a charger, and a connection cable to connect the phone to the Maestro Pocket PC (see photo above).

Screen 1: You can swap out faceplates on the Audiovox CDM-9100 cell phone to change its appearance. Shown here is the optional American Flag faceplate.

A well-integrated package, and a WAP browser, too!

Verizon sells the package with or without "activation" (i.e. wireless service), but it's not much good without service. I opted for the activation option, which reduces the price of the package from $699 to $599. The first thing I had to do was charge the cell phone and Pocket PC. Then, the only other thing necessary was to connect the phone physically to the Pocket PC using the cable that comes with the package. I turned on the Pocket PC, opened Internet Explorer, and the connection to the Verizon Wireless network was made within three seconds! This integration is the strongest feature of this bundle. Other systems can be quite cumbersome, but not this "dynamic duo!"

The CDM 9100 cell phone has a small but readable monochrome screen that displays the total amount of time on the call, the connection speed, and the battery status. The cell phone is also equipped with the standard Verizon WAP browser, enabling the user to browse the Web without the Pocket PC (see Screen 2). The WAP browser is a limited but useful tool, especially when you're traveling or need to check some specific information, like the score of a basketball game! This phone is great for getting into the world of wireless Web surfing.

Screen 2: The Audiovox CDM 9100 cell phone comes with a built-in WAP browser, which lets you do limited Web browsing from the phone.

Testing the waters

You can probably tell by the name of my Web site (Dave's Compaq iPAQ) that the Maestro isn't my Pocket PC of choice. Additionally, I found the screen hard to read in outdoor light, and the battery life short when using it with the cell phone. Still, choosing the Toshiba Pocket PC was a reasonable choice for Audiovox, and I agree totally with Audiovox and Verizon's apparent decision to test the wireless Pocket PC waters before Smartphone technology hits the market.