By Mitzi Waltz-Schultz
I went for the wild hyperbole in the ad: "Four Times Faster Than A 14.4 Kbps Modem!" A couple of days later, a little cardboard box containing my very own 28.8-Kbps, V.Fast Class modem arrived at my door.
But trying to make a connection that transferred data at the advertised speed wasn't so simple, as I discovered after the foam peanuts were swept up. One problem is that the computer's serial port sends modem data through the computer's microprocessor, which is already bogarted by the multitasking operating system. Bummer Number Two: data gets lost because it's coming in too fast over the serial connection. If you use a Mac, and you insist on transferring data at the top speed, you'll need to bypass the serial port with a NuBus board, such as the Hustler – what's another 300 bucks on your Visa account? And if you don't have a NuBus slot, well then, it's time to pull out the plastic once again and get yourself a brand new computer.
But wait – does going V.FC even make sense? Online services have barely caught up to 14.4 Kbps and charge you a premium for "speeding." My advice is to wait a couple of months for the industry standard shakedown before forking over half a grand.
Hayes OPTIMA 288 V.FC + Fax: US$579. Hayes Microcomputer: +1 (404) 441 1617. Hustler board: $299. Creative Solutions Inc.: +1 (301) 984 0262.
STREET CRED
Online User's EncyclopediaTwo Tot-Enthralling Titles
The Personal Information Industry and You
Faster Than a Speeding Kilobyte
