American Cinematographer - March 1995 - 65

Chapman University

Magic Link: E-Mail To Go
The second

generation of personal
provides a multitude of

communicators

ways

to reach out and touch.
MFA in Film &

by Frank Beacham

Television Production
For those who like to

stay in

touch via electronic mail while

working on location, a new breed
of personal communicator has
arrived that may signal retire¬
ment for quite a few bulky
laptops. Sony's 1.2-pound Magic
Link Personal Intelligent Com¬
municator and Motorola's Envoy
Personal Wireless Communicator

represent the next generation in
portable computing. Unlike ear¬
lier personal digital assistants
(PDAs), these
have

a

specific

munications

-

new

machines

purpose - com¬
and should be of

value to cinematographers and
other crew members who need to
communicate while
the field.

into ROM

on

both machines.

By plugging in a phone
line to the modular jack and
touching an icon on the screen of
Sony's Magic Link, a user can
easily access electronic mail from
either PersonaLink or America
Online. PersonaLink users have
the option of sending and receiv¬

30 Miles

from

Hollywood

that include text,
animation, brief voice recordings,
ing

messages

music and electronic handwrit¬

ing.
Those who want to file
and other written docu¬
ments from the field can use the
memos

optional keyboard

or

built-in, on¬

working in

Award-Winning Faculty

Both machines are
based on General Magic's intui¬
tive Magic Cap platform and

Telescript communications lan¬
guage. They both offer a combi¬
nation of intelligent messaging
capabilities that integrate elec¬
tronic mail, fax, telephone, on¬
line services and nationwide pag¬

ing with personal information
software. The Sony specializes in
wireline communications while
the more expensive Motorola in¬

corporates two-way wireless

messaging capabilities.
Both connect to AT&T's
new

PersonaLink Services net¬

work,

a

commercial service that

enables subscribers to

perform

many routine communications
activities with the help of elec¬
tronic "intelligent assistants."
These assistants, or agents, are

mobile programs

screen touch keyboard for text
entry or can write a note by hand

in "electronic ink." The docu¬

then be faxed or
mailed within seconds to one
ment

can

or

locations anywhere in the
world. Though these devices

forgo the troubled handwriting
recognition programs of the early
PDAs,

a new optional software
application called Graffiti is

available that will translate hand¬
written documents into text.

The Sony Magic Link in¬
cludes an integrated 9600 bps fax
and 2400 bps data modem. It can

also accept an
card that

their owners' instructions. Soft¬

wireless messages

for America Online, the
computer service, is also built

Personalized Attention

e-

more

that go to
places in the network to carry out
ware

Small Classes &

optional

pager

receive and

log
via the
SkyTel network. The Motorola
Envoy includes a two-way wirecan

Largest Non-linear Editing
Facility in the Country

For more information call
Prof. Robert Bassett, Chair
(714) 997-6765

333 N. Glassell St.
March 1995

Orange, California

63
American Cinematographer - March 1995

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - March 1995
