The IMfree

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

This is one of the most poorly thought out gagdets we've seen lately. The IMfree is a wireless device from Motorola reminiscent of a BlackBerry or a Sidekick that can be used only for chatting via AOL Instant Messenger, and only within the 150 foot range of a wireless base station that needs to be connected to a PC. So unlike a BlackBerry or a Sidekick, you can't carry it around with you. The idea is that teenagers can use it to AIM when their parents are using the computer, but it seems like a lot of trouble and expense just be able to chat online. Do you really want to shell out a $100 bucks for a gadget that can only do one very specific thing and even then only when confined to one very specific area? Maybe if it were $50, or if it could do something else beside just Instant Messenger.
Read