Cellphone Data Cards and the iPod Touch

Q. I have a USB cell phone data card that I use with my laptop. This card offers me world-wide connectivity wherever there is GSM cellphone service available. Is there an adapter that will allow me to use this card with the iPod Touch?

A. I know of no such adapter, nor of the software that would be needed to make one work. However, although the iPod Touch has no cellphone capability, it does include Wi-Fi, which can give you high-speed Internet access world-wide whenever you are in range of a Wi-Fi wireless network.

Q. What U.S. cellphone service provider should I consider when purchasing a new contract and phone that can be easily used in most western European countries and also get good coverage in the U.S.?

A. In the United States, the only two major carriers that use the technology compatible with European networks are AT&T and T-Mobile. As to which has better coverage in the U.S., my own anecdotal experience is that this varies greatly depending on where you are, and that neither has coverage that's as good as Verizon's in as many major cities. However, Verizon (like Sprint) uses a technology that isn't compatible with European networks, though it has one or two phone models that include both technologies.

Q. I have just switched to the Mac from Windows. Is there a tutorial somewhere on how to use the Mac user interface and operating system?

A. There are a couple of books on switching to the Mac, which you can find at online bookstores. Also, Apple maintains two free, illustrated online tutorials called 'Mac 101' and 'Switch 101,' the latter being specifically for former Windows users. They are available at and

問：我有一個可連接我筆記本電腦USB接口的移動電話數據卡。有了這張卡，在世界上任何一個能提供GSM移動電話服務的地方我都能上網。能找到一種適配器好讓我通過這張卡用我的iPod Touch上網嗎？

答：據我所知沒有這樣一種適配器，也不存在可支持你用iPod Touch通過GSM手機卡上網的軟件。不過，雖然iPod Touch沒有手機功能，但它卻有無線保真(Wi-Fi)功能，只要能接入Wi-Fi無線通訊網，你在世界任何地方都可通過iPod Touch高速上網。

問：如果我想確保我的手機能在大部分西歐國家和美國順暢使用，我該選擇美國哪家移動運營商的服務和手機？

答：美國主要的電信運營商中只有美國電話電報公司(AT&T)和T-Mobile使用能與歐洲無線通訊網兼容的技術。至于這兩家公司哪一家在美國的網絡質量更好，從我個人的經驗看這很大程度上取決于你住在哪里，而兩家公司在美國許多大城市的網絡質量都趕不上Verizon公司。但就像斯普林特公司(Sprint)一樣，Verizon使用的技術也不與歐洲的無線通訊網絡兼容，不過它也有一兩款雙模手機，可以接入歐洲的無線通訊網。

問：我剛棄Windows電腦而改用Mac電腦。市面上有教人如何使用Mac電腦的用戶界面和操作系統(tǒng)的用戶指南嗎？

答：你可以在網上書店找到幾本教人如何轉用Mac電腦的書。蘋果公司(Apple)也在網上免費提供兩本這類書籍，分別叫做Mac 101和Switch 101，后者專門針對以前使用Windows電腦的用戶。登錄和就能看到這兩本書。