We all have stories about passing up items that could have netted us hundreds of dollars in profit. Most of us who get our inventory from estate sales, yard sales and auctions have occasions when we get a feeling about an item. If only we had a little more information before handing over our money for the item! Well, how about checking prices online, on location?

The Wireless Web is beginning to creep into the online auction world, slowly, but surely. Although it's not yet commonplace, some rumblings can be heard in auction forums about wireless modems, laptops and PDAs that may become as much a part of the Saturday morning yard sale artillery as road maps, classified sections and coffee.

So, what are your options for plugging into the Wireless Web, what are the costs associated with it, what's available for you on the Wireless Web, and most importantly, is it worthwhile? The answers, in order: lots; depends; not much, and we'll see.

PDAs
If you're familiar with Palm Pilots, Handspring Visors, or any of the other Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) that Wall-Street-types have their noses buried in, you may wonder why anyone would be so intent on ruining their eyesight staring at a little 3" x 2-1/2" screen. The answer: mobility. Not only can you keep track of inventory, addresses and appointments using a PDA, you can also attach a wireless modem to some models and have access to your email and the Internet on the go.

The "Wireless Web" is essentially a stripped down version of the Internet. Images are almost non-existent; text rules the day. Some PDAs require you to learn a new language called Graffiti unless you invest in a folding keyboard. Connections are slow as well.

However, an Internet-enabled PDA can be a real boon at an auction where a well-written auction catalog can give you enough search terms to pull up specific closed auctions on eBay. Checking the selling history of an item can give you a good idea of what your spending limit should be. The biggest disadvantage to using a wireless PDA to check prices on eBay (besides the cost) is that there are no images associated with auctions. You can call up a list of current or completed auctions using your PDA, but you'll be trying to identify a "mystery item" by going on auction descriptions alone.

One way to get around that problem is to get a HandSpring Visor PDA, a modem module ($300) and camera module ($99-$199). You could then take a picture of the item in question (granted it might come across a little strange at a yard sale or auction); attach it to an email using a $15 software package such as Eyemodule (available for purchase at http://www.handango.com); and send the picture to someone who can either identify it for you or look it up online. Pain in the neck? You bet! Worth the hassle? Probably not.

Web Accessible Cellular Phones
Think of WAP mobile phones as smaller versions of a Palm Pilot. Instead of using a stylus to write graffiti for navigation, you three-tap the phone pad to type in URL names. It takes a LOT of tapping. Mobile-phone users should probably expect to have TMI (Text Messaging Injury) in their thumbs within 5 years. Phone users access the same wireless Web pages as PDAs. The big advantage to using a Web-accessible phone is that they are inconspicuous and travel well. The biggest disadvantages are the screen size, which only allows you to see a few lines of text at a time, and the poor input system.

Wireless Laptops
If you already own a laptop computer and a cell phone, you may be two-thirds of the way there already. If your service is digital and you own a cellular phone that accepts a wireless modem, you may get away with spending as little as $70 for a modem to hook your laptop up to your cell phone. This option has some benefits as well as a few drawbacks.

The big benefit to a wireless laptop is that you are able to access Web Sites in their entirety. You aren't limited by the "stripped down" version of the Web that you encounter on wireless devices. Not only can you see closed auctions on a wireless laptop, you can see the images of auction items as well. This is great when you're not quite sure what it is that you're trying to identify. The drawback is that you're carrying around a fairly large piece of equipment that might draw attention if you're running back to your vehicle to check prices every 5 minutes.

Costs of Wireless Web Access
Costs vary depending on many factors. A PDA can cost you $200-300 on up, depending on manufacturer. Wireless modems are close to $300 as well, but there may be discounts if you sign up with a wireless service at the same time you purchase your modem. A wireless service such as Omnisky will run about $40/month.

A Web-enabled phone can be as little as $49 (or even less) when you sign a 1 or 2 year contract with a service provider such as Verizon or Cingular. Most service providers have outlet stores where you can try out Web-enabled phones to see if they're right for you and get more pricing information. You might also ask if the phone you're interested in accepts a wireless modem that you can attach to a laptop. Verizon sells a wireless modem for $70, so if you find that accessing the Web on a cell phone is not for you, you still have the option of hooking up your laptop to the Web using your cell phone.

Wireless Auction Sites
Now that you're outfitted like Terminator II and you can take your artillery out in the field, is there anything worthwhile to see? Yahoo Auctions has a wireless-enabled site http://mobile.yahoo.com/auctions that looks just like their regular auction site when viewed on a desktop browser. eBay has a stripped down version of their Site at http://mmm.ebay.com. The eBay site will give you a better idea of what your wireless display will look like when you access it wirelessly. Both sites allow you to view the status of your auctions, search closed auctions by title, and bid. Yahoo even offers access to PayDirect so that you can bid on an auction and pay for it before you hit your driveway.

Other sites are also planning wireless sites. Bidville and BidBay plan to launch theirs later this year, and ePier is targeting the second quarter of next year to have a wireless-accessible site in operation.

Conclusions
Now that I've thoroughly confused you by telling you what's available and how much it will cost to make you a Wireless Road Warrior, is it worthwhile? If you're a computer geek, like I am, it's as much an issue of staying current with technology as it is a matter of practicality. It may also be a tax deduction if you use it for your business.

Don't assume that you'll be cruising around the Internet at light-speed, either. If you're used to a cable or DSL connection, waiting for a page to load on a wireless device can be excruciating. There are definitely times, however, when accessing eBay from the road has made a decision about a buying opportunity much easier.

There is one other, more mobile, much lighter and FREE piece of equipment that I haven't mentioned yet. Your brain. The more knowledgeable you become about this business, the more instinct you develop about the market value of items, and the less need you'll have to carry peripheral equipment around.