I need access to my account and the ability to make a few trades while on the road and out flyfishing. Has anyone used IB's mobile trader with a Smart Phone or PDA? How is it? I was considering getting a Blackberry and activating a data feed through AT&T......either a smart phone or I would get an aircard and just have full internet for my laptop for like $60 a month. Nice thing about the smart phone is it is small and I can have the small smart phone/blackberry with me while out on the middle of a lake....the laptop wouldn't do that very well.
I'll be glad to see some responses from experienced traders. When I get a little more serious, well a little more successful that is, I will try something like this. I think a person could make better decisions, when their mind was clear and functioning. I have daydreamed about taking extended river trips and backpacking trips, and being able to trade while I do it.
I have the at&t <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875998228&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-AT+T+Authorized+Cellphones-_-HTC-_-75998228" target="_blank">tilt smart phone</a> which is a full fledged mobile powerhouse on their 3G broadband network. Everything works perfectly, including mobile trading platforms from other brokers such as optionsxpress. IB mobile trader does not work. mobile trader is shit, god knows i tried so many times to get it to work in the past 5 months. It wont log in, and sometime it does and ask you for the secure id code, i type it and it says invalid code, even though i was able to log in using the exact same code a sec later on my desktop. tech support is waste of time, many people have the same issue, something to do with their mobile trader port number or something. If you need on the road trading, use optionsxpress mobile platform at oxwow.com I never had a problem with it, everything works perfectly. Hell you can even log into optionsxpress normal website if using the tilt, it displays everytyhing correctly as well just need to scroll/zoom to see the whole page.
Yeah there mobile trader is really bad. I mean if by any chance you actually log into your account, the features are a joke. To log in your secure code doest work on the pda, and sometimes there site has problems with the browser on the bbry. I have complained about the technical difficulties to the past and just blamed the phone, while it was updated to be current. Also it timesout imagine every couple min having to re-enter your secure code, I mean come on whos going to hack into your phone. If you want a good streaming program, thinkorsiwm has an excellent program for bbrys and pocketpc phones. Its real time, and i use that when im on the road. I wish IB would create a java app.
Thanks for the responses. I was talking to IB tech support to try and find out which devices actually work with the mobile trader. They can't recommend phones and I had to squeeze out an answer from them on what works. The guy said Blackberry's have lots of problems, that they get tons of calls from customers with BB's. iphones work better and full workhorse PDA's likely are the best. I think I will pass on the Smart Phone and mobile trader and just get an aircard.
If mobile trader is not robust enough, you can also call our options desk (203-618-4030) for quotes and executions via voice brokerage. The only caveat is that the order size needs to be 100 contracts or larger to use this service. Single leg and options spreads are supported for all equity, ETF, index (SPX, & OEX too), and futures options.
You can use the IB feature poll on their website to vote for improvements to the mobile trader. http://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/general/poll/poll.php
Mobile trader isn't worth the aggravation unless it's a closing transaction. Get a Sony UX palmtop or similar and run USB or on-board 3G cellular using TWS.
I use the BlackBerry 8830 World Edition via Verizon. The use I envisioned for it was a possible trade if power went out locally and I couldn't access TWS via either of my existing internet connections. I have accessed Mobile Trader. Using the secure code is a little tricky....but I'm done it a number of times. You can make a trade but I'd also say the features are on the crude side at this point. This wouldn't be something I would want to attempt to actively trade on. But you could make an emergency trade if you needed to. OldTrader
Your only option at the moment is the OQO. I use this PC with Vista and TWS along with the Sprint EVDO rev A. Works like a charm. Weighs only 1 pound and fits in my pocket.