Here's the idea: Set up a simple way to connect to information on the Internet without using a browser. You'll be able to use it on your computer, where it will be faster and take up less space than, say, Internet Explorer, and you'll also be able to use it on your Web-enabled personal digital assistant or cellphone. DoDots Inc., of Sunnyvale, Calif., has done just that, and received hosannas from the likes of Fortune magazine (“a building-block of the wireless e-world”) and the consulting firm Technologic Partners (“one of the ten most likely to succeed Internet companies in 2001”).

Among the stated benefits of DoDots is the ability to access Internet content with a minimum of computing resources. Dots have only one-tenth the data of a Web page, so they can be accessed more quickly. DoDots Inc. also says its product makes it easier for you to run a major application on your PC while performing separate tasks with DoDots.

There's even an application already available that event managers might want, called “greatrestaurants.” You type in the city, state, type of cuisine, and price point, and instantly receive a list of appropriate restaurants. Sounds great!

There's just one problem: The technological solution is elegant, but there's no content worth your time. We repeatedly tried to locate restaurants listed as “Most Popular” in the Zagat Guide, and “greatrestaurants” came up dry time after time. Adding insult to injury, “greatrestaurants” often ended up launching our browser, which is counter to the whole browserless idea.

This is not to say there is no future in DoDots. Visit www.dodots.com to learn how Dots can be used to market your next event. If you can get your attendees to download the DoDot software, you might also get them to click on a Dot that will lead to information about your event. It might work — after all, you'll be in charge of your own content.