MoBlogging is nothing new. Posting via mobile devices has been possible though a wide variety of devices for a number of years but the N95 from Nokia has brought it into the fore recently with its high quality camera, video capabilities and advanced mobile phone OS. However, the process is still tedious and the results are not exactly pro-standard. Mobile phones are simply not the right device for mobile blogging.

Darren Rowse of ProBlogger has given it a go and doubts it will be a regular thing for him. He needs a UMPC. There’s just no comparison to using a smartphone. Its lightweight, quicker than a smartphone, uses standard feature-rich tools, is truly multimedia capable, easier to use and is the only moblogging option that allows you to preview your post in a real browser. (even at -6 degrees, or in 20 degrees) The whole UMPC moblogging process has become so much a part of posting on UMPCportal.com that I rarely think about mentioning it any more…

If Darren was to ask me for advise about the best blogger’s UMPC today, I’d recommend the Kohjinsha SA1 because of its great portability, superb battery life, price and SD card slot. The keyboard isn’t the best but its a lot lot better than T9! I used it exclusively for 5 days in CeBIT as part of my ultra mobile journalists kit and there’s no way I could have done it so successfully without using a UMPC-class device. In the near future there will be other devices to choose from too. Depending on your requirements you could choose something with a built in keyboard or thumboard or even a tablet style device like the Samsung Q1 with its nice organiser pack. What i’m waiting for though is what I believe will be the ultimate ultra mobile blogger’s tool…the HTC Shift.

Oh and one more thing, Moblog.co.uk define moblogging as “taking pictures and videos with your camera phone and putting them on the Internet.” How about some text too? Put your plastic lenses away guys and make way for next-Gen mobloggers.

Have you got any opinions on Moblogging? Do UMPCs add something to moblogging or is moblogging about spur-of-the-moment posting that a UMPC just doesn’t add any value too? Are there situations where UMPCs get in the way or is it worth having the tools to dress and annotate your moblogs in order to differentiate them from run-of-the-mill mobile phone camera shots? I’ve started a thread in the forum about this as I think its already an important topic, especially for probloggers looking to differentiate themselves from the next blog.

• Nanobeat II video.
• Bloggers can be journalists. This one will use a UMPC!
• The current devices.