I plan to spend the third day of my theme park adventure at Disneyland, exploring all eight “lands” (Toontown, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, etc.) with several Atom-based devices to find as many character mascots as I can. The goal? To get each character to follow in the footsteps of Porky Pig (i.e., pose for a photo) and determine how his/her/its life could be enriched by a MID or UMPC.
Because the characters have distinct personalities and in most cases specific jobs, I’ll try to identify their mobile computing needs and recommend a device based on the three I’ll be carrying: the OQO Model 2+, BenQ S6, and Willcom/Sharp D4.
By doing this, I’m hoping to be able to put the idea of having “the right MID” into practice. Yes, the mascots are fictitious cartoon characters, but “translating” them into real-life examples isn’t really a stretch (and it’s more fun this way). What would work best for Mickey Mouse, for example, wouldn’t be the same as what Tigger should bounce around with because there is no such thing as the “perfect” device. There is only the device that’s perfect for you.
January 21st, 2009 at 6:16 pm
A Nokia N810 with 3G. Done.
January 21st, 2009 at 6:29 pm
@dan, “you stole the words out of my mouth”, ever since i experienced the n800 i have been dreaming of 3G support
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:11 am
I am sorry but what can the N800 or N810 do that your smart phone can’t? Now give me the N810 with some full OS capability and I will be all over it but we won’t have more than 30mins of battery time then
Aaron Reply:
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Besides the hardware differences, most phone OS’s that I’ve seen are limited in some way or another. On a n8x0 you have a great deal more flexability. While a lot of these may be considered niche, and not needed by the vast majority of users. Here are some of the things that I find indespensable:
VPN
VNC/Remote Desktop
FTP
Bittorrent
Usenet
Running KDE
DOC, PDF Viewing
I can also run Gizmo on it to make free in and out going calls, which would of course be redundant if you had a smart phone with unlimited minutes.
Is it for everyone? Nope, but it works great for me.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:51 am
True the battery would have to be bigger but thats not such a hard thing to do and besides if it came with the same battery as my E71 then thats ok cos i already have 3 spare.
What can the N810 do that my E71 cant…? A 4″ screen and usable keyboard come to mind.
EC Reply:
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:56 am
I guess I did say YOUR smart phone, though I meant “A” smart phone
There are smart phones with 4″ screens out there, hey even 5″ now one could argue if those are phones any more though. Yes the keyboard is OK on the N810 not great but OK.
Yes my OPINION no scientific facts to back it up with hehe.
If the N810 was a phone also would you carry ONLY that? Just curious.
dan Reply:
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:02 am
No way am i sticking a N810 to my ear. Got street cred to think of… lol.
Out of interest, which 4-5″ smartphones are you thinking of, they must of passed me by?
EC Reply:
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:09 am
Who sticks a phone to their ear anymore?
Street cred? Sorry I think you’re on the wrong website to discuss that LOL!
The HTC 7500 has a Qwerty keyboard and 5″ screen yes, if you’re worried about using an N810 as a phone well…let’s not go there
Had one for a while but not for long, and yes it more a PDA with phone than a phone but it is def designed to be used as a WinMO phone!
The other 3.5-3.8″ phones with 3G don’t have physical keyboards.
EC Reply:
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:10 am
Then of course the Nokia E90 is a Smart phone with Qwerty and 4″ screen! If the E90 could run some full OS (even linux!) I would be all over that thing! I left the Nokia communicators after I had my 9300 and 9500 models. Never had the E90
dan Reply:
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:17 am
The E90 is a great phone but having the clam open all the time drives ya mad after a while. Slide out just works better on the move for me.
EC Reply:
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:21 am
Yeah I can see how that can be true while I have deep appreciation for clamshell devices, such as Nokia Communicators and Jornada HPCs of the past, I do have sincere respect for the OQOs I’ve owned and the Sidekicks I use for the more “ready to go” setup of sliders (or flip open as on the SK).