Once again, it looks like my trusty Gigabyte Touchnote, my Canon S2IS and my N82 will form the hub of my mobile computing gear at Computex this year. Despite great advances in technology, I’m the mobile-tech-blogger with the old kit and the reason is process.
See previous editions of my mobile reporting kit here.
I’ve been using these devices successfully as one process unit for so long that if I replace any of them I’ll break a delicate chain. If I change the camera I can’t hook it up to the the netbook and use the remote capture facility that allows me to drag images on-screen into Livewriter in live-blogging situations. I also won’t be able to record in the simple but high-quality MJPEG format that works with Movie Maker out of the box and allows me to edit without issues on my netbook. If I upgrade the netbook I’ll be using Windows 7 which doesn’t have Movie Maker and will probably be slower than my XP build. FInding a netbook with touch, a fast SSD and good 3G isn’t easy or cheap either. If I change the phone, I’ll be left with something that doesn’t have a Xenon flash, good low-light capability and free navigation without the need for an internet connection. As for the MiFi, well, it’s the MiFi and it’s worth taking everywhere!
Of course, there’s a lot of other bits and pieces that go in the kit bag. Tripod, cables, chargers, USB Mic, toolkit, spare battery etc etc etc. Necessary evils!
I am also thinking about two other bits of kit. The UMID BZ, a device I’ve been getting great use out of in the last 4 months. That could serve as a backup PC, pocket PC and bedside PC. I can get away without it though. The other device, and one I’m more likely to take is the Xperia X10. That will serve as a MID, backup camera, phone and comms device and I might use it for quick videos that are in the correct format to be able to instantly send to YouTube. It might become my primary phone too because I really only need the N82 for quick images and navigation.
For 3G, I’ll be using the same service as last year. I picked up a local Taiwan Mobile 3G SIM at the airport. It was cheap and worked well. I doubt it’s still active so i’ll probably have to sign up again.
It’s a relatively old set of kit now and at some point in the next year I’ll be looking to upgrade. Battery life on my netbook needs to be improved (I only get about 8 hours total from the two batteries I have) and low-light capability on my main camera needs improving too. As for the mobile phone, I have a feeling that I’ll forever be carrying two devices. One MID-focused, the other a backup device.
If you’re going to Computex, i’d love to hear and write about your kit list. Let me know below (or in a blog post) and I’ll round up the information in a post here on UMPCPortal.
New article: Mobile Reporting Kit V8 – Oldies but Goodies for Computex http://bit.ly/a3O13y
Mobile Reporting Kit V8 – Oldies but Goodies for Computex: Once again, it looks like my trusty Gigabyte Touchnote,… http://bit.ly/bZDBtp
RT @umpcportal: Mobile Reporting Kit V8. Oldies but Goodies for Computex http://bit.ly/a3O13y < Are you going? Blog your kitlist.
RT @umpcportal: New article: Mobile Reporting Kit V8 – Oldies but Goodies for Computex http://bit.ly/a3O13y
So Chippy, you’re finding the UMID BZ less and less usable as novelty wears off? why is that? I’d be interested in your opinion as I am looking to buy the Viliv N5 to keep up with my work load while away from the office.
No, I didn’t say that it’s wearing off. In fact, recently I’ve been using it more and more around the office/home and still use it a lot with the MiFi. I find it way more useful than the S5 (which I also have here) but the N5, if it’s faster, might interest me.
See my long-term update on the UMID here.
http://www.umpcportal.com/2010/03/long-term-update-and-review-round-up-umid-bz-umpc/
It’s probably to late for them to respond, but fire off an email to Nokia and vo;enteer to real world tedt their N8. I
Chippy, thank you very much for continuing this series of posts. I wish EVERY tech blogger would provide a periodic update on “here’s what I use and whyâ€. For all of the coverage that devices receive, from news to reviews, nothing is more valuable than seeing a device in context as part of a workflow, solving specific problems and complemented by other specific devices. In addition to shedding the best light on the devices profiled, it also provides readers with better insight into who you are where you’re coming from as a reporter and reviewer.
I believe most of us are here to flirt and experiment with every single product announced by proxy through you. For most of us, it’s probably more important and more practical to have a stable setup that works than it is to try to shoehorn every new release into our collection. We visit blogs like this on a daily basis to gain the blogger’s information and experience about everything that’s new, but we make actual purchases and changes far, far, far less frequently. Most of us are here to learn in the hopes of making the most efficient and effective purchases possible. Thus, posts that detail workflow and context are more relevant to us than almost anything else, and yet that’s what you find the least of out there. Posts like this are really “the missing piece†in getting to know devices and the people who cover them as deeply and usefully as possible. Keep it up, and spread the word.
+1
exactly the reason why I like to read it
I hope you update that n82 with the nokia N8.
Thanks for the update, please continue this series. Great to see these products being used in real situations, beyond the confines of a typical product review.
I’m considering Gigabyte’s replacement for the T1028 series, the T1000P, but the trail seems to have gone cold recently. Both the Asus T101MT & Lenovo S10-3T do not come with 3G built-in…
The one thing I have to say, I’m not impressed your on my network! LOL Taiwan DaGeDa is my network! lol But I do have to say that its a good deal for Pre-Paid data for travelers, 350NT or $11.50 for 5 days of unlimited data.
I’m also going thinking of rocking my T1028 at this years computex, its between that one and my ASUS 1005. Can’t decide, we’ll see.