Gadget overload – is it possible?
Yesterday was a typical weekend day at Mobile Tech Manor and I needed to get some serious writing done but the distractions were making that difficult. There were carpets being steam-cleaned, furniture being rearranged and people in and out of the house. I decided to head to the local coffee shop to get some work done and started getting my gear bag ready to go. One of the results of having so many gadgets to evaluate means I usually stop to decide which gadget(s) to bring with me for a given trip like this. I’m not complaining, I realize I am fortunate to have a lot of gear to play around with, but I need to get my work done just like you so this decision would be important for this given work session.
Since my session was going to be mostly writing, I gave serious thought to just bringing the OQO Model 02 with me. It’s a full Vista machine so it would work just fine. Serious writing did mean that the thumb keyboard wouldn’t suffice so I’d have to bring my portable keyboard with me too. The stand the keyboard has won’t support the weight of the OQO so I’d have to find a way to prop it up at the right angle for viewing. I also didn’t know how long my writing session was going to be so I had to consider whether the poor battery life of the OQO (<2 hours) would be enough. I decided these factors would be a distraction from getting the work done so I decided not to bring the OQO as my only machine. I thought about bringing the HTC Advantage with me since my session was a writing session and the Advantage works well for that. If I brought my portable keyboard with the Advantage I could take my smallest gear bag and get my work done no sweat. Upon further thought though I considered what if I ended up needing to run one of my Windows programs that the Advantage doesn’t have? That would be a bummer so I ruled out the HTC for this trip.
Once I decided to bring a full-sized Tablet PC with me I had to decide between the Fujitsu P1610, the Lenovo x61 and the HP 2710p. The P1610 was my first choice being smaller and lighter than the other two but since my work was going to be writing I felt the smaller keyboard of the P1610 might not be the best choice. I can touch type fine on the Fuji but for extended touch typing sessions the small keyboard can get a little uncomfortable so I decided a bigger device would better serve me this time. I thought about bringing the Lenovo with me because it’s such a sweet, fast device but it’s also the biggest of all these devices and I’d have to bring a bigger gear bag than I wanted. That would entail having to transfer anything in my smaller gear bag to the larger one and that’s a hassle for a simple trip to the coffee shop. The HP 2710p is a fast and smaller Tablet so I decided to take that one for this trip.
Having decided that, I had to think about what I was going to be writing about in this session, and since one of the articles I am working on is a review of the OQO, I needed to bring that with me too. This is no problem because it is so small it fits in my smaller Booq bag with the 2710p so all was set. I threw the two devices into the bag and off I went. At the coffee shop I was set up in a couple of minutes and began writing in earnest. The keyboard of the 2710p is a very good one and it’s a comfort to type using it. The Lenovo keyboard is better but I am still glad I went with a smaller device.
While I was working I realized that my little thought process to determine which device to bring with me for this mobile work session is the same process that consumers must make when trying to decide which mobile device to drop their hard-earned money on. It’s a matter of determining how the user works and analyzing which device will get the job done best. It’s not a simple process, either, with the wide range of mobile devices now available. There are Tablet PCs, handheld PCs and UMPCs to consider, and it’s especially tougher with UMPCs now available at widely different sizes, with and without keyboards, and with different screen sizes. All of these factors must be weighed carefully against the way you work to make the right choice for purchase. I hear from people all the time who buy a mobile device and then shortly after return it or eBay it because it just didn’t work as anticipated for real work.
This is why Kevin and I rarely write typical device reviews like can be found on most mobile enthusiast web sites. We prefer to cover devices from a "real world" perspective so better decisions can be made by our readers. We actually use the devices we cover because how we use them and their suitability for those tasks can go a long way toward making an informed buying decision. That’s why we will continue to do what we do.
BTW, the 2710p and the OQO worked well for this session, I was able to get a ton of work done with no compromises. I was able to be productive without even thinking about the devices being used, and that’s the acid test for suitability. You should be able to just get your work done without thinking about what you’re using to do it.
Note to self: Never have as many gadgets as JK. My brain would short-circuit from the matrix of choices!!
“…since one of the articles I am working on is a review of the OQO…”
Sweet!
Oh! The humanity!
I only wish I had your little problem, James. I only wish!
Woadan
That was an interesting article. I pretty much wanted to say how I was jealous but I think I want a simpler setup. One gaming desktop replacement laptop and one powerful umpc.
Personal computing really is personal.
Isn’t that the premise for your entire blog? You’re still carrying “30 lbs” of gear. Now, it’s just not one device!
That’s just too much decision making when going to the coffee shop. I think you should unload some of your gear to me so you won’t have to make such hard decisions.
It’s funny you ended up bringing the nice, new, shiny one.
Funny you mention some faults with the OQO2. Bad battery life and no stand. A Samsung Q1U would have been a nice choice for you at that point in time since you’re a bluetooth keyboard’er.
I’m a bit sad you’re not choosing the P1610 as much anymore. Seems to be a nice tweener for portability and productivity.
Yes, I definitely think there’s such a thing as gadget overload. It’s precisely why I refuse to own a cell phone or other PDA-like device.
I have 4 computers as it is– a Tablet PC for work and one for personal use, a personal desktop, and my web/file/network server.
I rarely work directly on the server, since it hosts my web site. This means I’m either carrying around my Portege M400 at work, my Satellite R10 at home, or I’m sitting at my desk at home (which is more and more often since it’s quiet here).
Considering I’m at work 8 hours and home in front of a TV and computer for another 5-7 hours in the evening, the few times where I get away I don’t like to be riddled with technology.
As it stands, nobody (my family included, because they’re on messenger too) attempts to call me unless they want computer work done, so I don’t see the point in having a cell phone so that they can bug me more often. I may reconsider when I am married and have kids.
That said, if I had any more devices, I’d go nuts, so I have no idea how you can cope with as many as you do. Of course, I’m glad you keep the info coming, because I value your input on what new toys to buy in the future.
–Aaron
Hi James – that article was definitely written by a geek in showing off mode!! I thought I had too much gear – but none of us come close to the master of mobile!! Hope you’re well – Jon
I assure you I was not showing off – this is exactly the decision process we all have to make when trying to decide which device to buy.
Rodfather, I use the P1610 almost every day. It’s still the most mobile device one can buy. The under sized keyboard does work against it for a lot of touch typing though. The 2710p is a great compromise of performance versus size and that’s why I bought one.
I was just pulling your leg when I said you were showing off James. I just went away on a 3 week trip to Europe and had to figure what gear to take with me. Tough decisions time!
My wife was horrified when she saw how much gear I wanted to take – especially when she saw that I was taking a plug board with me. However, I did end up using all the equipment that I took with me.
It might make for a good blog from you as to what gear you and JK readers take on holiday.
One tip I have for readers when going away is to take a plug board that can protect your gear from fluctuating electricity. To save time I also leave the plugs in the power board when I pack as that saves time when unloading my gear at a hotel etc. Tying up each lead helps to ensure that they don’t all get untangled too.
All the best!
Jon
So James… is the HP 2710 then your mobile device of choice for “most situations”? I need to upgrade some of my aging equipment, and am quite confused. I was quite decided on the Fujitsu 1610 despite its ergonomic (size related) limitations, but I see you decided against it. I’m trying to decide on the ideal device for most situations from airplane travel to meetings.
See – that’s why I’m perfectly happy with ONE, count them, ONE tablet. I have enough decisions to make! Did anyone else notice that he escaped while the whole steam cleaning, furniture rearranging thing was happening? That, my friends, is how you keep you marriage happy and healthy! You get when the getting is good! No fighting or complaining!
Someone mentioned the amount of gear they took for a 3 week trip to Europe. JK and I are headed off for a 4 day weekend. This is supposed to be a vacation. How much gear do you guys think he’ll pack? My guess – too much!
It hit me last night. James, why are you worried about battery life at all?! You have that external battery you showed off a while back!
Hahahaha. Just saw the post from The Wife. Hilarious!!
I think he should buy you an iPhone to make up!