Other Gadgets (general gadgets)

[Atticus Grinch]

PocketPC with four-way wireless (IrDA, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and quad-band GSM/GPRS).



{Drool.} Drop the camera, though. Useless.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
PocketPC with four-way wireless (IrDA, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and quad-band GSM/GPRS).



{Drool.} Drop the camera, though. Useless.

I prefer my phones smaller and unobtrusive. If it makes a noticeable bulge in my front pocket, it's too big. And my idea of hell is a PDA/phone combo. As I notted recently, the death of my fourth PDA in 6 years has me back on the Franklin Covey paper planner. Imagine my joy if every time for the last several years my expensive PDA died, my expensive phone went with it. Sorry, but that is one toy I will definitely live without.

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by taxwonk
I prefer my phones smaller and unobtrusive. If it makes a noticeable bulge in my front pocket, it's too big. And my idea of hell is a PDA/phone combo. As I notted recently, the death of my fourth PDA in 6 years has me back on the Franklin Covey paper planner. Imagine my joy if every time for the last several years my expensive PDA died, my expensive phone went with it. Sorry, but that is one toy I will definitely live without.

If it makes a noticeable bulge in your front pocket, it's news. Ha, ha!

Fair point about the size of the phone, but in order to get e-mail when out of range of a wi-fi hotspot, you're basically on a cellular system, so why not make it a phone too if you're going to be using that chip anyway? This thing isn't really a replacement for a phone qua phone because it is, as you note, impractical to carry except in a briefcase or bag. Rather, it's a replacement for a Blackberry* and a (partial) replacement for a Windows laptop with wi-fi Internet browsing access.

*If you're currently wearing a Blackberry on a belt clip, you're beyond hope already. (Note: Not you, Wonk. General comment.)

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
If it makes a noticeable bulge in your front pocket, it's news. Ha, ha!

Fair point about the size of the phone, but in order to get e-mail when out of range of a wi-fi hotspot, you're basically on a cellular system, so why not make it a phone too if you're going to be using that chip anyway? This thing isn't really a replacement for a phone qua phone because it is, as you note, impractical to carry except in a briefcase or bag. Rather, it's a replacement for a Blackberry* and a (partial) replacement for a Windows laptop with wi-fi Internet browsing access.

*If you're currently wearing a Blackberry on a belt clip, you're beyond hope already. (Note: Not you, Wonk. General comment.)

See, I miss the good old days when people spent large portions of their lives out of reach. I don't want to be reachable by email all the time. In fact, I only recently (within the last two years) broke down and gave a significant number of co-workers my cell phone number.

As a general rule, if I'm out of the office, I don't want to talk to people at the office.

[pony_trekker]

Originally posted by taxwonk
See, I miss the good old days when people spent large portions of their lives out of reach. I don't want to be reachable by email all the time. In fact, I only recently (within the last two years) broke down and gave a significant number of co-workers my cell phone number.

As a general rule, if I'm out of the office, I don't want to talk to people at the office.

I agree with you in principle. However, if I am accessible when I am out of the office, then I do not really need to be in the office.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by pony_trekker
I agree with you in principle. However, if I am accessible when I am out of the office, then I do not really need to be in the office.

You have sort of a good point. There are days when I don't feel like going in to the office. On those days, I usually plug in my laptop in the basement, or go out on the patio, turn on my cell phone, sign on to my email, and work from home in shorts and a comfy shirt between good cooking shows, movies, etc.

But with things like this HP, or a crackberry, I picture you standing on the side of the baseball diamond, missing one of your kids sliding into home plate, or in the lobby of the megaplex, missing that tasty sex scene with Diane Lane, tap, tap, tapping a response to an "urgent" email that could easily have waited until tomorrow morning.

[pony_trekker]

Originally posted by taxwonk
You have sort of a good point. There are days when I don't feel like going in to the office. On those days, I usually plug in my laptop in the basement, or go out on the patio, turn on my cell phone, sign on to my email, and work from home in shorts and a comfy shirt between good cooking shows, movies, etc.

But with things like this HP, or a crackberry, I picture you standing on the side of the baseball diamond, missing one of your kids sliding into home plate, or in the lobby of the megaplex, missing that tasty sex scene with Diane Lane, tap, tap, tapping a response to an "urgent" email that could easily have waited until tomorrow morning.

Do as I say not as I do. I don't have a blackberry and once all the kids are at the LL game, I turn the cell phone off.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
If it makes a noticeable bulge in your front pocket, it's news. Ha, ha!

Since I don't need a second bulge, I'd go for the Siemens SK65:



Cellphone with Blackberry built in.

Siemens press release

[baltassoc]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Since I don't need a second bulge, I'd go for the Siemens SK65:

Cellphone with Blackberry built in.

Siemens press release

I don't go much for the cell phone fetish, but damn that thing is sexy.

Except for my blackberry objections that pretty much line up with wonk's, I'd consider one of those.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by baltassoc
I don't go much for the cell phone fetish, but damn that thing is sexy.

Except for my blackberry objections that pretty much line up with wonk's, I'd consider one of those.

I fully agree on the blackberry and, for that matter, the cell phone with a number given to my employer.

But if forced to carry one, I'd go for the sleakest thing possible, and that one's pretty smooth looking, especially on my employer's tab for what undoubtedly will cost over $400.

[Atticus Grinch]

Busy day at the FCC.

• Exempted fiber-optic networks in and to MDUs (apartment buildings) from "must share" rules applicable to copper.
• Announced underpinnings of anti-spam measure to keep spam off mobile phones.
• Said Push-to-Talk and VoIP may not be telecom services, but they're definitely tappable under the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act.
• Green-lighted TiVo's technology allowing users to share recorded copyrighted content with up to nine friends. Endless litigation to follow.
• Ordered television stations broadcasting DTV signals to boost their power under "use it or lose it" rule. Which means if your local HDTV channels are being broadcast with all the power of a 60 watt bulb, your local broadcast affiliates are about to crank up the juice. Don your tinfoil hats.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Busy day at the FCC.
[list][*]Green-lighted TiVo's technology allowing users to share recorded copyrighted content with up to nine friends. Endless litigation to follow.

No doubt, but the litigation could blow up in their faces, as well as that of many others. The copy protection schemes seem, at least to this non-copyright lawyer, to be a grab to create greater rights than the copy right laws permit. That is, the digital protections go well beyond what's allowed under the copyright act and, e.g., Sony (is that the VCR case?). what the MpAA and others would do is create a private system of copyright determined and controlled by the copy-protections schemes they create and approved. A court ruling might well tell them: you, nor the FCC, can extend by regulation the scope of your copyrights.

[AnotherSarcasticSock]

Anyone used one of these?

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...TT=MP3+Players

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by AnotherSarcasticSock
Anyone used one of these?

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...TT=MP3+Players

I haven't used those, but if you're looking for minispeakers that aren't incredibly portable, I've been happy with my JBL Creatures. Buy.com had them for $75 recently.

[bill killer]

Thanks to everyone for your help. AdL, your knowledge is amazing.

Anyway, I just bought the Treo; it is currently charging, but once I get it up and running I will be happy to report back if anyone's interested. I seriously thought about the Motorola v600 (which my IT guy also recommended strongly), but ultimately decided that I was going to need to replace my Pilot anyway, and that was reason enough to go for the combo option. (Plus, it's cool.)

Thanks again!