Smartbooks may be what I want

February 17, 2010 at 10:06 am (reflections, technology)
Tags: ,

I’ve been thinking for quite a while that the smartphone isn’t really doing it for me. I’ve been struggling to figure out what would meet me needs/wants/dreams. I think the new format of smartbooks may be it.

Maybe.

What about them appeals?

  • always on capability, much like the smartphone capability of being on without having to boot up
  • I’m assuming that they will be able to do productivity software and that I will be able to sync it to MS Outlook on my regular computer at home. This is a key capability for me, and probably for any kind of business use (although I want it for personal life), and it puzzles me that all the hype has not even mentioned it yet. I’m a trifle concerned, since with the smartphones at this point, ONLY WinMob has the FULL sync capability for all parts of Outlook (except for Journal, which is puzzling, but fortunately I don’t use that part).
    • If only someone would enable that full sync capability with my home computer, not via the Internet but direct sync via USB, I’d consider the Android OS or any of the others, but right now I’m stuck because of my commitment to Outlook. Are there any decent replacements with all its capabilities?
  • decent battery life that lasts at least the full day
  • easy ebook capability? I’ve been really iffy about a dedicated ebook reader, but I do like the possibility of having lots of books at my fingertips.
  • eventually cheaper/comparable price to smartphones

What about them doesn’t appeal?

  • Well, the fact that the manufacturers who keep talking about them don’t seem to be open to the idea of one that isn’t locked into a 3G data plan that I may not want. I DON’T necessarily want to be always on. I am more likely to want to be connected in wi-fi spots, connected at home, and otherwise working from the system itself from recorded stuff. I might find that eventually I want to be always on, but at this point, as a lifestyle choice, I’d say NO. So I want the option.
  • the fact that it can’t be my phone as well, but I can work with that with no real problem. There are plenty of cheap, small phones.

Questions?

  • Durability!!!
  • Operating system
  • How much memory? I do NOT want to depend on the cloud (nor do I fully trust it — security, you know).
  • Sync capability
  • Security, security, security
  • Touchscreen/keyboard/tablet form factor? Can all three be combined into one?
  • it better have the card reader storage capability

So, potential seen, but still in process here.

2 Comments

Irritating

August 23, 2008 at 4:50 pm (reflections)
Tags: ,

Sometimes you do something and realize afterward how unnecessary it was. And all because you don’t even follow your own instincts.

Yesterday after I got home after running some errands, I suddenly found my home computer wouldn’t turn on. It had worked with no problem that morning, but for absolutely no reason that I could see, it would NOT turn on.

This was frustrating and annoying. Also maddening. I am planning on replacing this computer soon, but not quite yet! I can’t really spare the money right now, it being home improvement year and all. Besides I think I’d like to use it as a combination backup and alternative test zone. I’ve always wanted to try the Linux OS, but being the chronic doublechecker, etc., that I am, I didn’t like the idea of playing with my one computer. But if I replace this as my main computer, then I could use it to play with the riskier items that I don’t want to try on my other pc.

I’ve also found that I am beginning to be addicted to constant internet contact. Not so much that I am always on or always need to be on, but I need to be always ABLE to get on if I’m at home. There’s too many things I do online which are part of the structure of my daily life, like paying my bills and checking my emails, that being without the capability for connection is subtly worrying. (It’s different if I plan it, like going on vacation.)

So, even though I didn’t want to, I got up and went to Best Buy to buy a new power supply. But the prices were obscene. Pardon, but I can get a decent power supply for $40 or less, not $70 or more! This store is definitely not meant for the person who knows what they want! That meant that I needed to go to Microcenter, which is a little farther away. So back home I went, since it was already too late to make it before they closed.

So this morning I got and get the power supply, among my other morning errands, get home, and start to replace it. And what happens? I 1) find out what is actually wrong is the power switch, which I forgot existed, got turned off accidentally, and 2) discover that the power supply I did buy won’t work with my computer (SATA connection, not IDE). I’m not sure which realization is more irritating. If I had just followed my instincts and pulled out my computer to really examine it carefully last night, this could all have been avoided.

Oh well, at least I got the computer(s) moved to where I want them now.

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