Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Has the tablet changed your mobile life?
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12 comments:
My N800 makes a fair bit of difference.
I've been a laptop user (servers in the basement notwithstanding) ever since I worked for a company where desktops were laptops. The advantages were clear and I've never looked back at desktops.
Nonetheless, I like looking things up while watching TV; I'm constantly adding things to my various todo lists in GPE Todo List and MaemoPad+ (things to buy, photo ideas, chores to do, etc. etc.); when I'm waiting in the car for my fiancee (carpool to work every morning, stores, etc.) I catch up on email or RSS feeds; I have my friends' home wireless networks added and sometimes it comes in handy for games, conversations, etc.; at the gym I watch videos while working out on the stationery bicycle; I've even used it to jot down bin numbers at bulk stores.
Yeah, it fits into everyday life in many ways. No phone beats a Nokia Tablet screen for web browsing, period.
I use the RSS feeds and bluetooth headset - they are much easier on the tablet than on my notebook, which I used to carry around (it was a lightweight model). I would do a lot of browsing while eating dinner (I'm on the road contracting). So the n810 replaced it to the extent that when I needed to have it fixed, I didn't miss it. (the switchover to the BT headset is completely transparent on the n810, but I'd need a dongle plus some setup on the notebook, so I rarely used it until the m810).
Also it has superseded my iPod. Except that it doesn't remember the playback position, it does everything else better. I was considering the iPod touch until I figured out it can't download podcasts into the music library on the device - you need your desktop to do that. The Nokia checks my audio RSS feeds and I just download what I want. Or copy my converted audio CDs (mostly audiobooks) via any of several convenient methods (including USB flashdrive in host mode) and I can manage the whole thing on the tablet itself.
I also use the GPS with mapping stuff - I wrote my own mapper for the Zaurus and it wasn't difficult to get running on the n810, so I can navigate and listen with one device. (and I have a cradlepoint router with EVDO modem so I'm always online).
I'm still experimenting with the SIP phone capabilities - I had skype which I rarely used, and I tried some SIP but didn't bother going very far. Now I have two new real phone numbers for the tablets (I had to get an 800 as a backup in case my developer nature goes too far).
And I'm still exploring what it can do. I should have a google mapplet shortly as I have that on my old KR1 EVDO router (linux firmware I hacked).
Not quite yet, but I know all that will change once I get it tethered on a 3g cell phone and a bluetooth GPS receiver.
I'm not quite finished exploiting USB host mode yet as well...
I'm excited about the possibilities,
I bought a 770 when they were end-of-life here in the UK back in the summer for £70 (approx $140). It barely left my hand. So much so that for christmas I bought a N800 and 2 16GB SDHC cards.
At home I'm constantly using it for casual browsing in the living room in front of the TV. If I'm watching a programme about a particular subject I will often bring up the wikipedia entry, or check IMDB to see if a new film on cable is worth watching.
We have a Mythtv system, and the N800 along with a igo ultraslim keyboard is now used as a remote ssh client, and vnc client to manage and maintain the mythtv box in front of the TV, rather than disappear to fire up a laptop - did it earlier. As we were channelhopping in an ad break between programmes, whilst eating supper, I saw a trail for a programme which was about to start. Rather than wait, or leave my meal, I picked up the N800, and set the programme to record in about 30 seconds. Brilliant!
I also use mediaserv as a streamer so I can watch recorded programmes on the N800 anywhere in the house, and even in the garden.
I also listen to radio, internet or Fm (if out of wifi range), or listen to 20GB+ of Mp3's on it most of the rest of the time. During breakfast, rather than having the TV on for news, weather and travel, I check the RSS feeds while listening to BBC Radio 2 over the internet. Makes the morning routine more enjoyable.
In the car on my hour long commute, I have replaced seperate MP3 and satnav devices with MaemoMapper, Canola and a discrete bluetooth GPS.
I've also started using skype to keep in touch with the family.
Could I live without my tablet - yea, but I'd rather not!
BTW I'd also not swap it for an N810
i have an advent umpc. yes it has changed my life. i no longer use my desktop pc at all. infact i am thinking of buying a hard drive enclosure and giving the rest of it away . i am pleased i dont have to sacrifice a whole area in my room just for the pc.
i usually surf in bed , or in the kitchen after and before work and then i take it to work. i'm on the road and use microsoft streets.. but while im waiting around i might watch a video .
it isnt perfect yet. there isnt a keyboard so i make do with the free zwkeyboard, which is great. its also a bit heavy and bulky . i wouldnt want to cut down the screen to a n800 size though , that would be too small. heres hoping someone makes a umpc with 6/7 inch screen , with almost no border and less than 500 g , keyb9ard , clamshell ..( sliders sacrifice keyboard space) ... basically an eepc only smaller.
then i will be really happy, and my life will be complete . lol
Yes it changed my (mobile) life!
Since i'm a nokia tablet user (n800):
- i have started to use Linux on my desktop pc
- i'm able to listen to last.fm and other web radio in every room of my home
- i no longer use a printed newspaper on the way to the office
- i am mailing, chatting and playing chess online on the way to the office (and back)
- i have al lot of fun trying apps, hacks and stuff like gps on my tablet
- i'm a blogger :)
The device that most changed my life wasn't a mobile device at all, it was my first desktop computer. That changed my approach to keeping records, to finding stuff I'd done before and, more than anything else, to writing and to drafting documents. And this was before I even had the internet.
The next biggest change was probably about ten years later, in 2003, when I bought an Airport card for my iBook. Suddenly, I didn't have to be at home or at work to use the internet. (In fact, I bought it because I couldn't get an internet connection at home.)
I've had an N800 for about a year now but it hasn't yet had an impact on my life comparable to these. I got an iPod touch in November. I find it more satisfactory than the N800 for internet browsing, though obviously not for text entry (I have a couple of Bluetooth keyboards that I use with the N800).
Picked up a n770 and it completely changed the way I go about reading the financial news and corporate reports.
Each day I download my 30-100 pages of reading to the device (from bloomberg, ft, corporate annual reports (moved to html) and various other things to read.
Previously I would walk around with stacks and stacks of printouts.
I recently picked up a n800 with 1 16 GB SDHC.
I recently bought a n800 and have a bunch of tv shows on there now as well as audiobooks.
The key feature for me is being able to read it with one hand - while standing on the subway.
I have the corporate directory in txt format for searching.
I may right a couple of python apps to download end of day charts.
I used to carry around a ibm thinkpad x series laptop (bit heavier than a eee pc with a bigger screen) with ubuntu. No longer.
Went on a holiday to Egypt and Israel and didn't brink a laptop - but used this device the whole time for map and travel guide information (downloaded travelwiki)
Finally I love the back lit screen for reading when I put my daughter to bed.
So apps used:
fbreader, evince/adobe, MicroB, pdftohtml(desktop), MemoPad+ (to dos), Bluetooth keyboard (occasionally), music player (ogg), and most recently mplayer or canola
Probably the biggest change for me with the N800/N75 has been that I've been more willing to go out and about for more than just my normal email/browsing mobile tasks. I stay on either device a ton, and with my solar charger, I tend to just not turn my desktop on any more (last night was the first time in weeks).
ANthony,
Can you explain exactly how you download all your news. I would like to do the same thing but not sure how I can get my relevant news without going page by page and downloading. That would simply take too long in the monring.
Was considering sending this in on your n810 contest by decided against it, besides i liked the things I saw submitted.
I use my n800 not only as my PDA, but also as a work surface. I do theatrical sound design, and usually run my shows now form Mac software called QLab. I use the n800 and VNC to provide me with remote control of the computer and playback, so I can set levels with the computer in a booth elsewhere, and me walking around the space listening with the n800 in my hand. Works great.
Seablade
Yes, since I have the n800 and the apple wireless keyboard I leave my MacBook Pro at home for most of the time. But sometimes it would be good to have the same software on both, that's why I'm considering buying a UMPC but there's no good compromise in battery life, size, performance etc. There the N800 is best! Let it running for days and use it instantly.
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