You see - My job would be easier if I had a mobile 3G connected device (whether phone or not) with a rich web browser, VPN abilities, and good Email client. Media playback is a plus. Here's what is on the table:
- Existing Nokia N95-3/Nokia N810/iPod touch (first generation) combo. Advantages: I already have this stuff and it does what I want it to do. No added cost. Disadvantages: The N95-3 feels a little dated these days. It's a good solid phone and does the 3G, camera, texting, and MMS well but I never migrated out of the iTunes music ecosystem and have too much stuff already well organized in there.The N810 provides a better web experience than any phone, but not a better experience than netbooks.
- iPhone 3G. Advantages: I already have this and, with a lot of work, it could do the VPN and SSH work I want it to do. Disadvantages: The keyboard is simply unusable for anything but a quick message. With that keyboard, there's no way I'd be able to remotely debug a Linux server faster than just driving to the office.
- 3G connected netbook (like this deal from Radio Shack (if it is still available) or this deal from Dell though I HATE rebates) plus the iPhone 3G. Advantages: Media/phone combo works well enough, but the ability to use the netbook for "real internet/real work." Disadvantage: Another $60/mo data plan.
- Something Else. I am sure I am forgetting an option.
- Just wait. Limp along on what I have now and hope something better comes along.
25 comments:
You can sync your N95-3 with iTunes using Salling Media Sync (the Pro version is $20 and will handle incremental updates, rather than just erasing everything and then reloading).
The N95-3 will also handly VPN, as I'm sure your N810 does.
Save your pennies for something really worthwhile, everything out now is rather 'meh' as compared to your current setup.
I have an n810/ipod touch 2G/and use my wife's acer netbook on occasion-the combo i like the best is tethering my n810 to my verizon krzr (simple phone- gives me 3g speed)- if i tether strictly according to the verizon tos then this is expensive- but gives *me the best portable experience. i can always connect and i can always have my n810 with me
i cannot always have my wife's acer netbook- nor can i always get coverage (wifi) with the ipod touch
just my 2cents
What about the Redfly? I know it is only available for Windows Mobile at this time, but the idea is interesting to me.
How about the RX-51, Mr. TabletBlog? :P
rx-51has a release date already??
How about an Android device (like the G1)? 3G, hackable, and en-keyboarded...
That new OQO with the OLED screen is looking hot, and has 3G options.
Methinks thoughtfix doth protest too much when it comes to netbooks. Firstly, I don't think you need almost double $299 to spec a decent netbook. A decked- out (and overclockable) MSI Wind with six-cell battery, XP, bluetooth, 802.11n and a roomy hard drive is $429 at newegg. Lots of eee's and Aspire One's with linux can be had for under $400 without going too spartan on features.
Secondly, I assume by "muddy mess" you mean that there are just too many models too choose from. But look on the bright side, you get a choice on what particular features are important to you.
I'll wait for the N97. I am using the N95-3 (for serious mobile computing) and N81 8GB (for mobile gaming and music) currently. I think the N97 will be a nice update and will serve my needs quite well going forward.
I've gone through the netbook "phase" and am no longer interested in entertaining the idea. I believe mobiles like the N97 and a pico projector will be the ultimate mobile combo in the foreseeable future.
Why a netbook with contract?
You allready have an N95 maybee even with dataplan?
Connect the netbook with your phone (Bluetooth, USB or Wlan) to go online. It saves the new contract.
If you chose on of the newer moddels with Express Card slot like the lenovo s10 you even have the posibility to use an umts card later.
I'd wait. What you have now is still fine, and the n97 is coming. That will be awesome.
IMO...and what I've basically done in my Post-N810 world...
a pocketable, and a midrange (netbook or UMPC, pref. a convertible/tablet netbook)
1) Pocketable: G1 with Android ... but I could be convinced to switch to the N97 if Android never pulls its head out of its butt wrt to tethering.
2) Midrange: Right now, I have Samsung Q1 Ultra with Ubuntu-UMPC on it, but I have grown weary of thumb typing on my mid-range device. When the Asus EeePC T91 comes out, if it has full support from Linpus or Eeebuntu-NBR, then I'll get one. There's also a new Classmates 2Go convertible tablet that will have some flavor of linux. Otherwise, I'll probably get an EeePC 901 and put Eeebuntu on it.
3) If I decide to stay on the G1, or another Android device, they never activate tethering on Android, and I can't find the right 3G card/dongle for the midrange device ... then I may get a Cradlepoint type mobile router (or one of the other similar devices that are about to come out).
iphone 3G and netbook, share your iphone connection with wifi. It works for me.
ajf: doesn't that still require that you jailbrake it? (there are lots of people, myself included, who don't want to have to fight against their gadgets to get them to do reasonable things... so they rule out devices whose key features require jailbraking and the like)
Well, I'd say wait for now. Your N95/N810 are working, and the RX-51 is on the way.
In case you haven't been paying attention: =D
RX-51 is believed to be the next tablet, the first Maemo 5/Fremantle device, which is due out sometime this half. Specs have been guessed from the kernel in the Fremantle pre-alpha release, and some have been given for sure.
* OMAP3430 processor (known) over 2x performance vs. N810
* HSPA data (known), not voice "for now" -- unclear if that's software or hardware issue.
* Major camera upgrade (known)
* 5MP camera on back (suspected)
* VGA or so videocall camera on front
* 3D acceleration
* Accelerometer
* FM receiver (with RDS)
* FM transmitter (!) (with RDS (!))
Software-side, we've been promised A2DP, among other stuff.
If it turns out half as awesome as it sounds, I'd hate to blow my gadget funds on one of the meh-gadgets out there now, and then have to try to justify buying the RX-51 this summer. Because I don't think not buying it will be an option!
For me, the pocketable has to be a phone, and the non-phone has to be bigger than a phone/NIT/MID ... thus it being described as a "mid-range" device (bigger than a pocketable, smaller than a full size laptop). That's something I didn't explain in my long comment, but Benson indirectly reminded me about.
The Maemo5 device sounds amazing ... but it's too small for a non-phone, for me ... and it lacks the phone aspect required to be my pocketable.
Now, if they make it a phone ... golden. Especially if someone ports Dalvik/etc. to run on top of it, so it's not only a fully accessible linux box, but also an Android box .. yeah, I'd buy that in a heart beat. But without the phone, I'm just not interested in the Maemo5 device.
@john: he didn't say anything about not jailbreaking or hacking his device. I suppose that people not able (or not wanting) to do that, are not sysadmins or geeks of any kind so they don't need emergency connection and can wait to find a wifi spot :)
I'm both a sysadmin and a geek. I'm just experienced enough to know better than going down that path with a device I depend upon for real things. I don't want to be stuck without service because I'm doing unsupported things with it. Nor do I want to be up all night trying to restore it to service before I need to use it for something real. Not supported by the vendor(s) == not interested.
The devices for which I will tinker and trail blaze aren't the devices that I depend upon, especially not the devices I depend upon for doing anything real.
If I owned an iPhone *shudder* ... I wouldn't risk losing phone and/or data connectivity on it every time it gets an update. And I certainly wouldn't own two of them, much less carry two of them.
@john: you won't lose anything for jailbreaking your iphone... it's not that complicated, really. If you still don't want to do that, there're commercial applications in the app store for sharing your 3g connection over wifi without jailbreaking.
You already have two 3G capable phones (and contract(s) with 3G access?) both with bluetooth so grab a cheap netbook and tether via BT or for the N95 use the USB data cable that's available.
I don't see the need for a third contract.
I personally LOVE my iPhone, and *can* debug a server issue from it faster than I can drive to the office. However, why do *you* love the iPhone/iPod Touch?
If it doesn't provide the application ecosystem that you require, then just find a way to sync the music/videos to something sufficiently capable, like your N95-3 via Salling Media Sync. Toss in tethering from that phone, and you've dodged the added data plan bullet, and can safely choose the best possible "computing" option based on your needs.
Now, clearly, you can do enough from an N810, but if you're coming close to reaching its limits (as in, you need to type faster, use more RAM, have more pixels, etc,) then replace it with a netbook, or at least supplement it with one. You can carry the n810 at all times, and keep the netbook in your trunk for emergencies/couch time.
I've generally found the 770 and up to be lackluster at best when it comes to working from any location that gives me breathing room, but that's only because I don't want to hold a screen up to my face when I can stretch out with a netbook in my lap.
ajf: If they've finally started ok'ing the tethering apps, then that's great. Last I had heard they were still removing those from the app store when they found them, but there was a recent rumor that they'd be bringing tethering support to the iPhone "soon". That would indeed fix one of my two biggest problems with the iPhone (the other being the keyboard situation; not just that I hate the feel of virtual keyboards, but that the keyboard takes up screen real estate, making things like your ssh or notes area effectively smaller).
With Apple/AT&T blessed tethering, external keyboard support with a keyboard that has a great ergonomic feel, and a case that would let you hold the keyboard and iPhone like it was either a Nokia E90 (micro laptop), N810 (slide out), or HTC Universal (convertible tablet) ... that might cause me to have to reconsider where I am now. Especially once I see what the Apple Tablet rumors pan out to be for this fall.
But, until those things all come together for the iPhone, I'm not budging :-}
I'm still waiting. As problematic as the N8x0s are, they are as close to perfect as you could get when they were released. Now, everytime I see some netbook that almost lures me in, I think about:
- touch/stylus operation
- battery life
- pocketability
- instant-on
- build quality
For the most part, the tablets still score very high on all these points, often at the expense of processor power or screen/kb real-estate.
But fix those two, as I am sure the RX-51 will, and the tablets will still be tops, IMHO.
In the meantime, I continut to rock the N95-4/N810/iPod nano (new model) combo. In fact, if you don't watch a lot of DRM video, I highly recommend the nano over the touch as it's so small it's like you're only carrying two devices. :)
hi there thoughtfix...about mobile device usage dilemma. im not sure if this would work so please someone let me know if it will because i would like to know.
couldn't you get a used at&t 3g USB modem off of ebay or somewhere and then use the SIM card in the iphone 3g and then connect use your netbook for connectivity that way??
so the device set up is
iphone 3g/netbook/usb 3g adapter
you can just have the usb 3g adapter without the sim card in your bag or in your car in case you need it. but the sim card would remain in your phone most of the time.
Phone 3,5 G and can connect to wifii.
Balean
Gadget
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