Re: Opinions on Mobile Computing Wanted

A smart phone offers one very attractive feature that a notebook can 
never offer, that for many people is enough to override all of your cons 
(which are valid cons).

That feature is is the form factor.

It is impractical  to lug around even a small laptop/netbook around in a 
pocket/purse, and pull it out during a board meeting long enough to make 
a quick note, or to plop down on the dash of my car to use as a GPS 
while I'm driving, etc.

There are things that smart phones do very poorly right now.  In 5 
years, there are many things that smart phones will do very well that 
right now they don't do well or at all--and that is precisely why the 
smart phone I buy today WILL be a piece of junk in 5 years :)

But I think to say that smart phones are categorically bad is a pretty 
narrow-minded statement (just as saying that all laptops are stupid when 
you can have a smart phone!).

Smart phones and laptops serve different purposes. Those purpose are 
beginning to overlap, and over time they will overlap even more.  But 
neither will ever completely replace the other.  There is still plenty 
of market space for both types of devices---and I will probably use both 
types of devices forever.

--
Jonathan


Ryan wrote:
> I vote netbook stuffed w/RAM & a perm 3G/EVDO connection for following 
> reasons:
>
> 1. Provider of your choice
> 2. Service contract of your choice, sign your first born's soul away 
> or go pre-paid
> 3. Phones are good for Voice, Computers are good for Data, Smartphones 
> do both, poorly.
> 4. Ur less likely to accidently put  ur netbook thru the wash or leave 
> it at a restaurant.
> 5. Your netbook still might have some value for you in 5+ years, a 
> smartphone will be a heap of junk by then.
> 6, Wide selection of OS's, Apps, & Security options available to you
>
> and on and on, Im not keen on Smart Phones.. I find most are 
> overpriced/underpowered, get horrible battery life and try to do to 
> everything (or can do for a fee), while not doing anything specific 
> very well.
>
> Not to mention that a Smartphone is worthless w/out a 3G/WiFi 
> connection..
>
> Good luck,
> -R
>
>
> On Nov 16, 2009, at 1:51 PM, Dale Hodge wrote:
>
>> I've got some questions to put to our panel of experts, which are at
>> least tangentially related to Linux. ;-)  What I'm looking for are the
>> pros/cons of various mobile computing solutions.  What I have now is a
>> 'feature phone' that has limited web browsing capabilities.  What I'm
>> wanting is web/email access while away from home.  The question is how
>> best to accomplish it.  My choices are:
>>
>> Smart Phone - Droid?  (Android 2.0)
>>
>> Tethering  with -  UMPC  (Nokia N810 or similar)?  Netbook?  Tablet
>> PC?
>>
>> Whatever I use I'd want it light and portable, 12" screen or less,
>> capable of Bluetooth & WiFi connectivity, GPS either built in or via
>> dongle.
>>
>> For those of you that have used any of the above, what's been your
>> experience?  What have been their strong/weak points?
>>
>> --Dale
>