Still a Nokia phone - its integration guys!

A smartphone is critical to me as a writer. There was a time when I would write notes on little pieces of paper and I would lose them, or they would go through the washing machine, and often I could not even read my own writing, as I tried to write in fine print to maximise my note taking ability. A smartphone is great. It is always with me, and I know when its not there too. The benefits:

1. I don't have to re-type up my notes. I merely upload or email them to myself

2. I can fully develop the idea; if not immediately, then more productively, whilst I am out at some cafe or waiting for my GF to shop.

3. I can edit the notes, I can add to them, even if from days earlier.

4. Its a backup, until I backup my hard disk

5. Its solid-state memory - more reliable than my 'spinning' HDD

This brings us to the question of what phone to buy. I have looked around the market, and I must say that I am not happy with any of them. The front contenders are:

1. Nokia E63 - This is a great phone, its a shame that Nokia has yet to upgrade it. Its old technology and whilst it is similar to the E61i, which has not been continued (i.e. much loved), it offers many of the same features. I see this as a temporary phone until a better one comes out

The appeal of this phone to me is that unlike the N71 and N72, it has decent size QWERTY keys. This phone has an old processor which I found a little slow.

2. Sony Ericsson - This phone has all the specs, so on the face of it, it looks like a great phone. The problem is that it has 1/2 the battery life of the Nokia phone. The problem is that the Sony phone attempts to minimise its footprint and sacrifices battery life. This is a sad gimmick because customers have clearly voted and made battery life an important feature. Two days is not good enough if that is the 'starting life'. Within 1-2 years you will be needing a new battery as it will last a day. The other problem I had was the crappy software pre-loaded. In order to get a sense of the Android range, you would have to void your warranty. I frankly don't consider software a compelling point of different. All operating systems will offer the software you need....the market is that deep. The greater problem for me was the difficulty of the integration of hardware and software. The Sony-Ericsson is not intuitive like the Nokia.

For these reasons, and the fact that the nokia is just $NZ299, I would be looking at the 'old solution' Nokia E63 if I was desperate for a phone, otherwise I would be waiting for a replacement for this phone...unless some other manufacturer comes out with a phone with different battery life. The other types of phones in the same class are of course Blackberry, but I'm inclined to stay with the majors. i.e. Symbian, Android and Microsoft. Blackberry makes sense for another year if you are a terrorist needing encryption.

So in conclusion, I remain a fan of the Nokia E series of phones, and will happily wait for the next version. Their hardware is far superior - battery life - software-hardware integration is superior. The ease of using these is far better. Sadly, Nokia has failed in my view with the N-series. They were bulky, and the keys were too small. I guess they might appeal for small 'feminine' Asian hands. But for a Westerner with big hands (et al) you need a E-series phone to get the QWERTY experience (keyboard), and I recommend it for those writers and business folk who need to be able to type up content in any location.

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

New applications for old products

There are numerous blogs which explore alternative uses for the things we throw away. I am a hoarder of things because I don't like to waste things. I am always trying to think of ways to reuse things which would otherwise become waste. If you are similarly minded, then you might like this website. If you are also too buzy like me, you are probably hoarding a lot of stuff as well.
I have a years supply of plastic milk bottles and cardboard cereal boxes.
Country towns are great this way. I note that a lot of the people selling jam in town are using old jam jars which people bring along.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Asus-Garmin designed Nuvifone A50 review

Here is an interesting development in smartphones - a partnership between Asus and Garmin. This phone would find a market with the outdoor enthusiast if it was more durable. At the moment I am clinging on to my Nokia E61i, waiting for the next well designed phone. Sadly Nokia disappointed with the Nokia E71. I even warned them that consumers would have a problem with ever-smaller keypads. Anyway, they didn't listen, so I'm looking for a new supplier.

The problem with the Asus-Garmin designed Nuvifone A50 is that its short of one important spec - its kind of an outdoors phone, but its built to never leave the car. Herein lies the problem. This phone ought to be waterproof to 10metres and more durable , much like Garmin's range of GPS devices, so I could take it anywhere. Anyway, I'll keep waiting. It wouldn't take me much to desert the Windows Operating System, as I'm already off it for mobile communications. Hard to live without excel and Word though.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Which netbook to buy? Product comparison & review

I am always interested in the latest netbooks so when I see a review like this one from Time, I take an interest. I broadly agree with their top three choices. I ended up buying the Toshiba NB200/2005. I did not like the keyboard when I bought it, but I am slowly getting used to it. The problem with these smaller netbooks is that its easy to knock them, so you trigger a HDD protection feature. I think if you don't need to upgrade yet, then you will be better off waiting for the next generation of netbooks which I suspect will be better in several ways:
1. Offering globally integrated, seamless telecommunications - whether through Skype or Google.
2. Offering a solid state, high capacity hard drive for better data protection and far longer battery use, say 15-20 hours.
3. Offering better sound & cameras
4. Better keyboard design and USB locations
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Toshiba NB200 netbook review

I am always on the lookout for new computer devices that allow me to work more efficiently. Of course we like to buy cheap as well, but most of all we need basic functuality and good design. Having just purchased a Toshiba NB200 over the internet for just $NZ610, I'd have to say you get what you pay for. The problems I find with this computer are:

1. The keyboard design is shockingly bad. The 'Alt' key is too small. Better to have one big one than two small ones. The backspace key just doesn't sit right with me. I always seem to be hitting the wrong one '\'. The feel of the keyboard is terrible too, though I do manage to get a few letters out before I stumble. My fingers seem to slide too easily over the keys. Unlike some Sony models, the keys are not 'rimmed' to give some traction on keys.

2. The arrangement of USB ports is bad. I was not happy having three of these right up the front sides of the computer. I want them at the back.

3. The hard disk protection utility appears too sensitive. Just placing a USB memory stick in the computer is enough to start the utility.

The computer has decent HDD space of 160Gb, reasonable memory of 1Gb considering its running Windows Xp. It was a special deal so I got a free 6-cell battery, so I get plenty of battery life. The screen is fine. I might yet grow to like this computer, but I just cannot see myself getting used to it. It seems probable that the unit was discounted because its running the old Win Xp operating system. Or have reviews been poor? I think it must have been a sentimental purchase for me because I really loved my Toshiba Libereto I bought 15 years ago. I would be using that computer today if it could be upgraded.

The other computer we looked at was the Sony W series. We were interested in a solid state hard drive, though I must say I was not overly pleased with its design either. A 5-star computer remains elusive.

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Vaio P Pocket Sized Notebook closer to perfection

About 10 years ago I had a mini-laptop which closely resembles some of the mini-notebooks that are becoming available today. The Toshiba Libereto was a product ahead of its time. The Toshiba office in Tokyo even had a museum showing the models. People were coming in to upgrade it because they liked it. The product had a small but loyal following. Back in those days the hardware was pretty sluggish. Today the specs offer much greater speed, but there were several features which I particularly liked about the Libereto:
1. The tracking ball was on the right side lid of the computer, next to the LCD display
2. All the superfluous drives were external, which meant you had a very light, compact computer
3. I was able to pick up a really good leather bag in Vietnam suited to this computer. I have been keeping this bag for my next model.

The latest copy by Sony 10 years later is the Vaio Pocket Sized (P-series) Notebook has a 8" screen, an Intel Z520 Atom 1.6GHz processor, 2GB of RAM and 128G-256GB solid state drive. The unit is clearly designed with speed in mind. This is a durable beast since SSD's have no moving parts, ensuring greater security for your data. The SSD is the same drive as in your smartphone. You also get GPS, WiFi (802.11n), Bluetooth and WWAN, a LAN connector, a headphone jack, a multi-card reader and 2 USB 2.0 ports, a 5Mp webcam.
Probably the worst feature is the tracking ball in the centre of the keyboard. I was prefer it if they used Toshiba's idea of a tracking pad on the screen. This was an innovative pressure pad which worked really well. It will be disappointing to use the Sony ball. There is a built-in 3G phone, but it works for Verizon only. The computer is about 60% of the size of a standard computer.
The standard battery offers a 4 hour battery life, doubling to 8 hours if you obtain a second battery. The power demand is 68watts, which is quite high, so expect better battery life in future with competitors. The unit is shipped with Windows Vista.
Having used this type of computer I can tell you they are really good for travelling. Of course the features and connectivity are so much better today that the dial-up I had to tolerate, though I still long for that Toshiba tracking pressure pad. I'll be watching for the Toshiba solution!
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Recovering deleted files from USB flash drives

I just deleted a folder accidentally from a USB flash drive connected to my computer. There are several reasons why I prefer to use a flash drive to a HDD drive:
1. They have better durability because they have no moving parts
2. They can more easily backup and move between computers

I did not know until now that any deleted files are not recorded in the Recycle Bin, which means when I accidentally deleted a folder, I needed a tool to recover my lost files. There are several programs available. These are the steps:
1. Do not attempt to do anything before you do this. If you start recreating or deleting files, you could be hindering your chances of recovering your desired files.
2. Download Recuva software from www.coastalcomputerconnections.com/downloads.html
3. Install the software
4. Run the application from your desktop
5. Having identified the files you want to recover, press the RECOVER button.

Its really simple. You can search by date, quality of residual file, or the file name. I suggest doing all three.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Solid State Drives (SSDs)

If you are in the market for a computer my advise is that you cannot go past the solid-state drive based computers which are starting to enter the market. We have yet to see a really outstanding machine. I viewed one last week which came close, but it suffered from a bad sound system. There are a number of things you want to look for on such a computer:
1. Memory: About 100Gb of SSD memory would be adequate because you will eventually be able to substitute it will USB-based flash drives as the capacity of those units improves
2. Flexibility - make sure that the unit is easily upgradable, that the main components are easily accessed
3. Keyboard: Some mini-laptops and micro-laptops can sacrifice on keyboard layout. I find it annoying that the DELETE key gets smaller, or the shift key. You really want to type on the thing as if you were using it. If you cannot get used to it in 30 minutes you probably never will.
4. Sound system: I want to hear the sound of music and videos on my computer to establish how good the computer is for VOIP, TV, music, etc. I prefer a built-in microphone too because those headsets are designed to break.
5. USB slots: I want three USB slots at least, and four would be better when you consider that you might like to swap or backup data between drives in future. More important still is the need for those slots to be located in the right position. I use the mouse on the right side, so I want this side free of USB slots. I also don't want a DVD device because the only time I use them is for installing software. In time, software will come on flash drives anyway.
6. Windows 7: The Vista operating system is a joke. With it we actually lost basic functionality. Maybe Win& will redeem the MS crowd. Anyway stay with Win Xp for now; and hope for a better Win7.
7. Battery life: I want a mimimum of 4 hours of battery life, which means you want a 6-cell battery on a small laptop, and more for a larger computer.
8. Optional extras: I want the power for adding discretionary functionality as external devices. For instance, the DVD can be external capacity.
9. Wifi: I want to be able to use my mini-laptop at coffee shops around the world.
10. No extra software: I'm tired of computer manufacturers who place a lot of crap on your computer. I don't want all these extras which are going to slow down my computer.

For a basic word processor and entertainment system, that is all I need.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Cheapest domain names in Australia & NZ

If you are looking for the cheapest domain names in Australia and NZ, I recommend the Crazydomains website. Note that they have cheaper domain names than websites in NZ; probably because of their larger turnover. When you are selecting a domain name give it a lot of thought because it can make all the difference in the world in several respects:
1. Cost of retaining the domain name
2. Your search ranking (relevance) according to the Google search methodology
3. Corporate credibility - better names convey credibility than a cheaper name which no one else wanted.

If you want to know more about the Google rankings refer to www.lvdconsulting.com.

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Sony Ericsson Xperia™ X1 vs Nokia E71, E61i Smartphone Review

This is a smartphone released by Sony Ericsson. I used to love Sony products, but then about 6-8 years ago they went off and did really stupid things. I can guess they centralised their design people somewhere. Regardless, from that point everything has been very bad. The Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 is an alternative to the Nokia E71. I actually have the precursor Nokia E61i. Nokia first released the E61, and I guess after complaints, they added wifi and a more powerful processor to the same unit. I love my E61i, but it is not without its problems.
1. I have trouble hearing people
2. The camera is not very good quality - but ok for me. The issue is you can't see how good the pictures are on-screen, until you get home and look at them on your computer.
3. The slow processor - I can type faster than it can think - which says nice things about the keyboard, but a negative for the processor.

Now, when I bought there were a few contenders from Nokia alone. Nokia has a model that looks very similar to the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 - I think its the N95 model. Anyway, the problem with the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 and Nokia N95 is that they are too bulky, the have the ugly and non-functional sliding keyboard.

For this reason I would stay clear of these models and go for the Nokia E71 - unless you have small figures. I don't. It really suits Asians or women with small fingers for that reason. The problem is not enough space between the keys, so you push the wrong buttons. Caucasians like me have to satisfy themselves with the Nokia E61i for now, or you might look at the Blackberry. But if I understand the Blackberry correctly, you need to sign up for a contract with them, and I prefer unlocked phones so that I can simply pick up a pre-paid (usually Vodafone) SIM card in every country I go to. I believe there are a limited number of countries serviced by Blackerry. But you will need to do your research on Blackberry.
I would also want to know if they have lifted the processor speed for the Nokia E71. I am awaiting a E61i upgrade - same design - just more powerful.

I might also mention that I dropped my Nokia in the toilet for about 5 seconds and it still worked. The unit is so well-built that it really is hardy. I've dropped it a few times as well. One time I kind of fumbled mid-air and accidentally pushed it away about 5m on the road, but it lived to tell the story. Most useful device I've ever had I believe. I recommend this device for writers. I can read books on it, but I have to reduce the book to 61% size. A little tight, but I can't imagine a bigger phone, so maybe eBooks need tighter formatting.

In conclusion the aspects I don't like about the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 are:
1. The slide-type keyboards are bad because:
a. Poor weight distribution
b. The upper sliding screen gets in the way of the top keys of the keyboard.
c. the unit is bulky because it slides

For more info see:
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665702060

The features are otherwise similar to the E71. The Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 does have Windows CE I believe, so that's also a good thing, but I suspect Nokia has as well in the new models. Sorry, more research needed.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Learning how to sell online

A lot of my postings on this site are for equipment or devices that make our lives easier. On this occasion I want to recommend a set of eBooks produced by my partner Leah DeGuzman. Leah has been involved in online product marketing for almost 10 years. These days if you are building a business, you are likely wondering how to sell your products or services online.
Leah has written a guide to help people to develop a cost-effective web presence. She has a number of staff in the Philippines who develop the sites for you, which helps to keep your costs down. She can also provide support for you if you want to set up a site, but we recommend you spare yourself the hassle and restrict your effort to website design input, since most people want to offer some direction.

Leah is also working on a second book which will teach you how to improve the search rankings of your website. Its not enough to post articles, you actually have to spend some time promiting your site. We offer suggestions on how you can do that, or once again, she has people working for her that can do it for you if you want to give priority to other activities.

Sites That Sell - Buy this eBook!

We all learn at our own pace. Some of us were fortune to learn in a family or company certain skills from a very young age, so we developed them like a 2nd skin. Others have to learn those skills later or risk falling behind. Sometimes those skill-deficiencies stop us from achieving what we want. In effect they act as barriers holding us back. What we need are tools to help us jump over such hurdles.
If you are considering setting up your own business, then in all likelihood you will be seeking to establish a website to sell your products & services. If you would like to know how to set up an impressive sales-orientated website...read on!

Sites that Sell! View the table of contents or buy this eBook at our online store for just $US19.95.

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Online maps of the world

Need maps of the world for your cell phone, smartphone or just a paper copy you can print off the internet. Then take a look at this online street map. The problem of course in some countries is that the data coverage is poor, but since increasingly more people have GPS devices, the data will grow through collaboration. Of course probably the best source of data is Google Maps for the time being.
If you decide to get a dedicated GPS device I would get a Garmin Etrex Cx. If you want this feature on your cell phone, then I'd wait for the Nokia E61 to be updated. If you are Asian or a women with small fingers, you might be able to cope with the Nokia E71. Personally I would wait for the next phone in this series which will likely have more capacities, including stand-alone GPS tracking features when you are on cell towers, or satellite tracking when you are off cell towers. My belief is that in a few years the device will use both data sources simultaneously for a far more harmonious experience.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Blue Ray - the next data format

The film studios and home entertainment equipment manufacturers are all supporting the development of the new blu-ray format. The implication is that if you are intending to buy any equipment you might want to pay a premium for a blu-ray compatible product, or defer such an expenditure. For more details to help you answer such questions, I will refer you to the following website that discusses the blu-ray technology.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Dell Inspiron Mini 9 - now available in NZ

Dell has recently started selling a new mini-laptop in NZ which is not a bad offering. The basic unit is just $NZ699 - though with Dell's pricing plan the costs quickly add up with extras, so if its your first computer, and you need those extras, then the price quickly increases. This is of course Dell's bait advertising. Its like buying a beat up Holden and needing to fix it up. But these plans do offer flexibility.
The basic version suits people travelling around the world or touring around NZ. The reason its a great travel computer because it is lightweight - it weights just over one kilogram, it has a solid state memory, so there is no spinning drive which has moving parts, which means its more robust for outdoor use. i.e. Its the type of drive they use in your PDA.
I do have some problems with this unit. The battery life is just 3-4 hours, which means in practice its probably just 2 hours. Its a 4-cell battery. Of course you could always buy another. It has a 1.6GHz processor, but given the slow 1Gb RAM, its not going to optimise on processing speed. The solid state drive has a memory of just 16Gb - which is not very much for anything. If memory sticks were offering better capacity, this would not be an obstacle, but you might just be carrying around a portable HDD as well, which are heavy and not very robust. Wifi is optional, but it should be a standard feature. It does have a web-cam which might come in handy.
This is a pretty decent computer for a reasonable price if you don't need a lot of memory or battery life. I would however like a 2nd battery option, or longer battery life before I buy. They do offer finance, which might be important to some people.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Free anti-virus software

There is no reason why you need to pay for anti-virus software. This is a choice you make if you are not discerning about the money you spend. You might think that software vendors deserve the fee you pay, but rest assured they are doing very well given that a great many people are paying $50 to $90 a year for software.
There are a number of vendors. Most offer a free intro period after which they invite you to pay for an upgrade. My advice is - uninstall the free version and then download it again. Failing that you can find another vendor. The intent of course is for them to find a new revenue model that charges others rather than you. My intent is not to rip you off, but for the cost to reflect value and competitive pressures. Free product is a way of avoiding advertising expenses. Having got you, their intent is to entrap you, by making you think you need to download a 'paid' version with a few extra features. You really only need the basic software.
Some of the 'paid' anti-virus software around is actually more trouble than its worth. I started out paying for Norton, but it was so resource hungry. Then I used MicroTrend's product, then Avast, and more recently AVG. Sometimes it can be hard to find a free version, so we have provided some links for you. Try searching Google for 'free anti-virus software':
1. AVG - free version
2. Avast - 60 day free version
3. Micro Trend - 30 day free trial
4. Norton - 15 day free trial

I dare say these companies sell your registration details to advertising companies, though I am not sure about their policy. The best strategy is to download AVG since it offers the best terms, and thereafter if you seem to have any problem you can download the others to remove a virus that AVG has a trouble removing, or pay for a premium version. This strategy worked for me.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Best GPS software for active people

I have had a handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) for some years now. I love them. They are so useful. Let me explain why:
1. Looking at real estate - I can record a location for any interesting properties I look at, which is useful. I have used it to measure whether the property I am looking at is really the one on the cadastral maps, as well as to confirm property boundaries. Yes, it is that accurate. Mine is as good as +/- 8m accuracy. Newer models are even better.
2. Canoeing - I can record a track and any interesting points like rapids & their grade as I go down a river.
3. Mountain biking - I can record my route, interesting points, elevations, speeds, as I travel around
4. Driving or 4WD'ing - This is another good use, though you need to make sure the device is near a window. Newer devices have even better satellite reception. I have used my device on trains, cars, bikes, in all types of topography. They can struggle a little in steep river gorges on overcast days, particularly when you are moving at 100kmph. They struggle in Japan on trains if you are going through a lot of tunnels in mountain areas. but otherwise they are great. The last problem is the need to ensure you recharge your batteries, otherwise you could be up Shit Creek and not know where in your rectum you are exactly. Its good to know!
5. Mountain climbing - This is another application so you can use it to get back to base on a different route if you like.

More generally they are move flexible than maps because they give you what you need. Maps give more info, but are less manageable, folding out a big sheet. There is a role for both, but a GPS is more compact and flexible if you get one with a high memory capacity, and good waterproofing in rain or river swamping.

The big benefit is the fact that satellite use and software is free. Once you pay for the device (say $200-300) for the better Garmin devices you can get free (easy to use software) from EasyGPS and there is no need to sign up for satellite use. Bear in mind the satellites used for GPS devices are different from those pseudo-GPS capabilities you can get on some cell phones. They are using the triangulation capabilities of the phone to locate you using cell phone towers. That is great and accurate for city locations. Just there are 2 problems with that. In most countries you will pay high download charges, so you will likely not use it unless you are pissed or too needy for some companionship from friends. I can see this being useful in Tokyo looking for some small bar in the middle of nowhere, but in Sydney going to the regular...no benefit. The other problem is its not really a global solution. You will likely find you can't get the service so readily overseas, and you will pay. The other problem is that its a city-only function, and for the large part its a capability you want in the countryside I think. I can use my satellite GPS in any country without restriction. I love it. Its a guys toy.
I was using Garmin's Waypoint Manager before. The problem was my software is in Japan, so stuck in Australia not being able to download the software, going back to the Philippines soon for another trip around the Philippines, and I need a solution. The solution is EasyGPS, free to download off the internet any time. Cool!
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Google I-phone promises more

Google has released a new mobile phone to compete with iPhone, and my favourite the Nokia E61i. These are all similar class phones. The Google phone will win the war I suspect because it will integrate some nice features. I can see where this is going:
1. Integration of email, internet experience
2. Standard features like music, wifi, camera, etc
3. GPS-facilitated advertising revenues

So how would this work? Well, you would be walking down the street and your phone would vibrate. Why? Because the global positioning system in the phone will tell you that there is some special sale on in the area you are based on triangulation between the three nearest cellphone towers. You tolerate these advertisements because Google has partnered with a number of telcos around the world, so its able to offer discounted internet services, or maybe even 'free' if you lock yourself into a 2 year contract.

This is a new side for advertising. Google of course already does context-based advertising with its keyword-based adwords placements. In this case the context is geographic position. It makes you think just how far Google can go. Well of course competitors can emerge, but its seems none can match the level of integration of Google. The exception is Microsoft-Yahoo, but they are looking very tired. It seems probable that hardware will become incidental to the software which drives them.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Dell offers another mini-laptop

Dell is the latest entrant into the mini-laptop market. Manufacturers are taking another look at this market since it was abandoned by Toshiba in the early 1990s. At the time the mini-laptop experience was less appealing. For example, these early models were slow, required a dial-up modem attachment, but having had a Toshiba ‘Libereto’ in those days, I can tell you they were a very practical mobile computer. Today’s computers have some compelling advantages:
1. Solid state memory makes them more rugged. You can now take them camping with you.
2. They have far more powerful processors
3. They have seemless wireless use rather than dial-up modems
I would not however buy one until they are truly mobile. The two features that are missing from all models are:
1. Greater memory capacity
2. Longer battery life. Dell is talking 4 hours. When they start talking 7 hours I will listen.
One needs to type away on these units to determine how useful they are. You will hate the experience if the keys are too small, poorly positioned. One folly of the Libereto was the small ‘backspace’ key. I did however love having the trackball/pad on the right side of the display screen. Of course its nice having the option of a mouse, but this allowed me to work in airport lounges and use the trackball whilst also steadying the computer.
I think the problem with these mini-laptops will be trying to find a place as a 2nd computer. I think they are better suited to kids, non-internet-savy adults who don’t have a need for a main home computer. The reason I say this is because for mobile note-taking, reading an eBook, I would much prefer a Nokia E61i because it is has a practical computer size screen, sufficiently large enough keys (for Caucasian fingers) to type notes, and its a phone and much else besides. For girls & Asians will small fingers, the Nokia E70 is even better. Its upgrade I can’t use, but its screen is too small. I am looking for an upgrade to the Nokia E61i. Don’t change the screen, keys, just add a more powerful processor, a better resolution camera and add better Word editing software. This is where a lot of the business/internet-savvy mobile market will be going. The idea of a mini-laptop really suffers from an identity crisis, and I think the hybrid will only suit the non-serious user. Which is find, they will find great joy in these devices when they meet my spec criteria. The other problem is finding a place to use these devices. We need more places where people can go to enjoy a coffee shop which actually has freely available internet. Too many of these wireless links are locked these days. Its worse in the West than in Asia.
Anyway, if you want the latest Dell, here are the specs. Mind you I think I would wait, ot take a look at the mind-size Acer as a preferred option at this point. For business/serious users, the Nokia E61i is the better option. Mind you the Apple i-phone has just displaced it with its phone. I would wait for a response from Nokia. An upgrade of the E61i could not be too far off. The last upgrade was really very superficial. The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 retails for $US400 in the USA, or $A599 in Australia. It has a 16GB solid-state drive,as well as webcam, wifi and Bluetooth. The Mini 9 weighs 1kg compared to 2.7kg for a typical Dell laptop. It is sold with a Linux or Windows-XP operating system. It includes a 1.6GHz Intel processor, 1GB of system memory. The Mini 9 does not include a built-in wireless broadband modem but Dell says it is working on building the feature into future revisions.
Look at the competition - Asus, HP, Acer, MSI and Lenovo – as they all have sub-$600 portable computers. The Acer is a reasonable choice too, but I would be inclined to wait for better models, and depending on your lifestyle, take a look at the smartphones from Nokia and Apple (I-phone), who are the leaders in their market.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Fuel efficient cars

There was an amazing story on CNN about some engineers in the USA who have developed a fuel-efficient 3-wheeled vehicle that runs on hybrid or electric. The hybrid version was getting 250 miles to the gallon, thats good enough fuel economy to travel across the USA on a tank of fuel. This is not the typical car design. It is relatively roomy, and there is no doubt that its aerodynamic design.#, modest weight and small engine account for the significant efficiency. The question is - why can engineers build such a vehicle in a garage but well-resourced car manufacturers are doing nothing. To be sure car manufacturers are really not prepared to stretch themselves because of the high of fitting out and retooling their car plants. With high energy prices, the design of a car becomes more important. The need for some quantifiable measure of a car becomes important. People need an algorithm which would allow them to input details on their pattern of use. eg. Car buyers would need to tell a vehicle retailer their required typical and maximum load carrying capacity, their typical and maximum required daily travel distance, as well as driving conditions. These are the factors pertinent to determining the real cost of driving a car. Say we only need a vehicle to carry 500kg of goods twice a year for camping holidays. Maybe you can swap your far with a neighbour to achieve that rather than wasting energy on a larger van. That is the information people need to make intelligent economic decisions. Would people care if oil fell back to $US60/barrel? I doubt it would fall so low. OPEC would readily prevent such a fall by cutting production and developing countries are likely to re-ignite their strong growth in coming years.

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Mini laptops - the Cloudbook by Everex

Its been some years since I bought my first mini-laptop for $A1600. That was the Toshiba Libereto. It has a 5.1 inch active matrix display, but on specs its dwarfed by the latest offering. I used to travel around Asis on business, typing up my notes from meetings on this small screen. The keyboard was great for typing with one hand. Amazing how fast i could type. The great aspect about the Libereto was the carry bag I bought in Vietnam, the small size, the fact that a lot of the accessories like CD-ROM, floppy drive and ports were external. That was around 1996.
Now I want a totally different spec list, but its hard to move forward until the technocrats solve the software problem. We love MS because of its features, but having solved its stability problems, MS Office is just too bloted to use on mini-laptops, and Linux does not handle enough applications, so compatibility problems. Eventually these issues will die. I am actually moving in another direction. I bought a standard cheap Acer computer, and I instead use my Nokia E61i as a mobile solution. The typepad is a great size for typing on the go, and I just download data and image files to my laptop periodically.

I have looked at the Asus mini-laptops and whilst they have their benefits, like a solid-state memory, they use Linux, and are rather slow. The latest Cloudbook from Everest is cheaper still at P19,000 (USD400), but its got a less rugged standard HDD. The memory is mobile friendly at 30Gb, and its light 0.9kg. It can run Win XP, but it would be a snails crawl. The keypad is ok. Like the Libereto, they place the touchpad (instead of trackball) to the right of the screen. Importantly it has 2 USB ports and a SD card reader. The implication I guess is that you can always have various memory sticks added to your computer if you needed extra memory.

But it I was to compare like with like, its not like we have progressed very far. The problem is a combination of software and hardware. I want a more powerful mini-laptop, a capable and stable Win-type application with a low memory drag. Most importantly we want USB drives, wifi, modem, lightness, compact, great keyboard layout and at least 60Gb of memory. That is a liveable solution. I dont know why manufacturers lost focus. Toshiba was on a great path with Libereto. It has taken them 10 years to re-visit the concept. In the meantime I will stick to my Nokia. Oh, did I mention I want my computer to be waterproof to 500 metres :)

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com