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The thought of lugging my wonderful 7.5 lb laptop wherever i go was getting old, so I bought an iPAQ to take on a trip to Europe. Worked great and found enough hotspots to sit outside at cafes and even in some hotels to have daily access to the web and email.
BUT, the question is how to rig an iPAQ so it is good enough to take on MOST domestic trips?
There are a few hardware items I wold like to see... some are 'sort of' available as far as I can tell, and some may be available but I just don't know about them...so help me out here.
1. A better keyboard...altho the 4355 has the tiny keyboard and it is pretty good, i would like to have a folding keyboard for when i need to sit down to some serious composing or notetaking. could clip to the bottom port or possibly work by IR. Maybe even bluetooth. Is this available? Any suggestions?
2. A wired modem. OK, we don't always get WiFi. So, in hotel rooms we always get the chance to phone it home. So, the second thing I would like to take with me is a small modem. Could fit into the bottom port, be bluetooth, or whatever. I understand there is a $140 bluetooth modem that should/may work but is there something more reasonable? What do you suggest?
3. Related to number 2 above, Is there an ISP that caters to the pocket PC. I use budgetdialup.com which is great for my laptop, but dont know what they do with a pocket PC.
Needs to be a dialup ISP with lots of numbers and an 800 number for the boondocks. Any recommendations?
If I could travel with an iPAQ, modem and keyboard things would be pretty good.
4. One other thing that would be nice would be a way to upload and download info from my SD card to other computers, like my USB flash drive does. Why can't there be a small USB flash drive that USES an SD card for memory that can then be placed in my iPAQ. Fast way to transfer things to my computer, or someone else's when on the road. Also, if i download DVDs to my SD cards, might be a much faster way of getting them loaded. Or, if i bring a PowerPoint presentation with me, could use the iPAQ SD card to store it, but could pop it on a host's computer before I give a lecture.
So the fouth thing would be this new, yet-to-be-invented, SD based USB flash drive
Related to all of the above, I have some 'wish I could have' ideas for software, but will save that. All comments welcome.
Thanks. Mark
Now let me see..... I don't really have much use for stowaway keyboard as the standard keyboard suits me fine so far, but you might want to consider these:
1. Bluetooth stowaway keyboard or Foldable keyboard
And this is how I manage with out a laptop:
2. Go on the net via a blue tooth enabled mobile phone, I presently use a Nokia 6310i but am looking to upgrade to a Motorola MPX220 when it comes out.
3. When I've gone on line while out 'n' about I use the same Dial up I used to use for my desktop (recently got Broadband for the desk top, but still have access to my dial up ) .
4. Hi-Speed USB 2.0 8-in-1 Media Reader, works great with me and travels in my bag when I'm visiting clients.
It's amazing what you kinda find, if you can be bothered to search Yahoo/Google.
You might also want to check out JKendrick's article Window Into a Geophysicist's World (who's a regular member here) as he details how he uses his PPC and Laptop for work, although he's presently amoured with the Sony U-70 (and quite rightly too ).
__________________ Afterism (n) - A concise, clever statement you don\'t think of until too late.
To err is human, but to really foul things up you need a computer.
thanks for the responses. I enjoy the geophysicist's article, but i am a neuropharmacologist.... wonder if it carries over cross-disciplines?
I note that the keyboards you are recommending are in the $100-220 range. How about $50 maximum. Also what about a modem solution?
thanks again. mark
Guess you might be able to find a foldable keyboard for around $50 on E-bay or by searching Google.
A bluetooth enabled mobile phone like the Nokia 6310i acts as a modem.
__________________ Afterism (n) - A concise, clever statement you don\'t think of until too late.
To err is human, but to really foul things up you need a computer.
Here's what's in my travel pack for my 2215:
AC Adapter
56K CF Modem
WiFi CF Card
(2) 256 MB CF Cards
(1) 256MB SD Card
battery extender (the type that takes 4 AA batts)
Phone cable (to attach to the modem)
Foldable keyboard ($35 BestOptions Direct)
Ear buds
For ISP, I use MyFreei. They have a onetime charge of $5. 10 free hours a month. $1 per hour after that with a cap of $10. So you never pay more than $10 a month. And for those of us who travel infrequently (less than monthly) it is a great deal... no additional charges when not being used.
Unfortunately, your options are severely limited with only a single SD slot.
I have been successfully using my iPAQ 2215 as a notebook-replacement on cross-country trips for a year now, and even managed to do it with a Casio BE-300 for a year prior to THAT.
hehe, maybe I should write a PPC survival travel guide.
UPDATE: bestoptionsdirect is out out those compaq folding keyboards, but they do have the Targus Stowaway keyboard for $35... that is if your iPAQ is compatible with the 3800 series.
) .
Linear Mode
