mip's scan

Testing the Rogers Rocket Wireless Stick

Over the past year I’ve looked at technologies that allow me to work effectively while on the go. For connectivity I’ve often relied on WiFi access points that might be found at vendor offices, client locations, hotels or coffee shops. While often these resources work out, they aren’t always ideal. Many times, when I needed connectivity the most, that was the time I just couldn’t get a WiFi access point to work effectively. 

That is why, some time ago I decided to pickup a Rogers wireless USB modem also called Rogers Rocket Internet. This device from Rogers is a Novatel piece of hardware that is like a slightly oversized USB memory key. I usually keep in my bag or sometimes even in my pocket. When needed I simply plug it into the USB port to get it up and running. So, what has the experience been like? 

What's All The Fuss About Netbooks?

I must admint that netbooks are a tech that puzzled me somewhat.  For a time I felt they were too small and, more importantly for me, too underpowered.  Of course, what I was thinking about were mini laptops that I tested over the years - there was no netbook category.  They were ultraportable laptops like a Sony UX50 or a Fujitsu Lifebook.  I liked their size (for the most part) but found them to be pokey/sluggish when it came to performance.  I loved the concept of the OQO as this really tiny computer you could use at your desk, plugged into a keyboard and monitor.  Then, when you had to leave the office, you simply grabbed the OQO, put it in your pocket and off you go.  A very appealing idea for me.  The problem again, was performance.  The device is somewhat underpowered.  The other issue - price.  You were really paying a premium for that portability.

All those things I mentioned above came back to me (mixed feelings) when I started to see this new category emerge called Netbooks.  They have been taking the markets by storm though, in a time when laptops and PCs have been taking a beating.  I often see articles that talk about how business users are warming to the netbook and how the overseas market has been soaring for these low powered mini devices, but still I scratched my head in wonderment.

Livescribe Pen

Over the years I have tried a number of tablet PCs in an attempt to have something that I could write my notes on and they'd then exist on my computer.  Try and try again, no matter what devices I've tried, the promise of enhanced note taking just hasn't been there for me unfortunately.  This lack of value for me was due to any number of things, such as:

• size of the unit - either they are too big and clunky to carry around or they are too small to effectively use
• battery life - nothing worse than having the unit not turn on in a meeting or die half-way through the meeting due to a drained battery 
• format of the notes - too often, systems I tried used some kind of proprietary format for the files that contained my hand written notes, effectively trapping my notes if I ever wanted to change systems 

Despite the above shortcomings however, I have still lusted quested for the holy grail that would enable me to hand write my notes, but still have them captured digitally.  Several months ago, my prayers were answered and I'm here to tell you about one of the most  valuable devices I've had the pleasure to use in the past year.  

I'm talking about the Livescribe Smart Pen, which has transformed my note taking in absolutely wonderful ways.  You can of course can all kinds of technical details on the Pulse Smart Pen from Livescribe over at their site, but I'd like to relay some real world experience with this little wonder.

A Quick Look at the iPod Touch

So for the past while I've been enjoying the use of the iPod Touch.  There have been numerous reviews of this device and so I'm not going to do an exhaustive review of every little feature here.  Suffice it to say that the iPod Touch lives up to the hype.  Often with new technology, the hype around a new product grows so large that when the device is finally released it has no chance of living up to the hype surrounding it.  The iPod Touch (and first the iPhone) had a lot of hype.  I'm happy to say though that it all works as advertised.  Dive into the video review I've got below; there I'll step through some of some of the smaller, not often mentioned aspects of this device.  It is the little things, the small attention to detail that Apple gives it products, that really enhance the ongoing use of a product.

Opera Mini 3 Released

I spent some time today using the new release of Opera Mini on my Blackberry 8700. Opera Mini is the mobile version of the Opera browser and this release made me particularily happy because it allows me to subscribe to RSS feeds. Yup. That's right...I finally have a way to track RSS feeds again while on the go. If you will recall, I left Bloglines and started using the terrifc RSS reader Newsfire. The one drawback was my inability to now easily read my blogs while on the move via my Blackberry.

The Opera Mini 3.0 browser allowed me to subscribe to my favourite blogs and read them on the move. In addition to the RSS feeds, it also has some good photo tools (especially if you have a camera on your phone) and the added security makes web banking all the better (and safer). If you've been using Opera Mini, good release to upgrade to. If you haven't used it, this is a good little browser that just gets better with each release. Check it out.

5 Days with The OQO

A co-worker of mine who recently acquired the OQO was kind enough to lend it to me.  I've carried it around for the past 5 days and here are my thoughts on this little device.  You can see me showing it off in the video clip below with my post continuing after that.

The OQO is a wonder in engineering devices that are small.  It is amazing how they've packed so much into this little device.  Despite that, there are some problems I find with the device but overall I was surprised by how much I enjoyed using it and found it an effective way to augment my computing use.  Let's look at the pros and cons that I found over my 5 day trial.

Good Little Video of the Sony mylo

This is a follow up to the post I did this morning on the Sony mylo.  The gang over at Gizmodo seem to have gotten their hands on one and given us a little video (see below).   I like how they seem to have borrowed the great user interface design that Sony created for the PSP.  The icons, graphical layout and navigation are very similar.  I find the PSP interface to be excellent so seeing it on the mylo is awesome.  The slide out keyboard is what the PSP is missing to make web browsing a joy on the device.  Of course, the PSP doesn't come bundled with the great communication apps that mylo does like Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger and most importantly Skype.   Can you imagine how great a device like this would be once the Toronto WiFi project is completed by Toronto Hydro! 

Enjoy the clip below....boy...I sure hope they make this device available in Canada otherwise I'm going to need to drive to Buffalo to find one!

TubeSock - YouTube to Go

I was just saying yesterday how much I enjoy end-user created content.  I find so much stuff on YouTube and I'm not alone, with a hundred million downloads happening each day.  I often will see something on YouTube and then email it or bookmark it so I can share it with other people.  That is why I really like this excellent tool called TubeSock that allows you to rip YouTube videos to your iPod or PSP.  That rocks!  The more you set content free, the father it travels, the greater its worth becomes. 

TubeSock grabs YouTube videos from the web and copies them to your video iPod, Mac, or PlayStation Portable. TubeSock knows how to convert the video using the codecs and bitrates best for each device. It can even add the video to iTunes for you.

Awesome awesome tool!  Unfortunately if you are Windows user....you're out of luck.  TubeSock is a Mac-only tool currently.

Sony Introduces mylo

Wow!!

Now this was the kind of device I was expecting Apple to announce yesterday...but nooooo, they didn't.  Instead, Sony did and I think it shows real promise.  I love the fact that it takes many Internet communication tools and makes them available like Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, and Skype.  Skype!  Wow, this could be the wi-fi device everyone has been waiting for.  Check out this site for an excellent animated introduction and then a great Flash-based site that allows you to explore the device.  Make sure you checkout the features...I love the visual way you can see 'what's up' and see who is online.  Now this is a device that looks exciting.  Can't wait to see what this is like when it launches in the fall.

Sony UX50 Handheld PC

I was talking a little while back with an old friend who said that his business partner was really into Sony gear when it came to laptops.  I mentioned that Sony had announced a new device that at the time, the exact name and details escaped me.  Here now is some info on the Sony's handheld PC, the UX50.  The first thing is that the UX50 was the same label they applied to the once availbale Clie UX50.  Remember that?  I do.  I own one (still have it kicking around my home office as well...not bad for Wi-Fi surfing of the web).  The thing that bugs me is that they killed off the Clie-UX50 and now seeing the UX50 label applied to this handheld PC leave a bad feeling in my stomach, but of course that is a purely emotional response. 

The new UX50 looks like a slick device.  I like the form factor and love the slide and reveal keyboard.  I obviously haven't been able to type on this (since it isn't out yet), but they keys look a bit odd to me.  A tad small compared to the hand in the picture.  The device itself seems a tad underpowered to me as well from the specs listed in the review I read.

So is this a device I would run out and get?  I know it would turn heads, but no...I'm not a huge fan of what I see coming from Sony in the laptop / computing department.  If it's a laptop you want - go for a Macbook or Macbook Pro.  If it is the portability you want in a handheld PC...well, my advice would be....wait and see what Apple comes out with first.