Pocket Sized Computer
A computer in your pocket. Not a phone!Psion Series 3 Palmtop
Posted on March 18, 2012
The first pocket sized computer I owned was a Psion Series 3a palmtop that I bought way back in 1995. This was an amazing device for its time.
There were other small clamshell-folding organizer gadgets with keyboards, made by electronics companies such as Sharp and Casio. But they were little more than electronic address books. Plus they didn’t interface with your computer, so you had to retype all your data when switching to a new one. The Psion however, was a real computer with a file system compatible with MS-DOS, and a built-in networking protocol that made it easy to move files back and forth between your palmtop and desktop. It has two solid-state drive bays in the bottom that used flash memory disks (unheard of 20 years ago). It had Apps you would typically have on a computer like word processing, database, spreadsheet, and a programming language for hobbyists to write their own programs.
It ran for months on 2 standard AA batteries – very power efficient!. The tradeoff for long battery life was a relatively slow processor and monochrome screen.
I was so in love with this computer that I bought all the accessories, such as SSD storage cartridges, a 3.5″ floppy disk drive, parallel printer cable, serial cable, and a modem. For a time I seriously thought about using it as my only computer when my desktop (an Amiga at the time) was not working. In fact, it is probably the reason I created this website – because there should be modern pocket size computers that can do all this.
Psion eventually stopped making these and became Symbian, turning their attention to mobile phone operating systems.
Cheap Tripod for iPod Touch
Posted on May 16, 2011The inexpensive tripod that I ordered through eBay finally arrived on the slow boat from China. It was first mentioned in the Day3 e-commerce video.
In this video the tripod gets unboxed and examined for its usefulness in recording video. The tripod seems to have been made for camera phones, but works equally well with an iPod Touch.
On Amazon: Mini Adjustable Tripod+camera Holder for Iphone and Other Cellphone
iPad Laptop Replacement
Posted on May 9, 2011Check this out: www.ipadlaptopreplacement.com
That is a blog about someone using an iPad2 instead of a laptop computer on a business trip. Interesting to me, seeing someone else’s viewpoint on trying to get real work done on a mobile platform.
The iPad does not qualify as a pocket-sized computer in my opinion, because it’s just too big to carry around with you everywhere. This is the appeal of a device that fits in your pocket – make it convenient enough to take along, so that it’s always with you. Still, the iPad does use iOS just like my iPod touch, so the file compatibility issues the author experiences would be shared by iPod Touch users.
Day 7: iPod Touch or Laptop?
Posted on April 3, 2011Final Thoughts on Last Day of One Week Experiment
Can an iPod Touch 4G really take the place of a laptop computer? I really thought it could, because it’s such an incredibly useful device. Just a thin sliver of glass and metal can do all these amazing things! As I explain in this video, it’s not a 100% direct replacement for a computer, but makes an excellent pocket-sized connection to the internet.
Click on iPod on Amazon to get your own iPod Touch 4G!
Day 6: iPod Touch Productivity Apps
Posted on April 2, 2011Today I wanted to talk about office applications. I kept it simple by mostly covering word processing using text files synced to my laptop computers through Dropbox. If you join Dropbox through this link you get an additional 250 MB of free space! If you search the App Store there are plenty of options for other office programs like spreadsheets and powerpoint.
Wait a minute – did I really try to e-file my IRS tax forms on an iPod?
Day 5: iPod Touch as a Phone
Posted on April 1, 2011The iPod makes a great pocket-size communicator. There are many options for keeping in touch with people. Email with Google and Yahoo!, FaceTime or Skype. Also trying out Facebook and Twitter.
Day 4: Video Stream to iPod Touch
Posted on March 30, 2011Here we explore options for video entertainment in the iPod-only lifestyle. Hulu Plus, Netflix, and YouTube are discussed. You can also get Apps for cable networks (like HGTV) that let you watch some sample shows on your iPod touch. It’s great for watching stuff on the Internet, but responding to people is difficult through the cut-down mobile websites.
Day 3: Buying and Selling Online
Posted on March 29, 2011Instead of using my laptop computer to buy and sell things online, today I see how that works using my iPod touch. I find the official eBay App to be good for buying but limited for selling. Also I buy a book on Amazon. When I get stuff in the mail maybe we can have an unboxing video!
Day 2: iPod Touch Website Development
Posted on March 28, 2011Today’s challenge was to create a new website from scratch using the iPod touch. Using the Safari web browser, I bought a new domain name, set up hosting on my Bluehost account, installed a blank WordPress blog, and installed a theme that is friendly to mobile devices. Installing WordPress was easy, but customizing it on the touch screen was a pain. This is the website you are looking at right now!
Day 1: iPod Touch Video Editing
Posted on March 26, 20117 Day Experiment Of Using An iPod Touch As My Only Computer
This will be an experiment to see what I can do with just an iPod touch 4G. All of my computers are getting boxed up for the week and we shall see how the iPod works as a pocket sized computer! Today’s challenge will be to record this video, edit it together with iMovie, and upload to YouTube.