Here in Ashland, Wi (Alltel Network) I am a freelance programmer, household manager, and community volunteer. I do not have a need for a cell phone because I am always in range of wifi, but I do need a portable device that I can carry easily in my messenger bag front pocket. I currently am carrying around a laptop, which is over kill and not very convenient, light or able to keep it on without draining the battery.
My Wish List
Skype – I love Skype and have a SkypeIn account.
Podcast Client – Being a huge fan of Juice but the ease of iTunes is hard to beat. I would like a simple
RSS Feed Client – Digg, Fark and other news services are vital to feed my information junkie.
Wifi – I have a wonderful wifi setup and the local coffee shop has free wifi.
Email – Preference POP3 mail.
IM – Instant Message is essential because sometimes you just want a text message, not an entire email.
Accessories – Qwerty keyboard, memory card, headphone upgrade and so on will make a difference in use.
These are the basic and anything extra would be wonderful. I personally love to have Twitter, but with the right IM I can send my Tweets and updates. Social Networks access would be cool, but with the right gadget I can find a hack or possible app that would allow updates. Also, syncing is not important as I would be using wifi for all my data. Bluetooth would be helpful in using latest technology.
My Don’t Wish List
Cell phone – I have Skype with SkypeIn and do not need a cell phone.
Monthly Charge – I do not want to pay anything more than the gadget itself. I will need unlimited data and there isn’t a service provider that comes cheap. A typical unlimited data smart phone will cost over $2000 for a two year contract, not including cost of phone average of $300.
PDA – Have PDAs died? The smart phone industry has almost dissolved the PDA industry. As a huge fan of Palm, there is no PDA modern model that is not a phone.
Netbook – Netbooks are small and cute but they are little laptops. A closed laptop is an inactive laptop, and if I kept the system on while it is closed the battery would be useless.
Gadgets I Found
Sony Mylo 2
Nokia N800 Internet Tablet
I can’t believe these are my only options? Are there any other suggestions? Is there a PDA or MP3 player that Skype can be installed easily? Is my wish list too unrealistic?
The Ipod Touch 2nd generation doesn’t have a microphone, but it can use a microphone plugged into the headphone jack. Apple offers two right now, the least expensive being about 30 bucks. You can find some cheaper alternatives, I have a Philips Mic adapter that I bought for 10 bucks. It says it’s for the Iphone, but it works well on my Touch 2G. You also have to download the app Fring since it is the only one that offers Skype access on the 2g, but it’s free, so no big deal. You can make calls, the quality isn’t as good as using a actual computer but it does work. The chat works perfectly, and you can use many other services with Fring as well like Aim and Msn. Hope this is what your looking for!
Thank you. It is an idea. But are you sure it will work?