MOBILE HARDWARE

THE MOBILE WARRIOR SETUP

My mobile setup has gradually miniaturised over the years, and hopefully, will become more integrated in the future. Below I list my current and previous mobile tech configurations, following on from this is the future PDA page, detailing my wish list for an ideal device for me personally.



Communications

Currently, I use a Nokia N73 smartphone, which to all intents and purposes, has become my replacement for a notebook computer, albeit with a very limited screen.

The screen is not in any way suitable for serious work of course, but for checking email whilst mobile, looking things up in Google or Wikipedia, checking the news on the BBC website, using Google maps, or using the A-Z london streetmap application I have instead of a streetmap book, it has largely replaced my notebook PC, my iPaq PDAs, and for short journeys, my Archos music and video player. Coupled with a Plantronics Voyager USB Bluetooth headset, it really is useful as a mini mobile office.



Visual

I always carry a camera too. As a photographer, I don't want to miss any photographic opportunities that come my way. I used to carry a 35mm compact camera even back in the pre digital camera days. Nowadays, I carry a Fuji F610 digital camera. For photoshoots, obviously I take all my photographic kit then, be it the Nikon Digital SLR, or the treasured Hasselblad.



Mobile Productivity

My Sony Vaio TR2 sub laptop PC is largely a surrogate desktop nowadays, just enabling me to work on coding, technical architecture, documents, speadsheets, photos and video when I am away from the office. Coupled with a portable external hard disk, it covers most of my other computing needs. For meetings, I take the Sony Vaio TR2 sub laptop PC, or where I need to do some collaborative work with people I take the Vaio TR2, but other than that, the smartphone does most of the things I need when out and about.



The Current Mobile Setup

If I need a full mobile complement, if I am away for any time, I use:


However, no PDA or smartphone I have had has ever been as practical as my previous Psion 5 palmtop. The keyboard on the Psion 5 was exceptionally good. If Psion hadn't had such a useless marketing department, and had produced a successor with a colour screen, I would probably have still been using it today. In fact, I still do occasionally switch on my Psion 5 just to marvel at it.



The Previous Mobile Setups