Using Wi-Fi and a Netbook to Do Mobile Computing in the Comfort of the Coffee Shop

Computers are becoming more and more portable these days. As they become smaller and smaller and more places provide free Wi-Fi, they become a handy tool to carry around. These computers are available in both PC and Mac format. Just about every computer user has a preference for one but not both. Discussions are often heated. When a PC breaks down, you need to find a PC repair place. When a Mac is not working correctly, you need to find a MacBook repair place or a MacBook screen repair place. But all of these computers are remarkably reliable and do not need repair very often.

To get a good idea of how you can best make use of your Netbook computer, we will look at one man, whom we will call Martin. If you were to see Martin on the street, you would not pick him out as a power user, but he is just that. Starbucks is his favorite place to do him mobile computing. He just opens his Netbook at his table and lets it find the wireless signal. His favorite type of web site is the news site or blog. He has a number of these sites set up for RSS feeds ("really simple syndication.") These give him notification of the latest news tidbits in summarized form, saving him time he used to spend surfing for the information.

The next useful tool is Microsoft OneNote. This nifty little program allows you to set up notebooks on your computer like the three-ring notebooks you used in school. In each notebook you can set up any number of subject tabs. Then you can copy information from the web or anywhere else into the notebook. The beauty of this program is that it is easy to sync your documents from all of your computers into one location. As you know, one of the problems of having multiple computers is the problem of keeping your data in sync, and OneNote makes synchronization easy.

Martin has come up with an ingenious way to save the information he finds. The tool needed for this trick is Adobe Acrobat. If you do not have a full copy of Acrobat, you may have another program that allows you to create.pdf files. Remember that Acrobat Reader can be used only for opening.pdf files, not for creating them. When Martin finds a web page that he wants to save, all he does is print it, selecting Adobe PDF as his printer. He can then put the file into the pertinent notebook in OneNote.

With all of these tools at his fingertips, he can sit comfortably at a table in Starbucks, sip his coffee, gather his information, and write his blog. He does not think that anyone ever reads his blog, but it gives him a sense of accomplishment and feeling of satisfaction to get his opinions onto his web site.

So you, too, with a netbook and a few tools, can sit in comfort, commune with friends, and work on the web. If your company allows you to use a remote desktop connection, you can even telecommute from a place of conviviality and comfort.

Over 60 Crowd the Fastest Growing Demographic for Mobile Personal Tech

It is amazing to sit in a Starbucks these days in the city and watch all the older folks running around playing on their smart phones and high-tech tablets. They are acting like kids again - isn't that cool? Sure it is, and they are loving every minute of it, taking with their grandkids through text-messaging, and emailing their friends, golfing buddies, bridge partners, or fellow book club members. Amazing.

The other day I watched an older gentleman reading the newspaper on his all-color Nook E-book Reader, and he was practically giddy explaining all the features to me. Then there was another lady who had some cool looking iPhone Clone texting in her dinner reservations for Ruth's Chris - very cool. Then an acquaintance of mine told me of his father and his new mobile computing and technology gadget;

"My father has undergone the tech-warp, going from a pre-paid wireless to an HTC EVO 4G, I'm actually rather surprised at the fact that he's only managed to crash the thing twice this month since he's owned. Also surprisingly is his current level of sufficiency with the device now..I even catch him behaving quite entrepreneurially lately..it's rather satisfying and comforting."

That's totally cool. I was talking with a 70-yr old retired school teacher yesterday over coffee and tea - she has the latest iPhone, a Facebook page, tweets, and is happy as punch, fully engaged, having fun. It's exciting to see her so animated and happy about the personal tech world she's discovered there, it's wonderful to see. Good stuff. And this is just a sample of what's happening out there.

You see, these mobile technology and mobile computing personal tech devices are transcending age groups, barriers, and generations. Please consider all this and think on it - because seriously folks, this is way cool, you must admit.

5 Tips For Buying The Right Laptop Computer

It's easy to be intimidated by all the laptop models on the market today. There are literally dozens and dozens in every price range.

The key to finding the right one for you is to step back and consider exactly how you plan to use your laptop. When you define what you need before you go shopping, buying the right machine becomes much easier.

Here are 5 basic factors to consider:

1. SIZE

In the world of mobile computing, size definitely matters. The size of a laptop affects two key areas: portability and display size.

If you're always on the go and will be using your computer only in short bursts, a so-called ultralight will save you some shoulder strain.

On the other hand, if you're going to spend hours in front of your laptop, a larger display may be in order.

Today, some laptop displays exceed 17 inches, rivaling the display size of many desktop systems. The down side is that these monsters can easily weigh three times as much as an ultralight.

2. HARD DRIVE

Speaking of size, what about the size of the hard drive? One way to approach this issue is to ask yourself the following question:

Will this be my primary computer, or will it supplement my desktop system?

If the former, you should look for a bigger hard drive - 60 GB or more.

If the latter, you may be able to make it with a 20-30 GB hard drive.

But even this isn't absolute.

If, for example, you plan to copy a huge MP3 library from your desktop system to your laptop to make your music library portable, you'd be well advised to err on the side of too big.

3. MEMORY

In determining the right amount of system memory, or RAM, take a look at the ways in which you intend to use your laptop:

If your needs are somewhat mundane - email, spreadsheets, word processing, etc. - 256 MB of RAM should be plenty. This is a common configuration for many laptops, so it means you probably won't need to spend extra for more RAM.

On the flip side, if you're an aspiring mobile digital photographer or videographer, you should stuff your laptop with as much RAM as it can hold.

In fact, exactly how much RAM your laptop can hold may in part drive your purchase decision. Applications for editing and manipulating multimedia content are notorious resource hogs.

4. NETWORK CONNECTIONS

Thanks in no small part to the Internet, computing in the 21st century relies heavily on being connected:

Connected to the Internet, connected to a corporate network, connected to a wireless network, connected to a home network, connected to an online service.

Your life will be easier if you buy a laptop that includes built-in means to connect to them all.

5. PRICE

If you're considering a laptop, you're probably wondering how much money you'll need to spend.

A few years ago, you'd be hard-pressed to find one for under $2,000. Today, there are plenty of laptops to be had for under $1,000.

What's more, most of the major manufacturers offer a variety of financing options.

Laptop prices have come down, to be sure. However, a laptop still represents a fairly major purchase for most people.

If you take the time to search for a laptop that meets your specific needs, you should get many years of use and enjoyment from this important investment.

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HP PDA phones - Unchained Mobile Computing

HP is one of the most recognized brand in the personal computing field. Over the years, the company have successfully made and maintained an enviable reputation in personal computing scene with many leading computers, consumer electronic goods, notebooks, computer peripherals and accessories in its product portfolio. As the world of personal computing rapidly merging with mobile computing, HP's entry to the mobile phones and PDA market was an widely anticipated move.

Palm tops and pocket PCs manufactured by HP are clubbed together as iPAQ series. Each hand-held from this manufacturing giant offers their user a definitive edge over other mobile phones with their enhanced mobile computing skills. All of HP PDA phones features Windows Mobile 5.0 or higher as their operating system, thereby opening up new vistas of opportunity for its user. One could have a better idea of HP PDA phones' capabilities when they compare them to the ones available in stores today.

HP PDA phones' functionality could be assessed by its built quality and its specification. The low budget HP iPAQ rx4240 is a great device for connecting, entertaining and organizing. The handset is fitted with a 400 MHz Samsung processor and works on Windows Mobile 5.0. Endowed with premium features like touch screen, integrated WLAN 802.11b/g and Bluetooth wireless technology, SD slot and one year warranty, the HP iPAQ rx4240 is almost at par with the best of other manufacturers.

Similarly, other handsets like HP iPAQ 510, HP iPAQ hx2495, HP iPAQ hx2795 and HP iPAQ rx5915 exhibits the best of mobile computing. Each handset signifies HP's emergence as a major player in not just PDAs but the whole mobile phone fraternity. Among the most recent offerings of the company, the HP iPAQ hw6945 Mobile messenger deserves a special mention. This powerhouse is equipped with an Intel PXA270 processor (416 MHz) and Windows Mobile 5.0 Phone Edition. From WiFi to Bluetooth, GPS receiver to multi megapixel camera - this HP PDA phone has it all to make it to the top, much like the company itself.