$0 HipTops, non-$199 PDAs, and Storage

Grok Headline matches for $0 HipTops, non-$199 PDAs, and Storage

PDAs Are Dead; Long Live PDAs

PDAs Are Dead; Long Live PDAs 04/12/2004 09:59 AM
JOEL JOHNSON -- So PDA sales are falling, while smartphone shipments are up. According to some, like The Dallas Morning News' Doug Bedell, this means that PDAs are dying. To others, like Brighthand's Ed Hardy (looking resplendant in dark turtleneck and matching beard), it means that PDAs, overall, are just...

Weird context shifts caused by IM on
hiptops...

Weird context shifts caused by IM on
hiptops... 12/22/2004 01:40 AM

I'm having a crisis of etiquette caused by what I believe to be bad user interface design. Basically it works like this. I look at my iChat buddy list (to the right) and I see a big list of people who are 'green' (indicating availability), 'orange' (indicating absence or idle-ness) or 'red' (indicating explicitly 'away', but still contactable if necessary).

Now my expectation of people on my iChat list is that if they are green they are currently using their computer at this precise moment. They're actually looking at the screen. Which means that a ping to them should be incredibly unobtrusive but noticeable and should involve the absolute least number of keystrokes / interactions to be able to tell someone you're busy and/or start a conversation with them. Actually, iChat doesn't really handle that totally brilliantly in a range of ways, but the aspiration should remain. The ping should be non-invasive but immediately cognitively recognisable, and a response should be as simple as possible. It is with the understanding that the recipient's experience will be something like this that we are able to ping our friends or colleagues without feeling like we're being necessarily rude.

Except that this presumptive understanding of the experience of the person at the other end of the connection is starting to deteriorate. At least three or four of the people I have on my IM list are now accessing their IM via their hiptops. This changes the experience immediately - firstly because the recipient is now not necessarily engaged in a looking-at-a-screen-like activity. They could be walking in a fish market. They could be chatting to their mother on a phone. They could be driving a car. Secondly in order for them to react to the messages they're receiving they have to physically move the device to a place where they can focus upon it. The casual ping is immediately an intrusive one. And then - of course - they have to find a way to respond to the ping - either by using slow phone-style or fold-out keyboards, or by changing their presence. None of these actions are simple or quick enough to make the experience of using a hip-top and responding to messages on a hip-top comparable with responding via a computer keyboard.

All of which would be fine if it wasn't potentially difficult to distinguish between a person being rudely invasive and a device that encourages potentially invasive attempts at social intercourse... And if it wasn't - in turn - difficult for the person sending a message to distinguish between a long silence that resembles some kind of 'shunning' activity and a long silence that is merely a consequence of circumstances or the difficulties in getting to your messaging. On both sides there are social problems that emerge because the behaviour of the interfaces is confused with the behaviour of the people at either end - the software/interface actually makes the person at the other end seem rude - and purely because there is a disparity between the social engagement one thinks one is engaging in and the consequence it might have.

The software attempts to compensate for this a little bit. Most of my friends that are using hip-tops use some kind of status message to convey that they are mobile - which would work more effectively if you couldn't easily hide the status message to free up screen real-estate. In the meantime, the signifiers that actually tell you that someone is online completely overpower the signals that indicate their mobility.

So what's the solution? Well ideally - since you're looking at another form of engagement you'd distinguish it from the more conventional uses for IM. A separate scrollable container at the bottom of the screen or another buddy-list (a la the Rendezvous window) would compensate for some of these impediments - although probably at the cost of adding in more complexity. Probably the simplest solution would just be to revisit the particular presence indicators. In iChat then there might be two options: firstly an improvement of the portable devices to accurately reflect 'available' and 'idle', and secondly the creation of a new form of presence to go alongside 'available', 'idle' and 'busy'. Either would be a useful corrective feature which could alleviate the social clumsiness of mobile IM.

Do other people have experiences like these? And if so, how do you resolve them? Do you leave it to social convention to work through problems like these, or is a simple UI or technological solution more simple? Any and all thoughts gratefully received...

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Factors for Successful Storage
Integration in Consumer Devices Revealed
During Storage Visions 2005 Conference

Factors for Successful Storage
Integration in Consumer Devices Revealed
During Storage Visions 2005 Conference 12/17/2004 06:28 PM
Market Wire Dec 13 2004 8:30PM GMT

Disaster Recovery, SAN Storage Tools
Headline Storage Show

Disaster Recovery, SAN Storage Tools
Headline Storage Show 04/12/2005 04:09 PM
Data protection products also debut at Storage Networking World.

Maximum Storage: REDEFINED - The
TeraStorus Provides 6 Terabytes of SATA
Storage for Under $14k

Maximum Storage: REDEFINED - The
TeraStorus Provides 6 Terabytes of SATA
Storage for Under $14k 05/31/2004 02:11 PM
Aberdeen revolutionized the backup storage community by introducing the 2TB "Backup Monster" for under $5000. Just a few months later Aberdeen presents the most robust all-inclusive storage and backup server to date, the Aberdeen Stirling X524. The 5U "TeraStorus" is the goliath of backup storage servers with 24 hot-swap hard disk drive bays suitable for 6TB of complete data storage. [PRWEB Apr 21, 2004]

iSCSI-Based IP Storage Area Network (IP
SAN) Changes the Face of Storage
Management at the University of
California’s Berkeley Campus

iSCSI-Based IP Storage Area Network (IP
SAN) Changes the Face of Storage
Management at the University of
California’s Berkeley Campus 06/06/2005 12:14 AM
Tiered Computer Network Storage Approach Results in Dramatic Cost Savings and Simplified Storage Allocation for Haas School of Business [PRWEB May 18, 2005]

SLIDE-LOK Garage Storage Cabinets
Expands its East Coast Dealer Network
with the Addition of Garage Outfitters
in Massachusetts, and Completes its
Dealer Network in Connecticut with the
Addition of Garage Storage Solutions -
SLIDE-LOK Continues Seeking Applications
from Professional Garage Storage
Professionals in the United States and
Canada

SLIDE-LOK Garage Storage Cabinets
Expands its East Coast Dealer Network
with the Addition of Garage Outfitters
in Massachusetts, and Completes its
Dealer Network in Connecticut with the
Addition of Garage Storage Solutions -
SLIDE-LOK Continues Seeking Applications
from Professional Garage Storage
Professionals in the United States and
Canada 06/03/2004 02:08 AM
SLIDE-LOK Garage Storage Cabinets Expands its East Coast Dealer Network with the Addition of Garage Outfitters in Massachusetts. And completes its Dealer Network in Connecticut with the Addition of Garage Storage Solutions – SLIDE-LOK Continues Seeking Applications from Professional Garage Storage Dealers in the United States and Canada. SLIDE-LOK Dealers include Storage Solution Providers that Focus on Cabinetry, Carpentry, Closets, Flooring, Furniture, Home Security as well as the Home, the Office, and the Garage. Garage and Storage Professionals in these fields are encouraged to apply to join the fastest growing dealer network in the US - SLIDE-LOK – The Original Name In Garage Storage Cabinets. [PRWEB Jun 3, 2004]

PDAs For The Outdoors

PDAs For The Outdoors 07/06/2004 01:56 AM
Geeks are no longer bound to just being indoors all of the time. Thanks to new PDA technology, geeks can get connected with each other as well as nature. New PDAs, from one that will allow you to receive up to the minute information for orchestra goers, to wireless nature tours, today’s portable technology is nothing short of amazing.

The Real Value of PDAs

The Real Value of PDAs 06/09/2004 09:58 PM
Constructech Magazine Jun 10 2004 2:38AM GMT

What's next for PDAs and smartphones

What's next for PDAs and smartphones 02/10/2004 02:41 AM
Brighthand overview of fourteen new PDAs and smartphones that are due out (or rumored to be due out) in the next couple of months. Read...

Europe: we will buy your PDAs

Europe: we will buy your PDAs 07/23/2004 06:19 AM
The Register Jul 23 2004 10:08AM GMT

Aren't Cellphones Annoying? And What's
Up With Those PDAs?

Aren't Cellphones Annoying? And What's
Up With Those PDAs? 08/19/2004 07:35 AM

There was a time where I thought my career was going to be in that sparkling sugarplum factory known as "computers," but reading columns like this one by Robert J. Samuelson has convinced me that my career in "journalism" is much more suited to my desire to string lots of curmudgeonly words together and get paid for it. This week's insightful column? "A Cell Phone? Never for Me." You fight that power, Samuelson. (I especially like the part where he notes that he has also "resisted ATM cards, laptops, and digital cameras." This is the part where Zombie Thoreau puts down his cell phone and slaps the wax out of him.)

So that's journalism, I guess. I can't wait until I'm old and can write columns for Newsweek like, "What's Up With Mustard?" and "Holo Porn? It's 2D for Me."

Read - A Cell Phone? Never for Me. [Newsweek]

Sony dropping PDAs

Sony dropping PDAs 06/01/2004 07:02 PM
Sympatico Jun 1 2004 10:21PM GMT

PC World Picks its Top 10 PDAs

PC World Picks its Top 10 PDAs 06/23/2004 05:31 PM
BrightHand Jun 23 2004 9:45PM GMT

PDAs in the year 2005

PDAs in the year 2005 12/23/2003 02:09 PM
Rather than reflect on the year that was, Steve Sande of PDAntic looks ahead to 2005 and opines on what the state of the PDA...

Sharp's 3D cellphones and PDAs

Sharp's 3D cellphones and PDAs 01/26/2004 12:41 PM
Sharp's 3D laptops have been out for a few months, but what we hadn't been aware of is that they've also got cellphones and...

Are PDAs Simply Finished?

Are PDAs Simply Finished? 06/13/2004 10:40 AM

SMS FAQ: Query to Find PDAs

SMS FAQ: Query to Find PDAs 06/24/2004 06:35 AM

Bloglines for Connected PDAs!

Bloglines for Connected PDAs! 01/19/2004 12:51 PM

"We are pleased to announce the beta version of Bloglines optimized for connected PDAs. Simply go to www.bloglines.com using your Palm or Windows CE powered PDA, and you will automatically be transferred to the optimized version of Bloglines. You can also access the PDA version directly by going to http://www.bloglines.com/mobile . The optimized version of Bloglines contains fewer graphics and simpler pages for fast loading and easier navigation on PDAs. Now it's easy to stay up to date with your Bloglines subscriptions while away from your computer." [Aggregators Yahoo! Group]

Testing it now! Have my prayers been answered???

Update: yes and no. Bloglines on my Treo 600 is fab-u-lous! I started out by testing five feeds, and it looked goooood. Next I loaded my current list of subscriptions from Radio and displayed all 244 of them in the desktop version. Just as I was going to view them on my handheld, though, the BlogLines server went down. I'll try it again later and post another update, although this does point out one of the problems with relying on a hosted aggregator that is out of your control.  :-

Of course I'll be paring that list down quite a bit to show only the more important ones on my T600, but so far I'm quite happy with my original test of five feeds. The screens are as efficient as those in Hand/RSS in terms of usage of screen real estate.

I'll have to play with this some more, but label me verily impressed! Two problems stop me from completely switching to Bloglines, though. The first is that I don't see a way to do a chronological view of feeds on my handheld, and the second is that there is no way for me to post to my blog from within BL, a feature that is critical to my ability to maintain my site. If those two features were added, I would switch aggregators in a heartbeat!

PDAs Help Hotel Guests

PDAs Help Hotel Guests 02/19/2004 03:25 PM
CareDecision will install its ResidenceWare platform in as many as 65 hotels in the New York area: The deal will start with eight hotels in New York City, including a Days Inn, Quality Inn, Comfort Inn, and Super 8. The platform includes a PDA in each guest room that interacts with the hotel manager over a Wi-Fi network. The PDA can be embedded in the wall behind a screen to avoid damage. Guests can use it to order food from local restaurants, arrange for laundry to be cleaned, and buy tickets for tourist events. The first implementation will include 600 PDAs and ultimately CareDecision thinks the deal will include installation of 5,800 units....

What Are Kids Using Wireless PDAs For?

What Are Kids Using Wireless PDAs For? 08/31/2004 05:28 PM
Ok, there really wasn't all that much to comment on concerning yet another article about kids in schools being give n handheld computers and set up on a wireless network. Obviously, it's nice to hear that the program is going well, and that many of the teachers and students find the benefits to be even more than they expected. My point in posting this is just to note that for all the wonderful educational benefits of the system touted in the article, the photo they include pretty clearly shows someone playing solitaire on the device.

SATELLIFE Seeks Used PDAs

SATELLIFE Seeks Used PDAs 01/04/2005 11:59 PM
Slashdot Jan 5 2005 3:57AM GMT

Why more PDAs are coming with keyboards

Why more PDAs are coming with keyboards 12/06/2003 12:30 AM
Article in Australian IT about how integrated thumb keyboards are starting to show up in more and more PDAs. Curiously, the article doesn't actually mention a single PDA that comes with a keyboard. Read [Via SmartMobs]...

PDAs hit by smartphone challengers

PDAs hit by smartphone challengers 07/29/2004 08:17 AM
vnunet.com Jul 29 2004 12:46PM GMT

Do people really use their PDAs? Part I

Do people really use their PDAs? Part I 11/30/2002 04:36 AM
A recent Ask Slashdot pondered if people really use their PDAs: I work in a high-tech industry and I see...

Smartphones killing off PDAs

Smartphones killing off PDAs 02/01/2005 09:24 PM

Do people really use their PDAs? Part
II, my first PDA

Do people really use their PDAs? Part
II, my first PDA 11/30/2002 04:36 AM
My first PDA was a PalmPilot Personal, one of the first units to have 3COM silk-screened on the front. I'd...

New Trojan targets PDAs

New Trojan targets PDAs 08/10/2004 05:37 AM

Direct and Related Links for 'New Trojan targets PDAs'

“Three weeks after the 29A virus group launched Duts, the first proof-of-concept virus for personal digital assistants (PDAs) running PocketPC, a new Trojan horse is targeting the handheld devices, according to Russian-based Kaspersky Labs. WinCE.Brador-A was probably written by a Russian virus coder, said Eugene Kaspersky, head of antivirus research at Kaspersky Labs. The Trojan was attached to an e-mail with a Russian sender and Russian text inside. The author was offering to sell the…

Surfing the Web on Wireless PDAs and
Smartphones

Surfing the Web on Wireless PDAs and
Smartphones 07/06/2004 03:03 AM
A directory of PDA-friendly web sites and services for smartphones and connected handhelds. Meant to be used as a browser home page on Palm, PocketPC or other PDAs in wireless or mobile Internet applications. [PRWEB Jul 6, 2004]

Dell Unveils New Axim PDAs

Dell Unveils New Axim PDAs 05/18/2004 07:44 PM

New keyboard for PDAs, phones uses
Bluetooth

New keyboard for PDAs, phones uses
Bluetooth 05/17/2004 07:38 AM
San Jose Mercury News May 17 2004 10:50AM GMT

Palm jazzes up 2 low-priced PDAs

Palm jazzes up 2 low-priced PDAs 05/01/2004 07:31 AM
Los Angeles Times May 1 2004 11:55AM GMT

New Intel chips could see PDAs shrink

New Intel chips could see PDAs shrink 04/13/2004 06:05 AM
PC Magazine UK Apr 13 2004 9:49AM GMT

Survey points to insecurity of PDAs

Survey points to insecurity of PDAs 09/01/2004 01:24 PM

PalmOne updates consumer PDAs

PalmOne updates consumer PDAs 04/28/2004 04:29 AM
Zire 31 and 72 unveiled

Amazon UK taken down by demand in cheap
PDAs

Amazon UK taken down by demand in cheap
PDAs 03/19/2003 10:28 PM
Amazon UK was taken down for over an hour today after a rush of orders caused by apparently mis-pricing Compaq HP iPAQ H5450 Pocket PCs and HP iPAQ H1910 Pocket PCs at £23 GBP and £7 GBP respectively (normally priced at over £200 GBP each)!! I know a few people who have ordered one or two ;) - Amazon is back up and running now but we're all a bit in the dark as to whether we'll get our cut-price goods or not. Logic and fair-play (and the Trades Description Act) dicatates that we should get our goods - but I wonder.... (see also here at The Register)

PDAs Take a Seat at the Symphony (PC
World)

PDAs Take a Seat at the Symphony (PC
World) 07/05/2004 04:39 AM
PC World - New York Philharmonic, other orchestras test PDA program that explains music being performed.

Dell debuts wireless PDAs

Dell debuts wireless PDAs 06/03/2004 02:00 PM
PC Magazine UK Jun 3 2004 5:40PM GMT

Full X11-Based Distro For PDAs

Full X11-Based Distro For PDAs 01/27/2004 08:56 AM

Grok Description matches for $0 HipTops, non-$199 PDAs, and Storage
GrokA matches for $0 HipTops, non-$199 PDAs, and Storage

$0 HipTops, non-$199 PDAs, and Storage

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