Mobile Ministry Magazine

I keep going forth and forth about why I don't need a desktop/laptop as much and it really centers around the fact that I live in email and a browser (usually Opera). Other than that, I haven't much of a need to have a full computer. And considering all the talk about what is wasteful, you might want to think about your own usages as well.

You see. The Foleo really has captured my attention in part because for me it solves big issue that I have had with computing. I need my 'big' computer to be potable, usable, and ubquitious. I need to be able to move from room to room, or have it fit in a corner where I can forgetabout it while I travel, etc. At teh same time, I don't want it taking a lot of packing space, living space, or space at all. I'd rather that it make its presence felt in its usability, rather than its ability to just 'be there.'

Even the Dell laptop that I had required too much of that being plugged into the wall [feature] for it to be considered useful. I had to set up a desk for it because it got hot. I needed to get a new mouse for it because the touchpad wasn't ergonomic enough. And yet it was used and used until the motherboard crapped out. But there was nothing else, and until that time, I knew what I wanted, but it was not there. So I used my Treo and a keyboard, and from there ran until the need got too great for needing a better browser than the one on my phone.

I sit on this desktop that took three trips to the car to bring up two flights of steps. Its not at all my idea of efficient as by itself it warms a small room. I've only been in Opera (with a few tabs), Word (2 docs), and Outlook (because my aunt sent me a 2MB attachment to an email, ew) becaues I don't use more unless I am developing (and even then the addition is Notepad only). Simply speaking, the Foleo does that, and nothing much more. Simple and to the point computing. And I don't even need to worry about networking unless it is that I really need to get online.

One of the issues that the Foleo has though is browser tabs. I use at least 3-7 tabs in a browser when I am rolling along. The fact that this review states that you cannot have multiple windows or tabs does knock things. But in the forum discussion at TreoCentral of this, Wii Tabs was talked about and this seems a good enough solution if the Foleo can handle it.

Yes, I am convincing myself that I need another computing device (I do this often). But this time, unlike a few years ago when I had a Tungsten E and knew that the T5 was a better call for me; I know that I only need an attachment to my already existing soluiton, not a solution. That much says to me that I don't need much more, but like it was when I packed only a carload to move down South, I needed less in order to be more effective. In keeping with my mantra of tech being effective and usable, I see the Foleo elimating the fluff of my computing, and emphasizing the mobility that I so desire.

Labels: mobile